Howard Shore's An Unexpected Journey (Hobbit Part 1)

[gkgyver 1,645]

Well, Englishman, I second that for once.

[Quintus 5,399]

I'm disheartened to know I agree with you less than you disagree with me.

[Alan 689]

Got to say I feel Shore took Misty Mountains and really made it his own. The purely Plan 9 version doesn't seem to have a patch on what Shore does with it elsewhere in the score. On another note, I enjoyed hearing a bit of A Hobbit's Understanding at the end of 'A Troll-hoard'

[gkgyver 1,645]

I'm disheartened to know I agree with you less than you disagree with me.

I agree with half the stuff you post and disagree with half of the other half less than you deserve.

[Quintus 5,399]

*Confusedly looks at Chaac*

[gkgyver 1,645]

Does anyone else agree with me that "Erebor" kicks ass?

[KK 3,307]

Just got home, will finally able to give it a listen.

As for the Hugo bits, its not plagiarism. It's Shore's stylistic change.

Going in I think this score is going to be on par with the LotR scores but my only worry is its main themes won't be as memorable. Having said that, I think there's such a wealth of new material that will make this score fantastic (based on samples).

And finally, if you didn't LotR, you're not going to like this one.

Alright....I'm off to an adventure!

[gkgyver 1,645]

I'm right there with you

The Rivendell variations with the vocals on top are beautiful.

[KK 3,307]

Halfway through, and I'm loving it. The old themes are handled brilliantly (Lothlorien in action mode, menacing quotes of Mordor Descending Third and the Evil of Sauron, dwarf material in the fantastic prologue and Isengard quotes). And I love the integration of the new themes as well. Great Shire stuff and the new heroic themes.

More thoughts coming up later...

[mrbellamy 6,287]

Does anyone else agree with me that "Erebor" kicks ass?

Haven't listened to the stream (don't know if I will), but "Erebor" was definitely my favorite of the samples.

[Incanus 5,715]

Halfway through, and I'm loving it. The old themes are handled brilliantly (Lothlorien in action mode, menacing quotes of Mordor Descending Third and the Evil of Sauron, dwarf material in the fantastic prologue and Isengard quotes). And I love the integration of the new themes as well. Great Shire stuff and the new heroic themes.

More thoughts coming up later...

I think Shore actually created a new theme from the opening of the Descending Third, which is repeated a lot in the score as a new central villain motif. The finale of the A Good Omen with the ominous new idea, which can be heard along the way in what I believe are the Dwarf flashbacks, must be Smaug's theme. I can just imagine the dragon's eye in the last shot of the film as that motif plays.

[Matt C 454]

Wow. I'm really liking what I'm hearing. I love the return of old themes along with the fresher new ones, especially in "My Dear Frodo." Seems like a worthy companion score to the LOTR trilogy.

[Incanus 5,715]

I really enjoyed the first listen and while the new main ideas were not as immediately catchy to my ear than the LotR ones I am sure they will grow on me as I get more familiar with them. That said I was really engrossed in the musical story of this album from start to finish. It was a nice return to Middle Earth. People expecting deviation from the style or sound of LotR will be disappointed as Shore offers us an extension and part reinvention but remains loyal to what has come before.

[p0llux 398]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJMtHfSCAXw

[publicist 4,643]

I am amazed that you bothered to get the CRs. Why on earth didn't you just buy single more agreeable tracks instead of buying a lot of what is in your opinion boring and dead air?

Because i found some of the best music wasn't on them. Case in point were i. e. the big battle rally version of the moth theme in Part III, the whole third act in Part I and Part II.

But Incanus, it's nice to know that lion mama is always so protective of her babies..

[Brónach 1,302]

*Confusedly looks at Chaac*

??

[Quintus 5,399]

You were my little Hobbit friend.

[Incanus 5,715]

I am amazed that you bothered to get the CRs. Why on earth didn't you just buy single more agreeable tracks instead of buying a lot of what is in your opinion boring and dead air?

Because i found some of the best music wasn't on them. Case in point were i. e. the big battle rally version of the moth theme in Part III, the whole third act in Part I and Part II.

But Incanus, it's nice to know that lion mama is always so protective of her babies..

You mustn't hurt the Precious!!!

