The Rite (soundtrack)
| The Rite (Original Motion Picture Score) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Film score by | ||||
| Released | January 25, 2011 | |||
| Recorded | 2010–2011 | |||
| Studios |
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| Genre | Film score | |||
| Length | 56:28 | |||
| Label | Silva Screen | |||
| Producer | Alex Heffes | |||
| Alex Heffes chronology | ||||
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The Rite (Original Motion Picture Score) is the film score to the 2011 film The Rite directed by Mikael Håfström. The original score was composed by Alex Heffes and was released through Silva Screen Records on January 25, 2011.
Development
The original score is composed by Alex Heffes,[1] who stated that he liked it owing to Håfström's direction, cinematography and performances, especially from Anthony Hopkins, whose acting was described as "jumping off point" for him and his music. Heffes added that the film was less horror and more psychologically driven with regards to the main performances, as well as the religious aspect in the film takes the music in a certain direction. The film was set in the Vatican City, where a certain musical palette had been associated, however, the music stemmed from the central performances and its treatment being a psychological horror or thriller. The score was recorded at the Warner Bros. Eastwood Scoring Stage and Barbara Streisand Scoring Stage in Sony Pictures Studios.[2][3]
Reception
William Ruhlmann of AllMusic wrote "this does not sound like the music for a typical horror movie. Rather, it suggests that The Rite is a film full of foreshadowing in which the fear is as much located in what the audience anticipates than in what it actually gets to see."[4] Glen Chapman of Den of Geek wrote "There are moments of overt horror bombast, but the overall tone of the piece is quite subdued, which makes the horror moments all the more effective. It's not a typical horror score and it's quite nice that Heffes has tried something different from the norm by not relying on gradual builds of tension."[5]
Christopher Coleman of Tracksounds wrote "Heffes' music focuses on the subtext rather than the obvious, and the result is a satisfying and even memorable production that supports the film perfectly and offers listeners and engaging and well-rounded listening experience on album."[6] Bill Gibron of PopMatters stated "for the most part, the soundtrack to The Rite retains a nice slice of aural originality."[7] Steve Barton of Dread Central states that the score "comes across as good background music for a haunted house/adventure/generic horror flick".[8] Joe Leydon of Variety called it a "first-rate" score among other technical aspects.[9] Darren Rea of Review Graveyard wrote "this is an enjoyable soundtrack that has plenty of depth and emotion".[10]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Procedure" | 02:01 |
| 2. | "Going to Rome" | 03:11 |
| 3. | "The Accident" | 02:47 |
| 4. | "The First Exorcism" | 03:08 |
| 5. | "God's Fingernail" | 02:28 |
| 6. | "Rosaria Coughs up the Nails" | 04:35 |
| 7. | "Michael Remembers/The Hospital" | 07:14 |
| 8. | "Angeline's Story" | 03:03 |
| 9. | "Phone call to Father" | 02:03 |
| 10. | "The Terror is Real" | 04:25 |
| 11. | "Exorcism of Lucas Part 1" | 07:35 |
| 12. | "The Final Exorcism" | 06:43 |
| 13. | "The Farewell" | 07:15 |
| Total length: | 56:28 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes:[11]
- Music composer and producer – Alex Heffes
- Engineer – Greg Loskorn
- Assistant engineer – Matt Ward
- Technical engineer – Ryan Robinson
- Recording – Joel Iwataki, Dennis Sands
- Digital recordist – Larry Mah
- Score recordist – Adam Michalak, Tom Hardisty
- Mixing – Joel Iwataki
- Music editor – Peter Myles
- Technical assistance – Daniel Lerner
- Music coordinator – Pete Compton
- Copyist – Mark Graham
- Artwork – Robert Croucher
- Liner notes – Mikael Håfström
- Executive producer – David Stoner, Reynold D'Silva
- Executive in charge of music – Erin Scully
- Music business affairs – Dirk Hebert
- Orchestra
- Orchestrators – Andrew Kinney, Ben Wallfisch, Jeff Atmajian
- Orchestra conductor – Alex Heffes
- Orchestra contractor – Peter Rotter, Sandy De Crescent
- Concertmaster – Roger Wilkie
- Instruments
- Bass – Bruce Morgenthaler, David Parmeter, Drew D. Dembowski, Edward Meares, Michael Valerio, Nico Carmine Abondolo (1st), Oscar Hidalgo, Stephen Dress
- Bassoon – Allen M. Savedoff, Kenneth Munday, Michael O'Donovan
- Cello – Andrew T. Shulman (1st), Antony Cooke, Armen Ksajikian, Cecelia Tsan, Christina Soule, Christine Ermacoff, David Speltz, Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick, László Mezö, Steve Erdody, Ting Guo, Trevor Handy
- Clarinet – Gary S. Bovyer, Ralph Williams, Stuart Clark (1st)
- Flute – David Shostac, Geraldine Rotella (1st), Sara E. Andon
