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Thor pretty much sums it up. Rather than wondering about beautiful oboe solos in a Hans Zimmer score, what we should think of is how do the orchestra solos sound, but I disagree that it's ALWAYS the case. Hans has written purely orchestral scores in his career with either minimal electronic backdrop (The Thin Red Line by Malick's request) or even none at all (most recent case - Spanglish).

I think Spanglish, As Good As It Gets and Nine Months are as purely traditional as they can get.

Pity, Spanglish and As Good As It Gets are very personal favourites.

Nine Months is not... And that is definitely a traditional score - he basically rewrote Mozart's Clarinet Concerto

It's one of the reasons why I don't like his comedy or light drama scores very much. It's fine if he can rewrite Mozart's clarinet concerto, but I don't think you'll be hearing new grounds in terms of symphonic composition. Nor do I expect him to. Or really want him to.

I want him to continue exploring electronic soundscapes through technological resources and skills -- maybe with acoustic instruments as colour now and then. Or huge orchestras used as a singular element like anything else in the track.

NP : ICE STATION ZEBRA - Michel Legrand



Fabulous score with great, colourful orchestration.

Not so sure, I mean, some of your highest ratings for a Hans Zimmer album (not a film score, I do agree with you on both accounts regarding Da Vinci Code, except the final piece, the score does make the movie worse, though I think Ron Howard, not the subtlest director ever, to say the least, is partly to blame) are for some of his most "traditionally orchestral works". I mean if we look at the way you rated Spanglish, Da Vinci Code (which has a minimal electronic backdrop reserved mostly for darker action music; ironically Hans revisited and revised one of the sounds from one of the pieces in Why So Serious, actually), Pirates 3, which uses synthesizers for only one cue (Multiple Jacks; also has the problem of making the movie terribly earnest when it shouldn't), then I think you might rate the "more orchestral scores" higher than you think!

Granted, as of now, with the notable exception of The Lion King, your highest ratings are for two largely electronic scores, one even experimental (Black Hawk Down and Inception). I am still waiting for you to review The Thin Red Line .

You know - I believe you are right. There was a time when I thought Hans Zimmer would be the next Vangelis. and when is comes to Inception - he is.

Volker

PS: NP: Inception. Teriffic score!

The Expendables 2 Brian Tyler

A lot of fun. I seem to be very much in the mood for Tyler's everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach recently.

I wish I knew why Hans decided to take that approach.

NP: Olympus Has Fallen - Trevor Morris

I enjoy the White House cues. They're the best moment of the score album. I like how orchestral and aggressive they are while remaining very much underscore. Trevor Morris has been one of those composer whom I've hoped to achieve more success than where he's at now. Perhaps it will be so after this score/movie.

I guess in those scores he isn't really writing "traditional symphonic music". He might be using an orchestra, but he's not trying to use it the way James Horner would.

I actually think the score, except the final cue, plain ruins the movie, just like Southall.

And to Steven, I think the approach was something at least partly suggested by the director.

At no time was James Horner or Hans Zimmer considered to the scoring job on John Carpenter's The Thing.

NP: L'APOCALYPSE DES ANIMAUX (Vangelis)

Simply put....one of the best electronic scores & albums of all time. Contains two of the most heartachingly beautiful melodies I can think of.