Genius, the upcoming National Geographic series, executive produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, features original music by composer Lorne Balfe (The Lego Batman Movie, Terminator Genisys). The series features an original main title by Hans Zimmer. Milan Records will be releasing a soundtrack EP digitally on April 28, 2017.
"I'm incredibly honored to be writing music for many geniuses – Geoffrey Rush and Johnny Flynn as Albert Einstein, and for an amazing team led by executive producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, and showrunner Ken Biller," said Balfe. "Music was very important to Einstein. It was part of his thought process; he used music to distance himself from the problematic equations that he was trying to solve. The distance would then lead to the solutions."
This spring, National Geographic, in conjunction with Fox 21 Television Studios and Imagine Television, presents Genius, the network's first-ever scripted series, based on the Walter Isaacson book Einstein: His Life and Universe and executive produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, with Howard also directing the first episode. The all-star cast includes Geoffrey Rush as Professor Einstein, Johnny Flynn as Albert in his youth and Emily Watson as the scientist's second wife—and first cousin—Elsa Einstein. Over 10 episodes, the series takes Einstein's story beyond the halls of academia to explore his struggles to be a good husband and father, and a man of principle during a period of global unrest. His daringly creative mind often landed him in trouble with his loved ones and peers, but also helped him to usher in groundbreaking discoveries that reshaped modern science.
Balfe was influenced by Einstein's own musical talents with his approach to the score. He explained, "Einstein was a fantastic violin player from all accounts, so that was an interesting color to bring into the score."
National Geographic and Fox21 Television Studios, along with Imagine Entertainment, present Genius, premiering April 25, 2017 at 9PM ET/PT.