Hugo (soundtrack)

The film marked the sixth and final collaboration between Howard Shore and Martin Scorsese, following After Hours (1985), Made in Milan (1990), Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004) and The Departed (2006). Although they collaborated for The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Shore was not credited for the film's incidental music. Shore wanted to play the music through the perspective of the main character, opining that "For a boy who’s Hugo’s age, everything is seen with wide-eyed wonder. In fact, you often see Hugo’s eyes peering out through the clocks. So it’s like a child’s view of that world, especially in how Hugo is fascinated with how machines work. And just as he studies their movements, I study the character’s actions as I work."[1] Shore revealed that he used to spend time with his eight-year old grandson that helped his approach to the film. He closely associated with Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker in post-production where much of the score was revealed earlier in the first reel and other themes for Georges Méliès were later introduced.[2][3]

As with the previous films, he writes the compositions in sketch form, where he could deal with the harmony and counterpoint and begins orchestration afterwards. He used the Ondes Martenot, an early electronic musical instrument, which he felt it as ideal for the film, as the film deals with mechanical inventions of the period. He also took the sound of a symphony orchestra from the 1920s, which was the core of the soundtrack, and added that "there’s a sextet, a small group, that was really part of the orchestra, and they became the soloists that you hear through the film". He had nearly 88 musicians scoring for the film, which was detailed around the soloists. Much of the instruments included gypsy guitar, upright bass, tack piano, a 1930s trap-kit, alto and musette de cour, a French accordion.[2][4]

Some of the musical references included, in a scene where Méliès goes to a carnival, and into a tent where the Lumière brothers are playing their landmark film L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat (1895) and a live pianist next play the music of French composer Camille Saint-Saëns' music. Shore admitted "When we use the term “traditional” music, I think we’re really referring to the movies that we love from the 1930’s and the 40’s, films whose music derived what those original accompanists were playing during the silent era. They used popular classical music, where it was done on a solo piano, or with an orchestra."[1]

For the music in concluding moments, that "The conclusion involves both of their music and both of their thematic ideals and pieces. And of course there are certain things they share — the love of fixing things, the love of clocks and trains and mechanical things — so those thematic elements that are in the score work with both characters. The Hugo character is like a young Méliès. I detail each scene to the colors I want to use and the sounds of the small group and the orchestra. It”s kind of an intimate relationship that I try to develop between how I feel as the composer watching the scene and writing something form my heart, and how I feel as the audience watching the scene."[4] The film also featured an end credit song "Cœur volant" co-written by Shore, Elizabeth Cotnoir and Zaz, who also sang the track. He used melodies within the score to write the track, saying "I love the idea of creating themes that you hear right at the beginning of the film, and carry right through the arch of it, from the mystery of the automaton and to the adventure of these kids and the adventure of the police inspector. So it’s particularly satisfying for me when all of those melodies finally break out into song."[1] He called Zaz's voice as much as "fantastic resolution to be an instrument" which was a beautiful way to end the film.[1]

James Southall of Movie Wave wrote "Howard Shore’s music inhabits the film in a way which recalls the great magical scores for dreamlike family adventures of the past, and it holds up remarkably well away from it on the lengthy album. It is easily his strongest work this side of Lord of the Rings."[12] William Ruhlmann of AllMusic reviewed positively, saying "If this sounds like the score is a little choppy, especially in its later parts, it is never less than engaging and gives the sense of a film of subtle and complex moods."[13] Filmtracks.com wrote "While the French elements in the score as a whole, especially in the marching comedy portions, will test your patience, the remainder is well enough integrated to appeal to purely fantasy interests. With practically no challenging or disturbing passages, Hugo is a consistently affable listening experience on its lengthy album, and the beauty of the song adaptation completes an easily recommendable package."[14] Writing for Variety, Peter Debruge said "Howard Shore’s whimsical score sets the tone as Hugo surveys these dynamics, playfully taking its cue from the resident cafe musicians".[15]

Credits adapted from CD liner notes.[6][7]