Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet, based on Maggie O’Farrell’s bestselling novel, is a haunting portrait of grief, love, and memory. Released in December 2025 and starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, the film captures Shakespeare’s personal tragedy: the death of his son Hamnet during the plague.
The film’s emotional core is beautifully magnified by a deeply introspective score from Max Richter, known for his masterful work on The Leftovers, Arrival, and Ad Astra. The Hamnet soundtrack blends Elizabethan musical textures with modern cinematic atmosphere, creating a sonic experience that is both timeless and intimate.
Hamnet Soundtrack Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Film Title | Hamnet |
| Release Year | 2025 |
| Genre | Historical Drama |
| Director | Chloé Zhao |
| Composer | Max Richter |
| Music Style | Classical, Ambient, Elizabethan-inspired |
| Label | Deutsche Grammophon / Decca Records |
| Runtime | 2h 5m |
| Digital Release | November 21, 2025 |
| Vinyl LP Release | January 9, 2026 |
| Notable Inclusion | “On the Nature of Daylight” (Track 16) |
Who Composed the Hamnet Soundtrack?
The score for Hamnet is credited to Max Richter.
Who is Max Richter?
Max Richter is a German-born British composer whose work sits between contemporary classical and ambient electronica. He is best known for the album The Blue Notebooks and its centrepiece On the Nature of Daylight, a piece that has been used so widely in cinema — most famously in Arrival and Shutter Island — that it has become shorthand for cinematic grief. His screen credits include HBO’s The Leftovers, Ad Astra, Waltz with Bashir and Taboo. He also composed Sleep, an eight-hour work written to be slept through, and records for Deutsche Grammophon.
Why Max Richter’s score sounds the way it does
Richter rarely writes conventional ‘themes’. He builds slow harmonic loops that repeat and decay, which is why his scores feel less like accompaniment and more like weather — they sit under a scene and change its temperature rather than telling you what to feel.
If this style appeals to you — post-minimalist, piano and string-led, ambient — the tracklist below rewards listening in order rather than on shuffle. Scores written this way are built to accumulate, and individual cues can feel slight on their own.
Hamnet Official Soundtrack Tracklist
| No. | Song Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Of Agnes | 2:16 |
| 2 | Of Orpheus | 3:43 |
| 3 | See things that others don’t | 1:46 |
| 4 | Look at me | 1:38 |
| 5 | In all my philosophy | 2:24 |
| 6 | Of earth and heaven | 7:37 |
| 7 | An abysm of time | 1:58 |
| 8 | Of the heart | 4:51 |
| 9 | Of remembrance | 2:29 |
| 10 | Of the sky | 5:00 |
| 11 | I was the more deceived | 5:36 |
| 12 | Inward | 1:40 |
| 13 | Who are you looking for? | 1:49 |
| 14 | The great globe itself | 1:48 |
| 15 | Of a ghost | 8:46 |
| 16 | On the Nature of Daylight (Richter reprise) | 6:36 |
| 17 | My Robin to the greenwood did go | 1:43 |
| 18 | Of the undiscovered country | 5:22 |
Why the Hamnet Soundtrack Feels Unique
Max Richter composed the music before filming began, allowing Chloé Zhao to integrate emotional motifs directly into the storytelling. The result is a score that breathes with the characters — particularly Agnes — and evolves with the narrative.
Highlights include:
- Period instrumentation used with modern restraint.
- Emotional peaks marked by stillness, not bombast.
- Track 16, “On the Nature of Daylight”, reused for the finale with breathtaking impact.
The music isn’t just background — it’s another voice in the grieving process. Critics have called it “devastating in its restraint” and “a masterclass in emotional economy.”
Where to Listen Hamnet Soundtrack?
The Hamnet (2025) Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is available on:
- Spotify
- Apple Music
- Amazon Music
Vinyl collectors can find the deluxe LP via Deutsche Grammophon / Decca Records, released January 9, 2026, by Focus Features.
The Hamnet soundtrack is Max Richter at his most intimate and restrained. It doesn’t aim to overwhelm — it chooses to listen, to pause, to grieve. It mirrors the film’s devastating beauty and offers a timeless echo of sorrow, memory, and resilience.
Hamnet Soundtrack — Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the Hamnet soundtrack?
The Hamnet score was composed by Max Richter. It is released by Deutsche Grammophon / Decca Records.
How many tracks are on the Hamnet soundtrack?
The official release contains 18 tracks. The full tracklist, with running times, is in the table above.
When was the Hamnet soundtrack released?
It was released on November 21, 2025.
What does the Hamnet soundtrack sound like?
The score is described as Classical, Ambient, Elizabethan-inspired.
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Riya has spent six years writing about music. At OST Vibes she covers soundtracks for film, series and games — who scored what, what is actually on each official release, and where to listen to it. Her focus is English-language pop and screen music. Spot a mistake in a tracklist or a credit? Email [email protected] and it will be corrected.