Upon hearing the name Carter Burwell, the dark-comedy universe of the Coen brothers springs to mind, with the composer from New York appearing in the credits for most of their films. But one often forgets that he maintains just as assiduous relations with other directors too. Such is the case for the American Todd Hayes, for whom Burwell signed Velvet Goldmine, the television film Mildred Pierce Carol and, this year, Wonderstruck, an adaptation of Brian Selznick’s graphic novel for children which tells the story of two deaf children (Ben and Rose) who have lived apart for 50 years and who both travel to New York each in search of a lost parent. The Natural History Museum acts as the spot to connect both the children and the eras. In 2013, Hail, Caesar! by the Coen brothers contained several films within the film, each one very different to the next (adventure, film noir, musical comedy…) and the challenge for Carter Burwell was to musically unify these different genres, notably by composing common melodies. The challenge is somewhat similar for Wonderstruck, as Burwell had to play with two different eras (1927 and 1977). And much like the film for the Coen brothers, he has tried here to find a musical unity by concentrating on their characters and their interior world: Rose is personified by a lyrical theme dominated by acoustic instruments (Little Girl, Big City), while Ben is not associated with a clear melody, with the music expressing his disorientation due to his loss of hearing (Coming To Ground). Then, a musical confluence takes place at the museum, amongst the dioramas. This is translated through the use of percussive instruments (glockenspiels, marimbas, wood-blocks), instruments that emit vibrations, and that can therefore be heard by the deaf community. Furthermore, they are often associated with childhood - notably, they are at the heart of a music education system developed by Carl Orff. Amongst the most interesting compositions from a percussive point of view, we find the mysterious Ben Robbed, the dreamlike Dioramas and even the cheerful Home With Walter. The main theme of the film (Silent Whispers) is in line with Carter Burwell’s particular style; a mix of warmth and sadness, where bounteous strings and melancholic woodwinds are accompanied by discrete arpeggios on the harp. With regards to this discretion (one of the defining characteristics of Burwell’s style), we must finally turn our attention to the part where Ben solves the mystery: the scene is intense, but the composition (Ben?) remains reserved, thanks to the subtle use of an aluphone, an aluminum percussion instrument from the bell family. © NM/Qobuz