''Carol: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' is the soundtrack to the 2015 film of the same name. The soundtrack

compact disc The compact disc (CD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format that was co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. In August 1982, the first compact disc was manufactured. It was then rele ...

includes the original score, composed, produced, orchestrated and conducted by Carter Burwell, and additional music performed by

The Clovers The Clovers are an American rhythm and blues/ doo-wop vocal group who became one of the biggest selling acts of the 1950s.The Guinness Who's Who of Fifties Music. General Editor: Colin Larkin. First published 1993 (UK). . The Clovers p77. They ha ...

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

Georgia Gibbs Georgia Gibbs (born Frieda Lipschitz; August 17, 1918December 9, 2006) was an American popular singer and vocal entertainer rooted in jazz. Already singing publicly in her early teens, Gibbs achieved acclaim and notoriety in the mid-1950s interp ...

, Les Paul and Mary Ford, and

Jo Stafford Jo Elizabeth Stafford (November 12, 1917July 16, 2008) was an American traditional pop music singer, whose career spanned five decades from the late 1930s to the early 1980s. Admired for the purity of her voice, she originally underwent classi ...

. It was released in both digital download and

formats by

Varèse Sarabande Varèse Sarabande is an American record label, owned by Concord Music Group and distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums, as well as newer r ...

on November 20, 2015. A

double album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording i ...

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl m ...

of the soundtrack was released on June 24, 2016.

Development

Burwell had received the script of '' Carol'' before the film began

principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...

. Director

Todd Haynes Todd Haynes (; born January 2, 1961) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. His films span four decades with themes examining the personalities of well-known musicians, dysfunctional and dystopian societies, and blurred gender ...

sent him six

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of songs from the 1950s that he and music supervisor Randy Poster had compiled. However, Burwell didn't begin composing the music until Haynes shot and assembled the film. Initially, Burwell considered using two solo instruments, as there were only two main characters and everyone else just passes through. Burwell began recording the track titled "Opening". He stated that composing such a piece first was an odd choice because none of the main characters appear in the opening scene. However, he felt it was important that what he composed induced the mood of the film and the unseen characters. Burwell also wrote several different ideas for this and sent them to Haynes. Burwell wrote the score with a small ensemble consisting of eight to 17 musicians. The smallest arrangement consisted of string quartets with bass,

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...

, piano and

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...

. Apart from orchestration and conducting the score, the music was performed by the

Seattle Symphony The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra also serves as the accompanying orchestra for the Seattle Opera. History Beginnings The orchestr ...

. The whole process, writing, recording and mixing, took about eight weeks for 38 minutes of music. Burwell described the character of Carol (played by

Cate Blanchett Catherine Elise Blanchett (; born 14 May 1969) is an Australian actor. Regarded as one of the finest performers of her generation, she is known for her versatile work across independent films, blockbusters, and the stage. She has received nu ...

) as "a cypher" and "a cool, aloof mystery". The instruments he used for her were piano, clarinet and

vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down producti ...

. According to Burwell, there are three main themes in the score that communicate

visual language A visual language is a system of communication using visual elements. Speech as a means of communication cannot strictly be separated from the whole of human communicative activity which includes the visual and the term 'language' in relation to ...

. The music heard in the opening city scene depicts the "active engagement and passion" of Carol and Therese (played by

Rooney Mara Patricia Rooney Mara ( ; born April 17, 1985) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, ...

), conveying something about the characters before they are seen. This music becomes their love theme. For the theme expressing Therese's fascination with Carol, Burwell introduced a cloud of piano notes. The piano texture "required a little studio magic" with notes played differently by right and left hand; where the notes played by the left hand disappear into a cloud and those played by the right remain distinct enough to carry the melody. This was realized in the scene where Carol drives Therese to her house for the first time. The music appears like a public courtship moving somewhere private and thus the solo notes heard were the

delay Delay (from Latin: dilatio) may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Delay 1968'', a 1981 album by German experimental rock band Can * ''The Delay'', a 2012 Uruguayan film People * B. H. DeLay (1891–1923), American aviator and acto ...

effects of notes that pile up into a cloud. The third theme is about absence and loss. The theme was expressed in the voice-over scene where Therese reads the letter from Carol explaining herself and the need to hasten back to New York. Burwell wrote open intervals such as the fourth, fifth and ninth, to hide the sentiment. Both women are brokenhearted and the music reflects the emptiness they feel.

