Howard Shore's The Battle of the Five Armies (Hobbit Part 3)

[Jay 37,375]

How do you not know how to use Amazon? On the page that comes up for the SE CD, click See All Formats and Editions.

[gkgyver 1,646]

I do know how to use Amazon and that small button, and the regular edition just DOES NOT SHOW ON MY PC!

[Faleel 5,365]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxQSwI5aPja9RU1hUWYxM2RHeE0/view?usp=sharing

[Incanus 5,716]

Anyway, is the violin theme at the start of Battle For The Mountain the Arkenstone theme? In the booklet, Doug writes the theme is very prominent in the score, I just didn't really hear it yet outside A Thief In The Night.

I wondered where Arkenstone has disappeared from the score as the main programme contains one clear rendition of the theme A Thief In the Night (the Dragon-Sickness does have a few though) and the jewel is or I would imagine it is a major plot element. Back to the listening board!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Incanus 5,716]

There has been some more "extroverted" music as Doug put it, in DoS already. The Forest River was quite unusual for Middle Earth already I think and this new score continues the development. Shore moves bit closer to a "normal" action/adventure scoring but I think he still retains the Middle Earth sound for the most part.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[KK 3,307]

Question: Did you like Bred For War? Has a modern-ish rhythm to it, that I personally love it.

A lot of the militaristic rhythms are very Shore though. But they were never as pronounced in LOTR. Here, it's mixed to he foreground, so I can see where one would complain about the lack of the Middle-Earth feel.

It's still great music though. Just doesn't sound like ROTK.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[KK 3,307]

Mithril? How did you get the idea that that was the Gundabad theme?? Doesn't sound Orc-ish in the least. It's more of a war motif I'm guessing for the siege/first battle.

The Gundabad motif is what you hear in Bred For War. I find it deliciously evil. Very nice texture, and I really like the rhythm.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Incanus 5,716]

Ah, well, then the Gundabad theme is not badass at all, but this war motif is very much so!

Mithril? How did you get the idea that that was the Gundabad theme??

What the fuck do I know? I'm just blind-guessing here, since I have no idea what might be happening in those scenes!

I thought the Bred For War theme was probably for the bats, because I suppose the music here plays in the scene where Lego and Tau see the bats going to war.

Yeah the marching motif at the end of Mithril sounds like music for battle preparations of the "good guys" elves and dwarves etc. but as I have not seen the film I don't know for sure yet.

[KK 3,307]

The army will probably be revealed then too,with the bats.

That's personally one of ,y favourite motifs. Like a more evil extension of the Witch-King motif. And that little fanfare along with the trilling brass on top is awesome.

I'm going to listen to that cue now!

[crocodile 8,020]

Ha! Got the album now.

Karol

[Incanus 5,716]

[crocodile 8,020]

And read liner notes! As we already agreed, the music somewhat suggested those points on its own, even without us not being trained musicians. But yeah, neat little article.

Karol

[Incanus 5,716]

Here is my rather lengthy and a tiny bit analytical review of the score at Films on Wax.

Beware my ultra positive tone! I am after all a believer.

[crocodile 8,020]

It's awesome, naturally!

Karol

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Incanus 5,716]

Question: Did you like Bred For War?

That's one of the tracks I have a problem with. The end in particular, with that percussion rythm, doesn't do it for me. Not a big fan of the new theme introduced here (is it for the bats?), either. I much prefer the Gundabad theme (if I'm not mistaken, that's the one introduced at the end of Mithril)! Now, that's (Gunda)badass!

Correction: that theme (whatever it is for) is introduced in The Ruins Of Dale.

Yup and my guess it is for Thorin's gang preparing for war against Thranduil and Bard.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Incanus 5,716]

Nothing is decided until either we see the film or Doug Adams sings.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Incanus 5,716]

Oh I forgot the 2013 Nazgûl theme debacle. Well gosh-darnit!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Jay 37,375]

The verdict is in: There is NO music unique to the Standard OST whatsoever this time. Only some clean endings, which may or may not be fake ones.

Surprisingly, I was wrong about To The Death - it's not just the SE track with the quiet ending part lopped off, they actually took out a chunk of the middle of the track for the Standard version! Blasphemy!!!!!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AjiRtgP4_o4TdHdFUExoRi1GMjlxRjl6V0hXY2JKU1E&output=html

[Incanus 5,716]

The verdict is in: There is NO music unique to the Standard OST whatsoever this time. Only some clean endings, which may or may not be fake ones.

