Review: Hans Zimmer Live Delivers on an Epic Scale
Hans Zimmer, Disney Legend, puts on a legendary live show. My son and I witnessed that show on Wednesday night in Fort Worth, Texas, and I can’t stop thinking about it. Zimmer’s cast of diverse performers created beautiful music the entire evening. Quantifying that music is difficult. It was as varied as the movies Zimmer composes for, from Dune‘s beautiful minor seventh to The Dark Knight‘s face-melting metal to the pianissimo last notes of Inception‘s Time. Hans Zimmer Live is not your typical night at the symphony.
I’ve always been a movie score fan, thanks to growing up in the golden age of John Williams scores. Who am I kidding? Every age of John Williams is golden. But I’m talking about Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Superman. Those scores are special, thanks to Williams’ uncanny ability to define movie characters with melodies and beautiful orchestrations.
Before long, I was focused on a film’s music as much as the acting. I had James Horner’s Star Trek II, Danny Elfman’s Batman, and any Jerry Goldsmith theme on repeat. Then I saw Backdraft and discovered Hans Zimmer. I loved that score instantly, as I did the soundtracks for The Lion King, A League of Their Own, and Gladiator. But my admiration for Zimmer went to the next level with Inception and Interstellar.
Where John Williams creates beautiful polyphonies with his melodies and harmonies, Zimmer tends to use a different approach. Let’s let Christopher Nolan explain:
“Hans is a minimalist composer with a sort of maximalist production sense. So he’ll write these incredibly specific and simple pieces, but the way in which he’ll then record and produce them is on such a colossal scale and with so much movement and drive, that there’s a point, where… we just let the music take over everything. And they can just turn the music louder and louder and louder because you realize the momentum of the film is entirely defined by the structure of the music.”
Christopher Nolan
The “colossal scale” was on display all night. Pieces that began with simple melodies played over repeated harmonies morphed into epic productions as new instruments and voices were added to the mix. Zimmer is the master of building tension and excitement in movies. His music performed in a concert venue — without the films — has the same energy. Not many composers can pull that off, especially for three hours.
Zimmer couldn’t do it without his “Disruptive Collective”, an all-star cast of international musicians. We’ll get to the solo performers in a minute, but I first want to acknowledge the unsung heroes of the night, the orchestra and choir. I was once a gigging musician, so I know all about being in the background (not many people rush backstage to meet the bass trombonist). This group was special. It was especially meaningful when Zimmer announced that the orchestra was from Ukraine, which resulted in a standing ovation. The choir was comprised of mostly South African vocalists.
The front-line performers included Tina Guo (cello), Pedro Eustache (woodwinds), Juan Garcia-Herreros, aka Snow Owl (bass), Refi (voice), Guthrie Govan (guitar), Molly Rogers (violin), Aicha Djidjelli (drums) and Holly Madge (drums). They wowed all night. Honestly, I shouldn’t single anyone out. It’s unfair to the rest, but with dozens of musicians on stage, this article would read like an Oscars acceptance speech if I listed everyone.
But two performers do deserve some individual accolades. Early in the first set, I heard a familiar voice singing Gladiator. I second-guessed myself. Surely, it wasn’t her. But it was. Lisa Gerrard, who contributed so much to Zimmer’s score, reprised her role on stage. I don’t fanboy often, but I had goosebumps hearing her live.
After her performance, Gerrard told a story about working with Zimmer on the film. One evening, she found him locked in a room, disheveled and hunched over a keyboard. She asked if he wanted some company.
“Not today, Lisa. Today I have to kill Caesar.”
Hans Zimmer
Later in the second half, Disney fans in the audience roared approval as Lebo M’s unmistakable voice launched into Circle of Life from The Lion King. Unlike the Lisa Gerrard surprise, I knew Lebo would be performing. But the moment still floored me, especially when his daughter Refi joined him for the King of Pride Rock finale. Take a listen.
This moment gave me chills. Hans Zimmer, Lebo, his daughter Refi, and a Ukrainian orchestra belting out King of Pride Rock from The Lion King in front of a film of the original recording session. pic.twitter.com/RVXIe4CBaZ
— Diservations (@diservations) September 26, 2024
Hans Zimmer Live featured music from Dune, Inception, Wonder Woman, Man of Steel, Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight trilogy, The Last Samurai, Dark Phoenix, Dunkirk, Interstellar, The Lion King, and No Time To Die. The night ended with my favorite movie score moment of all, Time. Inception‘s finale featured four chords on repeat. A cello, drums, an electric guitar, and horns were added at different moments, building intensity before the piece ended quietly with a piano and a solo violin.
