LOTR scores to receive complete releases in 2004!!

[Incanus 5,715]

Once more I report on the LOTR. Bear with me. I just read an article that had some disturbing news about the complete release of the LOTR scores.Shore said they were going to release only the Theatrical version music, not the Extended version additional score. A sad sad news if this is true :cry:

Here is the link to the article

http://www.empireonline.co.uk/site/news/ne...p?news_id=15807

[Dean1700 4]

I'll try and ask him when I go to the LOTR Symphony next month.

Once more I report on the LOTR. Bear with me. I just read an article that had some disturbing news about the complete release of the LOTR scores.Shore said they were going to release only the Theatrical version music, not the Extended version additional score. A sad sad news if this is true :cry:  

Here is the link to the articlehttp://www.empireonline.co.uk/site/news/newsstory.asp?news_id=15807

[Incanus 5,715]

I hope Shore would come to Finland too but I know that's never going to happen. Who would ever come to Finland at the edge of Europe?

I hope it is not about money this time around with the complete score releases. People would buy all the music (Extended and all) and the record company does not seem understand that.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Once more I report on the LOTR. Bear with me. I just read an article that had some disturbing news about the complete release of the LOTR scores.Shore said they were going to release only the Theatrical version music, not the Extended version additional score. A sad sad news if this is true :cry:

Well, it may be kinda sad, but it makes sense to do it that way.

Certainly i'd be against them including the music for the EE's in the main body of the score, since the transitions will be pretty noticable (if you listen to the FOTR EE DVD with headphones you can hear the new music has a somwhat different soundmix)

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

Read Doug Adams' comments at MM.com.

Marian -

[Morlock 11]

Here's what the I for inaccurate imdb had to say:

'Rings' Music on 9-Disc CD Collection

The soundtrack CDs for The Lord of the Rings movies are going the way of DVDs, featuring "extras" not heard in the theatrical versions, Britain's "Empire Magazine" reported Friday. Composer-conductor Howard Shore told the magazine that plans are in the works for a nine-disk set of music from the film, eight of them featuring the music from the theatrical versions and a ninth featuring "rare unreleased music" with commentary by Shore. Shore also indicated that he's hoping that the DVD of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King will also include a 45-minute documentary about the making of the Rings symphony and a performance with the Montreal Symphony. Shore, who currently is performing the symphony on a world tour, told Empire: "I don't think there's ever been a full concert piece of this size devoted to one particular film or series."

[HPFAN_2 0]

When is the release date?

[fommes 153]

Well, it may be kinda sad, but it makes sense to do it that way.  

Certainly i'd be against them including the music for the EE's in the main body of the score, since the transitions will be pretty noticable (if you listen to the FOTR EE DVD with headphones you can hear the new music has a somwhat different soundmix)

Well it makes sense but I would have thought that they could put the EE music at the end of the theatrical music for each film, or in between the cues (not mixed), so that it is not completely chronological, but more or less chronological.

[KarmBee 0]

Nine disks!!! Darn... I was hoping to have a life this summer.

~Karm

[Incanus 5,715]

Stefancos wrote:

Well, it may be kinda sad, but it makes sense to do it that way.  

Certainly i'd be against them including the music for the EE's in the main body of the score, since the transitions will be pretty noticable (if you listen to the FOTR EE DVD with headphones you can hear the new music has a somwhat different soundmix)

I think they could equate the soundmix to accommodate the EE cues and include the replaced cues in the end of the discs so both would be presented. I personally like the EE cues (Hobbitton music especially) and would like to hear it on the discs.

And as Doug Adams said he didn't believe they would be leaving the EE music of the release.

[Chris ChrusherComix 46]

Note to Lucass: Take a hint.

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

Nine disks!!!  Darn... I was hoping to have a life this summer.

And the prospect of a nine disc set next year will keep you occupied for the rest of this year?

Marian -

[KarmBee 0]

And the prospect of a nine disc set next year will keep you occupied for the rest of this year?  

Marian -  

Umm, maybe. :oops:

~Karm

Note to self: Pay closer attention to release dates.