[KK 3,307]

Halfway through, and I'm loving it. The old themes are handled brilliantly (Lothlorien in action mode, menacing quotes of Mordor Descending Third and the Evil of Sauron, dwarf material in the fantastic prologue and Isengard quotes). And I love the integration of the new themes as well. Great Shire stuff and the new heroic themes.

More thoughts coming up later...

I think Shore actually created a new theme from the opening of the Descending Third, which is repeated a lot in the score as a new central villain motif. The finale of the A Good Omen with the ominous new idea, which can be heard along the way in what I believe are the Dwarf flashbacks, must be Smaug's theme. I can just imagine the dragon's eye in the last shot of the film as that motif plays.

He's twisted the Descending Third quite a bit, but it still sounds like it stands for the same thing. I believe there will be numerous references to Sauron in the film, and Shore seems to be connecting a lot of the plot points to him. I really liked the statement of the Evil of Sauron in "The Hill of Sorcery".

I also love how I can point out exactly where flashbacks might occur (My Dear Frodo, Moon Runes). The last cue also seems to be pointing to a possible theme for Smaug. Makes me wonder how much the score has changed since the production of this album.

Also, the action material is fantastic (Brass Buttons!). To go on, old themes are handled incredibly well (love the new variations of the Ring theme, the dwarf material and Gollum themes). I loved the prologue material in "My Dear Frodo". Great variations of dwarven material with exciting choral writing. Oh and one of my favourite moments is the statement of "A Hobbit's Understanding". Ahh...memories. I wonder how that'll play in film.

I've only had one listen (I might stop there, I might not) and this is great stuff!

I really enjoyed the first listen and while the new main ideas were not as immediately catchy to my ear than the LotR ones I am sure they will grow on me as I get more familiar with them. That said I was really engrossed in the musical story of this album from start to finish. It was a nice return to Middle Earth. People expecting deviation from the style or sound of LotR will be disappointed as Shore offers us an extension and part reinvention but remains loyal to what has come before.

I never expected it to be a deviation in style. I think Shore just considered The Hobbit as a part of the LOTR series, and so the score is an extension of the others (just every LOTR score was built off the last). That's how I look at it, and I'm glad Shore took that approach. That's how it should be handled, imho.

So if you didn't like LOTR, you won't like this one. Quite simple really.

My only gripe is Shore hasn't come up with a big theme to match the bold ideas of LOTR. Don't get me wrong, I love the new ideas (the ascending Journey motif in the opening prologue is something I've grown fond of). I just haven't heard the "Fellowship theme" of this trilogy. I have a feeling that the Plan 9 melody is what that'll be along with Shore's extension theme (the trumpet line in the trailer I've mentioned several times). But others have said, Shore really makes that theme his own (it goes through a great deal of manipulation and variation).

Regardless, this is one epic score!

[Jay 37,368]

The choral work is absolutely fantastic!

[Incanus 5,715]

The choral work is absolutely fantastic!

Indeed. I have always felt Shore writes top notch choral music.

[KK 3,307]

I expected nothing less.

[gkgyver 1,645]

Still, I can't shed the feeling that it's immensely off that he neither wrote the song, nor the most memorable theme from the score.

[Incanus 5,715]

Still, I can't shed the feeling that it's immensely off that he neither wrote the song, nor the most memorable theme from the score.

This will probably haunt us for a long time.

[Jay 37,368]

See I don't even think it's the most memorable theme from the score

[Brónach 1,302]

I've heard this, but not in its entirety.

The Plant 9 theme is in indeed the most memorable theme for me and the variations I heard of it are spectacular and it sounds so much like Shore invented it that the truth is kind of annoying.

[gkgyver 1,645]

It's the logic behind it that I don't get. I mean, that he liked Plan 9's theme and used it is completely fine. I would have too.

But the decision to not give him the song ... here is the guy who won three Academy Awards for original score AND original song on the last film, and on the other side you have some guys who contributed a few tracks for Fellowship that I almost always skip.

It just doesn't feel right.

I mean, that would be like using the "Elbereth" song in the score as the theme for Lothlorien.

[Jay 37,368]

Makes no difference to me who wrote what. I just put on the CD and enjoy the music

[Brónach 1,302]

It's the logic behind it that I don't get. I mean, that he liked Plan 9's theme and used it is completely fine. I would have too.

