The second of two back-to-back releases by Christopher Barnett, The Marbles (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) has been released by Air-Edel Records, available now across all major streaming platforms. The soundtrack features beautiful solo performances by soprano, Grace Davidson.

The Marbles, directed by David Wilkinson, is a documentary feature that tells the story of the greatest art heist in history and the fight to undo it. In 1801, Lord Elgin took half the Parthenon. What followed was a 200-year battle between Greece and the British Empire over stolen heritage told by British people.

Composing the score for The Marbles required a balance of restraint and passion, an approach that mirrors the documentary’s quest for justice and cultural restoration. The narrative’s deep historical roots called for a musical language shaped by echoes of antiquity, a piece of baroque performed by Grace Davidson-soprano, Jean-Loup Pinson-mandolin and guitar and Ashok and Natalie Klouda-strings. Yet the story is not only about the past; it is a contemporary struggle against inertia, a call for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to their homeland. To capture this, I wove in modern tonal fractures, unusual piano rhythms, and motifs seeking to reflect the dignity of Greece’s heritage, David Wilkinson’s personal challenges and the mounting urgency of the campaign, allowing the music to channel the emotion, resolve, and unwavering hope that drive the documentary’s journey toward cultural reunification. – Christopher Barnett