[Closed] HANS ZIMMER

Do they mention JNH anywhere at all in this Dark Knight event?

In another topic, I now have a copy of Henri 4 I haven't had a chance to listen to yet. Thoughts on this one?

If you are expecting some kind of blend between Pirates of the Caribbean and Trevor Morris' The Tudors, then you might be disappointed. But I think it's a gentle, contemplative album (with a few action cues as well). The highlights are a nice, subtle main theme that grows upon repeated listens, as well as some beautiful interpretations of classical pieces.

On point with I wrote about my impressions while back. It grows on you after a few listen. The melodies are there and it's not boring at all. There's a flow to it. It's no The Tudors though. And it's much much better than Paul Cantelon's The Other Boyelyn Girl, which is a score that more people like.

Besides the remote similarities that all Zimmer and Zimmer-influenced scores share, I don't see the slightest Gladiator influence on Henri IV.

To each their own (opinion), I guess?

Well, every epic / war score rc created since tries to sound like dramatic, slower Gladiator or King Arthur.

it's the dark Knight video. A dark Knight it's one of my all time favourite pieces. So i love this video!

The live performance is tomorrow, right?

By that logic, couldn't we also say that Marianelli's Agora (NOT saying that Henri IV is at the same level!), and dozens of other scores in the genre by very talented composers are also "attempts to sound like Gladiator"? And didn't that style really start with The Thin Red Line?

No, not at all; i am commenting and noticing stuff here, i am not accusing anyone.

I am talking the rc team mainly (others have done it too since those scores came out, but in more broad ways usually).

Zimmer created Gladiator, Blackhawk down and now the dark knight / batman begins sound and it's really setting a standard for the rest of the rc composers to follow each time in similar scenarios.

The rc team frequently produces these standardized, long dramatic Zimmer chords, the big bold ones with lots of string and contra-bass and some brass at points, all through synthetic enhancement and lots of reverb in the way that sounds stemming from elements of king arthur crossed with Gladiator and they've done it quite a few times.

Agora had a very different instrumentation and melodic procession and the use of harmony is quite different; it clearly shows a composer who comes from a very different musical background; no relation. I am not talking generally here, but direct lines some people follow to reach a specific result. Listen to the opening cue from HENRI IV for example; it quickly sends an experienced listener to the slower dramatic parts of Gladiator and of course King Arthur; stylistically and of course via the dramatic usage of the chords and instrumentation.

Other examples that might help you understand what i am saying here, are for e.g the pacific that directly links to Kamen's main titles from the first series, crossed with pseudo-the thin red line material, nick glennie's smith very ttrl-influenced 'we were soldiers' and Zimmer's/Badelt's 'invincible' in the same category as well, and there are others as well, like the BlackHawk down countless imitations since it was released whenever someone wants to link musically to war in middle east, ah Steve Jablonsky's general body of work and that 'live from Baghdad' thingy Bill Brown's command and conquer (2?3? can't remember which was exactly) comes to mind, the entire RC has done it at least once or twice each of them in similar scenarios, game music in general and one Rupert Gregson Williams

I wouldn't say he "re-invented the Wagnerian leitmotif idea", as it had never gone away, nor did he do anything particular to "re-invent" it. I would rather say that he RE-POPULARIZED the neo-romantic, symphonic style of the great Golden Agers - in an updated, more contemporary tone language (at times even using jazz chords).

But of course, I agree with you re: Zimmer. He's THE most influential film composers in the last 20 years.

No disagreement here Just general discussion on the traces of the RC's sound (and many other non-rc, mostly young composers') back to these 3 movies/scores, according to their scenarios / theme.

The early Zimmer sound was more vague and out-there, than his much more specific and focused newer sound; if i were to set one era of Zimmer scores in which he started getting more precise with his sound and thus way more influential to the rest of the film music community, that'd be 'backdraft', 'crimson tide', 'the rock'.

Very true. And of course, Williams got a little hand in "re-popularizing" it through the work of two little people called Spielberg and Lucas. If their movies hadn't been so successful, Williams' work wouldn't have achieved half of what it did. Poor Goldsmith is there to prove that. Probably as masterful an artist as Williams and yet he never quite "got his Star Wars."

Vangelis is everywhere

Well, I believe Pawel did say that Zimmer or his associates were deliberately refusing to say much about the score in the months leading up til now...