The bombardment

Quartet Records, in collaboration with MoviScore Media, presents the CD premiere of Ole Bornedal’s acclaimed film THE BOMBARDMENT, scored by Marco Beltrami, Ceiri Torjussen and Buck Sanders.

The film tells a true story from World War II. On March 21st, 1945, the British Royal Air Force set out on a mission to bomb the Gestapo’s headquarters in Copenhagen. The raid had fatal consequences as some of the bombers accidentally targeted a school and more than 120 people were killed, 86 of whom were children.

Opening with the heartfelt “Henry’s Piano,” the score distinguishes itself with a clever combination of contemporary tension scoring and a selection of symphonic, emotional cues. The inhuman war machine grinding the city of Copenhagen gets suitably cold, largely industrial underscoring with “RAF Attack” and “The Bombing” as symphonic additions (such as pulsating strings) complement the noise created by the planes and the artillery. On the other hand, the civil victims are commemorated with cues ranging from nostalgic (“The Classroom”) though haunting and hopeless (“Bodies”) to optimistic (“Final Run”).

The full-color package includes liner notes by Gergely Hubai that discuss the film and the score based on new interviews with the composers.