Tchaikovsky Meets Mansell

Clint Mansell

In our current obsession with Black Swan, it would be wrong of me to look past the fantastic soundtrack. Clint Mansell, an English film composer, comes back yet again to work with Darren Aronofsky. My first encounter with Mansell happened to be with my first viewing of Requiem for a Dream, another film by Aronofsky. I fell in love with the score as fast as I fell in love with the film. Mansell's style usually incorporates various techno styles and instruments while providing a classical base.

Mansell composed the score to Black Swan using elements from Tchaikovsky's masterpiece, Swan Lake. Fitting enough since the film is based on the ballet. However it is remarkable how Mansell created a new experience, without changing its roots. While any other composer would have modulated to a minor key and called it a score, Mansell chose to do otherwise. Keeping the original piece rather intact is what makes the whole score work. Nina Sayers' dark obsession with her image and the ballet is transcribed into the soundtrack with a seemingly flawless effort. Thank you Clint Mansell for providing yet again a seamless bridge between film and music.

Clint Mansell on Twitter