Howard Shore's The Desolation Of Smaug (Hobbit Part 2)

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

You're not in the minority at all, I think everyone (who posts in these threads) loves the DOS score.

That's 7 people.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

They've become very seasonal for me, unlike LOTR, which is evergreen. Haven't listened much to either of them outside of the couple months surrounding the films. That'll probably change.

[KK 3,307]

DoS is definitely better than AUJ in my book (though AUJ has other strengths of its own). But that verdict isn't as unanimous as you'd think, at least with people outside of JWFan.

They've become very seasonal for me, unlike LOTR, which is evergreen. Haven't listened much to either of them outside of the couple months surrounding the films. That'll probably change.

I'm somewhat along those same lines. It was moreso with AUJ than DoS (which I've listened to more frequently outside of that season), but that's likely to change, as you said.

[Incanus 5,714]

For me these scores have already become perennial. I enjoy the gradual progression from comforting musical tones of the Shire and familiar places like Rivendell in AUJ to the dangerous and darker musical landscape of DoS.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[crocodile 8,008]

In all fairness there is a lot of meandering aimless underscore in the old trilogy. Especially in films two and three.

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[SafeUnderHill 205]

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Barnald 365]

I agree with you entirely about 'On the Doorstep' BB. It's probably my favourite track.

[SafeUnderHill 205]

[SafeUnderHill 205]

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Barnald 365]

I imagine there are a few alternates in there for sure. I still don't buy that PJ would have had the EE done in September/October and that it was all scored then. It's never happened before. I'm sure some new/extended scenes have been scored, but I'd be very surprised if all of them were.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Barnald 365]

I agree. Unfortunately I suspect that's what we'll end up getting. I hope the Thrain flashback stuff was scored. Strikes me that those parts would have still been in at a late stage.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[crocodile 8,008]

How interesting can this material be? Rumba version of Smaug theme?

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,347]

Oh, I figured out what that "theme" in the opening titles (and Mirkwood) of DOS is (the bit right before the Shire theme), it is the last notes of The House of Durin.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,347]

Must have been while I was away

Beware a Hobbit bearing gifts:

Lake-town source

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBD_HWZqa3U

Legolas percussion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry1UHZ6eKlQ

This is no chance Meeting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFNhiWhL7iM

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,347]

Is there a title for the piece within the credits BB?

EDIT: or I could stop being lazy and look at them myself

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,347]

The Forest River (Complete)

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,347]

Definitely.

I think the first appearance of Bolg's theme is cut short, the "fade out" note sounds wrong.

[KK 3,307]

Damn, I forgot how fantastic that cue is. I really need to give this score another spin soon.

There is still stuff missing, but nice to hear some of the unreleased bits. Thanks Faleel!

[Faleel 5,347]

BTW where is the bit that people say sounds like Zimmer's MOS theme?

[Incanus 5,714]

BTW where is the bit that people say sounds like Zimmer's MOS theme?

Since I have not heard MOS I have no idea. I just thought you should know.

And yes hearty thank you for your work Faleel! The extended Forest River with the unreleased segment sounded great. We really need CRs for these scores!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[MedigoScan 324]

Man I am lovin that Bolg material, shortlived though it may be

[Faleel 5,347]

BTW where is the bit that people say sounds like Zimmer's MOS theme?

Who said that? Where? When? How?

A Filmtrackser, its just two notes ( )

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,347]

To be fair it does sound like it, just a gazillion percent more intelligently orchestrated.

[Jay 37,353]

Great work on that edit, Faleel.

I don't think it's really missing anything, actually.

Though towards the end you included an awkward film edit, where the album version was already unedited there

[Incanus 5,714]

The Bolg material with those slightly modified Descending Thirds is great stuff. Might be a late revision and thus didn't make it to the soundtrack album. As we know Azog himself was originally hunting the dwarves in the scene.

[Jay 37,353]

LOVE the Bolg material! Such a shame it was cut out of the album version. I get why he did it though, the final assembly he put together flows well the entire time, while the unedited version would have more of a "stop and start" feel to it

[Incanus 5,714]

LOVE the Bolg material! Such a shame it was cut out of the album version. I get why he did it though, the final assembly he put together flows well the entire time, while the unedited version would have more of a "stop and start" feel to it

Agreed!

[Faleel 5,347]

Great work on that edit, Faleel.

Though towards the end you included an awkward film edit, where the album version was already unedited there

Are you talking about 2:27? what about that music in at 2:32? is that the unused (in that intended spot) ending for the earlier Bolg theme bit?

[Jay 37,353]

I think everything from 0:00-2:40 or so sounds great and isn't missing anything (maybe a half-second here there or there due to film fading)

The edit I was talking about is at about 5:44 - that awkward edit doesn't need to be there, that's just a film edit and not the way it was composed or recorded.

EDIT: Wait a minute, is that the extra Legloas-on-dwarf-heads moment that isn't on the OST in that area? I can't recall right now and don't have the album version handy to compare.

[Faleel 5,347]

That is the ending of the Legolas bit.

[Jay 37,353]

Right, OK. It all makes sense now then.

Great work!

[Faleel 5,347]

I think the first statement of Bolg's theme is edited, the end of it sounds like an edit

I mean the ending sustained note at the end of the first Bolg bit does not mesh with the last orchestra "hit" IMHO

[KK 3,307]

Listening to the cue again, it just confirms my suspicions that what we heard in film is just patchwork of different recordings stitched together. I'd like to hear a complete version recorded with proper musical flow.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[KK 3,307]

Yup, that's on the top of my "most wanted" list of unreleased Middle-Earth music.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Jay 37,353]

The film version isn't a patchwork of separate recordings.... its the full recording (with some sections dialed/faded out). The album version is the one that's edited. Some of the edits sound really obvious to me now too (especially at 0:21 and 0:58.... the ones at 0:32 and 0:42 are pretty good and have a nice musical flow)