A couple of weeks ago, on 'Desert Island Discs' on Radio 4, I heard 'Now We Are Free' from the soundtrack to the movie 'Gladiator'. Somehow when I saw the movie all those years ago, this exceptionally beautiful piece of music escaped my attention. So I've bought the cd and the dvd and perused You Tube but there is clearly a lot of catching up to do.
Any recommendations please of where I should go next in investigating the work of Hans Zimmer?
I guess I'm a fan.
His soundtrack for Interstellar is a particular high point for me, as is the work he did for Blade Runner 2049. I am also fond of bits from the Dark Knight films and Inception.
If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
https://battema.bandcamp.com/
Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com
His scoring of "Dunkirk" is absolutely brilliant imo and really makes the film. Check out what he did...
https://medium.com/world-of-music/th...k-18f5dc155d91
If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.
"And it's only the giving
That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson
Check out the video for “Video Killed the Radio Star" for some classic Hans Zimmer on keys.
My first exposure to Zimmer as a composer, not just a soundtrack guy, was his 1992 "Millennium" which utilizes music from all over the world: Niger, Mali, Huichol Mexico, Makuna Colombia, Aboriginal music from Australia, Mato Grosso Brazil, Kenya, Napal, Indonesia... It's a masterful synthesis of influences and has remained one of my favorite discs for nearly 30 years.
^^ I have Millenium as well, and need to revisit it again sometime soon
And yeah, Dunkirk was another great one.
If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
https://battema.bandcamp.com/
Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com
Stop turning this into another Yes thread.Originally Posted by Dan Roth
Check out the video for “Video Killed the Radio Star" for some classic Hans Zimmer on keys.
That said here's a Hans Zimmer / Trevor Horn joint:
I've enjoyed Inception and Interstellar myself.
While Zimmer can be seen playing(?) keyboards in the video , acting in the videoclip was his only input. He was not a member of the band, neither was he involved in the writing of the song and didn't actually played on the record. (keys were played by Geoff Downes, also co-composer of the song).
Yup - aware of all of that already. Which is why I worded my post like I did and added the smiley.
Here is Hans more recently - in a live setting with Horn:
The Thin Red Line (for Terrence Malick's brilliant film) is Zimmer's best work.
My progressive music site: https://pienemmatpurot.com/ Reviews in English: https://pienemmatpurot.com/in-english/
Hmmm will have to revisit....I thought "Now We Are Free" was created by Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance)
Another Zimmer favorite is "Vide Cor Meum" from the movie Hannibal. It is the scene where they are observing the outdoor Opera.
The Ice Cream Lady Wet her drawers........To see you in the Passion Playyyy eeee - I. Anderson
"It's kind of like deciding not to date a beautiful blonde anymore because she farted." - Top Cat
I was expecting to be kinda meh, but it made my nips stiffen - Jerjo
(Zamran) "that fucking thing man . . . it sits there on my wall like a broken clock " - Helix
Social Media is the "Toilet" of the Internet - Lady Gaga
Don't miss Interstellar. His music for Nolan's Batman trilogy is awesome, too, especially The Dark Knight Rises.
I second the Thin Red Line recommendation. Also want to point out that the Last Samurai also has a good soundtrack. I thought the film itself was meh, but the music always stood out to me as a strong point.
Thanks for all the suggestions (and the correction regarding 'Now We Are Free'). I have been following up everything that has been recommended and cd purchases are imminent!
I agree! I will also be searching for more Zimmer due to this thread! (...wishing there was a Boxed set???)
The Ice Cream Lady Wet her drawers........To see you in the Passion Playyyy eeee - I. Anderson
"It's kind of like deciding not to date a beautiful blonde anymore because she farted." - Top Cat
I was expecting to be kinda meh, but it made my nips stiffen - Jerjo
(Zamran) "that fucking thing man . . . it sits there on my wall like a broken clock " - Helix
Social Media is the "Toilet" of the Internet - Lady Gaga
Licensing across so many film studios would be a nightmare.(...wishing there was a Boxed set???)
I have to correct this, as the to me really admirable and wonderful aria itself was not composed by Hans Zimmer, but Patrick Cassidy, an Irish composer.
HZ himself was sometimes criticized in composer fora for kinda/supposedly making it look like he actually composed it (by putting his name ostentatively on the sheet music for the orchestra musicians during 'the making of' documentation, for instance). Of course, this claim is absolutely disputable, I guess, but fact is, that due to his omnipresence and fame, many people think that some pieces are by him, where this is not the case.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vide_Cor_Meum
τί ἐστιν ὃ μίαν ἔχον φωνὴν τετράπουν καὶ δίπουν καὶ τρίπουν γίνεται;
εἰσί κασίγνηται δισσαὶ, ὠν ἡ μία τίκτει
τὴν ἑτέραν αὐτὴ δέ τεκοῦσ` ὑπό τὴσδη τεκνούται
τίς δὲ κασίγνηται δύο;
The Ice Cream Lady Wet her drawers........To see you in the Passion Playyyy eeee - I. Anderson
"It's kind of like deciding not to date a beautiful blonde anymore because she farted." - Top Cat
I was expecting to be kinda meh, but it made my nips stiffen - Jerjo
(Zamran) "that fucking thing man . . . it sits there on my wall like a broken clock " - Helix
Social Media is the "Toilet" of the Internet - Lady Gaga
In his pop years Zimmer was an important man on the first two albums from Zaine Griff. He also did some Fairlight-programming on the soundtrack Travelling Man by the late Duncan Browne and Sebastian Graham-Jones.
I am rather partial to the choral singing that appears in these film scores. I've only had the time to listen to excerpts so in which one of them does it feature the most?
According to Trevor Horn in his book Adventures In Modern Recording (page 77) Zimmer helped the band by lending them his Prophet-5 and programming a lot of their sounds.
In 1982 Hans Zimmer, Warren Cann (Ultravox) and Hugo Vereker wrote a couple of popsong which were performed with Zaine Griff as the singer. The project was called The Helden Project and the album would be titled Spies. Apart from two singles the project never happened. Recently Griff has re-recorded the music with 80's equipment and released it under his own name on Sony Japan. Zimmer doesn't play on this album either, but is credited for his arrangements and writing.
See:
https://www.electricityclub.co.uk/za...ect-interview/
https://www.zainegriff.com/
https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/SICX-30156
On The Borderline - Zaine Griff: The Helden Project // Spies
If it hasn’t been mentioned, his “Live in Prague” DVD is stunning. And is one of the best DVDs to demo a good, well-adjusted Surround sound system.
The guy is simply a genius.
Thanks for the tip. Here's the track Time featuring Johnny Marr:
Cool!
And for the poster that mentioned the Gladiator soundtrack, the Gladiator pieces on this DVD are wonderful.
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