Composing : Is Hans Zimmer, Movie Composer Extraordinaire, Repeating Himself? by Richard "RB" Botto

Interesting. There's also the fact that directors often ask a composer to make a score sound like an already existing score, and composers sometimes become so prolific that they run out of original ideas. It happened to James Horner...

Agreed Andrew. Like paying for a DMX song in your action movie. With studios today and samplers, one can 'wing-it without the royalties. Personally if the sound is good and quality I could care less who does it. I guess 'the name' is important to many. Hence the sweatshirts with other's names on em.

I agree with Andrew that most directors who have heard a composer's work are going to want something that sounds similar for the movies they are associated with. Good read hoss ;)

Zimmer himself said "You compose action hero music only once in your life".

Have to disagree with a great deal of this... yes, temp music becomes a problem for composers to work around, but given all of the bluster (which has more to do with money than art) about Zimmer, he's no artistic equal to a Williams, a Goldsmith, a Herrmann, or even Giacchino. His stuff from 20 years ago is so much better than the stuff he's doing today, do in no small part to the fact that he's not really writing it - his team of 'ghostwriters' is. You're talking about a man who stood at a podium upon receiving his first award (most performed work, which is a money thing, not art), and said, "not bad for a guy who only had 6 weeks of piano lessons, right?"

Temp music is a joy to work with, and a great way for a producer or director to direct the composer, directly. i know a film is going to be great if the temp score is Williams, horner, goldsmith or Zimmer. And it's pure fun trying to match it, difficult or impossible though it may sometimes be. he goes through phases, as we all do, of total originality and more generic writing. Zimmer has to be in the top 5 for reasons of melody, counter melody orchestration, production speed, immersion and engagement. When he eventually goes, he'll leave an enormous creative vacuum, similar to Goldsmith, Williams, Horner, and Shore, that no amount of orchestrating Giacchinos will fill.

Yes, he repeats himself. Much like Beethoven - with all those annoying major and minor chords - themes and melodies - how boring.

Enough said - whether you like Zimmer or not: http://www.soundtracksandtrailermusic.com/2013/07/hans-zimmer/

All good composers repeat themselves, but also add something new and different to their work for a new project. The greatest classical and film composers often "steal" from their own previous work. That's part of what makes their work identifiable and gives them their "sound." Listen to scores by John Williams, Philip Glass, J.S. Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart for examples. www.elliotsokolov.com

Great discussion. And a nice share there, Scott.