The Lord Of The Rings Symphony - Parco della Musica, Italy - June 25 & 26 2009

[TownerFan 4,983]

On June 25th and 26th 2009, Italy will finally see its long overdue concert performance premiere of Howard Shore's Lord of the Rings Symphony.

The event will take place in Rome, at the Auditorium "Parco della Musica". The Orchestra and Chorus of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia will be conducted by Howard Shore himself.

More detailed news (and possibility to buy tickets) will be available at the the Santa Cecilia website in the following days!

Stay tuned!

[Incanus 5,716]

On June 25th and 26th 2009, Italy will finally see its long overdue concert performance premiere of Howard Shore's Lord of the Rings Symphony.

The event will take place in Rome, at the Auditorium "Parco della Musica". The Orchestra and Chorus of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia will be conducted by Howard Shore himself.

More detailed news (and possibility to buy tickets) will be available at the the Santa Cecilia website in the following days!

Stay tuned!

I am happy that the Symphony is finally coming to Italy. I can't hardly wait for the performance here in Finland that is going to take place next week (1st and 2nd of May)!

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I am happy that the Symphony is finally coming to Italy. I can't hardly wait for the performance here in Finland that is going to take place next week (1st and 2nd of May)!

By the way , how was our performance? At least I enjoyed to play the symphony , quite heavy to do

it four times in two days...

And the Belgian chocolate was very tasty...

[Incanus 5,716]

I am happy that the Symphony is finally coming to Italy. I can't hardly wait for the performance here in Finland that is going to take place next week (1st and 2nd of May)!

By the way , how was our performance? At least I enjoyed to play the symphony , quite heavy to do

it four times in two days...

And the Belgian chocolate was very tasty...

Yes I enjoyed the concerts immensely I heard that you had visitors in the audience all the way from Central Europe, true LotR music groupies. So your name is now known far and wide in the LotR music fan circles

I did write a review on them but did not post it here. Until now that is:

Review of the 2nd and 3rd concerts in Tampere on the 2nd of May.

First of all I have to point out that this was the first time I have heard the music of Lord of the Rings trilogy played live and I was absolutely giddy to hear it so if my review sounds too gushing it is the most likely reason.

The Tampere Filharmonia orchestra and the soloists and the choirs and conductor Markus Huber gave a stunning performance of Shore's Symphony on both occasions on Saturday (the latter one was the stronger in my opinion with everything quite well balanced and honed) that made the concert hall boom with primal power of the Moria's awe inspiring beauty and its dangerous depths, open into choral fury on the most pivotal moments of the story, sing sweetly when we were introduced to the green and good Shire and always afterwards when we were reminded of Hobbits' longing for their verdant homeland. The welcoming Rivendell with its glinting serene and pure tones, the exoticism of Lothlorien and the all the story's heroism, sadness, horror and darkness and finally peaceful resolution that are reflected in Shore's scores were brought to us with deft skill of all the performers. This music has become such an intergral part of my life over the years and to my mind captures Tolkien's creation in music in such a respectful and beautiful way and touches me very deeply, so to hear it live was perhaps the most powerful concert going experience of my life. From the first note I was awe-struck, spellbound. And 2 hours later when the last swelling of the final chords brought the piece to a close I was nearly moved to tears as on several occasions during the concert. And this was repeated in the second concert. I can’t but wonder the power of this music time and time again. It is hard to describe the experience in full. It is strangely emotionally satisfying and taxing at the same time.

I had the great opportunity to hear the piece twice on the same day, first from both a balcony seat in the afternoon and then from the stalls in the evening. The acoustics were very good in the hall which is one of the best concert venues in Finland after the Sibelius Hall in Lahti. The first performance sounded powerful and full even if the choral passages were sometimes a bit drowned by the orchestra in the most furious sections of the score. I was also able to see the whole orchestral and thus follow the fascinating work of each section and special instrumentalists better and to be honest the visual effects, the wonderful sketches and paintings of John Howe and Alan Lee, were somewhat forgotten when I was swept away by the intensity of the music and watching the orchestra’s playing.

The second performance corrected the balance a bit and from the floor seat the Symphony sounded even more fullbodied and the orchestra seemed to support the choir better and vice versa. And the performance was also more full of emotion from the start than the previous one where the orchestra had finally warmed up during the Rivendell passages. I was also able to enjoy the artwork more in the second performance and noticed how I had been completely blinded to some of it the first time around when I was lost in the music.

The boysoprano soloist performed stalwartly on both occasions but alas Gandalf’s Fall is such a challenging passage he was in danger of running out of breath. He sang In Dreams very well on both occasions and I rooted for him in my mind because I could guess how important occasion it must have been for him and how nervous he must have been. He received rousing applause for his performance at the end of the concerts.

The mezzosoprano Mari Torri-Tuominen in the Lothlorien section of the score sang beautifully those mystical stanzas. I really love the question-answer pattern between the soloist and the chorus in that passage.

Ann De Renais who came in on the second half of the concert was absolutely stunning in her interpretation of the score and the two songs, especially in the evening concert. Even the usually taciturn and reserved Finns warmed up to De Renais’ performance of Gollum’s Song in the middle of a concert with spontaneous applause which is also very rare and elicited a smile of pure joy from her and Huber.

