DisneyExaminer

  • Home
  • About
  • Movies
  • Disney+
  • Theme Parks
  • Products
  • Editorials
  • Disneyland Tickets

Pirates of the Caribbean 5’s new music wasn’t written by Hans Zimmer, but by his 20-year protégé

  • by Jordan Poblete
  • in Walt Disney Studios
  • — 22 May, 2017
(Front, L-R): Scoring assistant Zak McNeil, additional music composer Anthony Willis (Rear, L-R): Additional music composer Phill Boucher, composer Geoff Zanelli, music editor Pete Snell. Photo by Dan Goldwasser/ScoringSessions.com

If you watch the new Disney Pirates movie, you’ll pleasantly be surprised by not only what familiar faces you see, but what music you’ll hear.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” is a soft reboot of the million-dollar franchise that started almost 15 years ago as an original narrative inspired by the classic Disney attraction of the same name. While Jack Sparrow almost instantly became a household name, his associated “theme song” and other music pieces written by composer Hans Zimmer instantly became a memorable part of the franchise.

Throughout each of the films that followed, Zimmer was also the chosen composer even though the writers and directors would change, which was clear that his music helped make the films all the more successful.

However, Zimmer decided to not to be the composer for “Dead Men Tell No Tales” and instead chose a close protege of nearly 20 years to take the lead.

“I was attached to the project about a year before they started shooting,” said Geoff Zanelli. “I sat in a room with the directors of the new film and Hans, and he made it clear to me that I was the right person for the job.”

Zimmer’s statement didn’t come without thought about Zanelli and his ability. Zanelli previously worked under Zimmer on the music for all four Disney Pirates films. While he isn’t credited in all of the films, he wrote a lot of the additional music that wasn’t a main theme, but was inspired by the ones that Zimmer wrote.

“I deeply love the music that Hans wrote. And I knew the music well because I got to work directly with him,” he said to DisneyExaminer. “For the new film, he trusted me to do what I think was right for the story, so that’s what I did.”

Zanelli considers himself a story-driven film composer, so he waited until the script was in its final draft before coming up with the new music in full. And while Zimmer gave Zanelli permission to use his existing theme music for the new film, new music was still needing to be created because there were new characters.

For Captain Salazar (played by Javier Bardem), Zanelli wanted to create the appropriate music for him because there was nothing as “foreboding and mean” musically that was previously written.

Carina Smyth (played by Kaya Scodelario) isn’t just a love interest in the film, but also has a “deep reservoir” of emotional material that needed its own tune.

It took about a year and a half for Zanelli to come up with all the new music for “Dead Men Tell No Tales.” Recording took place over the course of a few weeks with a generous 100-piece orchestra (including unique instruments like the duduk and a celeste), 48 singers/choir, 24 percussionists, and a handful of vocal soloists.

Even with an army of musicians, Zanelli also took time to recognize how important the cello was to the score. “Hans’ Pirates music always had a cello in it because it is evocative of the energy and beauty that happen in these stories. That was no exception for this film.”

Specifically for one piece of Captain Salazar’s music, Zanelli had three cellos, one of which was plugged into a guitar amp, to battle each other and frame a battle sequence taking place on-screen. They even sometimes put the entire orchestra sound through an amp to make his sound “bigger, stronger, and intense – like Salazar himself.”

With all his creativity with the orchestra and ability to write original melodies, will Zanelli’s score be as memorable as Zimmer’s Pirates score?

Zanelli discounted the thought because he doesn’t believe Zimmer would think that for his music. “Hans is a collaborative and loving guy,” Zanelli said about his mentor. “I hope that my music for this new “Pirates” adventure will compliment Hans’ music in new ways like new treasure.”

You can pre-order the “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” soundtrack with Geoff Zanelli’s music by clicking HERE. The film hits theaters on May 26, 2017.

print
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Related

Share
Avatar

— Jordan Poblete

DisneyExaminer Founder + Publisher. Walt inspired Disneyland, Disneyland inspired DisneyExaminer. Catch me at Disneyland. Reach me at jordan@disneyexaminer.com or on Twitter @jordiepoblete

You may also like...

  • Introducing “The Adventures of Mommy Mouse & Baby Knightly” 24 Apr, 2013
  • Marvel Studios Announces Upcoming Film Updates At Comic-Con 20 Jul, 2013
  • Aloha, Aulani 30 Aug, 2011
  • Snippet time! 11 Jun, 2011
  • Previous story ABC’s 2017-18 programming slate is very ethnically and topically diverse
  • Next story The screenwriter and producer of Disney’s animated “Beauty and the Beast” were commencement speakers this year
  • Today is

  • Happening Now

    My Tweets
  • What’s Trending

    beauty and the beast behind the scenes buena vista street business california adventure cars land christmas D23 expo DCA disney disney animation disney california adventure disney channel disney consumer products disneyexaminer disney interactive disneyland disneyland resort disney movie disney parks disney parks and resorts downtown disney exclusive food frozen FYI lucasfilm main street USA marvel marvel studios movie review new pixar review spoiler free star wars technology the force awakens walt disney walt disney animation studios walt disney company walt disney imagineering walt disney parks and resorts walt disney studios walt disney world
  • News Archive

  • Home
  • Walt Disney Studios
  • Pirates of the Caribbean 5’s new music wasn’t written by Hans Zimmer, but by his 20-year protégé
  • Hiya, Pal

    DisneyExaminer is a premier independent online magazine that takes a closer look at all things Disney.

    Founded and lovingly made in Orange County, California.

  • Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel

  • Search

  • Home
  • About
  • Movies
  • Disney+
  • Theme Parks
  • Products
  • Editorials
  • Disneyland Tickets

© 2008 - 2022 DisneyExaminer. All rights reserved.

 

Loading Comments...
 

    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.