Watch: Abstract ‘TÁR’ Music Video from Composer Hildur Guðnadóttir

Watch: Abstract ‘TÁR’ Music Video from Composer Hildur Guðnadóttir

by Alex Billington
November 10, 2022
Source: YouTube

One of the best films of the year is TÁR, director Todd Field’s profoundly entrancing examination of the downfall of a famous orchestra conductor. The film is already playing in theaters and include a soundtrack by the Oscar-winning Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir. In addition to her work heard in the film, she also wrote lots of music that isn’t heard in the film. In fact, there’s so much that Deutsche Grammophon is releasing an entire album of songs “From and Inspired By The Motion Picture.” Not just another movie soundtrack. As a promotion, they’ve released a music video for a track called “Mortar” that is not heard in the film either. “An unsettling, minimalist piece performed by the composer with the London Contemporary Orchestra. Field himself shot the video, which features the film’s star, Cate Blanchett, and other members of the cast including Nina Hoss, Noémie Merlant and Sophie Kauer.” It is a very abstract, mesmerizing video featuring water reflections of the characters bouncing and fracturing in the blackness. Even if this particular track doesn’t intrigue you, maybe the rest of Guðnadóttir’s unique concept album will. Take a listen below.

“The idea was born from conversations with Cate. This piece of film was conceived as an in-between place for the main character to fall into herself, a place where the natural laws of her waking state do not apply. The shooting process involved all cast members, and was photographed at the end of each day during principal photography in Berlin and Southeast Asia in 2021.” –Director Todd Field

You can rewatch the main official trailer for Todd Field’s TÁR right here, and read our review from Venice.

Field adds: “This is a film about people who make classical music, and it was important to Hildur we not, as they say, put a hat on a hat. The score itself, woven throughout the picture, has nothing to do with concert music. Her goal was simply to put the viewer inside Lydia Tár’s head space without getting caught pointing at something.” The film really blew me away and I really hope it’s having the same eye-opening (and “ear-opening”) effect on everyone else watching it. For more info and to order Guðnadóttir’s album – click here.

From writer/director Todd Field, starring Cate Blanchett, TÁR, set in the international world of classical music, centers on Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett), widely considered one of the greatest living composer / conductors and first-ever female chief conductor of a major German orchestra. TÁR is both written and directed by Oscar-nominated American filmmaker Todd Field, director of the films In the Bedroom and Little Children previously, as well as numerous other short films and a few TV projects. Produced by Todd Field, Scott Lambert, and Alexandra Milchan. With music by Hildur Guðnadóttir. The film first premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival (read our review), and it will also play at the New York Film Festival. Focus Features released Field’s Tár exclusively in theaters October 7th, 2022. Have you watched the film yet?

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