The Wings of a Film: The Music of Hans Zimmer

Composer/former Buggles keyboardist Hans Zimmer helped pioneer the fusion of traditional orchestral music with synthesized sounds that both seamlessly mock and supplement the traditionally acoustic. What listeners sometimes mistake for a symphony orchestra in full voice is often but shrewdly manipulated digital samples. Thus, this concert performance (recorded at the 2000 Flanders Film Festival) adds a welcome, truly organic dimension to the best of Zimmer's canon. The composer is featured as a performer (with Dirk Brosse conducting the fine efforts of the VRO Flemish Radio Orchestra), as are many of his frequent collaborators; Lisa Gerrard adds her distinctive vocals to the included Gladiator excerpts, while guitarists Pete Haycock and Heitor Pereira add their familiar flourishes to cues from Thelma and Louise and Mission: Impossible 2, respectively. Reworked music from The Lion King and The Power of One supplement the already familiar, but it's Zimmer's haunting, emotionally compelling "Journey to the Line" (from The Thin Red Line score) that is the collection's unlikely high point. --Jerry McCulley Amazon.com

not at all like the soundtracks

I purchase from amazon all the time and never write reviews but this album was so bad I felt compelled to do so - for example the instrumentation used in the True Romance piece is nothing near the soundtrack - if you want a Yani or John Tisch type syrup job with live audience clapping interruptions then this album is suitable -otherwise it is so bad maybe a goodwill box can find a use for it. August 28, 2008

Beautiful Concert

Hans Zimmer did a wonderful live Concert of his latest movie scores and it was beautiful . I Wish I could have been there . December 24, 2007

Wing of a Film

This is one of my favorite CD's. My car was broken into and my CD holder taken from the visor. This CD is the first one I replaced. If you like movie music, this is the CD for you. From the drama and power of "Gladiator" to the African plain of "The Lion King", Hans Zimmer's music moves the heart. The added bonus of vocals from Lisa Gerrard (his collaborator on the "Gladiator" score) only make this more special. February 14, 2005

unique live zimmer compilation

This compilation is an excellent primer for anyone wishing to sample some of Zimmer's signature compositions. If anything, it has more of a 'Zimmer and friends jam session' vibe than a true classical concert, but it still works rather well on CD.

The live versions of more 'serious' pieces such as "Am I Not Merciful" and "Journey To The Line" unfortunately don't quite live up to the soul-stirring intensity and clarity of the album versions, however they are still worth listening to if you are a Zimmer enthusiast.

It's the more lively pieces, like "Driving", "Thunderbird" and the hard-to-find "Rain Man Main Theme" which are the standout tracks, and full credit must go to the talented Pete Haycock and Heitor Pereira for their blistering live performances on guitar, which are full of energy and passion.

Indeed, perhaps the most unexpected treat on the CD is the version of MI:2's "Nyah and Ethan", which is a truly stunning arrangement of this spanish-influenced piece. The presence of extra stringed instruments which rise and swell with the melody gives this piece a much fuller, richer and epic feel.

Lebo M performs nicely on 'Lea Halalela', less memorably on 'Busa'; Lisa Gerrard gives an slower, carefully articulated vocal performance on 'Now We Are Free'; and the hard-to-find 'True Romance' theme rounds out the album.

All in all, a neat little album that's worth getting for Zimmer novices and fans alike.
October 1, 2004

Zimmer Zimmer

Im george zimmer, no relation. this cd is good quality service, and a good price. if i had a warehouse, i'd fill it with his music. he should be president. July 2, 2004

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