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I'd call it a waste of time and effort, since the DVD comes with a Dolby Digital tracks wich plays on all DVD players.

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Not really. It's all about the bit rate. DD maxes out at 448k and DTS at 1536k. I'd encode with multichannel PCM if that was a legal DVD-Video audio format. It's not, so DTS, with the highest bit rate, would have to do. I have no intention of splurging quite a few hundred dollars to play (eventually) three discs. The only thing I would be missing is bit depth (24 vs. 16) but I'm not sure I can tell an audible difference.

It would seem rather off to use that motif in that particular scene.

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Originally posted by gkgyver:
[B]I noticed in "The Sons Of The Steward" that the music over Denethor's first appearance (the very first glimpse we get at him) is very similar to the score that plays over his dialogue with Gandalf. Could that be Denethor's theme? Does he have one?

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I think that you may be on to something here. There seem to be a few hints at the ROTK Denethor/Faramir/Minas Tirith material in this track.

P.S. you can always use paper glue (not stick the other one)

It's funny how everyone "ignores" this thread right after receiving their copy of the set! (Happened with FotR: CR) So much talk right before it comes out and then, practically silence after it comes out. Then, when it gets close to RotK's release date, it'll really pick up again. Then.......who knows.

I like what you recently had to say, Magpie, and I have something to say, but.....well, I'm too lazy to type it up right now!

>>>It's funny how everyone "ignores" this thread right after receiving their copy of the set! (Happened with FotR:CR) So much talk right before it comes out and then, practically silence after it comes out. Then, when it gets close to RotK's release date, it'll really pick up again. Then.......who knows. <<<

I am into my third listen through (along with a full listen to FotR). And I will venture some comments, if I may. It is, of course, a remarkable and stunning achievement... both Maestro Shore's and the production team's, esp. Herr Prof. Adams'!

This piece is quite overwhelming! And that may in part account for our stunned silence! However, I will say that this set is so much darker, more intense than FotR and thus more difficult to sit through. It is almost unrelieved "war, war, war" and ever deepening gloom and oppressiveness.

As indeed it should be, for that is how the history of M-e goes at this point.

Gone are the oases of the gentle Shire, Rivendell, or Lothlorien and even the lost grandeur of Moria, the quiet glide down the Anduin. They seem now to be only faint whispers, fading memories, passing melodic and harmonic remnants receding into the distance.

Even those glorious moments of Gandalf in Nature or in the Fellowship seem more monumental and thus heavier however bright their brief gleams...

Aragorn and Arwen are overshadowed by mortality... Fangorn is no woodsy park, but a shadowy forest... Heroic Rohan is threatened and under seige... Gollum (like the Ring itself) is seeping into Frodo's and Sam's every waking (and non-waking!) moment with his self-pity, his malice and his envy...

And through it all the pounding, pounding, pounding of Orthanc... the stomping brutality of Saruman's orcs... the ceaseless searching of the Wraiths...

And not least, the recording seems, seems says I, actually louder too. ;-)

It will indeed be a long wait for the Return.........

Timdalf

[Message edited by Timdalf on 11-13-2006]

In case you missed it, let me collect my latest thoughts:

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.

I have yet to play the other bits up against the screen, but what do you think?

I noticed in "The Sons Of The Steward" that the music over Denethor's first appearance (the very first glimpse we get at him) is very similar to the score that plays over his dialogue with Gandalf. Could that be Denethor's theme? Does he have one?
Plus, in the same track I noticed that little Cello motif that play in Fellowship when Boromir says to Frodo "There are other roads we can take". It play in TTT when Denethor asks Boromir to go to Rivendell.

Question about tracked ROTK music: when Gandalf confronts the Witch King in Minas Tirith, a triumphant version of the "Fellowship In Rohan" motif plays. I've never noticed or even considered that such a motif existed, but now that I know ... is that part of the score tracked in from TTT (the scene in Helm's Deep, when Gimli jumps into the Uruks' way to protect Aragorn)?

I also noticed that the cello motif I spoke of shares a resemblance with the Minas Tirith theme. It's used only twice, once for Boromir in his crucial scene at the end of FOTR, and once for Denethor in TTT. Maybe it is intentional and is supposed to illustrate by which ill- guided mentality the former glory of Gondor got ruined by drawing a connection to the Minas Tirith theme.

I like the longer end credits suite; it flows well. The woodwind arrangement of 'Evenstar' sounds like something out of Shore's The Yards. Lovely.

Ringing in on the music: this set, for the most part, exceeds my expectations! A phenomenal, enveloping, shattering experience! It stands up both on its own merits, and as the middle part of a vast musical odyssey. I can't get enough of it. Gorgeous packaging and superb liner notes from Mr. Adams only sweeten the deal.

My one criticism of this set consists of the editing of the end credits suite, which breaks up the original Rohan material to insert chunks of tracked music from earlier in the score. They're well-chosen chunks, but tracked nonetheless. The alternate passage from "Evenstar" with English horn replacing the vocal line is interesting, but I would have preferred it on the theoretical "bonus disc" that may accompany Doug's book. But this is a very minor quibble, a question of taste (since this musical positioning had the approval of the composer, it's hard to argue that it compromises the integrity of the work).

Actually, I would have liked to see "Arwen's Song" added to the TTT credits suite instead of tracked music -- for while it ultimately wound up being used for the ROTK:EE DVD's "Houses of Healing" sequence, the song was originally written for "The Two Towers". Then the ROTK set could have restored Shore's original "Houses of Healing" composition (heard in the ROTK:EE end credits) to its proper location. But can I understand the marketing realities that would make this shuffling around impossible to justify.

