From Academy Award winning writer and director Chloé Zhao, Hamnet tells the powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Hamlet. Featuring powerful performances from Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, the film has already earned widespread acclaim, taking home the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Discussing his work on the Hamnet soundtrack, Richter explained: “In composing the score, I used the basic elements of Elizabethan music, period instrumentation, grammar, and sensibility, but applied them in ways that emerge directly from the story’s psychology. Having read the script before shooting, I sketched ideas reflecting themes of familial love and loss, our place in the natural world, and Agnes’ inner journey. Chloe incorporated some of these during filming, and they also informed the edit, providing a foundation for the musical architecture.
“Agnes is the film’s fulcrum, and I developed a choral language for her that underpins much of the story. The women’s voices are used in ways an Elizabethan composer would recognize, as well as purely for psychological and emotional color. It was a joy to work on this remarkable film with such an extraordinary creative team.”
One of the most influential composers of his generation, Richter is known for blending traditional orchestration with modern electronic elements, a hallmark of the Hamnet score. His ability to translate profound human experiences into music has earned him a global following, with over three billion streams of his work. Hamnet is among more than 50 projects he has scored, following collaborations with directors including Denis Villeneuve, Martin Scorsese, and Ari Folman.
The original motion picture soundtrack is now available digitally and will be released on vinyl 9 January 2026. Listen here.