Critical response

Nev Pierce of ''

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

'' called Burwell's score "sumptuous". Stefan Ellison wrote in ''The Scene Magazine'': "Carter Burwell's score is a beautiful piece, representing Carol and Therese's romance so well and never becoming overbearing, but rather a natural part of the environment." Michael Joyce of '' Ham&High'' stated: "The discrete way he underscores emotions is ideal for a tale of a love that dare not speak its name, set in a time when a lid was kept on that kind of thing." In his review for ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...

'',

Mick LaSalle Mick is a masculine given name, usually a short form ( hypocorism) of Michael. Because of its popularity in Ireland, it is often used in England as a derogatory term for an Irish person or a person of Irish descent. In Australia the meaning broad ...

wrote: "while underscoring nteriorscenes comes the sound of piped-in organ music ... that is just a little bit weird." On ''Combustible Celluloid'', Jeffery M. Anderson commented that the score was "perfect" for the film. In his review for ''

The Arts Desk ''The Arts Desk'' (theartsdesk.com) is a British arts journalism website containing reviews, interviews, news, and other content related to music, theatre, television, films, and other art forms written by journalists from a variety of tradition ...

'', Demetrios Matheou felt that Burwell's score, "reminiscent of Philip Glass's spare but highly emotive piano pieces", sets the mood. Ryan Gilbey of ''

New Statesman The ''New Statesman'' is a British political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other leading members ...

'' magazine noted: "The score by Carter Burwell, laced with a snake charmer's seductiveness, swells and swoops." Andrew O'Hehir at ''

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (P ...

'' commented: "Carter Burwell's haunting score sets the mood by bridging the seemingly unbridgeable gap between Schubert, Duke Ellington and Philip Glass." In her review for '' Little White Lies'', Sophie Kaufman called the score by Burwell as "yearning". Lewis Bazley of

Sky Movies Sky Cinema is a British subscription film service owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). In the United Kingdom, Sky Cinema channels currently broadcast on the Sky satellite and Virgin Media cable platforms, and in addition Sky Cinema ...

stated: "Carter Burwell's score soothes and soars." In a series of articles regarding the best of the 2010s in film, ''

IndieWire IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Hollyw ...

'' selected Carter Burwell's score as the second best of the decade.

Accolades

The score for ''Carol'' received nominations from the

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

, Golden Globe Awards,

Critics' Choice Movie Awards The Critics' Choice Movie Awards (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award) is an awards show presented annually by the American-Canadian Critics Choice Association (CCA) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Writ ...

, and

London Film Critics' Circle The London Film Critics' Circle is the name by which the Film Section of The Critics' Circle is known internationally. The word London was added because it was thought the term Critics' Circle Film Awards did not convey the full context of the ...

It won

Best Music Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...

from the

Los Angeles Film Critics Association The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is an American film critic organization founded in 1975. Background Its membership comprises film critics from Los Angeles-based print and electronic media. In December of each year, the organiza ...

, the

Satellite Award The Satellite Awards are annual awards given by the International Press Academy that are commonly noted in entertainment industry journals and blogs. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards. The award ceremonies take place ...

for Best Original Score and Best Score by the International Cinephile Society. In 2016 it won the Public Choice Award for the Best Score of the Year by the

World Soundtrack Awards The World Soundtrack Awards, launched in 2001 by the Film Fest Gent, is aimed at organizing and overseeing the educational, cultural and professional aspects of the art of film music, including the preservation of the history of the soundtrack and ...

