Is it just me, or was there foreshadowing in the soundtrack of ‘Call Me By Your Name’?
Disclaimer: I am not an expert in musicology, or in any way related professionally. This is merely an opinion piece that I would like to channel out from my mind because we’ve all been at the tipping point of being emotionally overwhelmed from watching CMYBN. Also, potential hints of spoilers are in this essay.
It wasn’t too long when I finally had the chance to watch Call Me By Your Name. In fact, it was December 2019, and having a few weeks alone, I took the advantage of watching Christmas films re-runs as well as looking through what I have yet to watch—including this film in particular. And within that week, I watched it two more times. After each viewing, I laid down on the sofa, idle, trying to understand the feelings that were swirling in my mind while simultaneously feeling nothing at all. Still, it was a film I admire. Poetically, emotionally, and musically.
Recently, I had my fourth viewing, only this time I sat through it with my sister (virtually). Perhaps it was the company and the exchange of commentary of overlooked details from our previous viewings, and yet, I sensed nostalgia in this fourth sitting—even though it has only been six months of my life where this beautiful film has resonated in my twenty-something-years of life.
But before I explain, let me try to respond to why I think there is foreshadowing in the film soundtrack.
As the majority of admirers, I was immediately hooked to Sufjan Stevens’s contributions to the film soundtrack. I would repeat all three songs throughout that December—even today all three songs are in my current music playlist. And yet, I was listening to the soundtrack again in the last few days, and I noticed there was a pattern in the curated soundtrack—specifically the piano pieces where snippets of them were used conveying different scenes of the film.
Let’s take a few examples, starting with the opening titles.
The song here is ‘Hallelujah Junction -1st movement’ by John Adams. In the opening titles, less than two minutes of the song was used with its tingles of excitement and curiosity. Every time this track introduces itself, that same feeling of watching the film for the first time returns.
Yet, if you keep listening for five more minutes, the tone of the piece changes gradually and at its last few minutes, it becomes a very intensified play of keys. When I first heard this, those nostalgic feelings that returned were discomforted and they immediately faded away.
Second, let’s listen to ‘Une barque sur l’océan’ (from Miroirs)’ by André Laplante. This is a personal favourite of mine, because the track did not accelerate into a turning point of mood immediately, but it trickles with the scene. The song was played part by part, starting with the scene where Elio’s hints his confession to Oliver. As if the track was clasped to be the tune of that particular morning.
The scene envelopes the story. Notice when the track starts playing when no dialogue was present and we are only present with Elio as he was left waiting. The track resumes when Elio repeats his answer, ‘Because I wanted you to know.’ This pivotal point in the story allows the track to play, and abruptly ends again in Oliver’s doubt. Yet, it leaves eyes awakened and alerted the audience to how Oliver will react — placing us in Elio’s emotions. The track is essential when Elio’s alone, with his thoughts left unheard for us. To me, this scene lingers and haunts the most.
I noticed how the track was cleverly snipped to complement the emotions that unravel slowly scene in this scene in my last sitting. As we await for answers, we halted into silence. And when it seems Elio felt relief, the track resumes, journeying into a new scene and the track conveniently stops before the song intensifies.
There’s a pattern where these two songs now are only used in its optimistic sound, catering partly for the story, so far.
Lastly, ‘Zion hört die Wächter singen’ as performed by Alessio Bax. I wanted to highlight how this track was distinctively used in the scene where we meet again with Elio, as if lurking into the writing on his notepad—like we’re not supposed to as the page flips to scribbles and writings of unsaid emotions. To be frank, I personally find this scene to be an interesting insight into Elio’s character. At the start of the film, his quiet character rarely teases to know what his deepest thoughts are, and this was a very brief reveal in his writing.
Again, the scene only used the first few minutes of the track, letting the sound play as we peek into Elio writings. And yet again, if you keep listening to the song, it eventually changes its tone.
Before watching the film for the first time, I never came across any of the songs curated or written for the soundtrack, not even Sufjan Stevens’ original songs. Not long after my first viewing, I listened to them to reminisce the film. Recalling how each scene interplays with the music. However, I didn’t stay long and return listening to them because this soundtrack is too intact with the film that it reminds me how delicate (my) emotions can be when remembering the film.
After my most recent viewing, I wanted to listen to the soundtrack again and I noticed the pattern in the curated piano tracks from the different performers. It was as if these songs were intentionally chosen as they resemble the story overall. While these tracks were only used partly, there is sense that they tease us to realise the subtext.
To me, this was a rather clever intention—if it were, intentional. For the story played out so beautifully, we were transfixed within the moment. It’s one that lures you into its immersive experience: the warmth of the summer’s sun, the taste of the drinks and the cuisine, the cooling water of the river and the pool. And if the soundtrack deliberately chosen were clips of excitement and curiosity, fading out its intensified mood and tense melodies—then leaving it to ‘Visions of Gideon’ by Sufjan Steven as the last song to end it all—it was certainly well-played.
Personally, what I love about film soundtracks is how easy it is to feel nostalgic to films I admire. And it was perhaps in that fourth sitting that the relation of the story, cinematography, and music in Call Me By Your Name unravel strong nostalgia. In which, this sad nostalgia felt when returning to listen to the soundtrack merely reminds us of how the story unfolded. We were kept so close to Elio’s steps since the start of the film, that it was difficult to look away. And by the end, by the time we’ve reached to Perlman’s beautiful monologue of truth, we were somewhat broken, yet at the same time, filling content—realising that these emotions we feel to not be wasted.
Nevertheless, if you did read this and had a listen to all the tracks until the end, here’s a treat for you all. One of the best songs that have ever created in our lifetime:
