Assume they don't have it. Almost no one does. They will correct you if you're wrong.

Go to a site with complete product info like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. Write down the following information:
Complete name: don't use abbreviations or guesses - for this release it's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings

Artist: Howard Shore and The London Philharmonic Orchestra

List Price: This lets you know when you don't have the correct item. The regular OST is so much different in price it will seem obvious but it's possible they could get it confused with the LE soundtrack, also. I just take it along to make sure.

UPC# (or the comparable): 093624437628 (This is a number unique to this item. I don't know if UPC numbers are used outside the US but if not, there's something comparable, I'm sure. - Thanks to Orbital for correcting my earlier mistake. I had to do a google search for the UPC.)

Label: In the US it says "Reprise / Wea"

Then go into the store and say, "There's a new CD release I'd like to buy. Do you do special orders?" Most stores want your business and even the smallest book or record store can order. Even if it's a sci fi book store, I'm betting they can order it and may just to get your business. When they ask you for details, you have it all. In the US, all you really need is the AISN number and that will do it.

I think when we ask for something and the clerk has no idea what you're talking about (and really... can you imagine the amount and variety of material they must deal with), they are put a little off guard. They don't recognize what you're talking about and even when you try to explain it to them, should they look under T for Two Towers (NO) or C for Complete Recordings (NO). It's under L for Lord of the Rings. And is it under soundtracks? (Probably not) or is it in the area for gift sets? (More likely). And if you asked "Do you have it?" and the answer is 'no', they won't know you're interested in ordering it unless you indicate that. I just checked the online site for a large national chain with a local brick and mortar store and it would not come up under any search I did. I finally had to go to new releases and browse. The clerks are at the same mercy and let's face it. Most clerks are working at minimum wage and will stay in that position for less than a year. We have to meet them half way to get the more difficult requests satisfied.

I think we can give up the concept that brick and mortar stores are going to carry this item. My metro area has a population of 2.8 million. Last year, I could only find two stores that had the CR-FOTR. This year, those stores do not have the CR-TTT. If one does not want to order online, I think the best bet is to go to your favorite Brick and Mortar store a week or so ahead of the release date and arrange for them to special order it.

Hope this helps.

quote:

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Originally posted by Magpie:
(...) AISN# (or the comparable): B000IZJZIK (This is a number unique to this item. I don't know if AISN numbers are used outside the US but if not, there's something comparable, I'm sure.) (...)

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Unique in general is the barcode no. or Universal Product Code - UPC (which is EAN in Europe).

The UPC for "our" beloved TTT:CR-set is 093624437628 - this number should be detectable in every retailer's catalogue.

See below: http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/4017/093624437628ooej5.jpg

quote:

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Originally posted by Wedge:
I live in the Lansing, MI area. Local "Best Buy" stores and "Schuler Books & Music" did not place orders for the TTT:CR (although I recall having seen FOTR:CR on "Best Buy" shelves as recently as last month) but were able to place special-orders. "Barnes & Noble", however, DID have a copy in stock -- and the gentleman behind the counter said they were ordering more. The set was 10% off, to boot.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Magpie:
Oribital (...)

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quote:

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Originally posted by Magpie:
I don't know what the release date was for Canada. If one is committed to buying at a brick and mortar store, here's how I would handle.

Assume they don't have it. Almost no one does. They will correct you if you're wrong.

Go to a site with complete product info like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. Write down the following information:
[b]Complete name: don't use abbreviations or guesses - for this release it's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings

Artist: Howard Shore and The London Philharmonic Orchestra

List Price: This lets you know when you don't have the correct item. The regular OST is so much different in price it will seem obvious but it's possible they could get it confused with the LE soundtrack, also. I just take it along to make sure.

UPC# (or the comparable): 093624437628 (This is a number unique to this item. I don't know if UPC numbers are used outside the US but if not, there's something comparable, I'm sure. - Thanks to Orbital for correcting my earlier mistake. I had to do a google search for the UPC.)

Label: In the US it says "Reprise / Wea"

Then go into the store and say, "There's a new CD release I'd like to buy. Do you do special orders?" Most stores want your business and even the smallest book or record store can order. Even if it's a sci fi book store, I'm betting they can order it and may just to get your business. When they ask you for details, you have it all. In the US, all you really need is the AISN number and that will do it.

I think when we ask for something and the clerk has no idea what you're talking about (and really... can you imagine the amount and variety of material they must deal with), they are put a little off guard. They don't recognize what you're talking about and even when you try to explain it to them, should they look under T for Two Towers (NO) or C for Complete Recordings (NO). It's under L for Lord of the Rings. And is it under soundtracks? (Probably not) or is it in the area for gift sets? (More likely). And if you asked "Do you have it?" and the answer is 'no', they won't know you're interested in ordering it unless you indicate that. I just checked the online site for a large national chain with a local brick and mortar store and it would not come up under any search I did. I finally had to go to new releases and browse. The clerks are at the same mercy and let's face it. Most clerks are working at minimum wage and will stay in that position for less than a year. We have to meet them half way to get the more difficult requests satisfied.

I think we can give up the concept that brick and mortar stores are going to carry this item. My metro area has a population of 2.8 million. Last year, I could only find two stores that had the CR-FOTR. This year, those stores do not have the CR-TTT. If one does not want to order online, I think the best bet is to go to your favorite Brick and Mortar store a week or so ahead of the release date and arrange for them to special order it.

Hope this helps.

[Message edited by Magpie on 11-09-2006][/B]

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Just two days after we get what we have anticipated for a YEAR, and all you ask about is the RotK CR?!? Give the poor man a break!

This set will most likely be my sole listening material for months to come!

Ok, something completely off topic, a humble request: when you reply to a lengthy post, could some of you *please* not quote the whole thing? Often it's like hundreds of quoted letters, followed by "Thank you very much!"

The album, Requiem for a Tower has been released by Corner Stone Cues. The first three tracks are the trailer remixes! You can read a review here. I can't find any evidence of a CD or even a website for Corner Stone Cues. But the album is on out there on iTunes.
<HR size=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep. I downloaded them immediately after reading the SoundtrackNet review, but I must say I was a little bit dissapointed. I obtained the full 4+ minute composition... ahem... from digging relentlessly through the BitTorrent and P2P networks, and it sounded very professional and good to my ears. Besides the weird introduction to that piece (ethereal vocals in odd ways), which I cut out, I sorta like it better than the officials that were just released, since these super short segments sound too chopped up for me.

[Message edited by PeterK on 11-09-2006]

P.S. Yes, Peter, I noticed that link didn't quite work the way I anticipated. I didn't get around to changing it though. Thanks.

quote:

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Originally posted by NeoVoyager:
Yep. I downloaded them immediately after reading the SoundtrackNet review, but I must say I was a little bit dissapointed. I obtained the full 4+ minute composition... ahem... from digging relentlessly through the BitTorrent and P2P networks, and it sounded very professional and good to my ears. Besides the weird introduction to that piece (ethereal vocals in odd ways), which I cut out, I sorta like it better than the officials that were just released, since these super short segments sound too chopped up for me.

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I too like the 4 min illegit version, but I felt obligated to actually buy the tracks - for good karma...

quote:

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Originally posted by Blue Dude:
Long time lurker, first time poster.

Just a question: if downloading something that you've already bought (if not yet taken delivery of) is illegal, immoral and fattening, what do you call it when, for example, you use a hacker's tool to rip the DVD-Audio from Disk 4 so you can encode it to DTS and play it on your non-DVD Audio player?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Magpie:
Lansing is old stomping grounds for me. My husband grew up in Okemos. We both lived as young adults in East Lansing (dead downtown in an old frat house turned into a housing coop) and then moved for a year to Lansing. We now live in the Minnesota. Do they still have Bell's Pizza and Spartan Subs in EL? I crave food from those two places.

