杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

From royal marches to Gregorian chants, from Mongolian throat singing to the beats of Senegal鈥檚 drum circles, music captures the infinite faces of humanity. It accompanies us through our struggles and celebrates our triumphs.

For composer Hans Zimmer, music holds the power to confront the challenges of our times and offer a voice to those whose suffering often goes unnoticed. Speaking ahead of the Vatican鈥檚 Concert with the Poor on Saturday December 7th, Zimmer reflects on how such an event is not only a source of comfort for the poor, but, more importantly, a 鈥渞allying cry鈥� for those who aren鈥檛 present, urging them to act.

In an interview with Vatican News, Zimmer stresses the concert鈥檚 focus, highlighting that its title says it all. It鈥檚 not 鈥渇or鈥� the poor, but with them. 鈥淲e need to look the poor in the eye and treat them as human beings,鈥� he says.

The power of music

Bringing his music to the Vatican is an important moment. Zimmer expresses a desire for a resurgence of the Church鈥檚 commitment to sacred music, recounting an anecdote:

鈥淲hen Steven Spielberg showed John Williams Schindler鈥檚 List for the first time, John got up and said, 鈥淚 need to go for a walk.鈥�
When he came back, he said, 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got the wrong man-you need a much better composer.鈥�
And Steven replied, 鈥淚 know, but they鈥檙e all dead.鈥�

Zimmer admitts sometimes feeling the same way about the state of music for the Church.
Hollywood, he recognises, is full of flaws. But one thing it does is commission music daily. 鈥淭hat is something the Church used to do, and we need to find a way to bring that back, to be there for each other and keep music alive鈥�.

However, if Zimmer were tasked with composing music for 杏MAP导航 Francis, he confesses he would likely feel pressure. 鈥淚f you gave me 20 minutes, I could do it. If you gave me longer, I鈥檇 just spend all that time panicking,鈥� he laughs.

3,000 poor people will attend the concert, and with new music by Dario Vero and Msgr Marco Frisina, and with the participation of Grammy nominated cellist Tina Guao, the Church is in fact bringing in new music, and at the same time, as Zimmer asks, being there for each other.

Music for social justice

Zimmer, known for his iconic film scores, believes that artists and musicians must step up and take a stance on issues concerning social justice. 鈥淔or a long time鈥� he says, 鈥渕usicians weren鈥檛 considered 鈥榬eal鈥� people. They were at the bottom of the gene pool. So it鈥檚 nice to rise up and give back鈥� .

Zimmer points to 1985, when almost all of the great musicians of the time took to the stage in Wembley, London, for a charitable and historic concert: Live Aid. That, he states, was powerful example of how music can inspire action, albeit temporary. 鈥淚 knew all those people,鈥� Zimmer recalls. Harvey Goldsmith, who organised Live Aid, was Zimmer鈥檚 promoter in England. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great, sitting down with Harvey and Bob Gelfod and talking about those stories鈥�, he says. It is true that Live Aid, amazing as it was, is fading, but the fact that we are talking about it now proves its legacy, and that event proved that, 鈥渋n the short term, something can happen鈥�.

Decades later, the crisis has not faded

However, Zimmer recognises that the legacy of Live Aid also serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining these efforts. The issues Live Aid addressed remain as pressing as ever. 鈥淲atching the BBC footage now, we should be more shocked than we were then, just because of how relevant it still is鈥�.

Therapeutic music

Zimmer's thoughts on the responsibility of musicians are that they go far beyond entertainment alone. It is a tool for change and Zimmer recognises its phenomenal healing capactities and therapeutic nature. He describes his own experience, saying 鈥渨hen I sit down at the piano鈥�at a certain point, it feels like there鈥檚 no one else in the room - just me and the piano. In that space, all pain fades away.鈥�

This deeply personal experience is what makes music a powerful ally in the healing of victims of injustices around the world. It explains why music is used as a form of therapy, why it heals and saves. 鈥淢usic becomes a refuge鈥� he reflects. It may just be for a moment 鈥渂ut it gives you a break from the forces of darkness鈥�.

As musicians, as artists, as people, he says, 鈥渨e have a duty to use our imagination, which is what we鈥檙e good at. Write a song, make a movie, write a book - do something that shakes people awake and lets them participate鈥�.

Music for war, songs of peace

But Zimmer is aware of the double sided nature of music. Whilst songs, such as those of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, have become anti-war anthems, shaping an entire generation鈥檚 view and understanding on the futility of war, he also points to the power of military marches, which throughout history have motivated young men and women as they march to risk their lives, and take others, on the front lines.

Songs of peace and marches of war, but also Beethoven, or Bach, are great examples, to Zimmer, of music showing us the depth of humanity, including its dark sides, 鈥渁nd allowing us to wrestle with it鈥�.

The advice is: do what you want

Finally, Zimmer replies "no, no, no" when he is asked whether he has any advice for young musicians. "Don't listen to me" he tells them. "Don't listen to anyone! Do your thing".  His message to young people is clear, and it is to create without fear. "Go out there, plug in, turn it up, and make a noise. Whatever the neighbours say about your noise", he concludes, "they鈥檙e wrong."