Bryan Baucom
Music 1010
October 24, 2013
Rise
Out of all the classical composers I could have done research on, I am glad to have chosen Hans Zimmer. Like many composers, his music moves through you, his music can instantly bring you up and change your mood. Zimmer’s has caught my interest for a few years now and out of all the great pieces he has composed, this paper will describe two of his songs, “Rise” and “The Fire Rises” both from the movie “Batman: The Dark Knight Rises.”
As you might have already guessed, these two songs we written specifically for the movie. Without these songs, the movie would lack a lot of emotion and feeling. Both songs we released during the summer of 2012. “Rise” sold over one million copies on iTunes while the movie was still in theaters.[1]
Zimmer has always exceled at composing music for films. However, he receives inspiration for each film in different ways. During the composition of the songs for the Disney hit, “The Lion King,” Zimmer traveled to Africa to experience the people, the culture and the wilderness that would be portrayed in the film. He then he interpreted what he learned into the music. He did the same thing when asked to compose the music behind the movie, “Gladiator.” He spent a lot of time in Rome and studied with cultural artists in that part of the world.[2]
Although, for Batman, there wasn’t a destination to study. Hans Zimmer received his inspiration for “The Dark Knight Rises” from reading the script of the movie. While reading over the script with director Christopher Nolan, Nolan leaned over to Hans and said simply, “rise up.” Zimmer said that that moment was when he received the inspiration for his compositions.[3] He decided then that he would start these two songs songs off rough and diabolical and end hopeful.
The popularity of the work of Hans Zimmer will not fade. He is one of the most, if not the most, sought after film composer alive today. So many of his past compositions have grown more and more popular as time goes on and “Rise” will be another one of those pieces. It has all the right ingredients for a powerful song; it has power, pitch, clarity, fluidness, and it moves all who listen to it.
Zimmer once said, “All song is music.” You can really hear this in his work. Out of all the movies he has scored and all the scores in a single movie, it is astonishing that none of his compositions sound the same. It’s just a tribute to his talent, and “Rise” and “The Fire Rises” are perfect examples of this.
References
1. Hans Zimmer's 'Dark Knight Rises' Soundtrack Flying Towards Top 10 on Billboard 200." Billboard. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2013. <http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/retail/1084539/hans-zimmers-dark-knight-rises-soundtrack-flying-towards-top-10-on>.
2. Zimmer, Hans. Score. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
3. Hans Zimmer - Making of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Soundtrack." YouTube. YouTube, 03 Aug. 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tiutxLttQY>.
[1] Hans Zimmer's 'Dark Knight Rises' Soundtrack Flying Towards Top 10 on Billboard 200." Billboard. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2013. <http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/retail/1084539/hans-zimmers-dark-knight-rises-soundtrack-flying-towards-top-10-on>.
[2] Zimmer, Hans. Score. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
[3] Hans Zimmer - Making of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Soundtrack." YouTube. YouTube, 03 Aug. 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tiutxLttQY>.
