The Lord of the Rings Scores - Unusual Orchestral Arrangement?

[GoodMusician 56]

I just was listening to the complete score, something I've not done too much and something hit me:

The bass/cello are on the left side/center... I wasn't sure if anyone had noticed this before so I started looking around.

I opened the booklet to see if it had any mention of this (and if perhaps it was a mixing error).

Well, there is a picture in the book of the orchestra, and that is exactly where they are... The bass in the back left with cello in the center...which then makes me ask: why?

I've never studied much of the possible configurations of orchestras... I'm most familiar with the usual configuration with them on the right...

This must have been a conscious decision on his part but is anyone aware of any conversations with him on why he choose to do that?

I checked Two Towers and they're on the Left. Same with Return of the King as well... so he did it for all three...

I've heard of configurations where instead of Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, with bass in the right back, having the sections be Violin 1, Viola, Cello, Violin 2, with bass in the right back...

I'm guessing this is another configuration? Gotta say, I actually quite like it. It's different, and gives the score a different feel completely than It would have with the strings in the usual configuration.

Smart choice on his part.

Not being familiar with Shore on the whole, is this a practice he usually does? I know it said he wrote it like an opera and I thought maybe it was an opera configuration, but I've played in operas before and they usually match what the normal orchestra setting is...

anyone know anything or has this been discussed anywhere?

[fommes 153]

Shore often plays with the seating of the orchestra. Example par excellence: eXistenZ. He alters the usual construction of the orchestra in order to alter the perception of the orchestra (cf the various perceptions of reality in the film).

So I'm sure he did it with a reason.

[GoodMusician 56]

I love that... that's really cool... I'm usually quite particular about placement, but I can completely understand why he changed it in this case...something about the sound is so much richer this way... I do enjoy that...I might have to study him more.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Who knows wether he did it for any specific purpose, or just to create a sound that's a bit unusual.

Shore's a composer who's more customed to working with textures and sonic colors then with big thematic ideas.

[Incanus 5,715]

I do not think this orchestral set up is so unusual. I have seen it in a couple of concerts here. At first it really stood out on the LotR soundtracks but I am completely used to it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Maybe it's a Kanadian thang.

[Incanus 5,715]

So Canadians are slowly and insidiously introducing this diabolical new orchestral arrangement in Finland as well!

Where is this world coming to?!!

[oierem 152]

The orchestra placement Shore uses in The Lord Of The Rings scores is not something new; actually, is the most comon "alternate" placement used nowadays, and it was common in the 18th century. First violins, cellos and basses are placed in the left side, with the second violins on the right -this was done in order to get a sense of "dialogue" between first and second violins.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Cool!

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

First violins, cellos and basses are placed in the left side, with the second violins on the right -this was done in order to get a sense of "dialogue" between first and second violins.

And plenty of works were written specifically with that concept in mind. Wasn't it Stokowski who made the American setup popular around the world? Luckily, there are some trends to stick to the original setup. Also, some conductors choose the original setup for certain works which specifically exploit the stereophonic violin division.

[oierem 152]

I forgot the violas, which are placed, as usually, in the middle. Why do I always forget the violas???

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Cool. Now I have an explanation , why it sounds so wrong.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

Like authentic classical recordings, you mean?

[gkgyver 1,645]

Not all of us are ready for such dramatic changes, such as moving the celli from right to left .... in other words, changes that are none.

[oierem 152]

I also prefer the traditional placement. It feels that the high strings are compensated with the low strings. Placing the celli and basses with the first violins makes you feel that everything important is in the left side, and nothing on the right -it is quite clear the difference if you hear it in life.

I suppose that it depends on the writing, of course. A lot of times second violins and violas have no melody at all, just chords.

[GoodMusician 56]

well, if you look at lord of the rings, that's mostly all the strings play anyways...chords lol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Which is fantastic.

Perhaps Goodmusician will try to remix these scores so they can be heard in the more standard orchestral lay-out.

Come on, you know you want to Dawg!

[GoodMusician 56]

har har

Although the idea of completing these releases has crossed my mind.

[Red 75]

He could do that, but he would have to complete the Hook complete set first.

[Trent B 337]

I like the LOTR scores the way how they are...

[GoodMusician 56]

hence why I'm not touching them ;-)

I thought I might for a moment :-p but I'm glad I don't have...

Although completing the releases would be nice... the Complete scores are absolutely breathtaking and I am very happy with them... but the original edits of the film had some different scoring that ignored... that wuld be the ONLY thing I'd do differently but it's so low on my list of things to do lol