The Hobbit: Four Movements for Symphony Orchestra by Howard Shore

[KK 2786]

The orchestra definitely flattens the material. All the aleatoric stuff and rhythms come off really mechanical. 

 

But there only seems to be two movements? Then it moves on to The Fly.

 

Centring the first movement around the Smaug material, especially those pulsating chords is interesting, but the arrangement itself is so scatterbrained, that no moment really registered. 

 

In comparison, the little bit of Rohan in the end of the concert comes off much better.

 

EDIT: The Mount Doom stuff that follows is kind of butchered too...so nvm.

[Spider-Fal 2282]

1 hour ago, KK said:

Is this the whole thing? That first movement is a mess. Plenty of fantastic little moments butchered and sequenced in strange ways. 

No, it's been stated that two of the movements were cut (from the broadcast or the concert, I do not know.)

[Jurassic Shark 5993]

7 hours ago, bollemanneke said:

I remember listening to that when the link first appeared, but is it me or did a lot of it sound like generic, themeless action music? Or did I just listen to the wrong part of the concert?

 

It's optimized for listening.

[bollemanneke 1688]

Oh, that's why I found it disappointing, only 2 out of 4.

[TheUlyssesian 1577]

I recognized multiple themes but it seems like it is just bounding from one thing to another. I couldn't notice any discernible structure.

The Tauriel material is well represented though, but that's hard to screw up. I think across the Hobbit trilogy, the material for Tauriel - both her theme and her love theme with Kiri are the most attractive and accessible material.

[gkgyver 1562]

Is this rendition of Misty Mountains official or concert standard? Because it's great: 

 

[blondheim 240]

I was at this Pittsburgh premiere and had no idea it was the first time it was being performed. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra sounded amazing that evening. The brass rips were downright nasty and I loved it.