Rings of Power Bear McCreary's The Rings of Power APPRECIATION thread

[Monoverantus 363]

16 minutes ago, Jay said:

Huh. That's a perfectly logical explanation... And yet is also really strange. And doesn't really explain why the Plan 9 guy is credited in GEMA but not on the album. 

Their song didn't end up on the album, so why would they be credited?

[Jay 37,363]

Why is he credited In GEMA then? 

[Monoverantus 363]

9 hours ago, Jay said:

Why is he credited In GEMA then? 

I don't really know anything about how GEMA works, but isn't the difference that they did create a song (which is documented on GEMA) but it was replaced by Valinor's theme (which ended up on the album)?

[Jay 37,363]

Right but if the song was never used anywhere, it wouldn't have to be submitted. And the entry has the Plan 9 guy AND Bear as co-writers, so it seems like an entry for the final used cue. 

[enderdrag64 624]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

Right but if the song was never used anywhere, it wouldn't have to be submitted. And the entry has the Plan 9 guy AND Bear as co-writers, so it seems like an entry for the final used cue. 

Perhaps they're considering the mouth movements to be written by the Plan 9 guy

[JNHFan2000 2,961]

Jon Brxton's review

 

https://moviemusicuk.us/2022/11/08/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-power-bear-mccreary/

[crocodile 8,012]

🤔

 

Karol

[Holko 9,526]

That seems to be implying that Saruman, aka Sir Christopher Lee, is/was not cool?

 

 

 

 

 

 

wrong

[Pellaeon 593]

 

 

[Jay 37,363]

Chatting with Bear McCreary about his work on The Rings of Power, God of War, and more!  We'll talk about his work creating the themes for the show, connecting to The Lord of the Rings' Third Age, and what's in store for Season 2!

 

 

[Jay 37,363]

Still no sign of Bear's episodic blogs, or physical releases of the episodic albums

 

I wonder if either topic gets brought up in that interview (I haven't had time to watch yet)

[DangerMotif 1,037]

8 hours ago, Jay said:

Still no sign of Bear's episodic blogs, or physical releases of the episodic albums

 

I wonder either topic gets brought up in that interview (I haven't had time to watch yet)

Around 48 minutes in he says the blogs will be coming out early 2023

[Jay 37,363]

Good news! I wonder why the delay though

[Faleel 5,348]

3 hours ago, Jay said:

Good news! I wonder why the delay though

Too busy writing gazillion scores without sleeping?

[Jay 37,363]

That's probably what it is, he probably had too many deadlines for actual score writing between now and the end of the year and foresees a break in that near the start of next year

[Jay 37,363]

This is very strange - my physical CD copy has now shipped.

 

It's strange because I ordered it along with Powell's Don't Worry Darling, and so therefore I assumed I wouldn't get either until the latter was printed and shipping.

 

However, they've decided to break up the order, and sent LOTR alone to me.  Why do this now, when that could have happened weeks ago when everybody else's LOTR orders shipped?

[Richard Penna 3,688]

I'm still waiting for any possible sign of physical episode releases before I buy anything...

[crocodile 8,012]

Same thing happened with my order.

 

Karol

[Jay 37,363]

My physical copy arrived from Mondo today!

[fommes 153]

Is the physical CD limited?

[Jay 37,363]

All anybody knows is the text on the product page

 

https://mondoshop.com/collections/all-music/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-power-season-one-original-soundtrack-2xcd

 

Your guess is as good as any of ours on how long it will be around for!

 

Personally, I think that in 2022, soon to be 2023, every CD should be considered "limited" unless it's like, Taylor Swift or Michael Jackson levels of sales

[Monoverantus 363]

Here we go, at long last:

 

[Jay 37,363]

Tell us about the experience!

[Monoverantus 363]

8 minutes ago, Jay said:

Tell us about the experience!

Of course, there's a lot of stuff I forgot to ask, but honestly, I think the video speaks for itself. We had a blast.

[JNHFan2000 2,961]

I listened to all the albums again over the past few days and everytime I'm impressed with how good this is. The thought and hard work that went into this is heard in every note and I feel every note is there for a reason.

This is 100% my score of the year.

 

And @Monoverantusthanks for your video, been awaiting it and it was try a joy to watch!

[crocodile 8,012]

Finally!

 

 

Karol 

[Juanki 23]

Making up my mind on getting Mondo release or waiting for the physical releases of the episodic albums.

 

Not big fan of the score actually.

 

Any help?

[Jay 37,363]

You answered your own question?

If you're not a big fan of the score, then don't buy any edition.  Spend your money on scores you are a fan of.

[Holko 9,526]

26 minutes ago, Juanki said:

 

Not big fan of the score actually.

