Whiplash - Original Soundtrack LP

Varèse Sarabande Records is pleased to offer a vinyl pressing of the original motion picture soundtrack to Damien Chazelle's Academy Award winning 2014 film Whiplash which features movie dialogue, original score and big band songs by Justin Hurwitz, original big band competition pieces by Tim Simonec and classic jazz standards by Stan Getz ("Intoit"), Duke Ellington ("Caravan") and Hank Levy ("Whiplash").

Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller) is an ambitious young jazz drummer, single-minded in his pursuit to rise to the top of his elite east coast music conservatory. Plagued by the failed writing career of his father (Paul Reiser), Andrew hungers day and night to become one of the greats. Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), an instructor equally known for his teaching talents as for his terrifying methods, leads the top jazz ensemble in the school. Fletcher discovers Andrew and transfers the aspiring drummer into his band, forever changing the young man’s life. Andrew’s passion to achieve perfection quickly spirals into obsession, as his ruthless teacher continues to push him to the brink of both his ability and his sanity.

“The director Damien [Chazelle] and I started talking about this score a year before the cameras rolled,” said Hurwitz. “While the original jazz would be somewhat straightforward, the movie’s dramatic underscore was more of a conundrum. How do you score a movie that already has so much music in it?” To navigate these waters, Hurwitz would use the techniques of electronic scoring, but with all real instruments, in a way that would haunt him much in the same way that Whiplash’s lead character was haunted...

“Our scoring session has to be one of the most tedious ever, as I recorded the score cues one note at a time. Literally, one note at a time,” Hurwitz adds. “What this allowed me to do was layer and manipulate the notes in a way that musicians can’t. The resulting textures are reminiscent of an electronic score, except every note was either a sax, trumpet, trombone, piano, vibe, or upright bass. The majority of the notes in this score are slowed down to about 1/3 time, creating a hellish version of a big band sound. Damien and I joked that it’s like Miles Teller’s character Andrew is being tortured by the very instruments he makes music with.”

“Woven into the textures of the score is one familiar melody - the tune that J.K. Simmons’ character Fletcher plays in the jazz club,” Hurwitz described. “The melody appears in almost every score cue, sometimes clearly stated, sometimes more hidden. It appears in major, minor, and other modes, depending on the situation. Damien and I love scores that are economical with melody - scores that establish one or two themes or motives, and use those themes or motives in every way they can be used. In this case, we found that one versatile melody was all we needed. The melody tied to Fletcher expressing himself at the piano seemed like the right melody.”

In addition to the original score and big band pieces from Hurwitz, the soundtrack includes original big band competition pieces by Tim Simonec. “After being the orchestrator of so many films for the past few years, it was very exciting to be asked to compose...and in one my favorite idioms, Big Band Jazz,” said Simonec. “Working with director Damien Chazelle was truly an amazing experience. His knowledge of Big Band Jazz made him communicate exactly what he wanted for each scene, and his suggestions after hearing my ideas made the compositions that much better.”

1.  Snare Liftoff [Dialogue] 

2.  Overture - Justin Hurwitz

3.  Too Hip To Retire - Tim Simonec

4.  Whiplash - Hank Levy

5.  Fletcher’s Song In Club - Justin Hurwitz

6.  Upswingin' - Tim Simonec

7.  Rehearsal Medley: First Nassau Band Rehearsal / Second Nassau Band Rehearsal / Studio Band Eavesdrop / Studio Band Rehearsal After Breakup - Tim Simonec

8.  Caravan - Duke Ellington & Juan Tizol

9.  "Good Job" [Dialogue]

10. Practicing – Justin Hurwitz

11. Intoit – Stan Getz

12. Accident – Justin Hurwitz

13. Casey's Song – Justin Hurwitz

14. Dismissed – Justin Hurwitz

15  Drum & Drone – Justin Hurwitz

16. Carnegie – Justin Hurwitz

17. When I Wake – Justin Hurwitz

18. Hug From Dad – Justin Hurwitz