"The three principal thematic ideas upon which the score is built are those that reflect the characters of Claudius, Ophelia and, of course, Hamlet.
"The simple, childlike Ophelia melody (first used in track 12) came to me eventually
after watching Kate Winslet on the set and being extremely moved by the scene in which
Ophelia reads Hamlet's letter to her.
"In the Confessional scene, as in a number of other scenes, the drama is effectively heightened by interspersing throughout the action a string quartet (and on occasion, a quintet), joined by a full string or mixed orchestra.
"Claudius' theme (stated in its entirety in the Confessional scene - end of track 14) takes the score much further into the realm of 20th-century harmonies; in addition, to compliment Claudius' dark, troubled soul, I decided on a canon as the most dramatic musical device with which to create a feeling of continued restlessness. The canonic theme ultimately provides the basis for most of the driving material and serves as a musical means of linking Hamlet, his father and Claudius.
"Hamlet's theme proved to be the most daunting and elusive; the score could not develop until this materialised. I lost count of how many times I stared helplessly at the last scene before the 'simple' theme reared its salvatory head.
"The song 'In Pace' clearly weaves together the themes of Hamlet and Ophelia. To have it performed by Plącido Domingo, one of the great voices of the century, was a tremendous privilege.
"I had such a happy experience throughout this assignment. The quality of the performaces along with all the technical crafts were a constant inspiration.
"In my opinion, it is unquestionably Kenneth Branagh's greatest work for the cinema, both as a Director and especially as Hamlet. I only hope that my contribution has helped Ken in realising what I consider for him to be a remarkable personal achievement."
Patrick Doyle
Read Kenneth Branagh's comments on the soundtrack.
Here are a few links to reviews of the soundtrack:
Sony.
MovieTunes.
ScoreLogue.
Broxweb.
Film Tracks.
Soundtrack Express.
bs magazine.
Film Score Monthly. Interview with Patrick Doyle.
Miami Newtimes. Scroll to the bottom.
Visit Ellen Edgerton's site dedicated to Patrick Doyle to find out more about him and his work.