Who wrote the score to Channel 4's The Great?
The soundtrack to The Great was written by the American film and TV composer Nathan Barr, who has also written music for True Blood, The Americans and Hollywood. Barr has blended luscious string textures with modern synthesizers and Russian instruments, the latter of which tie in with the show's Russian setting. Catherine the Great, played by Elle Fanning, was Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. The score is playful and uses pastiche to explore the music of the time, albeit through a contemporary lens. Its almost ironic take on 18th-century music ties in with the colourful storylines and direction.
The score was recorded at the British Grove Studios in Chiswick, London.
Barr's orchestral score is punctuated with contemporary songs, chosen by music supervisor Maggie Phillips, who has also worked on programmes including The Handmaid's Tale and Normal People. Songs featured in the soundtrack include Patti Smith's 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World', Cat Power's 'Free' and Suzi Quatro's 'The Wild One', all of which are female-led anthems which reflect the protagonist's punk attitude and spirit.
Can you buy the soundtrack to The Great?
The soundtrack to The Great by Nathan Barr is not yet available to buy in CD or on vinyl, but can be downloaded in mp3 format on Amazon.
Where can you stream the soundtrack to Channel 4's The Great online?
You can stream Nathan Barr's soundtrack to Channel 4's The Great on Amazon Music, Spotify and Apple Music.
What date, time and channel is The Great being shown on in the UK?
The first episode of The Great was shown on Channel 4 at 9pm on 3 January 2021. Episodes will be available to watch or stream online on 4OD every Sunday evening.
Watch the trailer for The Great
How to watch The Great internationally
The Great was initially produced by Hulu for broadcast in the US, but you can watch The Great on STARZPLAY on Amazon Prime. Subscriptions to STARZPLAY start at £0.99 for three months, available here.