Zimmer’s joyful presentation of music from film
San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium was filled with a rapt audience on Wednesday, April 19, all reliving their favorite movie scenes in their minds as the genius behind those film scores conducted a large ensemble onstage.
Composer Hans Zimmer, who stunned young music lovers with a dynamic set just days ago during the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, shared with fans his most cherished memories from his years producing some of the industry’s best soundtracks.
From “Rain Man” (Zimmer’s third score, from 1988) through “Is She With You? (Wonder Woman Theme)” from last year’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the 59-year-old multi-instrumentalist revisited his repertoire for a diverse crowd that seemed to be a mix of cinephiles, musicians and filmscore aficionados.
As he took the stage in a black tailcoat, Zimmer received the sort of thunderous applause typically enjoyed by Yo-Yo Ma or Rihanna. Seated at a piano, he was soon joined by multi-woodwind player Pedro Eustache on soprano saxophone and two stylishly dressed violinists and a cellist who recalled the string section that electronic artist Moby toured with in the early 2000s. (The composer later said he favored cello, and the dynamic Tina Guo was a featured soloist on her electric cello throughout the night.)
Zimmer and keyboardist, accordionist and musical
director Nick Glennie-Smith led an impressive army of musicians, including his own 20-member band, spaced across the stage in appropriately wide-screen manner. With at times as many as four players on drums and both unpitched and tuned percussion, the thundering drive of many Zimmer’s cues made a kinetic as well as a rhythmic impact in a live setting.
During the upbeat opening medley, which included selections from “Driving Miss Daisy,” “Sherlock Holmes” (2009) and “Madagascar,” a black curtain was lifted from behind the frontline musicians to reveal another row of a dozen and a half or so brass and string players.
The production doubled down on dramatic surprises by lifting a second black curtain to reveal about as many vocalists on a second tier that made up the choir that Zimmer often employs.
Some fans wondered, whispering among themselves, if film clips would accompany the performance, as was done with themed orchestral tribute concert tours for “Star Trek,” “Game of Thrones” and “Star Wars.” But instead, Zimmer utilized abstract video graphics — a transforming rising sun for “The Lion King” suite and very literal red lines for “Journey to the Line” from “The Thin Red Line” — to focus on the music and the musicians. (Switching among keyboards, electric guitar and even banjo, he proved to be a great member of the band, too.)
Zimmer, an unexpectedly charming host, also told stories about the film projects for which some of the pieces were written and praised the city of San Francisco for its inclusiveness. He also (literally) shined light on the diversity of his bandstand, pointing out that roots in many nations and even continents were represented onstage.
With the production values of a PBS classical crossover concert special, an impressive history in film and constant sense of goodwill, it was easy to understand why Zimmer was an unexpected hit at Coachella (he returns this weekend to the desert festival).
Zimmer is scheduled to return to the Bay Area for a performance on Aug. 9 at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley.
Zimmer’s film-score music delights audience Zimmer told stories about the film projects for which some of the pieces were written and praised the city of San Francisco for its inclusiveness.