Elmer Bernstein vs Hans Zimmer

[Hlao-roo 388]

This isn't about who you think is the superior composer of the two, but about whose music you tend to enjoy more.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

HZ

[Charlie Brigden 5]

Bernstein.

[Quintus 5,391]

Next up, Elfman vs Steiner: A matter of choice!

[Maxxie 1]

Hans Zimmer, although I do really like Bernstein's Airplane! & Wild Wild West. Recording Sessions anyone....................

[Joe Brausam 203]

Bernstein, without a doubt. He did a lot for the advancement of film music and its preservation and wrote more than his share of excellent music. He had his own voice, something I'm afraid most film composers today DON'T have.

[Ollie 859]

Bernstein.

Next up, a real battle of Titans as Godzilla takes on Pixar's Nemo.

[Hlao-roo 388]

Of course, if people really enjoy Bernstein more than they do Zimmer, you'd think the former would be discussed more than the latter. I'm guessing the weird discrepancy exists because Zimmer's films are higher profile and tend to be in more fan-friendly genres. Take away The Ten Commandments, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Magnificent Seven, Airplane!, and Ghostbusters, and the level of familiarity with Bernstein's work tends to decline sharply from there...

[Richard Penna 2,083]

I only have two Bernstein scores - To Kill a Mockingbird and Wild Wild West so I'm not very keyed up on him.

[Marian Schedenig 5,520]

What Ever Happened to Great Movie Music?

[Jay 27,216]

I only have two Bernstein scores - To Kill a Mockingbird and Wild Wild West so I'm not very keyed up on him.

I highly recommend The Great Escape and Stripes

[Andy 1,492]

Elmer Bernstein, easily. I'm still waiting to hear a Zimmer score that I want to go and buy.

Of course, if people really enjoy Bernstein more than they do Zimmer, you'd think the former would be discussed more than the latter. I'm guessing the weird discrepancy exists because Zimmer's films are higher profile and tend to be in more fan-friendly genres.

I think you're right. Also consider that Zimmer is still alive and still composing. It may be that people feel that everything about Bernstein has already been said and discussed. Zimmer on the other hand, is still actively influencing the film music business, while Bernstein is doing so only posthumously.

[Joe Brausam 203]

I only have two Bernstein scores - To Kill a Mockingbird and Wild Wild West so I'm not very keyed up on him.

I highly recommend The Great Escape and Stripes

I'd love to get my hands on the Varese Great Escape. I've only ever heard the rerecording!

[Andy 1,492]

It's off the charts expensive on ebay. Wish they'd do a re-issue.

[Wojo 2,442]

I enjoy Bernstein by far. The Ten Commandments and The Magnificent Seven are two very enjoyable scores, I haven't listened much to The Great Escape, and I really am enjoying Heavy Metal. I cannot wait to get Airplane! on order tomorrow, and even Ghostbusters is an enjoyable romp.

I do like the Pirates scores, and Gladiator is ok from time to time, but I enjoy them less.

[Joe Brausam 203]

It is indeed! I wish I had been in the know about releases like these back when they were coming out. The first Varese I ever got to order was the Burbs expanded, I'm glad I didn't miss that one!

[Koray Savas 2,095]

Elmer Bernstein, easily. I'm still waiting to hear a Zimmer score that I want to go and buy.

Well which Zimmer scores have you heard? I could help point you in the right direction.

[Richard Penna 2,083]

Good question. One I think all Zimmer haters should answer.

[Diego 21]

I almost haven't heard anything by them. I only have Ghostbusters by Bernstein and The Simpsons Movie by Zimmer which I got because I liked it in the movie and thought it was a good Elfman imitation, but probably doesn't represent the Zimmer sound.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

The Simpsons Movie doesn't sound anything like Elfman IMO.

[Ollie 859]

Good question. One I think all Zimmer haters should answer.

Perhaps hearing a huge majority of his works is why there are Zimmer haters.

[Datameister 1,394]

I haven't heard enough Bernstein to have an opinion, honestly. I'd be unashamed to vote for Zimmer if I listened to a sufficient amount of Bernstein's music and didn't enjoy it, though something tells me Bernstein was probably technically a lot "better."

[Ollie 859]

If you love John Williams then there is no reason why you shouldn't like Bernstein.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

Good question. One I think all Zimmer haters should answer.

Perhaps hearing a huge majority of his works is why there are Zimmer haters.

For you, maybe. Not necessarily for other members, who seem to be judging based on a few of his most popular scores.

[John Crichton 4]

Anything's better than Zimmer.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

[Ollie 859]

Well I do believe Wojo was making a sarcastic (or joking) comment.

[Trent B 317]

Bernstein by far. I don't think there's ever been a Zimmer score that's as good as Ghostbusters.

[Andy 1,492]

Good question. One I think all Zimmer haters should answer.

I am not a Zimmer hater. I just haven't heard anything from him that knocks my socks off yet. So, not a fan. But I have no reason to really hate him.

Koray, in answer to your question, the only Zimmer score I own is Spirit (because my daughter liked the film). Oh, and I think we own Lion King somewhere, but I honestly haven't spun the disc in at least 10 years, so I really don't remember it. As for his music in films, the Pirates stuff didn't really do it for me. I guess the only stuff that struck a response with me was Pearl Harbor... but still not enough to want to bring it home. I'm not against trying anything at least once, though, so if you have a recommendation, I'm happy to listen.