- Harp – Jo Ann Turovsky
- Horn – Daniel P. Kelley, David Everson, James W. Thatcher (1st), Mark L. Adams
- Oboe – Chris Bleth, Phillip Ayling (1st)
- Percussion – Alan Estes (1st), Donald J. Williams, Wade Culbreath
- Trombone – Alexander Iles, William Booth (1st), William F. Reichenbach, George Thatcher
- Trumpet – David Washburn, Timothy Morrison (1st)
- Tuba – Doug Tornquist
- Viola – Andrew Duckles, Brian Dembow (1st), Darrin Mc Cann, David F. Walther, Matthew Funes, Michael Nowak, Pamela Jacobson, Pamela Goldsmith, Robert A. Brophy, Shawn Mann, Victoria Miskolczy
- Violin – Alyssa Park, Amy Hershberger, Bruce Dukov, Elizabeth Hedman, Eun-Mee Ahn, Helen Nightengale, Jessica E. Guideri, Julie Ann Gigante, Katia Popov, Lisa M. Sutton, Natalie Leggett, Nina Evtuhov, Phillip Levy, Roberto Cani, Sarah Thornblade, Searmi Park, Serena Mc Kinney, Shalini Vijayan, Songa Lee, Tamara Hatwan, Tereza L. Stanislav (1st), Yelena Yegoryan
- Choir
- Choir conductor and contractor – Jasper Randall
- Alto vocals – Aleta Braxton, Amber Erwin, Amy Fogerson, Drea Pressley, Kimberly Switzer, Michelle Hemmings, Nancy Sulahian, Niké St. Clair
- Bass vocals – Bob Joyce, Douglas Shabe, Greg Davies, Guy Maeda, Jim Campbell, Jules Green, Mark Beasom, Mark Edward Smith, Michael Geiger, Reid Bruton, Scott Graff, Vatsche Barsoumian
- Soprano vocals – Ayana Haviv, Claire Fedoruk, Elin Carlson, Elissa Johnston, Elyse Marchant, Karen Hogle Brown, Karen Whipple Schnurr, Lesley Leighton
- Tenor vocals – Augie Castagnola, Chris Gambol, Daniel Chaney, George Sterne, Gerald White, J. Wingate Greathouse, Jody Golightly, Jonathan Mack, Michael Lichtenauer, Shawn Kirchner, Steven Harms
Accolades
| Award | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Soundtrack Awards | Discovery of the Year | Alex Heffes (also for The First Grader) | Won | [12] [13] [14] |
In addition, the score was shortlisted as one among the 97 contenders for the Best Original Score category at the 84th Academy Awards.[15][16][17]
References
- ↑ "Alex Heffes". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ↑ Moore, Sam Harteam (April 9, 2024). "Alex Heffes: 'There's something very mysterious and deep about film music'". M. PRS for Music. Archived from the original on March 16, 2026. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ↑ D. Larson, Randall (December 8, 2013). "Alex Heffes: Scoring the Journey of Nelson Mandela" (PDF). BuySoundtrax. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 6, 2026. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Review: The Rite [Original Motion Picture Score]". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 6, 2026. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ↑ Chapman, Glen (March 7, 2011). "Music in the movies: the latest movie scores reviewed". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ↑ Masalar, Marius (January 29, 2011). "The Rite by Alex Heffes". Tracksounds. Archived from the original on February 3, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
- ↑ Gibron, Bill (February 24, 2011). "Surround Sound: The Big Bang, Part 4". PopMatters. Archived from the original on August 3, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ↑ Barton, Steve (February 25, 2011). "Rite Original Motion Picture Score, The (CD)". Dread Central. Archived from the original on May 6, 2026. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ↑ Leydon, Joe (January 25, 2011). "The Rite". Variety. Archived from the original on July 4, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ↑ Rea, Darren. "The Rite (Original Motion Picture Score) - Soundtrack review". Review Graveyard. Archived from the original on June 23, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ↑ Alex Heffes. The Rite (Original Motion Picture Score) (Media notes). Silva Screen Records.
- ↑ Chagollan, Steve (August 16, 2011). "Composers score WSA noms". Variety. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ↑ Roxborough, Scott (October 24, 2011). "Alexandre Desplat Wins Film Composer of the Year at World Soundtrack Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ↑ "Alexander Desplat third time in a row Film Composer of the Year". World Soundtrack Awards. World Soundtrack Academy. October 23, 2011. Archived from the original on October 9, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ↑ Sartor, Ryan (December 23, 2011). "Thomas Newman & Alexandre Desplat Lead The Pack Of The 97 Scores In Contention For The Oscars". IndieWire. Archived from the original on April 17, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ↑ Finke, Nikki (December 23, 2011). "OSCARS: 97 Original Scores in 2011 Race". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ↑ Stone, Sasha (December 23, 2011). "97 Original Scores in Oscar Race". Awards Daily. Archived from the original on November 21, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2026.