# Hans Zimmer - Huge amount of cellos!?



## Leo Brennauer (Apr 12, 2022)

Hey folks!

I remember an interview or something, where Hans (@Rctec) is talking about using 60(?) cellos. Does anyone remember the source of this quote and/or which movie he did use that insanely huge orchestra? Was it dark knight?

I'm writing my BA thesis and a part is comparing the main themes from Elfman's batman to Zimmer's batman.

Thanks for your help


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## georgewmusic (Apr 12, 2022)

I'm going to disappoint you. I don't think what you're referring to was for a film but for a sample library. Hans Zimmer Strings from Spitfire Audio used an ungodly number of players including 60 Celli. I don't think an ensemble that size has every been assembled for an actual film score.


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## Bruhelius (Apr 12, 2022)

I think it was for Dunkirk…which by the way, makes by toddler cry of fear. Love it!


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## georgewmusic (Apr 12, 2022)

Bruhelius said:


> I think it was for Dunkirk…which by the way, makes by toddler cry of fear. Love it!


Interview with Zimmer for Dunkirk - Mentions it was a small ensemble.

Hans tends to go with one "gimmick" per project. For Dunkirk it was the Shephard tone, Interstellar the organ etc. Don't think he's done one with too many strings. Inception had a humungous brass section though.


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## Leo Brennauer (Apr 12, 2022)

georgewmusic said:


> Interview with Zimmer for Dunkirk - Mentions it was a small ensemble.
> 
> Hans tends to go with one "gimmick" per project. For Dunkirk it was the Shephard tone, Interstellar the organ etc. Don't think he's done one with lots of strings. Inception had a humungous brass section though.


Or maybe he created the Library used it for a Soundtrack and then gave it to Spitfire? As he did with the Zebra, which I fell in love with - an amazing synth.

Thanks anyhow for your fast answer!


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## Leo Brennauer (Apr 12, 2022)

georgewmusic said:


> Interview with Zimmer for Dunkirk - Mentions it was a small ensemble.
> 
> Hans tends to go with one "gimmick" per project. For Dunkirk it was the Shephard tone, Interstellar the organ etc. Don't think he's done one with lots of strings. Inception had a humungous brass section though.


Oh by the way I don't think he just uses one "gimmick" for each movie. If you look closer at let's say interstellar, you find plenty more stuff than just the use of an organ. And I'm not talking about the usual stuff, I talk about things that are quite unique for this project compared to his other work: I find a huge amount of minimal music, and also, there are lots of polyrhythms and other special things besides the organ.

I think the idea of using a big orchestra can go besides using special instrumentations.


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## georgewmusic (Apr 12, 2022)

Leo Brennauer said:


> Oh by the way I don't think he just uses one "gimmick" for each movie. If you look closer at let's say interstellar, you find plenty more stuff than just the use of an organ.


Well, I did mean that as a bit tongue in cheek but perhaps that didn't come across. I'm not one to discredit the work of Hans. Obviously there's a lot more going on than "just an organ". I merely meant it's the centrepiece of that particular work and other works of his similarly, have a focal point (what I meant by gimmick), be they through orchestration/sound or musical technique.


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## Leo Brennauer (Apr 12, 2022)

georgewmusic said:


> Well, I did mean that as a bit tongue in cheek but perhaps that didn't come across. I'm not one to discredit the work of Hans. Obviously there's a lot more going on than "just an organ". I merely meant it's the centrepiece of that particular work and other works of his similarly, have a focal point (what I meant by gimmick), be they through orchestration/sound or musical technique.


Shure, got your point  Have a great day! 

Still hope, that somebody will pop up with some insider information about the size/cello question.


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## The Retroblueman (Apr 12, 2022)

See the first minute or two of this - 



he mentions his PB was 28 celli (but also says he had 32 basses on Dunkirk). I seem to remember he talks about the Batman theme in his masterclass.com course a bit and briefly compares his theme to the Elfman theme (not sure he says enough to warrant a subscription just for the sake of your thesis though).


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## MartinH. (Apr 12, 2022)

Reading the thread title I thought this was the name of a new library.


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## Alatar (Apr 12, 2022)

A bit off topic:
I was at a cello concert once. There were 20 cellos (no other instruments).
It sounded great!


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## KEM (Apr 12, 2022)

Hans’ music is very cello heavy in general, I wouldn’t doubt if that’s his favorite instrument in the orchestra


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## Leo Brennauer (Apr 13, 2022)

The Retroblueman said:


> See the first minute or two of this -
> 
> 
> 
> he mentions his PB was 28 celli (but also says he had 32 basses on Dunkirk). I seem to remember he talks about the Batman theme in his masterclass.com course a bit and briefly compares his theme to the Elfman theme (not sure he says enough to warrant a subscription just for the sake of your thesis though).



That actually was a very helpful tip! I got the masterclass subscription and checked out some videos talking about batman; The specials in Batman - according to his interview - was the use of 4 french horns on each side of the gallery at Air Lyndhurst - creating a reverb that had a very chorus quality. Also, he was comparing his theme (consisting of only two notes) to Elfman's saying that his "keeps getting stuck" because the "character is stuck in his childhood and everything circles around that".

But yet didn't find anything about the size of orchestras. I think I gotta watch all of them. Will get back!

Either how; a very helpful source. Thanks!


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## The Retroblueman (Apr 13, 2022)

Leo Brennauer said:


> That actually was a very helpful tip! I got the masterclass subscription and checked out some videos talking about batman; The specials in Batman - according to his interview - was the use of 4 french horns on each side of the gallery at Air Lyndhurst - creating a reverb that had a very chorus quality. Also, he was comparing his theme (consisting of only two notes) to Elfman's saying that his "keeps getting stuck" because the "character is stuck in his childhood and everything circles around that".
> 
> But yet didn't find anything about the size of orchestras. I think I gotta watch all of them. Will get back!
> 
> Either how; a very helpful source. Thanks!


Very glad you found it useful (didn't want to press too hard on making you sign £14 a month of your life away!) - am thinking about renewing mine actually.

Since you have it now anyway - worth mentioning that there's also a Danny Elfman one on there (with an amusing story about writing the Batman theme in a plane toilet: ) and I found the Armin Van Buuren and Deadmau5 ones quite helpful on the production/synth end of things! Also, sure you have found this already, but I think somewhere on the interwebs you should be able to find Danny Elfman's "mock up" of the theme.


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