I've been a fan of soundtracks my entire life, probably as long as I've been a fan of music. From the triumphant music of Korngold, Rozsa and Williams to the eclectic work of Goldsmith for Planet of the Apes, I've always been in love with this genre of music. Recently it's been the work of Howard Shore that's caught my ear. What I find both surprising and disturbing these days is the dark rise of Hans Zimmer and his not-quite-melodic music. As a matter of fact, I'm not quite sure what his music is except for a collection of moody cues. I find most if not all of his music utterly unmemorable. I know it's there because it's filling up the aural spaces during a film but if you asked me to remember even one melody from one moment of his scores I would be hard-pressed to do so. Some music sticks with you even after one listen. With Zimmer there just isn't a lot of "there" there.
If I had anything to blame for the appreciation of Hans Zimmer it's probably computer and video games whose soundtracks are there to simply create a mood (and to be able to be looped after two minutes). Rarely does game music rise to the level of something that can be listened-to in its own right unlike many of what I would consider the classic scores. I also blame video games for the rise of what is being called "Epic Music" (at least that's what it's called on several YouTube channels that feature it). This is usually, if not always, stock music created for trailers and such by some production music company. If nothing else it is comparable to the work of Zimmer in that it evokes a mood which is quickly forgotten immediately after listening. It's music that melts in your mouth giving you a quick hit of energy but is soon gone leaving very little aftertaste. Overblown, over-the-top, screaming and chugging into your ears -- you can almost see the level "boss" and his seemingly insurmountable hitpoint total. This is music?
I know people complain about the overblown nature of much Prog Rock -- too bombastic, too romantic, perhaps too dripping with syrupy melodies. But it amazes me that people can like the sort of rubber-stamp scores put out by "Epic Music" companies and people like Hans Zimmer. Give me something I can wrap my listening around -- anything other than drums, drums, electronics, drums, more drums, beating drums, more electronics and strings. Cue the brass section stab.
One last thing: Trans Siberian Orchestra. Really? Let's cram every Heavy Metal power-chord cliche into a piece of music and see what happens. Again, unmemorable.
Bookmarks