Film composer Hans Zimmer and director Christopher Nolan have appropriately been called a power duo. Nolan’s films often play with mind-bending themes and the meaning of time. Zimmer uses a blend of electronic and symphonic sounds to represent those themes in the musical realm.
Get the Sheet Music for “Time” from Inception here: https://www.mymusicsheet.com/marisasmusicstudio/304867
Zimmer and Nolan are not just professional collaborators, they are also friends, and that friendship has helped foster creative inspiration. It was while on vacation together with their families that one such idea was sparked. Zimmer recalled, “We’re sitting on the beach watching our kids and he’s going, ‘I’ve got this idea for a movie,’ and I realized as he’s telling me the idea, this might be intellectually somewhat tricky for an audience to follow.”
That idea was the seed for the 2010 film “Inception.” Zimmer explained his approach to creating the film’s music: “I tried to write music that was, in a funny way, reassuring to the audience…The music was like a river and you’re on this little boat, and sometimes it gets a bit bumpy, but you’re on a journey and you’re going to get to the end.”
One such remarkable piece from the film’s soundtrack is “Time.” It evolves and morphs, sometimes slowly, other times with more energetic momentum, much like time itself. Similar to the levels of consciousness, and being in a dreamlike state, the piece delves into a deep fabric of layers, each building upon the other. Elements of minimalism, intertwining melodies and rich symphonic harmonies all contribute to this poignant and inspiring masterpiece.
From a piano-playing perspective, “Time” is a wonderful practice of keeping time (and great opportunity for using a metronome) as it moves from long, held-out chords to sixteenth-note flowing rhythms. Its slow tempo demands a thoughtful, focused attention and an effort to not speed up when the melody picks up momentum. It’s a controlled practice of time-keeping yet also an inspiring piece to play.
In this simplified piano arrangement, a four-chord progression repeats using various inversions, intervals and arpeggios. I hope you enjoy!