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I believe Spartan Subs has gone the way of the dinosaur. (And if you did any used CD shopping back in the day, you'll be heartbroken to hear that Wazoo has gone out of business ... although FBC is still hanging in there.) But Bell's is still around -- whether you mean the one on Grand River, East of campus, or the "Bell's Greek Pizza" that's not far from the MSU Student Union, I don't know, but they're both still there. If you're ever in town, drop me a line ... pizza's on me.

PS - NeoVoyager: That iTunes store link is way too long, and is screwing up the format of the page. Try putting the link INSIDE the first bracketed URL like this: [url=http://....

I can remember driving in a big snowstorm to Spartan Subs for this spicy sub they had. I was in a Corvair so the traction was great. Since I lived downtown (right across the street from Jacobson's parking lot), I went to the original Bells but I've been to the other one.

My time in EL predates CDs. I told you I was older than dirt. I bought records at Homestead Pickin Parlor sometimes.

Having just recieved The Two Towers Complete Recordings I can safely say (though it needn't have been doubted) that it is absolutely fantastic.

I have just one minor problem though - I really wanted the small piece of Moria music that plays when Legolas first sees the Wargs to be in it, since it also was absent from the basic TTT release. I think this is explained in the Annotated Score, but I still think it would have been nice to add it just so we could have it on some recording. I really like that part and I'm just a bit disappointed it didn't make this score.

Apart from that though all brilliant, great work Doug and Mr Shore!

quote:

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Originally posted by Cavalier_of_Palahndtüs:
Well, I checked Amazon last night, and it was finally updated. It said that yesterday the package made its way to Greensboro, which is 3 hours from here. So, I hope it gets here today! I have a day off today and so it's a great time to get it and listen to it (even though I've other things to be doing ).

About the missing choral part from Wolves of Isengard... Yes, I know I can just listen to the OST, but because I'll usually be listening to the CR, I'd rather it be on there. From what some of you have said, that track is really awesome, especially with the "new" choral part. So, from my point of view, the OST and CR versions are both imperfect, because they're not "complete". Having both choral parts would be "complete". Of course, I appear to be the only person out of billions to really love that choral part, so I must suffer alone. *cries* "Oh, the agony!" I know, I'll get over it.....just not yet. Doug's explanation of "why" will help.

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I understand your concern, but I must say I was so pleased with the inclusion of the fiddle in stead (not a typo) of the choir part that I really don't miss it (although the fiddle should really be more prominent I think). Also, if both were included, they would have largely overlapped, which would have almost inevitably led to the fiddle being overpowered and drowned out by the choir... and I would rather hear the fiddle.

quote:

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Originally posted by Cavalier_of_Palahndtüs:
To NeoVoyager: The fiddle sounds good, but I'd rather hear the choir. The fiddle should've been on the OST and the choir on the CR! Both together would sound out of place (probably...overpowering isn't an issue because they can mix it however they want), and when I said both, I meant both choral parts, not the fiddle and choir together. I love the fiddle, but that's the only place I could do with out it, if only because of the choral part that melts my heart.

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I just called HMV (I live in Montreal, for what that's worth). The chap with whom I spoke indicated that yes! he knows of the set for yes! he wants it too. But that no! they (HMV) haven't got it in their database and no! after doing some research on his own, it has yet to be released here in Canada. BLEH!

