The Imitation Game (soundtrack)

In September 2013, Clint Mansell was scheduled to score for The Imitation Game,[3] but was replaced by Alexandre Desplat in June 2014.[4] Desplat was initially scheduled to score for Unbroken, before signing for the film, but as production for the former got delayed, led him to do the film first. He was extremely moved and impressed by Tyldum's vision and preparation, though he had only three weeks before the film's production commences. He felt it as "extremely delicate" as the pace is being set to "jump over the rhythm of its film". As like his previous films, he creates his own demos and pre-orchestrate those tunes before recording it in studio.[5][6]

As the film progresses over three periods in Turing's life, the structure of the film is extremely complex, where "there are a lot of flashbacks that resonate with something in the flashforwards needed to get a handle on the person". The film consisted of several layers that are "extremely nuanced", as the film follows several journeys, including the war, the Enigma code, Turing's trauma, calculations, dream for an invention of the century and his relationships, hence the music "needed to focus on him and keep all these elements within one theme".[7][5]

The score was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios in London. Desplat used various instruments such as keyboards, clarinets, celeste, harp and fast arpeggio. The opening track consisted of a keyboard theme which was descended, rippled and appear as multiple variations in later tracks, the first being accompanied by string music. He suggested a mix of funk and acoustic in the piano — the electric piano, the bases, all these things, that are computerized, and thought "someone playing the piano would be too romantic or classical. The piano line is beautiful and different yet trying to keep simplicity and compliance at the same time, and the film has that."[8] For the track "Enigma", Desplat and his musicians create sounds of the sonar pinging depicting the ability of the Enigma code to keep the German U-boats hidden beneath the waves unharmed as they sent warships and transport vessels underwater. A track titled "Crossword" is a complex arrangement of instruments that sounds to evoke Turing’s mind.[7]

He wanted the score to be soulful and tragic, with the young Alan (Alex Lawther) and his friend Christopher (Jack Bannon). The sequence where Alan learns of Christopher's death was one of his favourites, where he used a variation on Christopher's theme. He further said "The camera pulls onto Alan’s face when he learns of his passing and it’s incredibly moving. That’s something that comes from a long journey that starts from the first playing of the film."[8] His machine named Christopher (named after his friend), which was the real life Bombe, was a musical instrument in itself, that hums and pounds a marital percussive beat. Desplat said "When I heard the sound from the wheels turning, we added this electronic sound on top of that pounding sound. We wanted to bring excitement and suspense and danger and expectation to that sound, as it’s a very important moment in the film."[7]

James Southall of Movie Wave wrote "Throughout the whole score there is such clarity to the writing – I never cease to be amazed that a composer of Desplat’s phenomenal orchestral gifts has managed to forge such a successful career in these dumbed-down times.  He’s the real deal and The Imitation Game is yet another triumph, emotional and dramatic and a showcase for his phenomenal compositional gifts."[9] MFiles wrote "There's a vivid sense that Desplat got to know Turing's character intimately, knowledge that allowed him to depict the man's triumphs and complexities with his characteristic musical intelligence. There's a sense of sadness pervading the score that's achingly moving, yet even the most poignant moments shine through with genuine compassion, offset against which are the darker, more complex textures depicting Enigma and the spectre of World War II itself. Consistently engaging and thought-provoking, Desplat's music is well-deserving of its Golden Globe and Oscar nominations."[10] Music critic Jonathan Broxton wrote "The Imitation Game is one of the strongest drama scores of 2014, and if the film receives as much critical acclaim as it is predicted to receive, Desplat will likely receive his seventh Oscar nomination for it."[11]

Filmtracks.com wrote "there is a clear narrative structure to Desplat's The Imitation Game, the secondary theme a challenge to appreciate out of context, perhaps, but the redeeming primary identity closing out the album on an optimistic note. The performances by the London Symphony Orchestra have to be singled out for their precision, and the mixing of the work is not quite as dry as usual for Desplat (in fact, the celeste has an other-worldly ambient position in the mix). For film music collectors, much of what is heard in this work may seem like Desplat's usual, but the usual in this case is the composer in top form on short notice."[12] Erin Corrado of The Joy of Movies wrote "Alexandre Desplat’s music for The Imitation Game is a hauntingly beautiful piece of work that helps to elevate the film to one of the best of the year.  Perfectly encapsulating the story and Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance as Alan Turing, Desplat’s quiet score features simple melodies expanded throughout on a variety of string instruments heightened with smooth piano sections."[13] Pete Simons of Synchrotones called it as "a magnificent album, from a melodic, rhythmic, compositional and orchestrations point of view".[14]

• The Imitation Game (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) on AllMusic