# The music of Hans Zimmer- a dialogue



## dcoscina (Dec 30, 2012)

Hi All. I've been watching and re-watching The Dark Knight Rises these past few weeks. Admittedly, I hadn't seen it in theatres during its initial release last summer so I'm a little "late to the party" as the saying goes. There was so much about it in the media not being at the same level as The Dark Knight and all that but luckily I don't listen to reviewers or what others say, especially about this franchise since I really really like it. It is what Batman always should have been about in its tone- not those awful Burton movies (though they did have great Elfman scores!) or those abominations that Joel Schumaker made in the '90s (poor Goldenthal). 

Anyhow, I digress. I really enjoyed TDKR. Especially the music. I think of all the films the score had a real character in the film. While there are some narrative shortcomings that I'm willing to over look, I think Hans Zimmer's score is really amazing. I LOVE the synth work in particular.

As an aside, I was a rabid Zimmer fan when he first came onto the scene with Rain Man and Driving Miss Daisy in the late '90s. Thelma and Louise solidified his place as an important composer back in 1991 for me. I remember hunting all over the place for an EQ Magazine issue that had a 2 page spread of his studio at the time with his KX88 and racks of synths. I thought it was cool. 

http://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/735545_4494463353136_159227135_o.jpg (http://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-a ... 7135_o.jpg)



While I wasn't as much of a fan of his orchestral scores like Radio Flyer and Backdraft, I did enjoy Lion King quite a bit. And his more serious live action dramatic scores like As Good as It Gets and Thin Red Line. 

I'm also forever a fan of Last Samurai, both film and score. I especially like his more reflective cues like A Hard Teacher and the last 10 minutes of the film features some heartbreaking string work. Melodically developed music, not aural background. 

So what is the point of this thread? Well, it's to say that I'm really enjoying the direction HZ is taking with his new work. I find TDK trilogy to be great and I forever spin "A Dark Knight" track from TDK soundtrack on my ipod once a week because it works like a perfect summation of the cues in that movie. I also like his use of asymmetrical rhythms such as 5/8 and 7/8 time sigs. I noticed this in MegaMind, another favourite of mine, again because the music is so pronounced. 

Just interested in other perspectives, reflections, thoughts and ideas about the music of Hans Zimmer. 

If he does read this thread, I do have a question for him- does he prefer writing action based cues or the more melodic, reflective ones? For me, the latter really resonates with my own listening tastes so I'd speculate it would be those but it's better for the composer himself to answer that himself. And yes, I have a tremendous amount of respect for someone as busy as HZ who takes the time to read and offer his thoughts on this forum. It's invaluable for fellow musicians working in the industry. Props.


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## Alex Cuervo (Dec 30, 2012)

Um. I'm sorry to be blunt but somebody needs to say it - your fixation with Mr. Zimmer is bordering on unhealthy.


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## José Herring (Dec 30, 2012)

I have to agree with Alex on this one David.

It's pretty simple. Either you like his music or you don't. I think Hans is fine either way. Like me, I really like some of what he does and other stuff I think is just OK. Our opinion isn't going to affect anything he does or is doing.

I think it's pretty easy to sit back and be judgmental. Giving him the thumbs up or down. I guess when I met him, though be it briefly, it was pretty clear to me why he is what he is. In some way he's just an outright genius. And the funny thing is that I get the impression from him that he doesn't think so. But, he is. And it reflects in the way that he approaches music. He isn't the most traditionally musically knowledgeable, but he's got this uncanny ability to bring together diverse ways of thinking and put that into a musical idea, direction and final outcome. I get the sense that he just thinks in a particular way and has found a way in this modern age to get those ideas out through technology.

I didn't comment on the Batman knockoff thread because I didn't have anything really to add. But, I do agree with him that any attempt to knock off Zimmer is about as successful as people's attempt to knock off Williams, or Goldsmith or name "x" composer. It just doesn't work..

I remember reading about the professional development of John Williams and I thought wow, nobody will be able to duplicate what he's been through to get to where he's at creatively. I feel the same way about Zimmer. He's come up with a particular and unique set of circumstances that make him unique and his million copiers pale in comparison, no matter how successful some of them are.

I for a brief time considered that in order to "be successful" I'd have to emulate somebody that is already successful, but now I realize how futile that is. We are all unique individuals with a different set of experiences. And, imo, even if I die broke and starving because "nobody gets me" it would still be better than obsessing over somebody else trying to divine what makes them "so special".

