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

gkgyver

By gkgyver
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Doug Adams
Doug Adams

Shore wrote every note you'll hear, same as ever. He writes themes away from picture, then writes the actual compositions to picture. It's the same process he's always used. At the same time, he super

Doug Adams
Doug Adams

Yep, I was on my way out the door to visit the sessions NZ when the phone call came in telling me to unpack my bags. Later the following winter, Shore had me over to hear his full Kong score, but onl

TownerFan
TownerFan

All the people who work for these kind of big studio productions are obliged to Non-Disclosure Agreement, so it's perfectly understandable they cannot go into details. It's great that Conrad Pope is s

gkgyver

gkgyver 1,647

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That sneaky Jackson ...!

Now that I somehow managed to keep my giddyness for part two at bay with a healthy dose of realism, he comes along and makes me all excited again!

About the OST, anyway, I still have reservations about the film.

But what I would give to hear a glimpse of Mirkwood and Beorn ...

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Incanus

Incanus 5,765

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I hoped for Leonard Cohen's Smaug's Song. But that didn't come to pass, I see...

Karol

Bob Dylan's Cross The Green (Lonely) Mountain would have been awesome.

Is Alvar serious?

Is Alvar ever serious?

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Barnald

Barnald 391

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Nick Cave could do a rather demented Smaug's Song, and he'd keep up the Antipodean male trend. Plus he was at the London premiere of AUJ last year...

I'm guessing the main theme of 'Edge of the Wild' (heard at the end of 'The World is Ahead') was perhaps intended as Shore's main company theme, or at least a theme to complement the Misty Mountains one.

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tannhauser

tannhauser 101

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Why is there any reason to think that the Misty Mountains theme wasn't Shore's intended Company theme? It's a no-brainer, and a great melody.



I guess we'll be finding out about the song soon, fingers crossed for one by Shore!

I also think Shore must have written a strong theme for the company, just like the fellowship, but they decided to use the Misty Mountain song as this theme. Maybe Shore's original will be introduced in Film 2, just as the Fellowship kind of had a different theme for being in Rohan. We've heard enough Misty Mountains in the first one, so I hope there's only one or two statements of it in DOS.

I'd much rather hear more great new variations of it, like we heard already in the first score. A new theme would be stupid and pointless.

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Barnald

Barnald 391

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I suspect the decision to adapt Plan 9's work was Shore's decision and not one forced upon him. I also suspect that Shore wasn't naive enough to think that once he placed his interpretation of that theme in the teaser it would end up being anything other than the main company theme. Audiences would be familiar with it and expect to hear it, and PJ would have known this. The theme's prominence in the final film was probably not entirely Shore's decision. I imagine he was disappointed that his own 'Edge of the Wild' theme and other compositions didn't feature so as to create a finer balance.

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tannhauser

tannhauser 101

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Why is there any reason to think that the Misty Mountains theme wasn't Shore's intended Company theme? It's a no-brainer, and a great melody.

I guess we'll be finding out about the song soon, fingers crossed for one by Shore!

I also think Shore must have written a strong theme for the company, just like the fellowship, but they decided to use the Misty Mountain song as this theme. Maybe Shore's original will be introduced in Film 2, just as the Fellowship kind of had a different theme for being in Rohan. We've heard enough Misty Mountains in the first one, so I hope there's only one or two statements of it in DOS.

I'd much rather hear more great new variations of it, like we heard already in the first score. A new theme would be stupid and pointless.

I agree on the song though. It would be great to get something composed by Shore. I didn't like Enya's May it Be, while the other two end credit songs were awesome (apart from Annie Lennox' wretched "singing". I much prefer to hear Kaitlyn Lusk's performance on the Symphony recording)

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#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal

#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,338

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Of course none of this has any factual base and it's just fanboys dreaming stuff up.

Alvar, you have no evidence Shore had ideas for a Company theme. Many composers don't start to flesh out ideas till they actually see a rough cut.

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Barnald

Barnald 391

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I think you're right BloodBoal. In 'The World is Ahead', the Plan 9 theme dominates and then we get that snippet of the 'B' theme at the end. The reverse is the case for the original music intended to accompany the walk from Rivendell, as heard in 'Edge of the Wild'. It seems to suggest that Shore was trying to balance his use of both themes. But in the end neither rendition of his 'B' theme features, which is very unfortunate. That said, I still love the 'Misty Mountains' theme playing over the company embarking from Rivendell.

