Renaissance Man

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

The year 1994 was Hans Zimmer's year with the Oscar for The Lion King, but he still had the time to compose 3 other works, and one is this highly enjoyable and airy score for Renaissance Man. It's nothing that strikes you down but the soft themes become more enjoyable every time you hear them and there are the sparkling soldier fanfares that make this a breezy score, one that never bores me. That's why I find this score so great to listen to, it lifts my spirits up and it shows multiple signs of Hans Zimmer's versatility. All combined in one lovely half hour of music. The score starts soft and dramatic but changes pace in the middle of track 2, then the army tones take higher ground. But the music stays always on the lesser path, never does it come to a great ending, except the finale piece in 'Benitez does Henry' which swells to a big heroic theme version. All the tracks are light, supportive to the material and never does it rise up to greater extent. The music is actually background material but once you hear it on CD it's funny and at parts exciting. The melodies are very simple but enchanting and it's really a score that will please many Hans Zimmer fans.

The track 'Everyone is a Hero' is almost completely filled with soldier marches, like we all know them but between it there is the main theme of the movie, it's very good listening material and when you crank the volume up it's not hard to understand why this is good listening material. The entire score is light, very entertaining but at the same time it shows nothing spectacular. I love it but others will simply find it normal and that is also true. The song at the end (coming straight from the movie) is difficult to enjoy outside of its context and should be skipped, or you should start the album with it. Hans Zimmer underscored mainly the movie scenes, but with a kind of flair that I adore. Sometimes a brief heroic theme appears and at other times it mainly stays quiet and soft. Renaissance Man is really a score that can go any direction, some will find it boring, others sufficient for a listen and some will discover the pleasure and fun of it. You have to decide and one possibility is watching the movie, though that the music is very quietly played during it. So, Hans Zimmer fans should try to find it because there is light, breezy and good material on board to please any lighthearted fan.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Welcome To The Army (3.52)

2. Letter From Home (4.25)

3. Serving Your Country (4.11)

4. To Thine Own Self ... (4.36) Excellent Track

5. Stay With Me (2.11)

6. Victory Starts Here (7.28) Excellent Track

7. Benitez Does Henry (2.32) Excellent Track

8. Everyone Is A Hero (4.30) Excellent Track

9. To Be Or Not To Be: Marky Mark (2.44)

Total Length: 36.38

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=== Link to Composer Site: Hans Zimmer ===