Background about the composer and composition – what is its function?
Ólafur Arnalds is a producer and multi-instrumentalist hailing from Iceland who is very well known for mixing pianos and strings with typical electronic sounds. This piece functions as a theme for one of the characters, I haven’t seen the show so I can’t say how accurate I would believe it to be, but Arnalds’ reputation leads me to think he probably did an adequate job.
Did you enjoy the composition? If yes, why? If not, why?
I will admit that it wasn’t my cup of tea, I’m not very much into film/television scores so my ears aren’t adjusted to engaging with it, and so I struggled to find a great deal of enjoyment out of it.
How did the composition make you feel? Why?
Rather sorrowful, this feels like a rather emotive piece that embodies more negative emotion than positive. It is solemn, and I can’t help but feel like there’s regret in there. The tempo and the instrumentation used give off these emotions and feelings.
What is the purpose of the composition and what do you think the composer is trying to express?
Unfortunately my research and lack of prior knowledge of the show means I can’t detail any specifics, but a character’s theme is there to represent them and their story, so it would be this purpose that Arnalds made this theme. He is trying to express this character through the medium of music.
What instruments could you hear? When did they occur? What is the texture of the piece and how does it change?
Piano is central to the piece, as well as a variety of swaying strings. It is a rather thin piece for the most part until it builds later on with more and more strings being brought in, supplementing that main piano.
What dynamics and articulation take place? How do they change throughout the composition?
The piece is rather quiet, gentle, but ever so slowly creeps into a crescendo a little after the 3 minute mark, this crescendo then drifts away back into that much more gentle phase. The piano notes are played so humanly, with varying attack and intervals between them, often playing with the dynamics.
What is the structure of the piece? Is it repetitive? Does it have set sections, e.g. A and B or Verse and Chorus?
It is a very, very repetitive piece, however it stays fresh with the variety in the repetitions. I don’t believe it has set sections, just a single recurring section that is played time and time again, with a lot of variety, as it builds to that crescendo and falls off into a section which resembles the opening part of the piece.
What is the harmony of the piece? Major or Minor key? Are there lots of chord changes (harmonic rhythm)?
This piece is in the key of Eb Major, and I wouldn’t say there are particularly many chord changes.
What melodies occur and on what instruments? Are they simple or memorable?
The main melody is repetitive and simple, coming from the piano, alternating between different pairs of notes throughout the entire composition. This melody is very memorable as it is exceedingly simple and is repeated many, many times.
What is the tempo, time signature and rhythmic features of the piece?
The tempo is tough to nail down but I’ve seen numbers range from 165-170BpM, and I couldn’t figure out the time signature but I will hazard a guess at 4/4. Rhythmically, there is no percussion to hold time, and the intervals between the notes on the piano differ over the course of the piece. This adds a much more human element to the composition, as well as reinforcing the mood at that stage – in slightly more uplifting moments there is less time between the notes.
Are there any noticeable production elements? For example, reverb, delay, programmed drums, filters, EQ, etc.
The only real production element that I noticed was reverb on the piano, I didn’t manage to hear anything else.