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Doug Adams

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Everything posted by Doug Adams

  1. Doug Adams
    The Descending Third underscores the Orcs in ROTK. Again, I certainly don't mean to supplant anyone's opinion, but in point of fact, both the Wraith's signature chord and variations on the Descending Third are used throughout the finale and lead up to Thorin's charge. People may not love the pacing, etc., but the material is indeed in the scene. D
  2. Doug Adams
    The use of the theme comes indeed very suddenly and in full force. There is no build-up as such, it just starts abruptly. This scene doesn't somehow earn it at this point in my opinion. Again, that's entirely subjective, so I certainly won't argue your opinion. However, it's worth noting that this sequence begins with the Descending Thirds motif, which has been presented in a sort of devolved variation upon almost every appearance of Azog. The fight with Thorin is very much the culmination of a compositional thread that has been running throughout the full score. Obviously this doesn't make it better or worse, but it's important to note that there is, in fact, a dramatic through line. D
  3. Doug Adams
    It's not "the explanation," it's just another example of how the music of Mordor (or variations) is consistently assigned to the Orcs in this score. Love it or hate it, the finale is very much in keeping with the pervading approaching. D
  4. Doug Adams
    Don't ban anyone on my account. They got me fair and square. No harm done ... Peace, D
  5. Doug Adams
    I haven't seen the film with finished fx, but from what I've seen, it's not clear where the Elves hail from (other than Elrond). I doubt Galadriel arrived unaccompanied. As for the Ringwraiths, if you read between the lines of my previous post, I kind of did explain it. Studio prefers that I say no more for now.
  6. Doug Adams
    Well, the elves that arrive in Helm's Deep seem to support my point. Yes, they are from Lothlorien, but they are also sent by Elrond. To me, Rivendell music symbolises more... ecumenic...for a lack of better words.. nature of Elrond, who seems to be more willing to interact with other races. Whereas Lothlorien describe the original Elvish nature. That's purely my interpretation, though. Karol The Lorien theme plays because they are Lorien Elves, and that is that! There isn't a single instance in LOTR that supports your interpretation. Nothing in the film suggest that link,. It sounded like a new recording to me. Ofcourse it's not completely without precedent. In the FOTR prologue Shore used Ringwraith material to represent Sauron. But in The Hobbit, there isn't a single tie that I can think of between the Nazgul and that scene. Actually, Azog's theme throughout the score is a(nother) variation on the Descending Thirds, so there's already a connection to the Sauron/Necromancer material. Make of that what you will ...
  7. Doug Adams
    I don't think Doug said anything about album sequencing at all, did he? Well, I thought he did. It's presented this way for a specific musical reason. It will all make perfectly logical sense. Ah! My apologies, I didn't realize you were talking about the bonus tracks -- thought you meant the main body of the score, which is essentially in film order. Gotta keep track of my own posts!
  8. Doug Adams
    I don't think Doug said anything about album sequencing at all, did he?
  9. Doug Adams
    Re: Misty Mountains -- As a bit of perspective, remember that composers such as Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky crafted some of their most highly regarded works out of preexisting folk melodies. Listen to Stravinsky's "Greeting Prelude" and tell me if you hear more evidence of the great Russian or of a children's birthday song. Heck, Bizet built one of Carmen's most famous melodies out a of song by a contemporary of his ... albeit unknowingly. The point is, this kind of thing is not at all without historic precedent. And in each of these cases, the composer did something so original with the preexisting melody that the backstories hardly registered. The songs and the composers' settings really became separate entities -- and neither diminished the other in any way. Alternatively, think of it this way: you've now heard how Neil Finn worked with Plan 9/David Long's melody and how Howard Shore worked with it. Pretty remarkably different, no? It all about how the material is developed and who's developing it. Each musician made the piece his own. And that's not to take any credit away from Plan 9. They too made the piece their own in the diagetic presentation. At any rate, I find Bilbo's two-part principal theme is what I walk away from the score humming. This is The Hobbit after all! It's also key to understanding the musical connection between Bilbo, Thorin, and Erebor. Doug
  10. Doug Adams
    Hi tannhauser (love the name!), Shore didn't work on the diagetic music for the LOTR films either. That's always been a Plan 9/Fran Walsh thing (or Billy, or Vigo ...). Only real difference this time is that the diagetic piece has been brought into the score a little bit more. Best, Doug
  11. Doug Adams
    If I say anything about either the score or the film, they get my firstborn!
  12. Doug Adams
    It's presented this way for a specific musical reason. It will all make perfectly logical sense.
  13. Doug Adams
    I have heard the score; that I can confirm. I wouldn't have felt comfortable writing about it otherwise. Other than that, I'll just say: it’s rarely safe to assume …
  14. Doug Adams
    Yes, I did one set of liners for the Standard Edition and another for the Deluxe. It was an absolute joy! Can you tell us, are the Deluxe liner notes expanded in comparison with the regular release? A bit like Annotated scores VS the finished book? Or do we have to wait and see? I'm honestly not sure what I'm allowed to say. Uh, I guess the Deluxe notes are ... more deluxe. I can't get sued for repurposing an adjective, right?
  15. Doug Adams
    Yes, I did one set of liners for the Standard Edition and another for the Deluxe. It was an absolute joy!
  16. Doug Adams
    "That guy"?
  17. Doug Adams
    I got it from an East Coast auction house that primarily specialized in items from American history: letters and speeches from presidents, etc.
  18. Doug Adams
    I own the pencil (well, the only one that still exists) with which Williams wrote the score to Star Wars, as well as a letter from him explaining the pencil's origins. Someday I'll see that it's placed in a museum, but in the meantime, it's sitting next to me giving me a massive inferiority complex.
  19. Doug Adams
    Or a mock-up... To be clear, there's nothing floating around on the internet. I was shown Williams' original manuscripts by an official source. Sorry, hope I'm not getting anyone's hopes up.
  20. Doug Adams
    It's fascinating, but I can see why he eventually chose to abandon it. You can really see Williams working out certain technicalities -- mostly formal -- as he goes. It's not a train-wreck, it's just a bit of a workshop on paper.
  21. Doug Adams
    Very much like the wind sinfonietta in terms of counterpoint and harmonic language.
  22. Doug Adams
    I've read the score.
  23. Doug Adams
    HS does not at all like to speak publicly about projects before they start, or while they're incubating. That early creative period is incredibly important to him.
  24. Doug Adams
    Well then Shore most likely is there for the Hobbit. Doug Adams has been very quiet about the Hobbit scores for a while now on his blog. Perhaps I'll ask him if he knows anything about this. He's currently in NZ. He's not currently recording anything. ... And that's all you're getting out of me! D
  25. Doug Adams
    That'll be more a decision of the studios and record companies, and it's honestly just too early for them to begin thinking about such things. Certainly I would hope such a project will be possible ... and the success of the LOTR Compete Recordings and the book don't hurt the situation. But in short, we really don't know yet. Of course, the score still has to be composed and recorded, so one thing at a time.
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