One thing that I think could help David though. Is that Hans and his team really know the technology. It's not just some substitute for other ways of making music, but it becomes part of the music making process itself.


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## EastWest Lurker (Dec 30, 2012)

I am watching "A League Of Their Own" . Certainly not a POTC-Batmanish type score.

I know Hans didn't sit there with pen and paper and compose and orchestrate it the way a JW does, but however he got it done, he got it done really well and it works great with the picture. But my favorite Zimmer score may be "Black Rain'.


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## passenger57 (Dec 30, 2012)

My fav Hans scores are 'Crimson Tide' and 'Broken Arrow'


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## mark812 (Dec 30, 2012)

My favorite HZ score is _The Last Samurai_, by far.


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## dcoscina (Dec 30, 2012)

Alex Cuervo @ Sun Dec 30 said:


> Um. I'm sorry to be blunt but somebody needs to say it - your fixation with Mr. Zimmer is bordering on unhealthy.



Say what? Alex, I rarely post here any longer and when I do it's usually to post a work in progress- most of which have been ideas for a Bernard Herrmann piece I'm working on. I simply wanted to talk to other people about what they like about Mr Zimmer's music. Yes, in the past I've been critical but you must allow for people to grow and change their perspectives. I don't know what you mean by "unhealthy". I don't chime in on every thread that has something to do with HZ nor RC. So I think that's a bit of an over generalization. 

I posted on the Gotham Needs a Hero because I actually liked the music. 

Perhaps in print your post is coming off a little harsher than you intended so I won't ramp this up into yet another big debate but I'd say your observation, well meaning as it may have been intended, is a little off base sir.


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## Alex Cuervo (Dec 30, 2012)

Well then you just keep on keepin' on - don't mind me.

My favorite Zimmer score is Inception. By a landslide. It hit me right in the guts the first time I heard it, and I distinctly remember saying to myself in that dark theatre, with my heart pounding in my chest and my eyes starting to water - "This is the artform I want to devote the rest of my life to". I've been on this path ever since that day. Having Johnny Marr play on it was pure genius. I fucking adore that score.


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## Greg (Dec 30, 2012)

My fave score is Backdraft, probably just because I was younger when the movie came out and it was very relatable to my real life. Also I heard him mention in an interview that he used two different themes then molded them together at the end of the film with proper counterpoint. Looking back on it now knowing more about composing, his works are becoming more and more appreciable


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## dinerdog (Dec 30, 2012)

Obviously there's too many to name and ridiculous to even remotely narrow it down, but I for one played Radio Flyer and Pacific Heights non stop for a while. I LOVED that whole era (and learned a lot from it) with Regarding Henry, Green Card etc. Wow, there was nothing like it back then.


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## Ganvai (Dec 31, 2012)

One of the most impressive action score ever written is, in my opinion, "The Rock". This score is so full of details and awesome programming and drums it's everytime blasting my mind. I know, it's a teams work on this score but I believe that is what made it so strong.


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## Soundgram (Dec 31, 2012)

Here you can find some of the best studio interviews with Hans!
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0AA996F3ADA95D3F&feature=view_all

I think he is a great person and the studio system (learning from the master) has a new way. He helped a lot of composers to some great careers. His people skills are the secret weapon in his success. 

My favorite scores are King arthur and Black hawk down.


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## Tatu (Dec 31, 2012)

He's done quite a lot of different types of scores.. my favorites being Gladiator, The thin red line, TDK (wonderful, sound designy stuff for Joker and also a great theme at the end) and Inception, on which I think he reached the top of his synth-evolution.

TDKR was also great; not as much thematically (IMO), but the production was really old school sounding (that's how I just perceive it) compared to some of his previous work. Almost dirty and gritty tricks here and there.


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## rannar (Dec 31, 2012)

From all the Batman scores I like 'Batman Begins' the most. As a whole it resonates in a different way than the other films, probably because it was the first film and it really captured who Batman is for me and portrayed his story in a way I liked. Maybe it has to do with the age I was at back then, where I was in my life at the time. I still believe every city needs a Batman for real. My love for the score has 50% to do with the character, Batman himself and 50% with the HZ+Remote Control production standard in the score. "Who is Batman and what does he stand for?" - all of that very well put in that score.


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