I remembered the bagpipe version of it but the others, nope, was gone quickly 😂 I keep hearing the epic "Lisan al Gaib!"-hook in my head though. I use it as a discovery theme, like "where did I put my keys.. oh there - Lisan al Gaib!" 😁
Honestly, both the theme of the 1st and even more so of the 2nd part remind me of the chorus of "Loch Lomond" (Scottish traditional, made popular by Runrig). Which also explains the bagpipe-like sustained note 🫤
1:27 My brain is trying to make this conform to Amazing Grace (New Britain). We only learn new things as we are able to connect them to what we already know.
I remember years ago noting that Hans Zimmer cited Vangelis as a favourite and influence. Here is probably the closest to him sounding like him. Vangelis also knew the importance of melody (see Chariots of Fire) and, like many of the Romantic composers before him, he would also use melody as a springboard to venture across various harmonies, even various tonal centres, if needed. A simple example of this is a theme he made for the film Entends-tu les chiens aboyer? [Do you hear the dogs barking? or also called Ignacio]. You hear a long drone in G and then the melody plays, which sits in G major. There’s a short B section that ventures into something like C but returns to the A section. The brilliant bit comes at the end. You have alternating an implied D7 resolving to G. But at the end, it goes to B *major* instead, which is its chromatic mediant. Instead of going for a conclusion, it ends with something akin to unexpected transcendence and transformation. I remember hearing that Hans, like Denis Villeneuve, is also a fan of Dune and really wanted to do justice for it. It has paid off very nicely.
The irony he managed to sound like Vangelis AFTER her worked on the sequel to Blade Runner... But yeah, I think this theme is incredibly Vangelis in the best ways
I love the inclusion of the dukduk in this soundtrack, one of the most beautiful and melancholic instruments I’ve ever heard. Hearing it reminded me of my grandmother and childhood. 🇦🇲🇦🇲🇦🇲 Hans Zimmer is the greatest to ever do it in my opinion.
I had tears in my eyes when I heard that song...well, I was really emotional when I watched "Dune : part two" because it is my fav saga ever... Mr. Zimmer knows how to touch our hearts 🥹
I've grown to love the compositions of Hans Zimmer in the last year or so, and watching videos like this breaking down his instrumentation is awesome, thank you!
I'm obsessed with your explanation, the equipment you used to illustrate the crescendo, the musical notes are perfect for someone like me who is mersimized by the melody of the movie! You should do another video on fantastical beast by james which we all love
One of my favourite composers is Austin Wintory. His score for the Banner Saga Trilogy is amongst my favourite. Really strong themes and they warp beautifully over the span of all three games as everything gets more and more dire and it feels like a happy end is an absolute impossibility. Those games wouldn’t be half as emotional without his music.
Great video!!!! This theme always reminds me a little of the music from the 2000 Sci-Fi Channel "Frank Herbert's Dune" Mini-Series. Saw recently in an interview that Hans purposefully didn't watch that series. I actually was living in the UK at the time and bought it on DVD the day it came out. I know the music intimately well. Especially the DVD menu loops. Same kind of "Flue" motif. Really Brilliant!
It‘s super interesting how different parts of this movie and it’s score hit different people. I literally couldn’t remember this melody at all. On the other hand all those deep drones, like the sounds of the ornithopters, live in my head rent free. This was definitely the best sounding movie I’ve watched in a long time but it’s cool to see that there is still stuff that passed me by. Guess I just have to watch it again.
@@lukasgraesslinYea same. I really like the B-part, but the A-part does nothing for me. I knew the A-part is close to the bagpipe theme from part one, and there i really liked it.... but when it's not on bagpipe, i doesn't work for me either.
I find most of Hans Zimmer's music really unforgettable. I actually had seen so many videos about his scores the last few weeks that I excitedly listened through 4 of his movie soundtracks and nothing stuck with me at all.