Even though I do not know TTT as well as FotR I am surprised how the music is still engraved into my memory so well. Many smaller cues instantly and vividly take me to that scene or moment they play in the film. Shore's music encompasses the whole world of the film. One of the biggest joys for me is the fact that Shore's compositions seem to reflect the exact way of how I think Tolkien's world should be presented in music. So the music can't get much better than that

About the set itself I have only praise. The design is very appropriately Rohan and Doug Adams' liner notes are again informative and engaging (you write so effortlesly and vividly about the music Doug. Kudos!). Same goes for the Annotated score which has been a very interesting and helpful tool while listening. The amount of unused cues was a surprise even though we got an advance warning from Doug about that. I am so glad we have gotten to hear it all. Brilliant stuff.

To list individual great moments and tracks is pointless as there are so many. Every track offers something wonderful and I still discover new things all the time.

Oh and now we finally know the name for that little theme which plays in the end of RotK when Sauron is destroyed. "Fate of the Ring". We discussed about that recently (but about 15 pages ago ). Apparently everybody was right about it as it connects to the other Ring material and Evil Times motif

These are my initial thoughts after 5 or 6 complete listenings of the TTT CR. More thoughts to follow on specific points of the score in near future

[Message edited by Incanus on 11-14-2006]

The Annotated Score for The Two Towers says that the song, "The Abyss" is in Andunaic but the online web content accessible with some disc I bought (DVD, SE Soundtrack.. not sure) said this was 'Dwarvish'.

The song, "Durin's Bane" (credited as being Khuzdûl) has the phrase, 'ala lukhudizu!', 'This is your light!'

"The Abyss" has the phrase, 'irkat-lukhud ma' 'no shaft of light'.

Since 'lukhudizu' and 'lukhud' are similar and are attributed to the same concept, I would assume that "The Abyss" is not Andunaic but, instead, Khuzdûl.

Yes, as a semi-amateur proofreader it is just toooo tempting not to point out that "sheildmaiden" occurs three times in the TTT Annotated Score... (not to mention a few other typos!) I wonder if it is too late to correct those? I seem not to remember a single one in all of the FotR AS!!... It's a totally trivial issue, but when one respects the work done (musical and annotative) so much it is unfortunate, and especially when we are dealing with the works of a major linguist of the 20th c. And look at all the typos and style errors that only with the recent 50th Anniversary Edition of "LotR" got their just comeuppance....

Timdalf

I feel like I have a keen eye and a constant quest for perfection but Timdalf will be able to tell you how many mistakes pass by my eyes. I think two things figure in:
One, deadlines.
Two, to the typesetter/editors, so much of this is a foreign language. It would be very hard for the non-Tolkien/music/soundtrack scholar to pick up what seems right and what should be questioned. It some ways, it's technical writing.

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Originally posted by Magpie:
The Annotated Score for The Two Towers says that the song, "The Abyss" is in Andunaic but the online web content accessible with some disc I bought (DVD, SE Soundtrack.. not sure) said this was 'Dwarvish'.

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I live in Toronto and also searched all the big stores and only HMV knew it was coming out, but the store buyer didnt order any. He said it would take several weeks to get in. Sam the Record Man said they would only do special orders.

So I gave up and decided to turn to Amazon. The Canadian site originally said it would take about 3 weeks. (It now says 1 to 2). So, I placed my order on November the 8th, and received it today, the 14th. I think thats pretty darn good.

Anyway, just wanted to let other Canucks know that it is available in a pretty reasonable amount of time.

Also, I am really looking forward to hearing the full music for the climax of the Return of the King, especially when Mount Doom explodes and the Fellowship realize that Frodo and Sam might have perished. That music is the most heartbreaking and beautiful music I think I have ever heard, and it will be an absolute joy to listen to that.

I also am eager to hear the subtle music for the small scene where Frodo has his voiceover at the end ("There are some things that time cannot mend, some hurts that go too deep....")Yes, is it subtle, but very emotional and effective to fit a very moving scene.

What music are you guys most looking forward to hearing from The Return of the King?

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Originally posted by StarlessWinter:
What music are you guys most looking forward to hearing from The Return of the King?

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Originally posted by Olorin:
Tracksounds.com has an interview

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Thanks for the link! Always good to hear some more tidbits on ROTK:CR and the Hobbit! Wouldn't that be sweet?! Sounds like Howard Shore is fairly optimistic about the Hobbit!

-Chad

"It wasn't practical to play 11 hours of music, but it was practical to play two hours in a concert hall with an intermission."

Gee, ya think?!

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CC: Now that you say that, there has been quite a bit of talk about THE HOBBIT being made into one or two movies...possibly by Peter Jackson. If that happens, do you see that as another opportunity to dive back into that world and detail?

HS: Yes. Definitely. Peter and I both want to make the movie. We've talked about it. We really want to do it, so we're hoping it all works out. I would love to return to Middle Earth and write more music for that world.

CC: In the back of your mind, have already begun that process?

HS: Yes.

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Oh sweet joy! Let's all pray to the movie god that he aligns the stars for this one!

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Originally posted by Magpie:
gkgyver, I'm with you on Liv's song. I mostly keep quiet about it because so many fans love it but it doesn't seem to fit at all.

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