Epic Hybrid Orchestra
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The concert-and-album form of trailer scoring: large symphonic orchestra augmented with wordless or soloist choir, ethnic instruments, synths and huge percussion, written as self-contained pieces rather than campaign beds. Melodies are broad and anthemic, harmonies triumphant, and structures follow a cinematic build to a full-ensemble climax. Production is pristine and enormous, foregrounding soaring string and brass lines, angelic vocals and thunderous drums. It is the crossover idiom that turned anonymous trailer libraries into streaming catalogues and sold-out live shows.
History
The epic hybrid orchestra crystallised as Two Steps from Hell, Thomas Bergersen (solo albums Sun and Illusions) and Audiomachine began releasing polished, publicly available albums in the late 2000s and early 2010s, reframing production music as a listening genre. E.S. Posthumus and its vocal offshoot Globus had already fused orchestra, choir and world percussion on Unearthed (2001) and Epicon (2006), while Future World Music and Really Slow Motion extended the palette. The style feeds trailers, games, sports and 'epic music' playlists and now supports touring orchestral productions, most visibly Two Steps from Hell's world tours.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Mervyn Cooke, A History of Film Music (2008)
- The Cambridge Companion to Film Music (2016)
- Billboard and Vulture profiles of Two Steps from Hell