# Zimmer's Best String Writing? - K2 (Original Score)



## Mark Kouznetsov (Nov 11, 2020)

Hi, there!

Like many of people around the world I, of course, enjoy HZ's work. However, while following him over the years I slowly found myself gravitating more and more to his earlier works until those completely replaced (my personal) favorites from his output. Scores like Crimson Tide, The Peacemaker, The Fan, Black Rain, Broken Arrow are the ones I go to when I'm in the mood for some scores to listen to.

Another one of those scores for a long time was also K2. And while it is kind of overlooked with the whole situation (different parts of the world receiving different cuts of the film, with different scores done by different composers), I always enjoyed it very much. But there's something I was wondering since I first heard it.



There's a string part starting at 28:37. I've never heard Zimmer's lyrical string writing as good as this before/after that score. While the rest of the score is recognizably him, this part feels very different to anything I ever heard from him in the similar style. Given the history of Mr. Zimmer being influenced and/or quoting classical composers over the years (and I don't mean it in a negative way; film composers have always did that since the beginning of cinema), like, for example, Gladiator (where you can clearly hear quotes or influences by Gustav Holst or Richard Wagner; not to mention J.S. Bach's/Baroque chord progressions, which I love myself, during so many of dramatic moments in his scores), I cannot seem to recall if that cue in the film is based on anything of that kind. It's REALLY good. If I were to make HZ Classics album this would be at the top of my list: the part writing, modulation, etc. everything sounds on point. It kind of sounds familiar but no matter how hard I thought about it I never could manage to think about the piece it could be based on (IF it's based on anything in the 1st place, of course).

If someone knows, please, let me know. It's just usually, even during the quieter moments, you can still recognize HZ in it, but this one is so different!


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## CT (Nov 11, 2020)

There's some similar stuff in _Backdraft_, off the top of my head.


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## Mark Kouznetsov (Nov 11, 2020)

Mike T said:


> There's some similar stuff in _Backdraft_, off the top of my head.


Oh, yes! I remember now  But I think this one is a step further


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## CT (Nov 11, 2020)

Yeah. I'm not familiar with this score but that's a really nice passage.


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## Mark Kouznetsov (Nov 11, 2020)

Mike T said:


> Yeah. I'm not familiar with this score but that's a really nice passage.


There's some very cool electric guitar solos in it that I love, but that's what you may call "more of what you would expect" from him/that era.
Like 6:19 and onward.


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## wilifordmusic (Nov 11, 2020)

You might add Drop Zone and Pacific Heights to your play list. They have some good stuff too.


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## wilifordmusic (Nov 11, 2020)

In the liner notes Hans mentions Nick Glennie-Smith as additional composer but none of his music was included on the released disc from Varese Sarabande

from allmusic:

*Credits*

ArtistCredit Peter HaycockPerformer, Primary Artist Cameron McBrideEngineer Kevin MulhallLiner Notes Matthew PeakArtwork Anthony PleethCello Steve PriceEngineer Franc RoddamProducer Maggie RodfordMusic Supervisor Dennis SandsMixing Robert TownsonExecutive Producer Fiachra TrenchConductor, Orchestration, Primary Artist Graham WardDrums Hans ZimmerArranger, Composer, Performer, Primary Artist, Producer


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## wilifordmusic (Nov 11, 2020)

Sorry, forgot the other question. The album is titled: Music Inspired By The Film K2.
It was rejected for the film.

I'm sitting here looking at the jewel case and cd. It and google are the source of my information.


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## wilifordmusic (Nov 11, 2020)

It's the shiny box with the cd inside. Often includes a small bit of paper with random information that may pertain to the contents of the cd (compact disc.)
Sometimes it has a folded up mini poster or valuable coupons for future purchases.

Any other questions before I return to the 1980's?


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## Jetzer (Nov 13, 2020)

Wow, never heard that. Great part. Sounds like some of his other Mahler-esque writing, also heard in Hannibal and Davinci Code.

Have you heard these @Mark_Kouznetsov ?


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## Jorgakis (Nov 13, 2020)

wow great examples. The hannibal one reminds me of his Lion King Baroque-like writing


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## AudioLoco (Nov 21, 2020)

12 Years a Slave is one of the best scores I have heard lately.


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