Composer of the Month: Hans Zimmer
This week’s composer is probably the most publicly well-known figure so far – with 243 score credits and 169 awards to his name, Hans Zimmer steadfastly refuses to slow down his impressive portfolio. The enormity of his discography, though, is not why I chose him this week: more than anything, he is the most genre-expansive composer I listen to. I had the delight of attending a “Candlelight Concert” tributing his works back home in Newcastle over the summer, and was met with scores from the action, sci-fi, romance and historical drama categories. In this article, I will be addressing 6 major genres he has explored (Comedic/Historical Drama, Action/Mystery, Animation/Family, Superhero/Fantasy, Horror/Sci-fi, Documentary) as well as his work in other media such as video games.
Photo Credit: Joe Maher/Getty Images
Born on the 12th of September 1957 in Frankfurt, West Germany, Zimmer’s musical journey began at just four years old. Developing a dislike for the formality of traditional teaching, Zimmer commented: "My formal training was two weeks of piano lessons. I was thrown out of eight schools. But I joined a band. I am self-taught.” Zimmer later attended the “Ecole d'Humanité”, an international boarding school in Canton Bern, Switzerland but did not abandon his eccentricity, which he has attributed to his father – an engineer who “would think it was fantastic when I would attach chainsaws and stuff like that to the piano because he thought it was an evolution in technology”. As well as the great composer Ennio Morricone, Zimmer has accredited his Jewish heritage as a strong influence in his work (seen in his decisions to score World War II action films “Dunkirk” and “Pearl Harbour”) due to the difficulties of growing up Jewish in post-war Germany. His career most notably began with his work with ‘80s band “The Bugles” – you can even see Zimmer in the background of the music video to the famous “Video Killed The Radio Star”. He also worked with goth group “The Damned” on “The Black Album”, co-producing the track “History of the World, Part 1”. In 1982, after founding “Lillie Yard” studio with Stanley Myers, the two released scores for the films “Moonlighting” (1982), “Success Is the Best Revenge” (1984), “Insignificance” (1985), and “My Beautiful Laundrette” (1985). In 1987, his first solo score for “Terminal Exposure” (a movie about two teenage boys who accidentally capture a murder at the beach on camera) was released and, despite the lacklustre reviews of the film, great musical success was to follow.
Song: Wonders of the New World (From “The Road to El Dorado” Soundtrack) by Hans Zimmer
Hans Zimmer, although known today primarily for his collaborations with director Christopher Nolan in the Sci-Fi and action genres, initially made his name in comedy and historical drama. In 1988, Zimmer released the score for “Rain Man”, a movie about car dealer Charlie Babbit and his road trip across country with his autistic brother Raymond, initially conducted as a ploy to secure his recently deceased father’s inheritance money, and the first of four collaborations with director Barry Levinson, the next being “Toys” in 1992. The movie won Zimmer a BFI Film Music Award and listening to the title theme, it is not difficult to understand why. Emotive string work has long characterized his tracks, but what I find fascinating about “Rain Man” is the subtle woodwind ostinato underneath and sections of haunting solo flute passages. In 2006, Zimmer released his first score for a festive romance film – “The Holiday” - which arguably did not deserve such a moving accompaniment, but which continues to be played at film music concerts today. The most famous piece “Maestro” is refreshingly light with an uncharacteristic focus on legato piano for Zimmer, before moving into his classic warm cello lines. All in all, the album reminds the listener of sitting by a fireplace at Christmas time sipping hot chocolate and is the perfect composition for the holiday season. Mostly out of sympathy for the reader of this article, I have limited my analysis selections for each genre to just four or less, but I would like to take the time to mention Zimmer’s work on the comedy drama film “The Boat That Rocked” (2009) and the historical drama “12 Years A Slave” (2013) – both well worth a watch. Next up is 2016’s “Hidden Figures”, a movie about three historically unrecognised black women whose work at NASA was foundational to space travel, and the horrific racism they experienced at the time. Composed with Pharell Williams and Benjamin Wallfisch, the album demonstrates some more of his electronic influences (seen in the track “Mission Control”) later prominent in his sci-fi and action works, while also balancing delicate piano melodies and vocables in “I’d Already Be One”. My final mention for this section is the 2017 historical drama “Dunkirk”, set in 1940 where the Allied Forces gather for evacuation. This score aligns more heavily with motifs and techniques seen in his superhero films such as “The Dark Knight” trilogy, with the track “Supermarine” featuring a pulsing staccato string ostinato accompanied by clock-like percussion, emphasising the urgency of the action on screen. Hans Zimmer is a master at creating tension, and very few pieces demonstrate it better.
Song: Skylanders Main Theme - Original Score by Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe.