Bernstein on the other hand, is very easy to love. He has a sound that is very honest and somewhat vulnerable. Again, easy to fall in love there. If you've never heard his stuff, I'd highly recommend the Bernstein By Bernstein compilation.

Bernstein By Bernstein

[Jeshopk 8]

Not even close. Elmer. Yes, even Wild Wild West Elmer.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

I guess the only stuff that struck a response with me was Pearl Harbor... but still not enough to want to bring it home. I'm not against trying anything at least once, though, so if you have a recommendation, I'm happy to listen.

Pearl Harbor is great, and ironically, Elmer Bernstein likes it.

I'd recommend The Thin Red Line, Frost/Nixon, Black Hawk Down, and Matchstick Men for starters.

[scissorhands 16]

I've just heard the main theme of Cannon for Córdoba, and noticed it's a wonderful homage (or plagiarism for the standards of this board) to Ginastera's Malambó. I love it!

[Jay 27,216]

My favorite Zimmer scores are The Rock and Crimson Tide. I also own Drop Zone, Broken Arrow, The Peacemaker, and The Ring/Ring Two

The Rock is still one of my favorite scores

On the Bernstein front I own THe Great Escape and Ghostbusters... but several others in mp3 (Stripes, Magnificent Seven, Slipstream)

I'd certainly like to get more scores by both composers

[Koray Savas 2,095]

Oh god I'm listening to The Thin Red Line right now. Soooooo tasty. It's so good that I want to buy every member on the board a copy... but not really.

[Nick Parker 3,017]

I say Elmer Bernstein with no reservations, not that it is surprising. I do have to say, though, that I find the majority of his comedy scores overrated (let us say that I will not be depriving any of you a copy of Airplane! when it ships). Heavy Metal, The Great Escape, The Ten Commandments, though (the three Elmer Bernstein albums that I think I own)...all wonderful music.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

HAAAAAAAAANSSSSSSS

There will never be a poll on this forum that Hans Zimmer will win, unless it's asking who is the worst composer.

[Nick Parker 3,017]

There will never be a poll on this forum that Hans Zimmer will win, unless it's asking who is the worst composer.

I vote for Tyler Bates.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

Well of course, people seem to forget there are worse composers than Zimmer. The really shit composers that try to copy him.

[Joe Brausam 203]

Admittedly there are a ton of composers working out there that I would rank way under Zimmer. Zimmer is just the popular one to hate and blame.

[Ollie 859]

The bad thing is that most of them worked or are working for Zimmer.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

The bad thing is that most of them worked or are working for Zimmer.

Not really.

Tyler Bates, Brian Tyler, BT... who else? John Ottman, Graeme Revell, John Debney, David Newman, Randy Edelman.

[Ollie 859]

I'd rank a few of those above Zimmer.

[Joe Brausam 203]

Especially Debney. I have respect for the guy.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

Yeah the latter ones have a couple good scores under their belt, but I wouldn't rank them higher as overall composers.

I think the only truly unoriginal composers to come out of RCP are Steve Jablonsky and Ramin Djawadi. Jablonsky does have an identifiable sound, but he relies too much on Zimmer. His smaller, lesser known scores are better. Djawadi has got nothing impressive, despite having some formal training. Oh, and I guess Henning Lohner, yuck.

Small peeps like Trevor Morris, James Dooley, and Geoff Zanelli are all Award winning for their TV efforts. I know there are a couple people on the board fond of Dooley's Pushing Daisies.

Klaus Badelt is meh, he's got some good stuff. He kind of disappeared in Hollywood though, maybe for the better. Mark Mancina was pretty good back in the day, he still works occasionally. I liked his score for August Rush.

[alainmayrand 22]

Has Hans Zimmer written anything even close to The Magnificent Seven?

I long for the days when film composers were actually good musicians. Elmer was a child prodigy on piano and student of Aaron Copland! His music has substance. Zimmer is a pop songwriter turned film composer and his music is infinitely weaker.

There are few things in the world I dislike more than a Zimmer melody and orchestration, which is why I am on this list!

Long live musical erudition! Long live Elmer Bernstein (and JW, of course!)

(Was I being too opinionated here? )

[Koray Savas 2,095]

The Magnificent Seven as a whole isn't as great as it's main theme IMO.

Zimmer played in a couple 80's bands, but I don't see how that makes him inferior. So many composers come from that kind of background. John Williams was a jazz pianist turned film composer.

[Incanus 5,519]

HAAAAAAAAANSSSSSSS

There will never be a poll on this forum that Hans Zimmer will win, unless it's asking who is the worst composer.

I will vote for Zimmer if he is pitted against Geoff Zanelli or Ramin Djawadi

And I prefer Bernstein to Zimmer. With every new Bernstein score I hear, I want to hear more from him. With every new Zimmer score I discover I want to hear less from him. So there.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

John Williams was a jazz pianist turned film composer.

Does Zimmer have a formal musical training?

Can Zimmer compose a score entirely on his own?

BTW, i do have more Zimmer scores in my collection then Bernstein's, so I voted for Hans.

[Neimoidian 13]

I don't know much about Bernstein's works, I only have one of his cds - a collection with themes from various movies. He was better composer, that's what I know for sure.

[Sandor 459]

I noticed I have a lot more Zimmer soundtracks than Bernstein, but there is one Bernstein score that impresses me more than any Zimmer work I have: The Age Of Innocence. A beautiful score.