But the decision to not give him the song ... here is the guy who won three Academy Awards for original score AND original song on the last film, and on the other side you have some guys who contributed a few tracks for Fellowship that I almost always skip.

It just doesn't feel right.

I mean, that would be like using the "Elbereth" song in the score as the theme for Lothlorien.

I always thought that they had Shore write the song before shooting. Because sometime ago they said something along the lines of Shore preparing and thinking on the score since quite a while ago. So when I saw the trailer I was like "of course".

[Alan 689]

To me it just seems like a case of Plan 9 coming up with a great melody very early on in the whole process and Shore deciding not to fix something that wasn't broken. That Plan 9 was given source music to write is not out of the ordinary at all and Shore just decided to run with it.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Alan 689]

It might be slightly embarrassing though if that's the theme they play if/when Shore collects his Oscar

[Brónach 1,302]

It might be a little embarrasing if the score is not eligible (which I don't know because I don't know the rules for this year and they're everchanging and everstupid)

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

They will play Lincoln in the Oscars.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Thiking? Who is drunk?

Lincoln sounds better, I like also the Hobbit but isn't it kinda Lotr again?

The most interesting new theme is by plan 9 from o s

[Jay 37,368]

Doug Adams on the prologue track (My Dear Frodo)

There are at least five major themes in that composition.

http://www.musicoflotr.com/2012/11/kit-and-kaboodle_13.html#comment-709515383

Wow!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,350]

Journey theme?

[Brónach 1,302]

It might be slightly embarrassing though if that's the theme they play if/when Shore collects his Oscar

That's what my thought, too. If it's at least nominated, you can be almost 100% certain that the music they will play when The Hobbit comes up as they announce the nominees will be Plan 9's theme.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected journey by Howard Shore, Steve Roche, Janet Roddick, David Donaldson and David Long!

I dunno. Do we change the title of the thread?

[Incanus 5,715]

As I said before I suspect that the first film will begin with a flashback sequence of Smaug arriving at Erebor and the Dwarves escaping. The Dwarven music on the first track is a good indicator but the sinewy motif appearing there, which seems to denote evil is repeated at the last moments of the Good Omen and I think it the first glimpse of Smaug's theme.

The first film supposedly ends with a glimpse of Smaug's eye so this would make perfect musical sense!

[SF1_freeze 131]

I enjoy the score a lot although it more or less is a Revenge of the Sith type situation were many old themes are revisited in beautiful new clothes. So many of the places they visit are already established musically in FotR. Howard Shore nevertheless introduced beautiful and memorable new themes.

The two most prominent for me will probably only fully appear and be developed in the subsequent two films:

I am talking about the fantastic and epic theme playing in the "Erebor" sample which may describe the dwarven kingdom of erebor in heroic fashion or is just a theme for the area around the Lonely Mountain.

The other memorable melody is heard in full in the second part of the "Dwarf-Lords" sample. It sounds to me like a noble theme for the dwarves and their honor and legacy.

(These two themes may function in the same way as the Gondorian "Minas Tirith" and the "Realms of Men" themes.)

The most memorable theme for this specific film nevertheless will be the Plan 9 Misty Mountains theme. Hats off to Shore for the great adaption of this nice theme. As Doug Adams already said, he really makes it his own.

[Doug Adams 494]

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

[Jay 37,368]

Excellent insight, thanks Doug!

[Faleel 5,350]

Whats the really annoying string theme that pops up in almost every track in the beginning?

[Brónach 1,302]

Anyone else like the wird sounds underneath the choral statement of the Lothlorien theme in The White Council?

At any rate, I find Bilbo's two-part principal theme is what I walk away from the score humming.

I think that's my favourite theme.

However I've noticed myself singing to myself the Misty Mountains song without realizing it. In public places...

[scallenger 483]

Speaking of the Misty Mountains, for those who have heard the Extended Version of it, while it merely adds a couple minutes or so of instrumentals, I actually preferred that track not having this segment, especially since it's such a boring bit of music honestly. It'll be the rare case I'll prefer the OST version of this particular song. Grr.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Does a composer(Shore) this caliber, need a supporting speech?

Funnily, I personally liked the chord progression in Neil Finn's version over Shores.

Usually I prefer orchestral music.

[BloodBoal 7,538]