Hildur Guðnadóttir and Todd Field on the music for 'TÁR' (Episode 3)

Written and directed by three-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker Todd Field, and starring two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (“utterly magnetic … a colossal performance” The Guardian) TÁR tells the story of high-powered composer-conductor Lydia Tár. DG’s concept album complements the film by inviting listeners to experience what Field refers to as “the messiness” of the work involved in preparing classical music for performance, via a combination of audio glimpses from real-life recording sessions, sequences from fictional rehearsals, music listened to by the film’s characters, and completed versions of the music on which we see Lydia working.

Central to both film and concept album is the new music written by DG artist and Oscar and two-time Grammy winner Guðnadóttir, who worked closely with Field from the very early stages of the filmmaking. The album opens with a voice memo she sang to set down what became the main melody of For Petra, the composition on which Tár is working. It also includes part of the recording session for the orchestral version of the work. This is performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra and conductor Robert Ames, and framed by words spoken by the composer. Soloists from the LCO are also heard in the sombre, disquieting Tár for string quartet.