[NeejaHalycon 0]

I just saw an article Empire Online dated three weeks ago that said the multi-disc release will only feature all of the music from the theatrical editions . I was under the impression it would be from the EE as well. Does this mean they're gonna do another release in a couple of years? I know eight hours or so should be enough, but they've got to know that soundtrack collectors have a complete-ist streak a mile wide.

So what's the deal?

[King Mark 3,631]

Hmm,Neil is gonna have to merge those LotR threads again...It's JW time right now.

K.M.Mildly irritated.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I don't believe that's true. Howard Shore has said that it's his intention to release EVERYTHING from the films, including the stuff from the EE's.

[Jim Ware 526]

Howard Shore has stated several times that the intention is to release the complete scores for the three extended editions (two discs for Fellowship and three each for The Two Towers and The Return of the King) and another disc of 'rarities' (alternates and stuff).

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Of course Shore is not the only one who has a say in this.

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

I heard about this a few weeks ago too. The articles said that the set would not include any EE material.

[NeejaHalycon 0]

Here's the link to the article everyone:

http://www.empireonline.co.uk/site/news/ne...p?news_id=15807

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

Shore has said that the box set will contain the EE scores, both before that article was released and a couple of times afterwards. So the article must be "a mistaken".

Marian -

[ajaytee 0]

I was at a moderated interview with Howard Shore (hosted by Music from the movies magazine) the day before the concert in London, and he stated categorically that reports it would just be just the theatrical release were wrong, he said on the record that talks with Warner Music were going well and it would be the extended edition music. He also said the set would most likely consit of 8 disks

[NeejaHalycon 0]

Great, I'm glad he took the time to make that clear for everyone.

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

he stated categorically that reports it would just be just the theatrical release were wrong

Okay, that's good to hear.

[Greg1138 3]

Hey all - I read an article at Empireonline recently about a 9-CD Spec Ed Soundtrack to all 3 Rings movies....to be released around the same time as the ROTK Extended DVD....

Now - much is being heard now about the ROTK DVD, but the 9-Disc Soundtrack Set seems to have disappeared from the Horizon.....

......does anyone know anything I don't?

Greg :-)

[John Crichton 4]

......does anyone know anything I don't?

Probably.

Oh, like I could leave that hanging there.

Is that the same article that we were discussing a couple of months ago? The new music for the EE should have been recorded by now, so theoretically a complete score release could be announced any day.

Maybe we should ask Ford A Thaxton to work his inside sources to get us some news on this. But he's probably still waiting to hear back from the Harry Potter people about the Doyle news so we can't ask for miracles.

[Greg1138 3]

Probably the same article - as you'll see I'm a bit of a newbie around here and haven't spotted that discussion....

...just seemed to me that announcements are now being made about the RITK DVD, and nothing has been heard about the 9-disc set since the original article which was a while ago now....to me this seems odd as surely to make the maximum killing at the cash-desks it would make sense to start the publicity machine for both projects at the same time?

There we go - I guess it's just me!

Oh - and cheers for your opening comment - will remember that one for the future!

Cheers John,

Greg :-)

[Jim Ware 526]

The music for the Return of the King Extended Edition was recorded back in the third week of March. The box set is expected to be released at some point in 2005, accompanied by Doug Adams' book The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films.

[Greg1138 3]

Cheers Jim!

Much appreciated,

Greg :-)

[John Crichton 4]

Oh - and cheers for your opening comment - will remember that one for the future!    

LOL

That sense of humor will serve you well here. Just be glad someone like me saw that before "Lord" Stefancos did.

Oh, and Jim I quoted your news in the last post in the new LotR thread in the main forum so more people would see it. Hope you don't mind.

[Greg1138 3]

Seems like a perfect moment to shut this thread down then, moderator!

Greg

[diskobolus 3]

The music for the Return of the King Extended Edition was recorded back in the third week of March.  The box set is expected to be released at some point in 2005, accompanied by Doug Adams' book The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films.

Is there an official quote or something that confirms this?

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

Any new official word on the complete scores?

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Not that I've heard of. I think Shore mentioned something about it on the DVD, but I'm not sure right now. If he did, it was just that he'd like to have it all released, and that it will be some day, but no details.

