The Sky/Peacock TV series The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on the novel of the same name by author Heather Morris. This is the powerful real-life story of Lale Sokolov, a Jewish prisoner who was tasked with tattooing identification numbers on prisoners’ arms in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during World War Two.
Directed by Tali Shalom-Ezer the series stars Harvey Keitel, Anna Próchniak, Jonah Hauer-King, Jonas Nay and Melanie Lynskey. The harrowing and highly emotional story is now presented as a six episode series that is showing now on Sky.
The affecting musical score is the work of Hans Zimmer and Kara Talve, who have created a beautifully emotive yet disturbing sounding score.
Everyone is aware I am not the biggest Zimmer fan in the world, but I will say if a score is good no matter who has written it, and this is great. The thematic properties within the score just overflow and become haunting and affecting. The use of violin as the main instrument on the score is wonderfully effective, the melodies that flow from it are the foundation for the remainder of the score, and in many ways this has to it a sound and style that could easily be mistaken for Ennio Morricone.
The composers also utilise a strong string section, that underlines and gives greater depth and emotion to the featured solo violin or cello, and also include piano and cymbalom throughout to convey a sense of fear and foreboding. The music is obviously filled with a sound and style that we associate with stories of the holocaust, the lilting musical phrases being poignant and at the same time proud. There is a kind of ancient style to the score that captivates and engulfs the listener, it is hard not to be affected by the beautiful yet disturbing interludes that frequent the score. Within the context of being film music this does its job more than admirably, and as music to listen to it is heartrending. Please do watch the series, and listen to the score, the music is available now on digital platforms. Recommended.
MOVIE MUSIC INTERNATIONAL. (MMI) . 