The Music of the Hobbit (Now with possible Spoilers)

Thu Oct 02, 2008 12:58 am

Well, I think it is healthy to have a few dissenting voices. I mostly love the music, and one of the things that most impressed me was the use of Elvish lyrics. I must say that as I have learned more about the "neo-Elvish" phenomenom it has influenced my opinion of that to some extent.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:07 am

I've been rather glad of my own ignorance on that point, to be honest.

Post by **TheTennisBallKid** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:21 pm

For The Hobbit, they should use the studio's first choice for the Trilogy: James Horner. Bring in Celine Dion to sing the credits song; and ta-da!

And my Road will go on and on....

It would seem redundant for me to express admiration for Shore's work on LOTR, and enthusiasm that he will be doing The Hobbit,...

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:01 pm

Brilliant suggestions, TTBK!

Though—I'd never happened to hear that the studio wanted Horner.

<has brief heart attack>

Post by **Erunáme** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:13 pm

I'm glad Shore will be doing the music. It means more nice stuff to listen to.

I think Shore does a wonderful job with melodies and themes, but I think his harmonies and chord progression could use some work. Too often he does block chords that seem to move in a parallel motion. That can be a bit boring.

Shore used to be my favourite score composer until I discovered Bear McCreary.

Post by **Holbytla** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:55 am

I'll boycott the movie if Celine has anything to do with it.

Howard Shore is fine. I think it will add some continuity. While I don't think he is astounding, I think he is the right fit.

Post by **Tyrhael** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:55 am

In the joint del Toro / PJ online chat regarding 'The Hobbit', I planned to ask whether they intended to once again utilize "Elvish" in inscriptions, lyrics, dialogue, etc., but wasn't able to.

... Then of course if David Salo was chosen again he'd be between a rock and a hard place on whether to keep neo-Elvish consistency with the Salorin of the PJ trilogy, or to instead reflect all the Arkastarin info published since (that actually agrees with his theories ...)

Post by **Elentári** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 3:13 pm

Kams wrote:

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

TORn board member Earl has a website where he has analyzed Howard's music, and he has identified a "Lonely Mountain" theme used in FotR. Perhaps Howard may revisit this for The Hobbit. Here's a link: http://thehouseofeorl.googlepages.com/T ... untain.htm

Post by **Crucifer** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:59 pm

Shore's score had moments of absolute brilliance to it, but as a whole, I wasn't totally convinced. Moments that stuck out were 'Concerning Hobbits', and the Rohan theme, to name just a few, but I think he should have kept that hellish 5-beat thumping for Isengard throughout the trilogy.

I'd love to see him back for The Hobbit, especially if he shows development of his Shire themes and his ability to write a coherent score in gereral.

Post by **solicitr** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:32 pm

Arkastarin?

Post by **Alatar** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:04 am

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/10/02/lo ... at-i-love/

Anyone want to transcribe? I can't view it in Ireland.

Post by **Lalaith** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:29 pm

'Lord Of The Rings' Composer Howard Shore On 'The Hobbit': 'It's Really A Return To A World That I Love'

Posted 15 hrs ago by Adam Rosenberg in Video

Last night, MTV's Kurt Loder sat down with "The Lord of the Rings" composer Howard Shore and Pippin the Hobbit actor Billy Boyd at The Paley Center for Media. Kurt was there to moderate a panel called Shore on the Score: The Music of "The Lord of the Rings," which featured Shore, Boyd and The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films author Doug Adams.

The event kicked off a week long "Lord of the Rings" celebration which will culminate with live performances of the "Fellowship of the Ring" score at Radio City Music Hall on October 9 and 10.

At the panel, Shore confirmed that he'll be working with Peter Jackson again soon on the score for the Guillermo del Toro-directed adaptation of The Hobbit." Much like what he did for "Lord of the Rings," Shore will compose his music before he ever sees a frame of the film.

"I dream and read, and read and dream about it and that's how you compose. You know composing is sort of an intuitive act," Shore said. "You have to put yourself in the right frame of mind. You want to enter into Middle-earth in a certain way and then you start creating."

Since "The Hobbit" is essentially a prequel to the "Rings" trilogy, there's also the question of how the music of the older films might relate to this one. "Well, the idea with the three films that we made we wanted to have a seamless quality to it, and the three films were made at once. The two 'Hobbit' films are also being shot together. The world is a seamless world, you want feel like 'The Hobbit' takes you earlier, it's an earlier story," he explained. "Certain things will have to be referenced really, possibly in a more simple way, a less complicated way. So that you feel that 'The Hobbit' is a part of this [larger] story."

Post by **Lalaith** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:31 pm

(If I send you the video link through Facebook will you still be unable to view it? I'm thinking so. I haven't watched the video to see if it's worth the trouble.)

Post by **Elentári** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:32 pm

Me too, please Lali!

Post by **Lalaith** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:44 pm

I don't see how sending the link through FB will help. I don't have time to do it right now, but, this afternoon, I can try ripping the video and uploading it elsewhere. I watched it, and Howard Shore does have a bit more to say in it than the article quoted.

Post by **Alatar** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 2:02 pm

Yeah, I can read the article, but the video is region locked. You'd have to rip it and upp to Youtube or something.

Post by **Lalaith** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 2:14 pm

That's what I'll try. Barring that, I'll transcribe, as you asked in the first place.

Post by **Lalaith** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 7:18 pm

The best I can do:

LODER: Are you composing for the Hobbit already?

SHORE: Yes, yes…

LODER: Are you doing it the same way?

SHORE: I dream and read, and read and dream about it and that's how you compose. You know composing is sort of an intuitive act. You have to put yourself in the right frame of mind. You want to enter into Middle-earth in a certain way and then you start creating.

A lot of it has to do with just the smallest gestures, just with the characters, and with the relationship of the characters. And because the Hobbit really starts where we began, in the Shire with Bilbo, you know, it’s really a return to a world that I really love. You just want to...

LODER: Even though it precedes LotR, will there be any echoes of the themes from LotR in this?

SHORE: Well, the idea with the three films that we made we wanted to have a seamless quality to it, and the three films were made at once. The two 'Hobbit' films are being made, are also being shot together. We wanted to create, the world is a seamless world, you want to feel like 'The Hobbit' takes you earlier, it's an earlier story.

But then the 60 years you enter into a fellowship of the ring. And it’s a nice, you know, you just make this great, easy transition to it. With that in mind, that certain things will have to be referenced even in a more, maybe possibly in a more simple way, a less complicated way. So that you feel that 'The Hobbit' is a part of this [larger] story.

LODER: Has Guillermo had any words for you or any suggestions yet?

SHORE: Oh yeah. What we’re mostly talking about is music used in the film, like source music, because it’s the first thing you want to start to think about is music that’s, you know, somebody’s who singing or an opera singing or anything that has music in the film.

Sat Oct 03, 2009 8:29 pm

Cool. Thanks, Lali.

Post by **River** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 8:39 pm

Erunáme wrote: Shore used to be my favourite score composer until I discovered Bear McCreary.

I sort of like the idea of the Road Goes On and On being the credits song for The Hobbit, but only if someone other than Celine Dion sings it. Especially since Bilbo actually sings that song as he heads off to Rivendell in Jackson's FOTR. It would be a cute little piece of continuity. Or, alternatively, they could finish with the song the elves sing when Bilbo comes back to Rivendell on the return journey ("Tra-la-lally, welcome back to our valley" or some such; if it turns out even approximately as annoying as the way I've heard it in my head, it will be awesome

).