[fommes 153]

We were told it would be this year. It better be... Oh well, as long as he'll release them.

[John Crichton 4]

Maybe Shore thinks that if the complete scores get released people will stop coming to the Symphony.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Why, the symphonies actually have LESS music, not MORE!

[TheTennisBallKid 17]

Any new official word on the complete scores?

It's not new or official, but here's a report from TORN from October, and here's post from Doug Adams(who's writing a book about the scores) that's more recent, and sort of official....

Anyway, things continue to progress at the corporate level. You know, with a project of this size, there?s always the question of exactly who will put it out? Or, how will it physically be packaged? Or, how will it impact other releases ? when?s the best time to put it out? And of course there?s always the question of how exactly to present it all. There?s so much great music that you?ve not heard, even in the films. As I?ve mentioned before in emails to some of you, the word I?ve continually heard bandied about is "legacy." Everyone wants to make this something special. And we as fans know all too well what happens when things are rushed out.

So, that being said, understand that there?s not a set release date yet. I believe the intention all along has been to make this a fourth quarter release, which I think is a good idea. So, if it?s out in 2005, expect it around the holiday season. And should it be 2006, the same will hold true, I think. (This isn?t my way of hinting that it won?t be next year... no one really knows yet. As the other Douglas Adams said, "Don't panic!")

ttbk

[TheTennisBallKid 17]

Doug Adams]>>>Why is it so hard to release a complete score for this movie? It's not like they have to hurdle through loads of legality.>>>

Well, that depends on who is releasing it, does it not? Remember that during the whole process there was a major shake up at Warner Brothers Records, and that the division that was responsible for the three original soundtrack CDs (Reprise) essentially ceased to exist. Many executives lost their jobs or resigned, and a lot of the key people who had been pushing this material through were no longer on the map. This doesn’t mean that the LOTR project was ever abandoned, or even in trouble, but it did take time to find someone to champion it once again. Despite the fact that the project seems like a no-brainer success just waiting to happen, you still need to find someone that’s got space on his plate to shepherd it through. It is a huge, huge project, and more than slightly high profile.

>>>Yeah I know they want alternate cues, unused materials, ect.... but they all already exist. >>>

Unfortunately that’s not right. Not everything was mixed. Sure film mixes existed for almost everything, but not album mixes. And since the previously released music will now exist in a different context, a good portion of that will need to be remixed as well. Including the bonus material, you could easily be dealing with 12 to 13 hours of music that need mixing. That’s a huge job – and you’ve got to pay someone to do it. And that means you need to get a large budget approved very early. So assuming you have the producer with the time and energy, the mixer with the expertise and the willingness, you still need to push everything though a big company. Again, that’s not at all a bad thing, it’s just how things work. But it still takes time.

>>>2. They might be waiting to tie it into some other product (Like a book: Music of the Lord of the Rings)>>>

Oh sure, blame me! Really though, my timeline is entirely dictated by the record company’s decisions. There’s no way on earth they’re going to hold this project up because some Chicago area guy decided he wanted to walk the beach while contemplating the best way to describe the Shire Theme. They say jump, I say, where should I land?

>>>3. They may have wanted to wait until the LOTR fans were ready to absorb an expensive set.>>>

This is a very good point. No matter how you slice it, there’s going to be a certain price tag attached to this project. So how best to release it? Do you strike while the iron is hot, and get it out right after the last movie? That’s a time problem and perhaps unlikely to recoup the studio’s budget – everyone just got finished buying the one-disc soundtrack, that’s a pretty egregious double-dip. Do you put it out right after the last DVD? That’s an expense problem. If your average LOTR fan just spent $60 on the extended ROTK DVD, will he turn around and drop another $150 on CDs? At Christmastime? Do you cut it down then? Just put out a new mix and a handful of unreleased tracks? Maybe cut everything from the extended editions? The fans would be out for blood, and really no one involved wants to put out a compromised version of this.

>>>4. It could be: production problems, legal problems, art problems, permission problems>>>

Well the good news there aren’t any “problems,” there are just decisions that need to be made. Think of it this way, the more material involved, the more people involved. The more people involved, the more time-intensive the decision making process will be.

