Composing Greatness: #2. Thomas Newman - "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994)

Scene from The Shawshank Redemption

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

Series Composer: Thomas Newman

Entry: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Collaborators (If Available): N/A

Nomination: Best Original Score (Musical or Comedy)

Did He Win: No

Other Nominees:
-The Lion King (Hans Zimmer)*winner
-Forrest Gump (Alan Silvestri)
-Interview with the Vampire (Elliot Goldenthal)
-Little Women (Thomas Newman)

Additional Information

This is to help provide perspective of where each composer is in their Oscar-nominated life as it related to the current entry.

Oscar Nomination: 2

Oscar Wins: 0

Track List

1. "May"
2. "Shawshank Prison (Stoic Theme)"
3. "New Fish"
4. "Rock Hammer"
5. "An Inch of His Life"
6. "Brooks Was Here"
7. "His Judgment Cometh"
8. "Suds on the Roof"
9. "Workfield"
10. "Shawshank Redemption"
11. "Elmo Blatch"
12. "Sisters"
13. "Zihuatanejo"
14. "The Marriage of Figaro: Duetto-Sul Aria"
15. "Lovely Raquel"
16. "And That Right Soon"
17. "Compass and Guns"
18. "So Was Red"
19. "End Title"

Note: Listen to here.

Exploring the Music

The area of the column where I will explore the music in as much detail as I see fit for each entry.

Theme Exploration:

"Shawshank Prison (Stoic Theme)"

In a lot of ways, it's strange that this score doesn't get remembered more as quintessential Thomas Newman. The film itself has taken on a legacy of its own, becoming one of the most popular films of the 90's. It's easy to see why the music plays a big part in this trend, especially given that the few tracks that build on orchestral score are very solid pieces of music. The strings swell and the emotion builds as the music opens and the sights of Shawshank Prison are seen for the first time. The one other thing that's interesting is that for all of the elements that made Little Women stand out in terms of melody and sentimentality, it's all more nuanced and quiet here, capturing a somber tone that fits the piece. This is by no means the easiest score to pick out of a line-up, but it definitely shows the craft of Newman on full display in a manner that is effective.

Interesting Standout:

"Rock Hammer"

In a soundtrack full of quiet tracks that are occasionally no more than a hum, it's interesting to hear Thomas Newman have a track that's full of rich personality in subtle ways. Seeing as this track is about the rock hammer that leads to freedom, it makes sense that it has the sound of a clink, representing a hammer picking at a wall towards freedom. Even the way that the notes are spaced adds a cute sensation of sneaking through a quiet prison in the middle of the night. This track stands out not only because it has a comical side in a largely somber collection, but also because it is just so effective in capturing a mood and moment very well.

Best Moment:

"So Was Red"

One of the beauties of the soundtrack is that it's full of solid swelling music that captures the emotion in sparing manners. It's great then to see the score pull back towards the end and let the emotions run loose. In the penultimate track, it runs especially hard as the feeling of release is upon the listener. Thomas Newman plays up the sentimentality in the strings, and he even manages to add a nostalgic undertone to the whole experience. As far as compositions go, this is the best moment because it doesn't have to counteract some greater feeling of repression in the score. It's allowed to be free, and it does so in the most evocative fashion possible.

Did This Deserve an Oscar Nomination?:
Yes

This was such a great and auspicious start to Thomas Newman's Oscar-nominated legacy. Between The Shawshank Redemption and Little Women, he captures a range that will likely be on fuller display as the years turn into decades. While I favor Little Women as a whole piece, there's plenty to love about The Shawshank Redemption on a narrative level, especially given how Newman plays with the structure of music and allows moments to be quiet when necessary, and goes big and powerful where there's the need. It's one of those smart moves that only seasoned composers could possibly achieve. Still, for everything that it lacks in iconic melodies it more than reflects a composer who knows how to use music to full effect, and that's more than good news for what's to come.

Up Next: Unstrung Heroes (1995) for Best Original Score

Best Theme

A ranking of all themes composed by Thomas Newman.
1. "Orchard House" - Little Women (1994)
2. "Shawshank Prison (Stoic Theme)" - The Shawshank Redemption (1994)