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

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

If I were Moderator, Lee and Publicist would have been finished!

[KK 3,307]

I dare not, for the life of me, speak for the music Inky. I dear I may upset the balance between publicist and GK. Quint is kind of a wild card on that spectrum.

You were given the burden of meddling in such affairs. Tread lightly!

[Incanus 5,715]

If I were Moderator, Lee and Publicist would have been finished!

Oh don't you start again with your delusions of grandeur!

On a more Hobbity note (pun intended) I found the quotes of the Shire material in this score to be well placed and Shore wedded some nice new variations on them into the score but they do not overstay their welcome as this is clearly more about the other cultures now even though Bilbo is along for the ride and his role becomes so pivotal on Erebor.

I am glad Jackson also allowed for different quotations of the History of the Ring theme to be more varied yet recognizable in DoS, which can be heard on both the album and in the film. In AUJ they felt obtrusively tracked or repurposed (in the film) but here they feel entirely natural in the flow of the music. I am glad we got to hear Shore's original intentions on the AUJ albums though. Those were great. Not too obscure and not too direct but perfectly teasing the listener, going from Gollum's material to the History of the Ring theme very fluidly.

[Quintus 5,399]

If I were Moderator, Lee and Publicist would have been finished!

Mate you would be devastated if I went. Our little twenty page PM chat thread is proof of that

All that slagging off we do would cease to be!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Ssssttttt!!!!

Please Lee, not in front of the others!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Jay 37,371]

So how about that Desolation of Smaug score, eh? I really like the version of the History Of The Ring theme in Flies and Spiders when Bilbo recovers the ring. It sounds really old-timey, kinda like the version for Smeagol/Deagol, but different.... and I like that it played a bit stronger than in AUJ, as the ring is starting to take some sort of hold on Bilbo / Sauron is starting to gain more power.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I liked Shore's Ring material in AUJ, just not so much the recycled stuff in the film.

[Incanus 5,715]

I am glad Jackson also allowed for different quotations of the History of the Ring theme to be more varied yet recognizable in DoS. In AUJ they felt obtrusively tracked or repurposed but here they feel entirely natural in the flow of the music.

There is no direct statement of that theme apart from the one in Flies And Spiders, right?

Yeah in the film that is one direct quote but there are a few hints of the theme here and there in the score as the Ring is mentioned. A Feast of Starlight has that curious quick variation at the end. I wonder what it was supposed to underscore? Jealous Legolas? Bilbo hovering near the prison cells?

[Jay 37,371]

I am glad Jackson also allowed for different quotations of the History of the Ring theme to be more varied yet recognizable in DoS. In AUJ they felt obtrusively tracked or repurposed but here they feel entirely natural in the flow of the music.

There is no direct statement of that theme apart from the one in Flies And Spiders, right?

There's another one in Feast of Starlight.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

TABA end credits song has to be The Road Goes Ever On sung by Martin Freeman.

I'm being dead serious here.

Yes.

[Incanus 5,715]

TABA end credits song has to be The Road Goes Ever On sung by Martin Freeman.

I'm being dead serious here.

Yes.

And Gandalf could join him in the second verse!

I'm being dead-facetious here.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Which version though? There are several.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Incanus 5,715]

Which version though? There are several.

Well preferably the one in final chapter of the Hobbit but they could add some extra verses from LotR if need be.

It could be called Roads go ever ever on as in the novel.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Barnald 365]

I have to say, after listening to the score quite a lot in the last few days, I now absolutely love the House Of Durin theme. Probably my favourite new theme of this trilogy so far with Bilbo's main theme.

That heroic statement at 0'54 in My Armor Is Iron is pure gold! (Though that's a perfect example of a moment where I find the mix to be just too fucking wet).

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

I believe I agree with you, in regard to both themes. I had been hoping, however wrong, to hear the Dwarrowdelf theme again, but this is very reminiscent and just as good. And, unlike Bilbo's theme, it's actually heard in the film!

[Bilbo 3,709]

TABA end credits song has to be The Road Goes Ever On sung by Martin Freeman.

I'm being dead serious here.

Yes. I would love if the film ended with Bilbo singing this to himself.

[Jay 37,371]

Can Martin Freeman carry a tune?

[Barnald 365]

Can Ed Sheeran?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Could Viggo Mortensen?

[Jay 37,371]

Viggo not so much, Ed Sheeran definitely!

[Glóin the Dark 1,222]

That heroic statement at 0'54 in My Armor Is Iron is pure gold! (Though that's a perfect example of a moment where I find the mix to be just too fucking wet).

How delightfully polysemous!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Viggo not so much, Ed Sheeran definitely!

What do you think of the song Jason?

[Jay 37,371]

It's a great song, possibly my favorite of the end credits tunes

It functions horribly in the film though, and on album too even. SOMETHING is needed to bridge the end of My Armor Is Iron to it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Wow a fair and balanced opinion! I should ahve it framed!

I'm totally fine with the song on its own. Good pop tune.

I just DON"T think it works in combination with the score

[Jay 37,371]

I've been talking about how much I liked the song since it was released months ago....

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

It's a great song, possibly my favorite of the end credits tunes

It functions horribly in the film though, and on album too even. SOMETHING is needed to bridge the end of My Armor Is Iron to it.

Yes... if only someone would experiment with composing something to do that!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I've been talking about how much I liked the song since it was released months ago....

I avoided the LOTR threads for the most part, till I got the score. It was rather maudling in there not that long ago, remember?

[Bilbo 3,709]

Can Martin Freeman carry a tune?

I think he'd be fine doing it.

Also Viggo at the coronation > Ed Sheeran's entire "musical" output.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Sigh. Such nonsense.