Why do you want to buy them then?

[Juanki 23]

Well, it's an important score and even though today I don't really enjoy it THAT much, it can grows in me. This definitely happens.

 

Also, strangely enough, buying overseas nowadays makes for better offers the more items you order at the same time.

[Richard Penna 3,688]

It's only an important score if you think it is and you enjoy it.

 

And anyway, there are no current indications that the episode scores are coming to physical.

[Jay 37,363]

I get the impression that Bear wanted and maybe was told the episodic releases would get physical editions too, but then the show wasn't popular enough and that marketing money dried up

[DangerMotif 1,037]

I don’t think the episodic cds will come out

[Jay 37,363]

They're either coming out around when Season 2 begins airing, or not at all

[leeallen01 2,136]

As a fan of Bear, I gave a listen to the first few released pieces and wasn't hugely impressed, so I haven't yet listened to any of the score. Do the majority of people here recommend his score? And should I finally listen to it?

 

I have only watched about half of the first episode and then gave up because it was so bad, and I have since seen moments and heard about what happened and it sounds like an atrocious series. 

 

So I will not be watching it, as a huge LOTR fan, but should I overlook that and still try the score?

[Faleel 5,348]

33 minutes ago, leeallen01 said:

As a fan of Bear, I gave a listen to the first few released pieces and wasn't hugely impressed, so I haven't yet listened to any of the score. Do the majority of people here recommend his score? And should I finally listen to it?

 

I have only watched about half of the first episode and then gave up because it was so bad, and I have since seen moments and heard about what happened and it sounds like an atrocious series. 

 

So I will not be watching it, as a huge LOTR fan, but should I overlook that and still try the score?

Half of the board (maybe): Yes!

 

Other half (maybe): No!

[A. A. Ron 1,742]

Just give Tracks 3-15 of the main album a spin. They’re basically all theme suites anyway. If you like it play the rest. Personally, I don’t really play the episode albums, but the main OST has some of my absolute favorite material from Bear. And this is from someone who saw the whole season and ultimately didn’t like the show.

[Chen G. 3,949]

18 hours ago, leeallen01 said:

As a fan of Bear, I gave a listen to the first few released pieces and wasn't hugely impressed, so I haven't yet listened to any of the score. Do the majority of people here recommend his score? And should I finally listen to it?

 

I mean, its a score of lovely colour and athletic melodicism. And the contributions by both Howard Shore and Plan 9 and David Long are all quite worthwhile.

 

The main thing that weighs it down is that it sounds nothing like Howard Shore, but utilizes many of his orchestral colours throughout. So one is left thinking: "Man, are the Howard Shore scores awesome or what!"

[Erik Woods 555]

On 31/12/2023 at 7:25 PM, leeallen01 said:

As a fan of Bear, I gave a listen to the first few released pieces and wasn't hugely impressed, so I haven't yet listened to any of the score. Do the majority of people here recommend his score? And should I finally listen to it?

 

It was my favourite score of the year last year by quite a margin, and I think it's one of the best scores of the century!  McCreary's wonderfully lyrical scores perfectly complement what came before by taking Shore's brilliant musical template and injecting his own unique sounds and instrumentation to create something that stands on its own but is also instantly recognizable as Middle Earth music! An extraordinary achievement!

-Erik-

[Chen G. 3,949]

13 hours ago, Erik Woods said:

McCreary's wonderfully lyrical scores perfectly complement what came before by taking Shore's brilliant musical template and injecting his own unique sounds

 

I think "complements what came before" is the part where we have to disagree. Bear does not - indeed, cannot - quote anything from Howard's score, and in general his approach is NOTHING like Howard's, melodically, harmonically, structurally or orchestrationally.

 

None of which, by the way, is an issue in and of itsel: its a different score for a different Middle Earth, just like Leonard Rosenman's. And as you say - as did I, as did most members of the board here when listening to Bear's score - when taken in and of itself and not as comparison to Shore's score, its a lovely, beautiful, moving work of musicianship.

 

But Bear DOES try to pay homage to Shore, but in the most superficial, grafted on way possible: associative timbres. So, Hobbits still get celtic instruments, Dwarves get basses and tenors, Elves get altos and sopranos, Men get Hardinfelle, the bad guys get percussion and very nasal-sounding woodwinds.

 

So there's a disonance between what the melodies and orchestration tell you - which is that this is a new score, for a new Middle Earth - and what the associative timbres tell you - that this is a score in the same lineage as the Shore scores. The fact that there ARE tracks by Shore and by David Long and Plan 9 only exacerbates the issue, as do the visuals. The score, like the show, has an identity crisis, and those elements that ARE like the New Line films clash against those that aren't.

