Craig
TS Administrator
Hendrik Schwarzer is a composer hailing from the town of Freiburg, near Europa-Park. Although some of you may not be familiar with his name, most of you will have certainly heard at least some of his work.
Hendrik is responsible for helping to realise Thomas Mack's vision to create a number of original pieces of music for Europa-Park. As a result, a soundtrack was recorded with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Belarus back in 2011. A number of the tracks can be heard prominently throughout the resort, particularly the signature track 'Europa-Park Suite'. His work can also be heard on many of the park's videos and advertisements released throughout the year.
However, his contribution to the success of the resort doesn't stop there. Hendrik has also worked on the soundtrack for the park's wooden coaster 'Wodan', the Mack Media produced 4D movie 'The Time Carousel', as well as their first musical - the incredibly popular 'Spook Me!'.
TowersStreet team member @Alastair caught up with Hendrik for a chat recently, and here's what he had to say...
How did you first come to create music for Europa-Park?
I know Europa-Park very well from my own childhood as we lived close to the park and had a visit each year. Also I did an internship during school at Mack Rides - the parent company of Europa-Park which builds
attractions and rides for decades. So there was some kind of connection and I always was very interested in
this dream world they built in my region.
My dream was to be able to write a fireworks music for them some day so I just wrote it. After some soundtrack recordings I did for a video game with an orchestra in Minsk, I decided to also record this fireworks music to present it afterwards to Thomas Mack, who by the way is an excellent pianist as well. He was amazed and the music premiered at the 35th anniversary of Europa-Park.
What has been your favourite project that you've worked on so far with the park?
As a composer for a theme park you always live in different worlds and stories. For example the soundtrack for
The Time Carousel - their new 4D movie production - is something completely different to Wodan which is themed after Nordic mythology. So it really is a very varied job.
I had fun writing Spook me! as well, just because it was my first ever musical and Jan and me were completely
free to work on it. So the workflow had a very artisan feel and we really had this pressure if the visitors will
like our little story. I had never imagined such a success.
Do you take any inspiration from other composers or music when composing for the various Europa Park projects?
As a composer of course you´re influenced by a lot of different voices. Unfortunately we live in a time where melodies in film music become less important or at least less than the overall sound. I don´t like that just because I think that melodies have the power to touch our hearts and they are so timeless.
That´s why I always felt influenced by composers who are/were gifted to write them. Besides that I really like
the colours offered by a symphony orchestra. Ravel or Stravinsky (to name a few) really understood how to write such metaphorical gestures and atmospheres in their instrumentation.
How do you go about writing music for a ride? Where do you start?
I try to understand the story which should be told. I get insight into the planned theming and I talk
with the creatives to get a feel for the ride. Then I start to find a main theme and build everything around it and
the technical requirements. To build the music in real time to the building progress of the ride is very interesting as you see these two creative concepts coming together with each day you work on it.
We know that as well as composing excellent ride music such as that for Wodan, you've also scored some superb shows, including Spook Me! How do you change your approach to composing for the two mediums of shows and general ride music? Which do you prefer?
Both have their very own appeal to me. I'm a bit tech-addicted and really like to compose music for rides as you have several technical requirements you have to think about. Spook me! was an extensive project as I composed more than 40 minutes of orchestral music just for one project.
You also try to tell a story within the underscores and the songs during the musical. You have more time to develop the themes. In an artistic way I really was smitten by Spook me!
What theme park rides/attractions, which you are aware of, have soundtracks which you respect (that you didn't compose)?
Oh I really enjoyed the Soundtrack of Space Mountain by Michael Giacchino which has such a lot of fun channelled into that piece of music. The Soarin´ theme from Jerry Goldsmith is also a ride soundtrack I really respect for its atmosphere and remarkable melody.
And finally...favourite ride at Europa Park?
When it comes to the ride itself I'm a big fan of Blue Fire and Silver Star. But I also like nostalgic things and since my own childhood I always was fascinated by Eurosat and of course the Haunted Mansion - boo
We'd like to say a huge thanks to Hendrik for taking the time out to speak to us, and if like us you're a fan of his work, much of the music is available to buy over on the Europa-Park online shop.
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