[8] In the film's early stages of production, Nolan shared the script with his visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson as he needed to convey phenomena such as quantum mechanics and nuclear reactions onscreen.

"[13] Nolan did not give specific direction on how he wanted the score to sound; the only suggestion he gave Göransson was to represent Oppenheimer's character and the film's main theme with a solo violin.

[18] Göransson's score comprises three overarching movements: Oppenheimer's background in physics, the Manhattan Project, and the Atomic Energy Commission hearing.

[19] As the score transitions into the second movement, the tone shifts as the atomic bomb is being built, with the increased stakes being amplified by thumping bass and metallic ticking sounds.

You have that thumping bass and then there's this metallic ticking sound, and that ode is up until the bomb goes off, and then you have these moments of silence, which I think is very effective.While the film is a period piece and Göransson did use instrumentation that fit with the times, he also wanted the score to feel "timeless," choosing to infuse the traditional orchestra with synthesizers and mono-production.

[20] He and Nolan also chose not to include drums in the score at the risk of it feeling militaristic, instead incorporating percussive elements such as foot stomping, ticking, and Geiger counter static.

[12][15] During the nuclear reactor sequence, Göransson had the cellists play col legno, striking the strings with the stick of their bow to create a percussive sound.

The perplexing visuals of spinning atoms drove forty violins into a breathtaking frenzy, while courtroom scenes were scored with the intensity of a battlefield.

Additionally, when editing began in post-production, Nolan and editor Jennifer Lame were able to use Göransson's preliminary work for the first cut of the film without the need for a temp score.

"[32] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Aiding immeasurably in Nolan’s unfaltering control of tone and tension is ... Ludwig Göransson’s extraordinarily forceful, almost wall-to-wall score.

Nolan and [Hoyte] van Hoytema's visuals are always impressive, but it's Göransson's score that takes Oppenheimer to another level, and continues to prove that he's one of the most exciting composers working in film today.

The concert was held at the University of California, Los Angeles's Royce Hall on January 10, 2024, and included an introduction by Nolan and actor Cillian Murphy.