Since news is starting to trickle in, I thought I'd start a thread for any tidbits that surface.

This latest is one reference made by Howard Shore in a recent interview

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The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End

I love how the right choices from the LotR films are coming back to benefit the Hobbit films. Nothing could be more perfect as a way of integrating all these movies than to use the same fine composer in all five—a composer who's already shown his skill at creating and evolving themes to illuminate the story. I was thrilled to hear he was going to do it; even more thrilled to hear he's already at work. Thank you, Alatar!

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“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Al, are you thinking of this thread as being just for the music, or for any tidbits of news about the films? If the latter, I have a few other things, but the title should probably be changed. If the former, I'll post them elsewhere.

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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'

I was thinking of Music Tidbits. The more threads the merrier.

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The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End

I agree. The music is going to be providing a whole stream of tidbits soon.

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“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Okay.

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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'

<dusts hands>

<shakes hands with Alatar>

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“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

What a fascinating approach! Writing something that would naturally lead into what you've already written ... what a challenge.

And he's just the man to do it.

I look forward to the music for the Hobbit even more than I look forward to the films themselves!



If Howard Shore weren't doing the score, I actually would lose much of my interest in the movies -- down to "Narnia" level, approximately. The Narnia films had a good cast, pretty images, whatever, but lousy music. And Narnia really needs to have GREAT music! <edits out rant on socio-historical role of music in Narnia and Surrounding Lands>

Anyway, this is just to say I'm happy, happy, happy to think of Mr. Shore tinkering away with hobbit music!

Teremia, did you see my post on the Isolated Score DVD?

viewtopic.php?t=1875

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The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End

I hadn't seen that post until now -- but music+images version of LOTR sounds like something I would really love. Thanks for pointing me in that direction!

It should be a wonderful, rich and rewarding experience. I really enjoyed Shore's scores for the Trilogy and will eagerly anticipate hearing his score for the film.

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1. " . . . (we are ) too engrossed in thinking of everything as a preparation or training or making one fit -- for what? At any minute it is what we are and are doing, not what we plan to be and do that counts."

J.R.R. Tolkien in his 6 October 1940 letter to his son Michael Tolkien.

2. We have many ways using technology to be in touch, yet the larger question is are we really connected or are we simply more in touch? There is a difference.

I would love to hear your rant on the music in the Narnia films, Teremia. (That wholly inappropriate song they played in the final scenes in Caspian ... ) It's such a shame because somebody somewhere could have written a really great score for Narnia.

Good news about Shore, certainly.

The thing I'm most looking forward to in the Hobbit movie is Smaug ...

And I want someone really hot to play Bard.

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"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... "
Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
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Joins rant against the absurd song at the end of Caspian. It was just wrong.

The songs at the end of the LOTR films at least seemed in line with the rest of the score.

And, they didn't start until the credits, so they weren't intruding on the action of the film; you could hear them as reflecting the film.

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“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Doesn't Shore already have a Bilbo's Theme from LOTR? I expect he'll resurrect it plus the Hobbit Theme.

Years later and I am not tired of listening to them!

Oh, no, never.

They're as enduring as anything classical.

They're just that good!

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"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... "
Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Avatar by goldlighticons on Live Journal

They've just shown the trilogy again on UK network TV and the melody from the Annie Lennox song at the end is used to wonderful effect on Mt Doom.

(This from a heretic who is not altogether convinced by the Shore score.)

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You're not the only one, Tosh. David Bratman, a pretty well known Tolkien scholar who also reviews classical music for a local paper has expressed lukewarm views about the score, at best. And I would imagine that someone like Carl Hostetter (registered here as Aelfwine) is probably less than enamored of Shore's use of "neo-Elvish" lyrics (perhaps Carl will comment if he sees this).

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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'

Well I wrote that snippet to praise a particular moment not to criticise the score. I don't really want to rain on other's enjoyment. As a straight piece of music I can enjoy it if say I hear it on the radio.

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