Three separate composers worked on The Changeling. Howard Blake composed the Music Box Theme, which serves as an integral part of the film's storyline. Ken Wannberg was hired to compose the score, while Rick Wilkins was hired as a Canadian front in order for the production to qualify for some tax credits.
Although most of the score used in the film was composed by Wannberg, Wilkins did compose the underscore for the film's unnerving seance sequence.
"We needed a scary score," says Wannberg in Randall Larson's liner notes. "But not one that was pure scary." Wannberg and Wilkins achieved this by excising the trumpets and trombones from the orchestra, which created a somewhat off-kilter tonality within the music. The overall effect of their score is both soft and unnerving. The eschewing of aggressive jolts and jump scare stingers makes for a listening experience that is equal parts pleasant and spooky.
I consider the soundtrack for The Changeling to be one of the highpoints of my collection.