Surprisingly, I was wrong about To The Death - it's not just the SE track with the quiet ending part lopped off, they actually took out a chunk of the middle of the track for the Standard version! Blasphemy!!!!!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AjiRtgP4_o4TdHdFUExoRi1GMjlxRjl6V0hXY2JKU1E&output=html

A curious choice.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[gkgyver 1,646]

There has been some more "extroverted" music as Doug put it, in DoS already. The Forest River was quite unusual for Middle Earth already I think and this new score continues the development. Shore moves bit closer to a "normal" action/adventure scoring but I think he still retains the Middle Earth sound for the most part.

Which still leaves the question what the whole "lead into Fellowship" deal is about. 'cause Fellowship sure as hell doesn't sound like BOTFA.

[Incanus 5,716]

There has been some more "extroverted" music as Doug put it, in DoS already. The Forest River was quite unusual for Middle Earth already I think and this new score continues the development. Shore moves bit closer to a "normal" action/adventure scoring but I think he still retains the Middle Earth sound for the most part.

Which still leaves the question what the whole "lead into Fellowship" deal is about. 'cause Fellowship sure as hell doesn't sound like BOTFA.

I doubt they could ever make them sound alike when there was the need to both treat this as its own trilogy and try to bridge it with the Fellowship of the Ring. It is still a new story and it begins at the beginning despite the way PJ linked them. If Shore had been tied down to creating a strict evolution of the sound the Hobbit scores would undoubtedly sound quite different. To my ears this last score of the Hobbit trilogy moves thematically towards the Lord of the Rings rather than soundwise, attempting to bring the crucial themes up to a point where they can move to Lord of the Rings in a natural way. And there are many factors affecting the sound of these scores, the collaboration between the director and the composer not the least of them.

[MedigoScan 325]

well I am seeing the movie in about 9 hours, after which I will probably be too beaten by sleep to post thoughts here

[Jay 37,375]

Movie thoughts in the other thread, score thoughts in this thread!

[MedigoScan 325]

thoughts about the movie score is what I meant to say <.< >.>

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Jay 37,375]

I can't seem to stop myself from listening to Fire and Water every morning as I get close to work. Such a fitting end to a great character!

And I just love the way Shore turns Bard's relatively mopey DOS theme into a heroic version in the middle track. It's so cool!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,365]

And read liner notes!

Karol

Jay, does the standard have the liner notes? or is it like DOS and has no notes?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Jay 37,375]

I won't know until I get home from work tonight.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

How? Score isn't available in America yet.

[Jay 37,375]

[KK 3,307]

People with liner notes, is there an "official" name for the new theme yet? The one for Bard rallying Laketown?

[Faleel 5,365]

People with linear notes, is there an "official" name for the new theme yet? The one for Bard rallying Laketown?

Might know in a second.

BTW, Doug comfirms that the Bred for War motif is the Gundabad motif

[KK 3,307]

Hurrah! Where?

[Faleel 5,365]

The sketches do not have the themes named.

[KK 3,307]

Argh! And he doesn't name them in the description?

[Faleel 5,365]

Hurrah! Where?

Unlike the Elves and Dwarves, the Orcs of Dol Guldur and Gundabad care nothing for

Erebor’s riches....the themes associated with Azog, Bolg, and the Hill of

Dark Sorcery expand their rotting influence. The pairs of descending thirds that previously

dropped by major intervals now begin to embrace minor intervals....

The rhythmically evasive ascending scales slither contrapuntally beneath even the most elegant music

And the ensemble rumbles...with the addition of a full chorus of Australian didgeridoos

while the new Gundabad motif snaps upward with vicious half-step quivers.

Argh! And he doesn't name them in the description?

If he is to lead, then he must do so in a more honorable manner than the Master....a new, more mature theme portrays him as a burgeoning leader

of his people.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Faleel 5,365]

Tauriel’s music is perhaps even more changed than that of the other Elves’. Her personal

theme is as graceful and lethal as ever it was, but the gentle line that once represented the

discovery of her feelings toward Kili...is now conscience-stricken by...responsibility.

tutti strings and chorus is dimmed by more delicate,

transparent orchestrations that seem to fade away into memory.

[Jay 37,375]

KK, they are liner notes, not linear notes.