Fortunately, I’m happy to say most of these decisions have been made now. In fact, the last I heard, things are pretty well set at this point. Why no announcement yet? Well, you’ve got to realize that advertising is part of the decision making process as well. These things tend to be announced when they’re going to be most effective at capturing attention, but without being crass. As I say, I’m hoping to be able to report something in a month or so, but I’m giving that timeline because that’s the next time I’m planning to be in NY at the office, so I’ll ask then if it’s ok to say something.

Oh and as for the FSM quote… I’m a huge fan of Mr. Bettencourt, but I have to respectfully contradict him by saying that his quote is inaccurate in at least two ways and accurate in at least one wonderful way.

Ok, my vagueness is even annoying ME now. Sorry, guys

Note the estimated $150 price tag. And that we'll get more news in about a month. (hopefully)

ttbk

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Thanks for the heads up.

Glad to see this is going slowly but surely and that Mr. adams wants to do a good job with this instead of just slapping it on a bunch of CD's and wrap it in a purdy digipack package.

The $150 could just as well be an example them a true estimate.

I'd pay it though....

[fommes 153]

I'd pay it too... (swallow.)

[Lurker 5]

Any word on bonus screensavers?

Neil

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

for $150, there better be!

[John Crichton 4]

And I want my fold-out poster! And pictures! To hell with score analysis liner notes!

[Lurker 5]

Be careful what you say. This is probably the only thread the people at Sony Classical and Warner Brothers will read.

Neil

[TheTennisBallKid 17]

Apparently we're going to get the scores one at a time, staggered by a couple months begining this fall:

Link (see Doug Adam's post towards the bottom)

ttbk

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

A good move. I'd rather pay in stages than dish out 100 euros or something all at once.

[TheTennisBallKid 17]

From FSM's board...

Hi guys,

I’m very sorry for dropping off the face of the earth for a while.

I was delayed.

Actually, I was recovering from surgery and in my slow moving, foggy state was trying to dedicate my clearer hours to getting work done. My inbox has got some nasty cobwebs on it, but I promise I’ll get back to all of you who have written in the past weeks.

Ok, so let me try to address a couple of questions:

Q: Is the box set still coming out?

A: Yes, yes and yes.

Q: Will it begin coming out soon?

A: Yes.

Q: When?

A: I can’t say. Sorry. It’ll start later this year. The first release date is tentatively set, don’t fret.

Q: Will it include all the music?

A: Yes, essentially. It will contain every piece of music heard in the DVD cut of the film.

Q: Wait, “essentially”? What’s that supposed to mean?

A: Not much, relax. It’s possible that if composition X contains a phrase of 5/4 Isengard percussion music seven times in a row, they may trim it to three to create a more sensible musical experience. But, even these decisions are not absolutely finalized, so it’s possibly a moot point. The bottom line is this: If a piece of music appears in the DVD cut of Lord of the Rings, it will be on CD. If a piece of music was written for the Lord of the Rings and not used, it will be on CD. If a piece of music was written and used in Lord of the Rings but slightly edited in the film, the piece of music as originally composed, performed and recorded, will be on CD.

Q: But rumors have been floating around for so long about this being left out of that left out, are you sure?

A: Yes. There is a reason for the cageyness exhibited elsewhere in this thread, but it really deals with HOW the music is being released, not WHAT is being released. And I’m sure that sounds portentous as well, but I promise, there’s not call for concern. I heard the rough assembly for Fellowship when I was in NY a couple of weeks back. It was all there and it was an absolutely jaw-droppingly amazing listening experience – completely different than listening to the single disc release. There’s a breadth to the writing score that I think can only be absorbed in this format. It completely envelops the listener in the narrative while highlighting the development and heart that’s made this such a unique endeavor from the start. Despite the fact that I’ve spent a healthy portion of the last few years surrounded by Lord of the Rings music, I was knocked over. It was so engrossing, in fact, that I was even able to ignore the pages of Shore’s Kong sketches sitting on the stand next to me! Well, mostly…

Q: Why is this thing taking so long?

