The score received critical acclaim. Reviewing for BBC News, Nicholas Barber felt, "Hans Zimmer's music makes the film seem even more colossal than it would otherwise: Zimmer invokes the original meaning of 'pulls out all the stops', rattling our teeth with reverberating pipe-organ chords."[12] Scott Foundas, a chief film critic at Variety, stated, "Hans Zimmer contributes one of his most richly imagined and inventive scores, which ranges from a gentle electronic keyboard melody to brassy, Strauss-ian crescendos.[13]
Many critics have noted distinct similarities between the score and the work of Philip Glass, especially Koyaanisqatsi (1982). However, despite Interstellar's near-identical central melody and instrumentation, few have criticized Zimmer when drawing the comparison. Time Out London's Dave Calhoun exclaimed, "Listen to unnerving silence as well as Hans Zimmer's organ-heavy score!"[14] Tim Robey of The Telegraph felt "With the vast sounds of a composer set loose on his grandest ever assignment. But it relies less on Straussian majesty à la 2001 than something rather more pointed: the hypnotic, metronomically surging, and oddly sacred homage Zimmer gives us to Koyaanisqatsi, by Philip Glass."[15] Todd McCarthy, reviewing for The Hollywood Reporter, praised it as, "soaring, sometimes domineering and unconventionally orchestrated wall-of-sound score"[16]Richard Corliss of Time called it "pounding organ score".[17] Jeremy Aspinall of Radio Times called the score subtle but evocative.[18] Critic Jeffrey M. Anderson for The San Francisco Examiner writes, "rumbling and thundering sound effects and music".[19] At The Irish Times, Donald Clarke wrote that "Hans Zimmer slumps on the biggest pipe organ in town".[20] For NPR, Chris Klimek stated that Zimmer's gives a church-organ score.[21]Joe Morgenstern for Wall Street Journal felt that "At one point the orchestral churnings of Hans Zimmer's score suggest something epic under way".[22] American film critic Peter Travers at Rolling Stone noted, "thrilling images oomphed by Hans Zimmer's score, and you'll get the meaning of "‘rock the house.‘"[23] For The Globe and Mail, Liam Lacey stated, "Throughout, Hans Zimmer's music throbs obtrusively, occasionally fighting with the dialogue for our attention."[24] "As usual, Nolan's frequent collaborator Hans Zimmer has come up with a score that fits the impossible dimensions of the film, and the music adds tremendously to the excitement", said critic Rene Rodriguez, writing for The Miami Herald.[25] Ann Hornaday for The Washington Post commented, "Hans Zimmer's basso profundo organ-music score and pummeling sound effects."[26] Steven Biscotti of Soundtrack.net too praised the soundtrack stating, "Hans Zimmer has created a close to perfect musical canvas for those extremely dedicated to the audio experience. The compositional technique on the album may turn off a few, as it is different than Zimmer's recent offerings. However, for those that stick with the album, they will see it 'not go gentle into that good night.' Zimmer's Interstellar rages!" and awarded a perfect five out of five stars.[9]
In response to criticisms about the music being too overpowering and at times drowning out the dialogue, Nolan told The Hollywood Reporter: "Many of the filmmakers I’ve admired over the years have used sound in bold and adventurous ways. I don’t agree with the idea that you can only achieve clarity through dialogue. Clarity of story, clarity of emotions—I try to achieve that in a very layered way using all the different things at my disposal—picture and sound."[27]
Jonathan Broxton of Movie Music UK acclaimed the album, stating, "The orchestration choices, especially the stripped down ensemble and the use of the pipe organ, shows a composer not afraid to think outside the box, and find unique solutions to the musical problems his film presents, and the emotional content of the score is high, but not overwhelming", and summarised with, "It's an absolute lock for an Oscar nomination, and is one of the best scores of 2014."[3]Tangerine Circus's guitarist Francesc Messeguer cited the score and the film as one of his top 5 favorite albums and films, respectively.[28]
In his in-depth musical analysis, Mark Richards of Film Music Notes concludes: "Rather than simply being associated with a certain character or group of characters, Zimmer’s themes tend to emphasize the emotions a particular character or group is feeling at various points in the film. [...] Interstellar has at its core an emotional story of love between a father and his daughter. Appropriately, Hans Zimmer places the Murph and Cooper theme front and center in the score [...]. Of course, since the film also includes some riveting action sequences, the score does make use of an action theme, but in typical Zimmer style, this theme serves two different functions as it is also the familial love theme. [...] And Zimmer also captures Interstellar’s focus on the wonder of the natural world in a separate theme. Thus, the score provides an effective glue for the film by drawing emotional links between various events, character motivations, and visual spectacles that might otherwise seem rather disconnected."[29]
"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" (poem by Dylan Thomas) (recited by John Lithgow, Ellen Burstyn, Casey Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Matthew McConaughey and Mackenzie Foy)
"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" (poem by Dylan Thomas) (recited by John Lithgow, Ellen Burstyn, Casey Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Matthew McConaughey and Mackenzie Foy))
^ abBroxton, Jonathan (22 November 2014). "INTERSTELLAR – Hans Zimmer". Movie Music UK. Archived from the original on 6 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
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