Jonny Greenwood names his favourite piece of music
Jonny Greenwood‘s reputation precedes him, and he isn’t simply a vital cog in Radiohead, one of the world’s most coveted outfits. In recent years, Greenwood has moonlighted as a composer of numerous movie soundtracks, creating a series of scores that remain heralded amid the bright lights of Hollywood. For a number of years now, the guitarist, songwriter, and all-around intellectual has imbued contemporary culture with his distinctive style with prolific accuracy.
Greenwood first broke through with the Oxford quintet Radiohead in the early 1990s. In their first form, the group were dismissed by many as just another Jim Morrisson-hating alternative rock outfit. However, even in those early years – when they were overshadowed by the mega-hit ‘Creep’ – clear signs of the excellence to come were evident.
Fuelled by Greenwood’s uniquely dynamic form of guitar playing, even their 1993 debut Pablo Honey had more substance than most of their guitar-toting peers. To demonstrate this idea, the record’s final track, ‘Blow Out’, is coloured by jazzy chords, swirling effects, and fascinating compositional choices for the time. The song aptly set the scene for 1995’s The Bends, a much more immersive album.
The Bends saw the band refine their sound, and Greenwood took his artistry to another level, reaching a more varied style. While he was regarded as purely Radiohead’s guitarist on this record and its game-changing successor, OK Computer, that certainly wouldn’t be the case afterwards. It’s no coincidence that Radiohead’s style changed as Greenwood increased his scope.
From Kid A onwards, the band drew on various influences outside of the parameters of rock music, ranging from classical to niche electronica. Their heady sound was augmented by using a host of instruments, including modular synthesisers and the rare Ondes Martenot, a personal favourite of Greenwood.
The 21st-century chapter of Radiohead allowed Greenwood the space to significantly enhance his compositional skills, which opened the door for him to become revered outside the confines of the Oxford band. His first outing as a soundtrack composer was for the 2003 documentary Bodysong, which garnered universal acclaim.
He then announced his arrival in this sphere with the majestic score for Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 drama – There Will Be Blood. Afterwards, his solo work would be hot property.
Since then, he’s worked with Anderson on The Master, Inherent Vice, The Phantom Thread and Licorice Pizza, as well as scoring other hits such as The Power of the Dog. Running concurrently with his work on films, he’s collaborated with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and his hero, composer Krzysztof Penderecki, adding further strings to his bow.
Given that Greenwood is comprised of a patchwork of different influences, his fans have long sought to know the identity of his favourite music piece. Then, in 2019, they got their long-awaited answer. Asked the question, he responded: “So many — how about the ‘Adagio’ from Shostakovich’s Tenth String Quartet? It’s a perfectly anguished piece of music.”
