The Music of the Hobbit (Now with possible Spoilers)

Post by **Alatar** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:13 am

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

Yes I am starting to work on the Hobbit. A lot of the group is coming back together to work on it. It’s really a wondrous occasion. It’s fantastic guide for me to be able to go back to Middle earth and create more music , ‘cause these films, the films, are placed before Fellowship of the Ring, so I have to go back into Middle earth a little earlier and pick up my writing, and write a piece that would grow and take you right into Fellowship of the Ring.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:03 pm

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!

Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:11 pm

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.

Post by **Alatar** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:15 pm

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

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:18 pm

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

Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:21 pm

Okay.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:28 pm

Post by **WampusCat** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:30 pm

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.

Post by **Teremia** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 4:50 pm

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!

Post by **Alatar** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:34 pm

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

viewtopic.php?t=1875

Post by **Teremia** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:42 pm

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!

Post by **ArathornJax** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 4:26 am

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.

Post by **Pearly Di** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 1:48 pm

Teremia wrote: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>

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.

Post by **WampusCat** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 3:05 pm

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.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 3:44 pm

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.

Post by **kams** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:30 pm

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!

Post by **Pearly Di** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:17 pm

kams wrote: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!

Post by **ToshoftheWuffingas** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 12:42 am

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.)

Thu Oct 02, 2008 12:47 am

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).

Post by **ToshoftheWuffingas** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 12:54 am

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.