[Richard Penna 3,688]

I felt the issue with the two preview tracks Bear put out was that 'Sauron' isn't one of the better ones, or at least not when you're unfamiliar with the sound of his score. I'd have put out Galadriel and Numenor.

 

32 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

I think "complements what came before" is the part where we have to disagree. Bear does not - indeed, cannot - quote anything from Howard's score, and in general his approach is NOTHING like Howard's, melodically, harmonically, structurally or orchestrationally.

 

Everything you've pointed out is valid from a scholar perspective, but you'll probably find that the majority of 'appreciators' either don't notice these things (me) or just don't really care, if it's good, emotionally resonant scoring.

 

In my case I never thought Shore's piece was particularly remarkable so there's a clear disconnect between what styles work for different people.

[Chen G. 3,949]

I think most people instinctively notice that the score sounds nothing like Shore's. They may not be able to articulate exactly why, but one just feels it. Just the fact that somebody slapped a tin whistle here and there doesn't really change that.

[Richard Penna 3,688]

Of course, but my point is that most people outside of hardcore Shore fans just don't care that it's not, if they feel the show is well-scored, which most people seem to think is.

[Chen G. 3,949]

It is very well scored! Its jus the timbral 'memberberries stick out...

 

That, and those parts of the score that ARE by Howard Shore et al.

[Edmilson 7,448]

Is it as good as Shore's LOTR music? No (very few things are).

 

Is it better than most things written for big budget Hollywood stuff on this day and age? Sure it is.

 

McCreary did put a lot of work and thought into crafting his scores and, especially, his themes. While these days everyone just put out the most generic themes possible, he had a lot of effort crafting unique sounds for each place, culture, etc.

 

Try the OST first instead of the episodic scores. If you liked what you heard on the OST and want more of that, you can move on to the episode albums. If not, then it's probably not your thing anyway.

[Richard Penna 3,688]

I rarely listen to the episode scores; it's just nice to know they're there. I'd agree that if you listen to the first half or so of the OST you can base a fair opinion on that.

 

I'd suggest that it's more consistent than Shore's music in terms of engagement, but when Shore's on top form (which is most of FotR and TTT particularly) he takes it.

[Erik Woods 555]

8 hours ago, Chen G. said:

 

I think "complements what came before" is the part where we have to disagree. Bear does not - indeed, cannot - quote anything from Howard's score, and in general his approach is NOTHING like Howard's, melodically, harmonically, structurally or orchestrationally.

 

That's NOT what I meant when I said it's complementary to what came before.

 

8 hours ago, Chen G. said:

But Bear DOES try to pay homage to Shore, but in the most superficial, grafted on way possible: associative timbres. So, Hobbits still get celtic instruments, Dwarves get basses and tenors, Elves get altos and sopranos, Men get Hardinfelle, the bad guys get percussion and very nasal-sounding woodwinds.

This is what I meant, but I disagree wholeheartedly that he did it in a superficial way.  McCreary's score FEELS like Middle Earth because he took Shore's blueprint/musical language and made it his own. It's much like what Franglan did with Avatar 2. While Franglon was allowed to use Horner's pre-existing themes, Franglan took Horner's musical blue print from the first film (and his overall musical identity), elaborated on it, and made his score fresh yet familiar!

 

2 hours ago, Edmilson said:

Is it as good as Shore's LOTR music? No (very few things are).

 

Is it better than most things written for big budget Hollywood stuff on this day and age? Sure it is.

 

McCreary did put a lot of work and thought into crafting his scores and, especially, his themes. While these days everyone just put out the most generic themes possible, he had a lot of effort crafting unique sounds for each place, culture, etc.

There really isn't anything that can come close to what Shore did but McCreary sure did come close. 

BTW, did you have a chance to watch McCreary's IFMCA interview about the score? He shares some interesting insight into the creation of the score, it's development, the themes, and it's recording.

 

 

 

[sdimidenko 0]

Does anyone have a good quality file of the concert suite? There used to be like a really good sounding recording on youtube, but I failed in downloading it before it was removed. There are these recordings, but they dont sound as good. Please, if anyone has it, let me know.

 

 

[Chen G. 3,949]

35 minutes ago, Erik Woods said:

McCreary's score FEELS like Middle Earth because he took Shore's blueprint/musical language and made it his own.

 

But he didn't.

 

He took his own musical language, and gave it a Howard Shore paintjob.

[Erik Woods 555]

49 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

 

But he didn't.

 

He took his own musical language, and gave it a Howard Shore paintjob.

I think this is something we are just going to have to agree to disagree on.

 

-Erik-