A: Well, let’s pretend for a minute that Shore and his staff have no other projects right now. So we’ll ignore History of Violence, Sun, Kong a Julliard choral commission and The Fly opera just for the sake of argument. We’ll also skip over the miles of red tape involved in putting a set of this magnitude out. Pretend that no one ever had to shop this project around to get the right producers in place, make sure there was proper time to edit, mix and prepare the physical product – packaging, artwork etc. There’s still the issue of finding the right time to release more Lord of the Rings music. I know some people are complaining that it looks like Warners is double dipping here with the standard releases only a few years in the past, and I’ll talk about that in a second. But the fact of the matter is that in the past four years, fans have sunk a lot of cash into Lord of the Rings – and a sizeable portion of that as gone to CDs. If you turn around and release a CD set just a few months after the one disc Return of the King, you have to deal with a general audience that’s either annoyed, slightly confused about the difference, or simply ready to focus on something else for a while. Bad timing is a sales killer, and believe it or not, putting out this music does not come without a certain investment that needs to be recouped.

Q: Get back to that “double dipping” thing.

A: As for the double dipping, I know the complaint exists that the full scores should have been released in the first place instead of the single CD editions currently out. (Again, we’ll ignore the financial implications of the niche market who generally buys soundtrack CDs in the first place…) But, you have to remember that the music for each Lord of the Rings film was recorded in the late summer / early fall before the respective film’s release, and then again in March / April for additional DVD material. Do you put out two discs in December, then another in May? Do you release everything in May and hope that the film’s release and awards momentum has lased 5 months past the original release? Do you just skip the DVD music and hope fans won’t notice that 40+ minutes are missing off a “complete” release?

And I’ll say again, all this is secondary to the fact that there’s no way a 3 disc set of music available at the time of a film’s release is going to sell to the general public the way a single CD will. It’s not that I’m insulting a general audience’s listening acumen or intelligence, it’s simply a case of what the market will bear. The makers were very up front right off the bat – right after it was clear that Fellowship was a smash. They let us know the rest of the music would be out someday. If consumers wanted to wait until that future point to get the music, they were able to do so.

Q: What about the Music of the Lord of the Rings Films book you’ve been mention for years?

A: It’s coming, too. It will be tied to the CDs somehow, and will begin coming out at the same time. That’s about all I can say for now. I’ve got a big deadline coming up soon, so I’m getting ready for crunch time! I’ll be giving a little preview of the text in Orlando, FL sometime in August (I forget the weekend), so if you’re really anxious…!

Q: So wait, if you’re doing something along with this release, and you’re talking about how good it is, why should we trust you? Aren’t you just a big shill at this point?

A: I don’t know. Maybe I am a shill now, but I hope not. I’m new to this stuff so I haven’t yet mastered the skill of talking up something that I’m genuinely proud of and excited to share with people without sounding like some back alley huckster. I made my first trip to Shore’s office less than a month after the release of Fellowship. In some form or another, this project has been gestating since then. This is a true labor of love for a lot of people. There will always be those who say why didn’t you do this or that, but I’m learning that’s the nature of the beast. It’s funny the distrust that you generate when you work behind closed curtains, but often that’s what’s necessary. If I’d decided to pop the cork this time last year and start making unofficial announcements (and we’ll ignore something one last time here, pretending that I wouldn’t have been sued into the Stone Age!), I’d have been announcing something completely different. In the effort to create an uncompromised product that meets the expectations of creators, listeners and suits, things take a while.

So, I think that’s about the best I can do for an update right now. I’d hoped to be able to come back from NY and spill all the beans, but can’t quite yet. If anyone has additional questions, you’re welcome to post them here and I’ll try to answer the best I can, but you have to promise not to get angry if I occasionally deal the “no comment” card, ok?

All my best,

-Doug Adams

ttbk

[Marian Schedenig 8,200]

Neat. Very neat.

Two things I'd love to see included, though I'm afraid they won't be on the set (esp. #2):

1. the original, theatrical Journey to Weathertop - the most Bruckner-like moment in all three scores.

2. The Road Goes Ever On And On with McKellen's vocals.

Marian - waiting, eagerly.

[NeejaHalycon 0]

I know this has probably been asked before, but what's up with the different arrangement of "Breaking of the Fellowship" at the end of the fan club credits on FOTR?