The Hours

Label: Nonesuch 
Released: 2002 
Barcode: 075597969320 
Country: Europe
Product Type: CD (Pre-owned) 
Score or Soundtrack:
Score Composer: Philip Glass

The Hours (2002) is a drama film directed by Stephen Daldry, based on Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The story weaves together three narratives across different time periods, each focused on women grappling with identity, mental health, and societal expectations. The film follows Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) in 1920s England as she writes Mrs. Dalloway, Laura Brown (Julianne Moore) in 1950s America as she reads the novel, and Clarissa Vaughan (Meryl Streep) in 2000s New York, whose life mirrors the book’s protagonist. Their stories are interconnected by the themes of depression, love, and choices, building to a poignant meditation on life’s pressures and the pursuit of happiness.

The soundtrack for The Hours was composed by Philip Glass, whose minimalist style perfectly complements the film's emotional depth. His score, characterized by repetitive motifs and rhythmic intensity, enhances the film's exploration of time, memory, and internal conflict. The music weaves together the different narratives, creating a continuous emotional flow that mirrors the film’s intricate structure. Glass's haunting piano compositions help convey the film's mood, amplifying the melancholy and intensity of the characters’ struggles, making it one of the most critically acclaimed soundtracks of the early 2000s.

Track Listing:

The Poet Acts
Philip Glass

Morning Passages
Philip Glass

Something She Has to Do
Philip Glass

For Your Own Benefit
Philip Glass

Vanessa and the Changelings
Philip Glass

I'm Going to Make a Cake
Philip Glass

An Unwelcome Friend
Philip Glass

Dead Things
Philip Glass

The Kiss
Philip Glass

Why Does Someone Have to Die?
Philip Glass

Tearing Herself Away
Philip Glass

Escape!
Philip Glass

Choosing Life
Philip Glass

The Hours
Philip Glass

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