Mike Oldfield shoulda done the soundtrack!

[bropous]

Howard Shore did a brilliant job with the soundtrack. I bought the CD and have enjoyed it immensely.

However, there are a few shortcomings. I would a preferrred a more "symphonic" approach to the soundtrack, using more distinct melodic "themes" for particular characters and situations. Listening to the soundtrack, there is not really a unifying "theme". There are a few spots of the "Shire theme", but I prefer holding more to the "theme/variation on a theme" approach. John Williams' score for "Star Wars" comes to mind. That was a much more unified score, in my opinion, almost like telling the story again in music.

I bring up Mike Oldfield [Tubular Bells, Ommadawn, Hergest Ridge] as an alternate composer for this film because he is a master of the "theme/variations on a theme" genre. Plus, I feel he may have brought a bit more "celtic" flavor to the music, which I feel would have been a bit more effective in this film.

Also, I would have highly preferred his sister, Sally Oldfield [Water Bearer, The Song of the Quenya], to Enya for the vocal passages. The fact she has already written absolutely enchanting music based on the Lord of the Rings and has an incredible range, along with the influences of her brother in the music, would have been, in this humble hobbit's opinion, a better choice for the vocals.

However, as Mr. Shore and Enya were selected, it is all water under the bridge, although I do feel Mike and Sally Oldfield would have been better choices.

What better choices would you folks have made in choosing the composer for the score? I note a few discussions have "recast" a character here and there. I'm interested in what you folks have to suggest.