; in addition, Carter Burwell also received the Film Composer of the Year award.

Track listing

Songs and music not featured on soundtrack CD

Not featured on the soundtrack but included in the film: * "Farmers Market" performed by

Annie Ross Annabelle McCauley Allan Short (25 July 193021 July 2020), known professionally as Annie Ross, was a British-American singer and actress, best known as a member of the jazz vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. Early life Ross was born in Surr ...

* "

A Garden in the Rain "A Garden in the Rain" is a popular song. The music was composed by Carroll Gibbons, the lyrics by James Dyrenforth. The song was published in 1928. The song was first recorded by the composer, Carroll Gibbons with the Savoy Hotel Orpheans and voc ...

" performed by

Al Alberts Al Alberts (born Al Albertini, August 10, 1922 – November 27, 2009) was an American popular singer and composer. Biography Born Al Albertini in Chester, Pennsylvania, United States, he went to South Philadelphia High School. As a teenager, h ...

The Four Aces The Four Aces are an American male traditional pop quartet popular since the 1950s. Over the last half-century, the group amassed many gold records. Its million-selling songs include " Love is a Many-Splendored Thing", " Three Coins in the Fo ...

* " Perdido" performed by

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...

* "Something from a Fool" performed by

Jimmy Scott James Victor Scott (July 17, 1925 – June 12, 2014), known professionally as Little Jimmy Scott or Jimmy Scott, was an American jazz vocalist known for his high natural contralto voice and his sensitivity on ballads and love songs. After ...

* " Silver Bells" performed by

Perry Como Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an Italian-American singer, actor and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, after signing ...

* "That's the Chance You Take" performed by

Eddie Fisher Edwin Jack Fisher (August 10, 1928 – September 22, 2010) was an American singer and actor. He was one of the most popular artists during the 1950s, selling millions of records and hosting his own TV show, ''The Eddie Fisher Show''. Actress Eli ...

* "Deeply" performed by Buddy Stewart * "

Slow Poke "Slow Poke" is a 1951 popular song. Background "Slow Poke" is credited to three writers: Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart, and Chilton Price. Actually Price wrote the song in 1951, as she thought the song described her friend, King, very well. King ...

" performed by

Pee Wee King Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski (February 18, 1914 – March 7, 2000), known professionally as Pee Wee King, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist best known for co-writing "Tennessee Waltz". Pee Wee King is credited with ...

and His Golden Cowboys * "Mullenium" performed by

Gerry Mulligan Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing the instrum ...

* "

Why Don't You Believe Me "Why Don't You Believe Me?" is a popular song written by Lew Douglas, King Laney, and Roy Rodde and published in 1952. A recording by Joni James ( MGM Records catalog number 11333) reached No. 1 on the '' Billboard'' charts for four weeks in ...

" performed by

Patti Page Clara Ann Fowler (November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), known professionally as Patti Page, was an American singer and actress. Primarily known for pop and country music, she was the top-charting female vocalist and best-selling female ar ...

* "Extrovert" performed by

Al Lerner Alfred Lerner (May 8, 1933 – October 23, 2002) was an American businessman. He was best known as the chair of the board of credit-card giant MBNA and the owner of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was also a past presid ...

Performed by

Vince Giordano Vince Giordano (born March 11, 1952 in Brooklyn) is an American saxophonist and leader of the New York-based Nighthawks Orchestra. He specializes in jazz of the 1920s and 1930s and his primary instrument is the bass saxophone. Vince Giordano and ...

The Nighthawks The Nighthawks are an American blues and roots music band, based in Washington, D.C. As of 2018, The Nighthawks are Mark Wenner (vocals and harmonica), Dan Hovey (lead guitar), Paul Pisciotta (bass guitar), and Mark Stutso (drums). History F ...