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Incanus

Incanus 5,765

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I think we will know only when Doug Adams perhaps is finally given permission to speak of these things. At the moment he is bound by his non-disclosure agreement.

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Incanus

Incanus 5,765

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I think we will know only when Doug Adams perhaps is finally given permission to speak of these things. At the moment he is bound by his non-disclosure agreement.

Yeah, but guessing is much more fun than just being given the answers by Doug.

True. :)

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KK

KK 3,307

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To be honest, the Plan 9 theme is never really integrated into the fabric of the score with as much thought as the big LotR themes (like the Fellowship theme) were. I agree that Shore was the one who probably decided to use the theme, but perhaps late in the process. Because Bilbo's Adventure from "Erebor" or "The World is Ahead" seems like it was intended to stand for the company.

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gkgyver

gkgyver 1,647

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I agree. When it's used, it's used pretty upfront and Shore puts it out there. But he does not use little hints pf it throughout the score like he does for (for example) The Fellowship theme.

Of course he does. Moon Runes is just one example. The White Council another.

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KK

KK 3,307

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I agree. When it's used, it's used pretty upfront and Shore puts it out there. But he does not use little hints pf it throughout the score like he does for (for example) The Fellowship theme.

Of course he does. Moon Runes is just one example. The White Council another.

Even those statements simply seem like obligatory references to the theme. Never do we hear fragmented statements in any of the action sequences or the emotional moments as you would hear in the original trilogy.

Same goes for TTT and ROTK.

Except the Fellowship was fragmented in TTT and part of ROTK.

I don't think you should take the music so literally. You make it sound like you can only make fragmented statements of the theme when the fellowship/company is fragmented. That's an irrelevant detail to me. If all I get to hear is the bold Misty Mountains theme shouting out heroically all the time, then it sounds static and soon begins to wear out its welcome. Its why the Fellowship Theme is so successful, because it's always there in different forms, evolving. It feels like its PART of the ever-changing story.

The Plan 9 theme just pops in to say hello every now and then for the obligatory heroism. Does it sound awesome? Yes. But it doesn't last.

Because Bilbo's Adventure from "Erebor".

I thought Bilbo's Adventure was the theme from A Very Repectable Hobbit?

Same theme my friend. ;)

Bilbo's Adventure plays out for the first 40 seconds of "A Very Respectable Hobbit". It is then further expanded into a more robust, adventurous variation in "Erebor".

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Incanus

Incanus 5,765

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The Misty Mountains Theme (=The Company Theme) really transforms from a song melody into a fully fledged theme the instant the dwarves and Bilbo leave the Shire. I would say the song in itself is a motto that the dwarves have been obsessing over for a long time and would make sense that their intention and goal would be readily realized in full form when they begin their journey, the diegetic music transforming into score and finding a new very solid subtext immediately. This is actually an interesting move from the film makers.

Whether or not the integration is entirely succesful is up to each listener of course. I feel that sometimes it works in the first film sometimes it doesn't. It feels to me as well that the song wasn't the first option for the Company Theme when they started to craft the score but after the overwhelmingly good reaction when used in the first trailer PJ must have felt that it had the right resonance with the audience.

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tannhauser

tannhauser 101

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And a similar version with a different harmonisation just before Goblin town. There's a fragmented version at the beginning of Over Hill and an unused fragmented variation in the alternate roast mutton. It isn't all big power anthem readings. Also, it's a much longer melody than fellowship, and we often just hear the first phrase or two, only hearing the full theme at the very musically satisfying renderation at the climax of goblintown. It's never repeated the same way twice although one or two are very simolar. The orchestration varies and sometimes thorins theme is used as counterpoint. It's just as lovingly meticulously and brilliantly used and developed as any other theme.

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#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal

#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,338

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I hope DoS will be a better score the AUJ.

I mean it's fine, but Shore didn't really have much to work with. It's basically a big chase movie. And Shore didnt have a lot of room to do those beautiful (solo) choral moments that the LOTR trilogy is blessed with.

Most of the choir stuff is really action material.

The flight of the eagles to the carrock is really the only cue that has that "middle earth beauty" sound. And it's so brief.

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