Wes Anderson’s films wouldn’t be complete without the songs that punctuate — and encompass — them. But the director doesn’t choose
his soundtracks alone. His right-hand man when it comes to such decisions is Search Party Music founder Randall Poster — they’ve worked together
since the Rushmore days 17 years ago. For Anderson’s latest, The Grand Budapest Hotel, which opens today and takes place in the fictional Eastern European
nation of Zubrowka, they “talked to people in Switzerland who were experts in yodeling and searched through music in Germany and Switzerland and Hungary and Czech Republic,” Randall told NME in a recent interview. Ultimately, with the help of French composer Alexandre Desplat, they ended up creating mostly original works for the soundtrack, which centers around the Balalaika, a three-stringed Russian folk instrument. “We brought about 25 Russian Balalaika players to Paris and merged them with about 20 French Balalaika players and had this Balalaika super-group that we recorded,” said Randall.

Learn more about Randall’s work on the film and his career in the full NME interview here.
Listen to the complete soundtrack for The Grand Budapest Hotel on Spotify now.

Playlist

  1. s’Rothe-Zäuerli — Öse Schuppel
  2. The Alpine Sudetenwaltz — Alexandre Desplat
  3. Mr. Moustafa — Alexandre Desplat
  4. Overture: M. Gustave H — Alexandre Desplat
  5. A Prayer for Madame D — Alexandre Desplat
  6. The New Lobby Boy — Alexandre Desplat
  7. Concerto for Lute and Plucked Strings I. Moderato — Siegfried Behrend & DZO Chamber Orchestra
  8. Daylight Express to Lutz — Alexandre Desplat
  9. Schloss Lutz Overture — Alexandre Desplat
  10. The Family Desgoffe und Taxis — Alexandre Desplat
  11. Last Will and Testament — Alexandre Desplat
  12. Up the Stairs/Down the Hall — Alexandre Desplat
  13. Night Train to Nebelsbad — Alexandre Desplat
  14. The Lutz Police Militia — Alexandre Desplat
  15. Check Point 19 Criminal Internment Camp Overture — Alexandre Desplat
  16. The Linden Tree — Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra, Vitaly Gnutov
  17. J.G. Jopling, Private Inquiry Agent — Alexandre Desplat
  18. A Dash of Salt (Ludwig’s Theme) — Alexandre Desplat
  19. The Cold-Blooded Murder of Deputy Vilmos Kovacs — Alexandre Desplat
  20. Escape Concerto — Alexandre Desplat
  21. The War (Zero’s Theme) — Alexandre Desplat
  22. No Safe-House — Alexandre Desplat
  23. The Society of the Crossed Keys — Alexandre Desplat
  24. M. Ivan — Alexandre Desplat
  25. Lot 117 — Alexandre Desplat
  26. Third Class Carriage — Alexandre Desplat
  27. Canto at Gabelmeister’s Peak — Alexandre Desplat
  28. A Troops Barracks (Requiem for The Grand Budapest) — Alexandre Desplat
  29. Cleared of All Charges — Alexandre Desplat
  30. The Mystical Union — Alexandre Desplat
  31. Kamarinskaya — Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra, Vitaly Gnutov
  32. Traditional Arrangement: “Moonshine” — Alexandre Desplat

Download the full playlist on iTunes.