Sheeran is a fine singer. The near militant reaction to him just becasue he commited the terrible crime of singing the DoS end title song is pretty silly.

[Bilbo 3,709]

Sigh. Such nonsense.

Sheeran is a fine singer. The near militant reaction to him just becasue he commited the terrible crime of singing the DoS end title song is pretty silly.

I disliked him long before that.

[Jay 37,371]

Sigh. Such nonsense.

Sheeran is a fine singer. The near militant reaction to him just becasue he commited the terrible crime of singing the DoS end title song is pretty silly.

+1,000,000

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Sure, Bilbo and so did everyone else here who never heard of him before I See Fire and hasnt actually heard any of his other songs

[Bilbo 3,709]

Sure,a nd so did everyone else here who never heard of him before I See fire and hasnt actually heard any of his other songs

I actually have heard his singles. The A-Team was ok the first time but got old very fast. I don't like his falsetto. The one with Rupert Grint in the video was very forgettable. I think it was called LEGO House but I can't remember. There was also one where he rapped

[Glóin the Dark 1,222]

I much prefer Martin Freeman's skills as a backing vocalist, displayed in his accompaniment to "Free Love on the Freelove Freeway".

[Bilbo 3,709]

I much prefer Martin Freeman's skills as a backing vocalist, displayed in his accompaniment to "Free Love on the Freelove Freeway".

I didn't know he did that! I thought Noel Gallagher did backing vox (as well as guitar) unless they both did?

[Glóin the Dark 1,222]

Ah - I just found the Noel Gallagher version (didn't know about that before), so I don't suppose Martin Freeman's in that.

What I meant was his role as Tim in the original performance of the song in The Office.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

I much prefer Martin Freeman's skills as a backing vocalist, displayed in his accompaniment to "Free Love on the Freelove Freeway".

Ah, yeah! One of the best moments in the show!

[Bilbo 3,709]

Ah - I just found the Noel Gallagher version (didn't know about that before), so I don't suppose Martin Freeman's in that.

What I meant was his role as Tim in the original performance of the song in The Office.

Yeah, Freeman isn't in this one. Forgot how good Noel's backing vocals are in that. I must listen to the one BB just posted as I've never heard that version.

EDIT: Freeman was funny more than anything else. Still think he could do as good a job with The Road Goes Ever On as Holm did!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I prefer Ed Sheeran to that tw*t Noel

[Bilbo 3,709]

lol

[crocodile 8,017]

And Karol, I too, thought the choral statement would be removed after everyone kept going on about the lack of music at the end. So I was really pleased to see that eerie statement accompany that beautiful shot of Smaug shooting into the sky with glittering gold. Its a shame they cut that last bit though...such a creepy ending.

Wait, what last bit? I thought the whole cue played out as on the album. I can remember that cliffhanger-like crescendo after which there was silence and then credits.

Or did I play it live to projection in my brain?

Karol

[MedigoScan 324]

I think the very last twenty or less seconds are dialed out.

[gkgyver 1,645]

Yeah, I thought it wouldn't be because you saw the film before me and mentioned it here. But then, it proved not to be the case. It cuts off at the exactly same moment.

Karol

No, it doesn't. The last 10-15 seconds were cut off. It was originall meant to end with the crescendo to the black screen.

Would you humor me a bit more and return to civil discourse with gkgyver and the rest of the gang.

Georg if you are reading this please stop antagonizing or being antagonized and refrain from verbal abuse. If JWFan falls what will happen to the rest of the civilized world. Countries will begin to fall like dominoes. Chaos will engulf the interwebs.

Of course I read it, and don't worry, I have Lee on ignore for quite some time, just occasionally I read a post of his, and am constantly amazed by his sheer ... well, let's not continue this. I just happened to read a post in which he attacked me personally. Won't happen again hopefully.

Sigh. Such nonsense.

Sheeran is a fine singer. The near militant reaction to him just becasue he commited the terrible crime of singing the DoS end title song is pretty silly.

He's a fine singer alright. It's the song and it's tone that are utter crap for DoS.

"Oh misty eye of the mountain below", what does that even mean?

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

"Oh misty eye of the mountain below", what does that even mean?

It's imagery. The narrator (Sheeran) is describing how a mountain looks from a bird's (or dragon's) eye perspective, with mist and clouds being the sclera.

[Warren Peace 3]

People say Sheeran's song clashes with Shore's score, which is true. But in the film's context, I think that digression is justifiable. The song underscores a moment of great change in the narrative ("what have we done?"). SOTLM cheers the company on when they consider themselves righteous. "I See Fire" sees that righteousness tattered . It's a musical left turn representing a dramatic one.

[gkgyver 1,645]

People say Sheeran's song clashes with Shore's score, which is true. But in the film's context, I think that digression is justifiable. The song underscores a moment of great change in the narrative ("what have we done?"). SOTLM cheers the company on when they consider themselves righteous. "I See Fire" sees that righteousness tattered . It's a musical left turn representing a dramatic one.

One can rationalise everything.

In my book, it's just an awful dramatic choice.

[Incanus 5,715]

I just don't like the song. Period. Nothing more intricate or deeper than that. Perhaps it is Sheeran's voice, perhaps it is his simple accompaniment, perhaps it is the tune itself. It just doesn't click with me nor feel appropriate for Middle Earth.Such things happen. It feels like 20 somethings' late night camp fire wine sipping song that could be used in a TV series episode ending montage of young people pondering their relationships (with some slow motion shots of serious 20 year olds staring into the night) but not in a Middle Earth movie.

[gkgyver 1,645]

Yes

That's what I thought about, too. Some second grade horror movie with kids sitting around a campfire.