THAT'S THE REASON why I LOVE your channel and your videos. I got GOOSEBUMPS when you played your transcription on the Prophet 12 ... even though I haven't seen the movie yet and I've never heard the soundtrack for the 2nd movie. Oh, and btw. .... hahahaha ... at 7:55 I doubt anyone has listened to what you were about to say because everyone concentrated on the cartoon sandworm crawling from left to right. 😁
Same feeling here, and not just from the 2nd part but the 1st one too. The bagpipes are amazing in that part. Truly creative and so fitting to the Atreides theme imho.
You close your eyes, listen to this beautiful theme and it transports you to the sands of Arrakis with Paul and the Fremen. It is so evocative and has a emotional connection that stays with you.
At 9:25, where you suggest we're kind of going to D major - something to note that Hans Zimmer has said is he writes absolutely everything in D. He loves it. It's his home key. Major or minor, loads of variation on D. This piece is pretty much written in A mixolydian, though avoids showing the G natural until the B section. Also known as D starting on a different note, haha.
The flute instrument is called Duduk, from Armenia, just like System of A Down. There's also a Bleach soundtrack called Nothing Anymore that use Duduk. Check it out, chill goosebumps confirmed
Also to note. Hans continued writing after the score was complete for Dune 1. They were not greenlit for part 2 but Hans just kept on writing as if he knew there would be one. So it makes sense there is some similarity as it seemed to be just one long writing session for him. Great video!
Nice analysis! Now I need to go to the theater and listen! Still one of my top favorite films for score and soundtrack is Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse (2018). Its one of the few films I have seen that perfectly blends and layers both score and soundtrack to represent the evolving identity of a character and the situations they are in. Daniel Pemberton's use of motifs to represent specific themes was also brilliant.
Elysium from gladiator and from ET the closing credits. Hard to top a rousing fanfare from Williams. And a relatively new piece, that everyone should listen to …. come Sunday, part one and two by Omar Thomas.
I've not remembered it outright (as others wrote, too), but on "second" hearing, I remember how *emotionally moving* it was. I was much more impressed with the "score" of Dune 1, but the emotional impact was higher with Dune 2 (at least for me), even if less "memorable" (but I'm not a composer, just a somewhat musically educated layperson). Still, the soundtracks of Dune 1 and 2 are ingenious and fit so very well with the overall mood and visual language of the movies.
Hans Zimmer is easily my favorite contemporary composer. Dune's score, as well as those of Interstellar and Gladiator, rank among the greatest film scores of all time, as far as I'm concerned. Great video and very interesting insight. Btw, the Prophet 12 is an amazing instrument. It is at the center of my studio work. A Pro 2 sits just above it. My two most favorite synths that I own. Question: What cables are those? I'm tired of using electrical tape to color-code my cables. Always becomes a gooey, sticky disaster.
I'm thinking that the dialogue of the Emperor with Paul was decided early on, and that Zimmer played with the themes from the very beginning to match that. I didn't watch it in english unfortunately, but the emperor says something along the lines of "your father, his rule was guided by his heart. What I'm saying is that he was a weak man". Superficially, Paul relinquished his compassionate nature and instead opted for vengeance, mostly because it looks like he has no choice. Paul is afraid he will lose this humanity, and even his mother is nudging him towards that direction. His relationship with Chani is what prevents him from falling completely into darkness. It's Chani that in some ways preserves the tender part of his soul. So, the war theme is an anthem to the spirit of house Atreides: they're a royal family, yes, but they passed down the value of never losing one's humanity. So, the "heart of the Atreides" overlaps into love territory, because that's what his relationship with Chani helps preserving. It makes sense even for the general direction is gonna take, and it's informative for what they intend to do with the next movie (won't do spoilers).
Yeah, I caught on the similarity with the bagpipe scene from the first part right away, because bagpipes are probably one of my favorite instruments, I tend to remember those melodies a lot. Also, the beginning of the melody sounds a lot like the first notes of Amazing Grace, which sounds amazing when played by bagpipes. And harmonically it immediatelt gives you this Scottish feel (Caledonian, Caladanian - Dune lore buffs will know the connection). My point is, there is nothing random about how this melody is constructed, it is a very deliberate product of thought. Also also, that leap in the second part brings back very fond memories of the Interstellar. Doubt it's a coincidence.
