Hans Zimmer’s Approach: The Impact of Chinese Music in the Film Score of Kung Fu Panda 3

By Gleb Gorbunov

In his film score for Kung Fu Panda 3, Hans Zimmer combines technology, Chinese musical culture, and his ability to portray different scenes through music. Of particular importance is Zimmer’s ability to incorporate Chinese music into the score of a Hollywood film. This paper will briefly discuss the combination of Zimmer’s talent, technology, and the ancient Chinese musical tradition.

Zimmer uses and experiments with the latest technology and collaborates with numerous artists, including the world-famous pianist Lang Lang and other Chinese instrumental performers and singers.

Zimmer composed a soundtrack that authentically fits the Oriental style and epoch. Ancient Chinese music becomes accessible to an international audience in Zimmer’s composition.

The paper will also discuss Zimmer’s larger body of work and show Zimmer’s ability to synthesize ancient and modern cultural music through his film score, Kung Fu Panda 3.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gleb Gorbunov
• Release date: May 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005562540

Gleb Gorbunov

Gleb Gorbunov is a professional musician, artist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator, orchestra, and ensemble player. A graduate of the California State University, Long Beach, where he got his Master of Music degree. Gorbunov previously spent many years in the world-famous city of composers, Vienna, Austria, and graduated from a private music school of Vienna Konservatorium.Although he has quality Russian, European and American training, he is equally fluent in electronic music, digital composition, and audio engineering thanks to time spent in the School of Audio Engineers (SAE). As a performer, he performed on such stages as the Palais des Congrès Acropolis, Nice, France; Auditorium des Arlucs, Cannes, France; Palais Ehrbar, Vienna, Austria; The Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Moscow, Russia; Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Long Beach, California.As a composer, he produced, composed, and arranged original music for commercials, podcasts, musical performances, and programs. Gorbunov is the author of numerous research music works, a member of ᛰΘᛕ Honor Society. He is multilingual and currently speaks six languages: French, German, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, and English.

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ABSTRACT

In his masterful film score for Kung Fu Panda 3, Hans Zimmer combines technology, Chinese musical culture, and his ability to portray different scenes through the music. This score is significant for its unique combination of these elements to unify his artistic purpose for the film. Of particular importance is Hans Zimmer’s ability to incorporate authentic Chinese music into the score of a Hollywood film.

Zimmer uses and experiments with the latest technology in addition to collaborating with numerous artists, including the world-famous pianist Lang Lang and other well-known Chinese instrumental performers and singers.

Zimmer composed a soundtrack that authentically fits the Oriental style and epoch. The ancient Chinese music becomes accessible to an international audience in Zimmer’s composition. This paper will briefly discuss the combination of Zimmer’s talent, the latest technology, and the ancient Chinese musical tradition that led to a final product that was both popular and highly effective at conveying the film’s plot, context, and characters. The paper will also discuss Zimmer’s larger body of work and show Zimmer’s ability to synthesize ancient and modern cultural music through his film score, Kung Fu Panda 3.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract

List of Tables

List of Figures

1.Introduction

2.The History of Making Kung Fu Panda 3’s Music

3.Hans Zimmer’s Approach to Music Composition

4.Chinese Cultural Influences in Kung Fu Panda 3 Film Music

5.Conclusion

Bibliography

About the Author

LIST OF TABLES

1.Chart Showing Elements and Instruments of Chinese Music

2.Method of Interacting of Chinese Instruments

LIST OF FIGURES

1.A young Hans Zimmer and an early synthesizer, From Frankfurt to Hollywood: Continuing the tradition of German film music composers in Hollywood.

https://www.german-way.com/notable-people/featured-bios/hans-zimmer/

2.Kung Fu hieroglyphs in Mandarin. Revised November 30, 2019,

https://wushu.pp.ua/images/stories/kung-fu-1.jpg

3.Zimmer’s music production studio in Santa Monica, California. Inside Hans Zimmer’s Studio. Revised February 28, 2018.

https://www.leekirbyphotography.com/blog/2018/2/28/inside-hans-zimmers-studio

4.J. A. Van Aalst, Chinese Music (Imperial Maritime Customs, II. — Special Series: No. 6, 2019), 23.

5.Hans Zimmer and Lang Lang during a brief recording session of piano solos in Zimmer’s studio. Revised February 4, 2016,

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-lang-lang-zimmer-20160204-story.html

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION