The Imitation Game | Opening Theme | Alexandre Desplat

The opening cue, “The Imitation Game,” covers both bases immediately, beginning with the rhythmic piano motif, and slowly emerging into the first performance of the lovely, sweeping string theme. As always, Desplat’s orchestrations are a delight; the way he manages to involve every section of the orchestra in his work, and allows all of them to have their moment in the spotlight without ever diminishing the other instruments’ importance, is continually amazing to me.

Just in this opening cue, the rhythmic ideas pass between piano and celeste and back again, there are woodwind harmonies that jump between bass flutes, regular flutes and piccolos, and the main melody itself is led by first the string section, and subsequently by oboes, both of which are underpinned by glockenspiels, and feather-light chimes. It’s just glorious, so clear, so precise, so delicate, but so full of meaning and emotion.

https://moviemusicuk.us/2014/11/11/the-imitation-game-alexandre-desplat/

Duration: 2.30
Instrumentation: 3(3.a.bfl),1+1eh,2+1bcl,2 – 4,3,3,1 – timp,5perc – e-bass,hp,pno,synth – strings