On countless occasions, you've all heard the string ostinato propelling rhythmic film cues. E.g. Batman Begins (2005) -- Batmobile Chase ... etc. Not sure if Hans Zimmer "invented" and/or modernized it ... and. of course, it has been used as "plug-in" component by many other composers (RC/MV or otherwise). My question is --chronologically -- what is the first use of the modernized string ostinato? I mentioned Begins (2005) as the first notable use I know. You can use prev. HZ scores, etc. Thx!
I've always been of the firm belief that it was John Powell who first popularized this; with his first BOURNE score -- one of the most influential scores of the 2000s. Of course, later iterations of this sound are a bit different, but they're basically evolved versions of what he championed.
It's true that the score that is cited as being the first influential use of string ostinato is John Powell's score for THE BOURNE IDENTITY (you know, that famous repeated-note riff - in the rare Phrygian mode, too!). It's in this clip from 1:00:
As for the actual first use of it, I can't say that I know (if one can even determine such a thing) but I do know of a very similar ostinato by Zimmer (though not played by strings) in his score for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2:
Those two YouTube examples are good. HZ was responsible, for the most part methinks, in getting Powell established in Hollywood, so it's unclear who "invented" that modern ostinato. I have both MI2 and TBI in my collection, tho' its been a while since I played CDs. It's good to hear them again! Speaking of Bourne, I've got another question but I think that needs a thread of its own.
