# Any original film scores written for string quartet, or piano quintet?



## Wai-Yi Wong (Sep 6, 2018)

Hello all,

Is there any film score which is originally written for string quartet, or piano + string quartet? Most of the scores I have read are written for orchestra, just wonder if there's any original written for these kinds of small ensemble. Thank you in advance!


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## benuzzell (Sep 6, 2018)

Look into soundtracks written by Philip Glass. A number of his scores are performed exclusively by the Kronos Quartet.

Edit: also look at Clint Mansell. Some of his scores also include cues performed by the Kronos Quartet, but not full scores.


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## Wai-Yi Wong (Sep 6, 2018)

benuzzell said:


> Look into soundtracks written by Philip Glass. A number of his scores are performed exclusively by the Kronos Quartet.
> 
> Edit: also look at Clint Mansell. Some of his scores also include cues performed by the Kronos Quartet, but not full scores.



Thank you for suggesting! Just wonder if anything come up in your mind that is more emotional and touching...?


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## Wally Garten (Sep 6, 2018)

You might check out the _Waking Life_ soundtrack, by Tosca Tango Orchestra.


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## benuzzell (Sep 6, 2018)

Wai-Yi Wong said:


> Thank you for suggesting! Just wonder if anything come up in your mind that is more emotional and touching...?


"Emotional and touching" is purely subjective in that what I find emotional and touching, you might not. With that in mind, I'd advise you instead to look more towards classical music: Beethoven, Shostakovich, Debussy, Ravel, Vaughan-Williams, Schubert...you could throw a rock amongst that list and find a dozen beautiful string quartets or piano quintets.


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## Wai-Yi Wong (Sep 6, 2018)

Wally Garten said:


> You might check out the _Waking Life_ soundtrack, by Tosca Tango Orchestra.



Thanks for sharing! I like the way how the texture is created in this cue, with some creepy feeling in it.


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## Wai-Yi Wong (Sep 6, 2018)

benuzzell said:


> "Emotional and touching" is purely subjective in that what I find emotional and touching, you might not. With that in mind, I'd advise you instead to look more towards classical music: Beethoven, Shostakovich, Debussy, Ravel, Vaughan-Williams, Schubert...you could throw a rock amongst that list and find a dozen beautiful string quartets or piano quintets.



Yes I agree it's totally subjective when it comes to defining what's emotional and touching. I did research on classical music, just wondering if any film scores are written just for a small ensemble as it's always a little bit different to write music for film than when it's stand alone. I'm doing more research on cues performed by Kronos Quartet now. Thank you for the heads up!!


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## wickedw (Sep 6, 2018)

It's not for a movie, but one of the best game soundtracks I've heard is almost exclusively a string quartet. Composed by Ben Houge.


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## ptram (Sep 6, 2018)

Seen again just yesterday:



https://www.allmusic.com/album/io-non-ho-paura-mw0000466206


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## ptram (Sep 6, 2018)

All diegetic music, here:


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## ptram (Sep 6, 2018)

Here, if I remember correctly, the movie is structured as a quartet by Beethoven. The music is the quartet itself.


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## Jeffrey Peterson (Sep 6, 2018)

douggibson said:


>




This is a great film, I've seen it 3 times. Each actor/actress of the quartet gives an amazing performance.


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## Wai-Yi Wong (Sep 6, 2018)

Thank you for all the inputs! It's very useful for learning purpose


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## Will Blackburn (Sep 9, 2018)

The Fountain ost is amazing


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## jonathanparham (Sep 10, 2018)

douggibson said:


>



good movie. good music


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## Sami (Sep 10, 2018)

Never let me go had some good chamber music as well


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## Dave Connor (Sep 10, 2018)

Chinatown uses a few pianos I believe. Not traditionally but brilliantly. Not sure of the strings size. Not a quartet but not a particularly large group. Someone may know the specifics better.


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## ptram (Sep 11, 2018)

In Altman's Short Cuts, Schubert's piano quintet The Trout is the fil-rouge of one of the stories (the cello player, daughter of a jazz singer).

Paolo


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## Wai-Yi Wong (Sep 11, 2018)

Dave Connor said:


> Chinatown uses a few pianos I believe. Not traditionally but brilliantly. Not sure of the strings size. Not a quartet but not a particularly large group. Someone may know the specifics better.



Great score. I just know 4 pianos, 4 harps, trumpet and percussion are used. Would like to know the size of strings too!


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