After making himself known in the Drama genre, Zimmer began a long-standing career in action, beginning with the 1989 film “Black Rain” (the first of six collaborations with “Aliens” director Ridley Scott). In 1991, the sapphic Western film “Thelma and Louise” followed, and then his major breakthrough in this genre, and one of my personal favourites of his scores, “True Romance” in 1993. Directed by Tony Scott, the film tells the tragic love story of comic book nerd Clarence and sex worker Alabama, who are on the run from the mob that employed her after Clarence mistakes a suitcase filled with cocaine for a suitcase of her clothes. The laidback nature of the title track “You’re so cool”, played on nine marimbas, perfectly contrasts the violent nature of the film and earns its status as a cult classic. “Crimson Tide” followed in 1995, then “The Rock” in 1996 (beginning his partnership with director Michael Bay), and the high profile “Mission Impossible 2” in 2000. The following year offered another critically successful movie with “Pearl Harbour” (directed by Michael Bay), winning Zimmer an ASCAP award. The movie follows the love triangle of childhood friends and army pilot’s Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker, and Rafe’s girlfriend Evelyn, who reunite in Hawaii just before the attack on Pearl Harbour. The album features a far smaller orchestra than other works of his, but the effectiveness of simplicity in the piano and string work in “Tennessee” is not to be understated. In 2003, his 100th score “The Last Samuri” won him a Satellite award for Best Original Score and his following action film in 2006 “The Da Vinci Code” is often regarded as some of his best work. The track “Chevaliers de Sangreal” is so iconic that it has been featured in dozens of other pieces of media, such as “Grey’s Anatomy”, and I cannot understate my admiration for the genius Zimmer demonstrated in his complex polyphony with this piece. Before I reach my final track in the action genre, I would like to give honourable mentions to his work on “No Time to Die” (2021), “Angels and Demons” (2009) and “Sherlock Holmes” (2009) and its sequel. In 2022, “Top Gun: Maverick” was released and I was blown away by Zimmer’s reworking of Harold Faltermeyer’s original score, which I did not think could be topped. His influence is clearly seen in the move from electric guitar in the original “Top Gun Anthem” to emotive string work in the sequel’s “Main Titles”, which reflects perfectly the growth of the pilot protagonist, having lost his friend in the previous film.
Taking a rather abrupt change of tone, Zimmer’s next genre conquest was in fact that of family/animation. In 1994, “The Lion King” was released and the track “This Land” has been synonymous with the composer since, with its uplifting string work being complimented by almost heavenly brass and choral melodies; an uncharacteristic but effective move for Zimmer. This was followed by the astounding “Prince of Egypt” (which follows the Bible story of the baby Moses) in 1998, securing a lasting partnership with Universal Pictures for the composer, as he has been Head of the film music division there for many years. While “The Plagues” and other vocal tracks on the soundtrack are undeniable examples of musical genius, I believe more credit should be given to Zimmer’s instrumental work such as “The Burning Bush”, which combines choral melodies and flute to create the distinct ethereal sound associated with the film. In 2008, Zimmer released the score for “Kung Fu Panda” and arguably his most famous track – “Oogway Ascends”. You do not have to be a film music nerd to recognise this piece, given its frequent use in awards ceremonies and other media due to its simple but beautiful nature. The dominant motif pays homage to the setting of the film as it is played on a traditional Erhu, before being played on the flute and accompanied by strings, brass and harp to build to a climax. That tortoise better be mighty pleased with his death theme, for the lack of screen time he used to earn it. Before I dig into my last choice for the animation genre, I want to signpost some other incredible scores: “The Road to El Dorado” (2000), “Shark Tale” (2004), “Madagascar” (2005) and its sequels, “Rango” (2011), “The Little Prince” (2015) and “The SpongeBob Movie” (2020). In 2010, the world was blessed with the anti-hero DreamWorks film “Megamind” and, while the script and characterisation are often applauded, the score itself (composed in collaboration with musical giant Lorne Balfe – known for “Oppenheimer” and “His Dark Materials”) rarely is. I particularly love the development of the underlying synth motif in “Roxanne Love Theme” to a soaring dominant string motif in “Black Mamba”, as well as the dramatic brass and vocals that accompany it.