The orchestra was in top form. The instrumental solos were extremely beautiful and precise from the fiddle solos in Hobitton to the spot perfect cor anglais readings of the History of the Ring theme. Special mention goes to the principal flautist for the absolutely beautiful flute and whistle solos. Also the work of the horn section is to be commended who do a lot of the central brass playing in Shore's work

And the testament to the appeal and power of Shore’s music to fire the imagination with images of the Tolkien’s world and free assosiations and powerful emotions was the audience’s reaction immediately after the evening performance. Standing ovations which lasted the longest time and is the first time I was witnessed it in a concert. I furiously applauded until my hands hurt. There was an immense sense of appreciation in the hall for the music and the performers and the whole cast beamed with obvious pleasure to such enthusiastic response which ended the evening in the best possible note if you pardon the pun. This particular evening will live in my memory forever. Truly a night to remember.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I have to admit that I never really cared for Shore's Lotr music before but after playing

this symphony I really fell in love with it!

On the same week we recorded some finnish contemporary music(=wrongly written noice) so

playing this "traditional" music felt so good and right; three sold out concerts(last week modern music,hall was almost empty)

During some battlemusic there came fellowship theme with us horns that always gave me goosebumps/chills so much

that it was almost difficult to play

What I didn't like was that pop song (in to the west?) in the end of the symphony.

[Incanus 5,716]

I have to admit that I never really cared for Shore's Lotr music before but after playing

this symphony I really fell in love with it!

On the same week we recorded some finnish contemporary music(=wrongly written noice) so

playing this "traditional" music felt so good and right; three sold out concerts(last week modern music,hall was almost empty)

During some battlemusic there came fellowship theme with us horns that always gave me goosebumps/chills so much

that it was almost difficult to play

What I didn't like was that pop song (in to the west?) in the end of the symphony.

Finnish contemporary music (=wrongly written noise) It tends to scare away anyone but the most intellectual of the classical elitists. I guess contemporary composers have hard time as they try to re-invent the wheel all the time and in the process alienate those who might listen to their pieces.

So perhaps this "popular" music is not so bad after all. I think JW and other film composers might be unto something using the old techniques.

I have to admit that the end credits songs are not my favourites either. Annie Lennox' deep voice also feels a bit too edgy for that particular piece in the original recording. Plus the pop sound takes you somewhat away from the musical world.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Plus the pop sound takes you somewhat away from the musical world.

Exactly.

It almost ruined otherwise magical evening.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Pop sound? Unless this is some brand new Meco-esque arrangement, tou have to be kidding.

[Incanus 5,716]

Pop sound? Unless this is some brand new Meco-esque arrangement, tou have to be kidding.

Compared to the otherwise pure film score sound Into the West sounds different. Were are not talking about Meco levels of difference. Into the West t is respectful song in the memory of Cameron Duncan and uses the Grey haven theme in the chorus but it really does not sound like the rest of the score.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I agree that it doesn't sound 100% like the rest of the score, but I think it's 100% fitting to the tale and a beautiful end. Not bothered about who it's a tribute to, I just think it's an exceptional song and is very dear to me for a few reasons. But I fail to see how it sounds pop.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I just think it's an exceptional song and is very dear to me for a few reasons. But I fail to see how it sounds pop.

It sure can be very dear for many but definitely it is out of shore's orchestral pallette and very "poppish"

[Henry B 50]

I have to admit that the end credits songs are not my favourites either. Annie Lennox' deep voice also feels a bit too edgy for that particular piece in the original recording. Plus the pop sound takes you somewhat away from the musical world.

Intentionally so, I think. I see it as a way of bridging the fantasy world with the real world. ("And all will turn to silver glass...") It nails that peculiar feeling you can get from being absorbed in a movie for so long and trying to return to reality.

[Incanus 5,716]

I have to admit that the end credits songs are not my favourites either. Annie Lennox' deep voice also feels a bit too edgy for that particular piece in the original recording. Plus the pop sound takes you somewhat away from the musical world.

Intentionally so, I think. I see it as a way of bridging the fantasy world with the real world. ("And all will turn to silver glass...") It nails that peculiar feeling you can get from being absorbed in a movie for so long and trying to return to reality.

Well after the symphony performances the song did not help me to return to reality. I was so shaken emotionally that it took quite while to come back to reality from the music.

[Henry B 50]

I suppose the symphony can be a very different experience. Hey, if you're listening to the complete score, there's always "Bilbo's Song" to give you one last dose of those emotions. I sort of prefer the score to end with "Into the West" though, with that Wagnerian coda. That bit at the end makes me feel like I'm waking from a dream. Maybe it's those violins, or the I - iv progression, which Shore never really uses in the scores.

[Incanus 5,716]

Yes Bilbo's Song is a very fitting ending for the music in complete form. I think I have always liked it because it preserves the mood of the composition and has the finality to it, a sad farewell. But I don't hate the swelling Wagnerian chords that end the piece and the symphony as well. A great way to close the cycle.