Zimmer is weird. I enjoy movies with his scores a lot, but I tried watching that Zimmer live in concert Netflix special and I was falling asleep. Maybe it's the melody/texture thing but for me his music doesn't stand alone the way many other screen composers' does
It feels like he writes so that his music becomes pet of the scenes they’re accompanying so much so that the film and the music depend on each other fundamentally.
One of my favourite composers is Keiichi Okabe. The NieR Automata OST is one of my favourites as well. Strong and rememberable themes, smart harmonization and simple yet effective orchestration. My favourites are Song Of The Ancients, Amusement Park, A Beautiful Song and Wretched Weaponry. Austin Wintory is also up there, love his themes.
You gotta go back and listen to the 1984 Dune movie soundtrack. There are a lot of similar layers and “texture” in the arrangements. Paul Meets Chani is a perfect example
I think it’s a decent theme, but yea, it’s not as memorable as other stuff he’s done. Interstellar, Dark Knight, and Gladiator to name a few… also, this isn’t even the most memorable theme in Dune. It’s obviously the “ahh-AHHH-ehhh” theme 😂
The theme is indeed beautiful and your analysis is spot on. However, when I hear the "Dune: Part 2" soundtrack, I hear a lot of similarities to the "Horizon: Zero Dawn" and "Horizon: Frozen Wilds" soundtracks, including the duduk. Similar melodic motifs also appear on Vangelis' "Voices" album and Mike Oldfield's "Voyager". So yeah, all good music -- and the massive textures are indeed massive -- but I doubt the Dune soundtrack will be singled-out as a compositional milestone.
So much of this was so beyond me. Sorry i had to skip through. The real thing for me is watching you explain your interpretation makes me more aware of the complexities of composition. I appreciate it. Kudos.
I'm a musician who loves movie soundtracks. I just saw this film 4 days ago. I did notice this theme as I was watching the film, but I HAD completely forgotten it. In fact, I had forgotten it by the time I left the theater.
The Dune 2 theme didn't stick with me. I think I was too overwhelmed with the incredible IMAX bass and sound effects and fully involved in the story to catch the melody. It's crazy because I normally latch on to the film score during the film.
5:38 “that sounds incredibly familiar” because they literally originate from the same track, listen to “House Atreides” on the sketchbook. There’s 4 minutes of this theme being hummed in the intro, then the bagpipes theme from part one, then ending with another 4 minute outro of this theme
I once commented on a Bach related post of yours that I didn't like his music much. I have since been fully converted to a big admirer of Bach because of some of the comments and points made. And most importantly after sitting with his music and really taking it in. Let's see if the same thing happens for my feelings towards Hans Zimmer haha.
I used to always point to "The Lion King" of an incredible theme-forward Hans Zimmer score. Tell me that there aren't echoes of "...To Die For" in this Dune love theme
Haven't seen Dune 2 yet. I liked the first one as it didn't seem to be as heavy going as i thought (I've read and reread the first 100 pages of the book).
How did you manage to get that shot of the synth? Somehow you've managed to get good screen visibility with also good lighting on the rest of the image? It looks almost fake?!
I really wasn't with the idea of this being a theme "that will stand the test of time". I've seen the movie now and I'm starting to agree. It's really great. The orchestration really makes it though.
The interval to the 2nd phrase sounds exactly like interstellar where they are about to slingshot around Gargantua Edit just listened to it again, same interval (10 semitones?) different key
You hear it more fully formed using vocals, and then in Bagpipes in the Dune Sketchbook accompanying album that was released at the time of the first film. The track is called “House Atreides”.
@@JamesonNathanJones Well I would say sell your Iridium and get a Quantum MKII just to continue the saga, but they’ve gone up to $6K MSRP in the US since Korg no longer is distributing for Waldorf.