: * "

Willow Weep for Me "Willow Weep for Me" is a popular song composed in 1932 by Ann Ronell, who also wrote the lyrics. The song form is AABA, written in time,Zimmers, Tighe, E. (2009). ''Tin Pan Alley Girl: A Biography of Ann Ronell''. McFarland. pp. 19-22. altho ...

" * "

These Foolish Things "These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)" is a standard with lyrics by Eric Maschwitz, writing under the pseudonym Holt Marvell, and music by Jack Strachey, both Englishmen. Harry Link, an American, sometimes appears as a co-writer; his input ...

" * "

Look for the Silver Lining "Look for the Silver Lining" is a 1919 popular song with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by B.G. DeSylva. Background The song was written in 1919 for the unsuccessful musical ''Zip, Goes a Million''. In 1920, it was publishedSuskin, Steven ...

" * " Don't Blame Me" * " Auld Lang Syne" * "

Peg o' My Heart "Peg o' My Heart" is a popular song written by Alfred Bryan (words) and Fred Fisher (music). It was published on March 15, 1913 and it featured in the 1913 musical ''Ziegfeld Follies''. The song was first performed publicly by Irving Kaufman i ...

" Rooney Mara performed "Easy Living" on the piano.

Vinyl soundtrack

The vinyl version of the soundtrack is divided into two, double-sided, 10-inch discs: "Album One − The Score" and "Album Two − The Songs", and features three additional song tracks not released on the compact disc: * "

" performed by

featuring

* "

" performed by

and His Golden West Cowboys * "

" performed by

Personnel

*Score composed, produced, orchestrated and conducted by Carter Burwell.

Technical

*Executive producer – Robert Townson *Music scoring mixer – Michael Farrow *Contractor – David Sabee *Copyist – Robert Puff *Music editor – Todd Kasow *Composer's assistant – Dean Parker *Executive music producer – Mark Lo *Music supervisor – Randall Poster *Music business and legal executive – Nora Mullally *Music consultant and clearance executive – Matt Biffa *Music services – Cutting Edge *Mastering – Patricia Sullivan

Musicians

String quintet

*Violins – Simon James and Gennady Filimonov *Viola – Mara Gearman *Cello – Wendy Sutter *Bass – Jonathan Burnstein

Additional instruments

*Violin – Brittany Boulding and Misha Shmidt *Viola – Joseph Gottesman *Cello – Eric Han *Piano – Cristina Valdes *Harp – John Carrington *Processed piano – Carter Burwell *Flute – Erin James *Clarinets – Frank Kowalsky, Jennifer Nelson and Sean Osborn *Oboe – Chengwen Winnie Lai *Bassoon – Evan Kuhlmann *Horn – Mark Robbins

Charts

Notes

References

External links

Official website
(

Number 9 Films Number 9 Films is a British independent film production company co-founded in 2002 by producers Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley, after a long collaboration at both Palace Pictures and Scala Productions. The company is one of the United ...

) (Archive) * (

The Weinstein Company The Weinstein Company (usually credited or abbreviated as TWC) was an American independent film studio, founded in New York City by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in March 2005. TWC was one of the largest mini-major film studios in North America prior ...

) (Archive)
Official website
(

StudioCanal StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., Canal+ Production, and Canal+ Image and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film production and distribution company that owns ...

) (Archive)
''Carol''
at TWC Guilds (Weinstein Company, Films For Consideration) (Archive)
''Carol'' - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack website
(Archive)
''Carol''
at

''Carol'' - A Visual Soundtrack - Carter Burwell
by Varèse Sarabande Records on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

''CAROL'' - Carter Burwell Featurette
by

''Carol'' (CD Booklet)
at i-classical.com
''Carol''
at Soundtrack.Net * * {{Authority control 2015 soundtrack albums Carter Burwell albums Varèse Sarabande soundtracks Romance film soundtracks Drama film soundtracks

Development

Critical response

Accolades

Track listing

Songs and music not featured on soundtrack CD

Vinyl soundtrack

Personnel

Technical

Musicians

String quintet

Additional instruments

Charts

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links