The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) by Alexandre Desplat

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4 minutes ago, TSMefford said:

 

Not entirely sure. I wish I knew more, for sure, as well. I hesitate to imply that Graham did most of the work and Desplat did very little. That's likely not the case. We only have footage and photos of the Balalaika Ensemble and a single photos of the Organ being recorded and Alpine Horns being recorded.

 

The vibe that I get is that all the different groups of instruments were recorded at different times and different locations. So it's unrealistic to expect Desplat to be attending in person for all of them I would think. The Balalaika's were recorded in France at Studio Guillaume Tell. Air Studios, Abbey Road, and St. Jude-on-the-Hill (a church) were also used to record in.

 

I'm only assuming this is the case of how it was done, as I haven't yet seen any group comprising of more than one type of instrument pictured together. They also drop in and out certain things in the film mixes (present on the OST, the FYC seems to use what was originally intended by Desplat) so it would make sense that they recorded so separately.

 

Really not sure myself though, just guessing. I'd love to know more about the process.

Graham was credited with arranging also which can mean a lot of things

[TSMefford 1,509]

13 minutes ago, Gibster said:

Graham was credited with arranging also which can mean a lot of things

 

Oh yeah of course. I mean he discussed arranging the themes on Alpine Horn as well as the end credits piece. Desplat certainly did the composing, since Graham mentions listening to mockups. The score is heavily edited and remixed in the film itself though. Luckily the remixes are what appear (for the most part) on the OST. With more of the original versions of the FYC. 

 

I would imagine it evolved and changed a lot from the initial mock-ups as they played in the sandbox and tried different things. 

 

EDIT: Thanks to the Amazing Alphorn website (mentioned by Graham in that linked video) we do know that the Alphorns were recorded by 'Alphorn Harmony' on September 7th, 2013 in Air Lyndhurst Studios, Hampstead, London.