Thank you for this breakdown. You hit the nail on the head by stating how it makes you want to hear more and more of it. Such a simplistic yet beautiful piece of music. To me, the most powerful variation of the theme was the one in the third trailer for Dune Part 2, especially the part starting at 1:36. Link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U2Qp5pL3ovA.htmlfeature=shared Even after months since release of that trailer, I keep coming back to it again and again and again. Just one layman's question - is this theme a leitmotif, since it keeps recurring in multiple variations, like a leading melody of Villeneuve's Dune?
Omg when you played that d major chord I heard interstellar. That was played I believe when the ship enters the black hole probably elsewhere. Could be totally wrong. But I’m sure that’s a theme from interstellar. Did you hear that too? Would you classify interstellar as a strong melodic theme as well? Seems so. 9:33
And you’re telling me young Tom grows up to be the Paul Atreides… I had no idea. There’s too many coincidences here. Has to be zimmer quoting his first greatest movie. Dune part 2 may surpass it idk for sure yet.
Thanks a lot for your analysis of this beautiful theme! I don't know much about music, but I try to watch all your videos to learn something and I think you're a very good teacher 😊 Since you asked, one nice piece of (film) music that just came to my mind is Vangelis - Conquest of Paradise: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WYeDsa4Tw0c.html It also has some clearly repeating patterns if I'm not mistaken
I feel like this melody is a variation on ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-w33ic5ak4SA.htmlsi=c8dktmQCrOPiTAbr&t=227 good artists do recycle :) I knew I heard somewhere before after leaving Dune part two last week, I find it very catchy, perhaps more so as I'd heard it before and enjoyed it in Interstellar.
@4:40 Yes but also instrumentation can make or break your composition. I actually walked out of Dune II thinking that whole movie was amazing except the score was really regrettable. the instrumentation uses a lot of vaguely middle eastern aesthetics which in the context of a story set in the middle east might have been considered lazy or offensive and in the context of a dessert themed space epic is simple unimaginative. Thank you for highlighting how this is a technically impressive composition but the finished product is quite unsuccessful in my opinion.
The Fremen’s religion is partially based on Sunni Islam and their language is descended from Arabic. Herbert is renowned for having used those influences to write Dune. It’s entirely on point for it to sound the way it does.
The A sextion is very effective, but not really memorable. I think you missed the point of the B section, and the commentary on that was technically descriptive but didn't explain.... I mean, it's kind of a cliche theme, as far as what it tries to accomplish from the A to B section, so it isn't that strange of an idea... right down to "duduk = desert scene". I didn't see the movie, but I'll guess that the bagpipe rendition of the theme was used to mark somebody's passing? I also think it's a little bit of a Williamsish theme, and everyone's latching onto THIS one. I suppose I probably should watch the movie at some point - it got some surprisingly great reviews.
By "cliche" I should clarify not 1 but at least 2 - wizard adventure and space opera. The context (Dune universe) helps me to read that into the music, I'm sure... but if you can imagine the sorts of themes that are associated with each of those movie genres, you kind of can hear it... or at least, I think I can. That's a good thing - it would've been a jarring theme if the context was a hippy scene, or a New Orleans documentary or whatever. I think it works BECAUSE it succeeds to invoke the right anticipation from the audience, if that makes sense. One advantage to the previous monoculture of entertainment is that these musical shorthands could develop without 20 simultaneous opposing cliches developing in competition. And those became crystalized before the content decentralization.
that friendly creepy elderly german male smile… mistook him for werner herzog (should je able to tell em apart, best from berlin…) (saw werner at pierces channel), you got a few of em kicking around LA, eh. arnie, daniel brühl… no worries. we come in peace.
VERY instructive and illuminating, thanks! but this toon sounds pleasant enough but not great music and I would bet my lunch that a thousand and one bedroom noodlers come up with stuff that's just as good quite often.
I think it’s a weak and forgettable melody/theme, myself. I definitely put him squarely in the ‘sound designer’ camp. Certainly, no John Williams. Which is ‘fine’. 🤷🏻♂️🙃
