'The Green Knight' Composer Daniel Hart Discusses His Evocative Score for the Medieval Masterpiece
With one of the best scores of the year, Daniel Hart has composed an epic soundtrack to the medieval spectacle from visionary director David Lowery.
Director of ‘The Green Knight’, David Lowery (left) and composer Daniel Hart
Audiences who have witnessed David Lowery’s medieval masterpiece ‘The Green Knight’ already know that it is one of the technical achievements of the year. With breathtaking cinematography, luscious production design, and vibrant costumes, every detail is utter perfection. But the element of the film that shines the most is composer Daniel Hart’s haunting yet elegant score. Beyond just the original score, there are beautiful original songs that add even more layers to one of the best films of the year. Hart is a frequent collaborator on Lowery’s films, delivering the scores for every live-action film Lowery has put on the big screen. He is also a talented musician whose work has spanned over multiple genres and worked with top artists in the world of music like rocker St. Vincent.
The Green Knight follows the classic Arthurian tale of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) and his quest to confront the Green Knight a year after their first encounter on the morning of Christmas in front of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Gawain is a young, naive yet noble knight who faces many challenges on his path, leading him ultimately to his destination, where he might face his destiny and look death in the eye.
It’s one of the most celebrated films of the year and was long delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During that time period, it was reported by many that Lowery spent the better part of a year tinkering at just about every part of the film, including Daniel Hart’s score. Hart discussed his relationship with David Lowery, the instrumentation of the score, and answers the running question of who is signing the magnificent song towards the end of the film, ‘Blome Swete Lilie Flour’.
In an over thirty-minute conversation, Hart told Ryan about the limitations of making a score during the pandemic, working with a small crew of musicians, and doing a lot of the music separately from one another. It was a challenging shoot, but one Hart said was very rewarding. This is a stark contrast to his next project with Lowery, which is their live-action adaptation of the classic Disney Animated film titled ‘Peter Pan and Wendy’, where they are using a giant, orchestral arrangement that only the likes of Disney could provide.