In other words: do you understand why some pieces weren't used? Or would it have worked better with them? I have to say that as stunning as the unused music for Gandalf's resurrection is, I think the silence in the movie works better and is needed at that point.
We don't have to talk about the goofy Gollum music for Ithilien, I suppose that was a good choice as well
But the Wraith music in the Dead Marshes ... why in the world was that omitted? This piece is frickin' awesome! The same goes for the Warg attack.

quote:

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Originally posted by Magpie:
The choral piece for the Wolves of Isengard is on Track 12, Helm's Deep, of the OST. A useful page for this sort of question:
http://www.geocities.com/magpie930/RECONSTRUCTING/Tentire_movie.htm

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I matched the Wolves Of Isengard music with the picture, and it works absolutely beautifully. Magnificent, just magnificent!
I even edited the piece so that the choir from the OST now plays together with the Hardanger fiddle. It doesn't drown the fiddle out, it's perfect!

I don't want to bitch or anything, and I don't want to fuel the fire (not that there is one, but nevertheless ...) but over headphones you can clearly hear on the CR track that the choir gets faded in. And you can still hear some echo of the missing choir. Just like in the Weathertop piece, it wasn't recorded that way, it was artificially created in the mixing process.

Thank you once again for an amazing release! Thanks to you and your team for treating Howard's amazing score with such respect and dedication. You deserve many praises for your careful and considerate work.

I have a suggestion for material to be included on the multimedia CD/DVD that will supposedly come with your book, as you are apparently about to enter talks regarding the subject. It would be wonderful to have the unused music included on the complete recordings set to the clips from the films for which they were originally composed. It would help listeners place those unused pieces in context. Just something I think would be a wonderful addition to the multimedia content. Hope you will consider it!

Thanks again for everything you've done with these releases!

Doug, I've been thinking about things in my Magpie-ish way and it occurred to me that some of these might be something you'd consider discussing in your book.

I was only mildly in tune with soundtracks before LOTR. I bought soundtracks when they came on records: Romeo and Juliet (not the + one), 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, A Clockwork Orange. And years later, I picked up Last of the Mohicans at a thrift store and loved it. But I did not 'study' or collect soundtracks and had no idea that people did. I just fell in love with this one and couldn't stop listening.

So I wonder, how much has Shore's score for LOTR influenced music that came after? I think I can hear stuff in other music but I don't know how much is just standard soundtrack material that existed long before LOTR and/or Shore.

I wonder if the fan following for the LOTR soundtracks is any different than other scores? How has the fan following for the LOTR soundtracks shaped (if at all) any marketing of LOTR material or other movie score projects?

I once said regarding Tolkien fans, "It feels like we rule the world." What I meant was, I have no idea how many of us there are or how influential we may be but to us, in our little online communities, it feels like we are significant. We know how passionate we are and to what lengths we might go to pursue our passion. I don't know how numerous the LOTR movie score fans are, but in regards to us: why does it matter? I mean... why does the music mean so much to us? What has captured our hearts?

Although it may not warrant a direct discussion in the book, I do think the following warrants consideration while writing about LOTR: What draws people to the music? I'm thinking here about how it can be quite different for different people (and perhaps, gender). I've been honest that my site is driven by my obsessive desire to categorize the world. It's a left brain thing and I can be quite logical, organized, and analytical. I've spent my life immersed among males - I live with three (husband and sons) and we bash around combat robots for fun. I can do this. I think it's my left brain that brought me to a forum populated with males. It's my left brain that wants to organize the themes.

But I have a strong right brain as well. I want to feel the music, sing along. I put the music on as I fall asleep and my spirit surfs with the emotions. It's the right brain that puts me in touch with comments of fans like this: "I do not possess a musical bone in my body, but I know spiritually uplifting music when I hear it, and this (Sissel's Song) almost makes me want to drop to my knees."

I think you do a nice job of exploring both the logical and the emotional side of the music but I'm just as interested in how people react to the music. What's the story of this music outside the music?

Anyhow, those are thoughts running in my head. If you find they provoke thoughts in yours that are worth pursuing in your book, great. I have learned enough of your nature to trust you'll give us something good.

OK, I checked IMDb for all three and the only one that (mis?)credits Wagner is TTT. As Magpie pointed out to me, perhaps this is old info from early fans before extensive discussions like this one had taken place and all they need do is update it.