Song: In the Beginning by Hans Zimmer
Next up on his list of genres is Superhero/Fantasy (I make this distinction because I have included “Pirates of the Caribbean” in this category along with his DC and Marvel discography). I am kicking it off with the 2000 film “Gladiator”, which follows the Roman “Maximus” as he rises through the ranks to avenge his family and kill the Emperor. The track “Now We Are Free” is often included on Best of Film music compilation CDs, but I would like to draw attention to “Not Yet”, which has notes of Howard Shore’s work on “Lord of the Rings” with its light texture and mellow vocals and strings. In 2005, his long-running collaboration with Christopher Nolan, and with the comic book franchise DC, began with “Batman Begins”. The entire trilogy was composed as a duo with James Newton Howard, and the track “Watchful Guardian” from “The Dark Knight”, is one of his most atmospheric works. As discussed last month, James Newton Howard is also known for his proficiency with the stringed family of instruments, so the dominant presence of synth and strings in the score is unsurprising – what is surprising is how far they leaned into the electronic elements of composition, venturing to levels even fusion artist Danny Elfman would be in admiration of. Some honourable mentions before my final choice for fantasy include “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (2011), “Man of Steel” (2013), “The Amazing Spiderman 2” (2014), “Dark Pheonix” (2019) and “Wonder Woman 1984” (2020). It would be wrong of me to write an article on Hans Zimmer and not discuss his scores for the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, now so iconic I have heard it performed by orchestras from my middle school, high school and sixth form. While the original film was composed by Klaus Badelt, Zimmer took his material and ran with it – seen in the masterpiece that is “Davy Jones” (and “The Kraken”). As in “True Romance”, Zimmer chooses an unusual solo instrument to great effect – this time a music box, but, unlike in “True Romance” this is made far more tragic and dramatic when it is repeated on organ.
Beginning with “The Dark Knight”, Zimmer’s partnership with Christopher Nolan has brought both undeniable success, but it has also established the composer as a giant in the sci-fi and horror industries too. In 2002, the American horror film “The Ring” (directed by Gore Verbinski) was released and demonstrated another venture into the unknown for Zimmer. The theme for “The Well” is incredibly unsettling, with discordant strings competing against each other and refusing to settle on a consistent melody for almost the entire track, tension once again heightened by his use of pulsing synth basslines. In 2010, he made his mark on the Sci-Fi genre with the score for “Inception”, one track of which achieved astounding popularity in classical spheres: “Time”. The rate of development for the piece is much slower than some of his other works, but this is to his advantage, as his expert polyphony is made more noticeable by the gradual layering of melodic lines. In 2014, “Interstellar” followed, a tragic story of an astronaut stranded in space attempting to make it home to his young daughter, unaware that she has aged beyond him now. This score, despite its more melancholic themes, favours aggression over Inception’s sombre tone, seen in the track “No Time for Caution”, harking back to the track “Davy Jones” previously mentioned with its skilful organ work. It is honestly one of my favourite pieces of Zimmer’s to play on piano and it sounds incredible live. Other notable Sci-Fi works include “Blade Runner 2049” (2017), “Dune” (2021) and its sequel “Dune: Part Two” (2024).
One final genre Zimmer has dominated is that of nature documentaries – composing tens of scores for the BBC and National Geographic. Released in 2013, “The Bible” featured another collaboration with Lorne Balfe and is beautifully moving. The track, “In the beginning”, demonstrates some simple but beautiful string polyphony that has long characterised his work. In 2016, Planet Earth 2 followed, the first of his scores for David Attenborough, the suite of which is markedly more thin in texture than his other works, possibly in order to not detract from the photography on screen. Still, the piano and flute lines are delicate and wonderfully written. In 2022, “Prehistoric Planet” was released – the title theme of which I will say is slow to develop initially but evolves into quite a captivating duet of percussion and strings.
Song: Davy Jones by Hans Zimmer
While Zimmer has not boasted as multi-media a career as artists such as “Danny Elfman”, renowned for his work on the video game series “Fable” and multiple television productions, he has tentatively ventured into the video game genre, beginning with 2007’s “The Simpson’s Game”. In 2009, “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” was released, demonstrating a mix of his techniques from the Sci-Fi (with doubled string melodies and dramatic percussion in “Opening Titles”) and superhero genres (with heavy electronic timbre in “Extraction Point”). His work on 2011’s “Crysis 2” is wonderfully stylistic, although I will say as a rule his video game music is perhaps less captivating than his work in film. Also in 2011, he released his score for “Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure”, a charming children’s game for Wii which featured another collaboration with Lorne Balfe and produced a much stronger score as a result, Balfe having already garnered a fair amount of expertise in the video game industry with the “Assassin’s Creed” franchise.
In conclusion, while each of the composers I have chosen thus far have a unique selling point, (Danny Elfman’s being his fusion work, Joe Hisaishi’s his vast discography, Toby Fox’s his independence and James Newton Howard’s his short deadlines), you cannot deny the skill required to earn a reputation that spans most major film genres today. Listening to Hans Zimmer’s music has been a journey of personal growth for me, like many, starting out on his animated scores as a kid like “The Lion King”, then moving onto his action movies like “The Da Vinci Code”, then his superhero works like “The Dark Knight” and finally his Sci-Fi ones such as “Interstellar”. At 66 years old, this man has achieved more in his lifetime than many could in three and I cannot help but respect him for that.
Written by Nox Conroy. Edited by Alice Wesley
Nox Conroy writes the column: Composer of the Month. They are a first year English with Creative Writing student.