The Fellowship Of The Ring Soundtrack

[crickhollow]

buy the dvd whether or not you have a player! That's what I'm doing. I'm working on getting a dvd/r-wr drive for my computer. then I'll have another reason to sit in front of it like a lump (other excuses include Instant Messenger, the moot, and oh yeah, schoolwork)

They don't usually put the xtra stuff on video because you can't skip from track to track, section to section like you can on cds and dvds.

[Rosie-Lass]

The only reason I can think of that someone wouldn't notice these is that they're used to John William's oversimplefied (sp) works, the most obvious being Harry Potter. He uses one theme for almost every moment in this film! Over and over and over again, ad nausium! It's clear evidence that he's lost his musical maturity.

Ok, I like Harry Potter and I also like the film, I don't own that soundtrack,(I have heard it) and I think you're wrong in saying that Williams' musical maturity is waning. Composers have different levels of maturity, and while Shore is bound to be recognised as one of the composers of the decade if not the next few decades, I agree with Iron Parrot, John Williams can hardly be described as immature.
I'm playing the HP score in an orchestra at the moment and it sounds just great to me. Not over-simplified, but simple enough so that the audience doesn't get too bowled over by it.

The whole point of a soundtrack is to convey the mood of the film, and LotR can hardly be compared to Harry Potter (as I say to my friends who constantly ask me :"which did you think was better, Harry Potter or LotR",). They are completely different films and while the themes can roughly be compared to one another, anybody would have to admit that, in the (HP) film, there are far fewer themes that need to be put to music, which is why the soundtrack could be seen to be lacking in quality.
This is no reason to say that John Williams is 'slowing down'. I too am a Star Wars fan and I love the music there too, and I personally think that the quality is the same, the films being, again, of different requirements.

There is very little that NEEDS to be put to music in Harry Potter, as the acting fills it in so there is very little point in comparing it to such a diverse and beautiful soundtrack as LotR.
My reason for saying this is that LotR has emotions that not even the best acting can convey, for instance, Concerning Hobbits. This has an enduring sense of freedom that acting can't make you visualise, but combined, the soundtrack and the acting have made FotR a film that will be REMEMBERED.
*pant, pant*

On the other hand:
I have to say, although I don't own the soundtrack myself, (sacrelige, darling) Eowyn let me listen to it, and I'm being perfectly honest here, I got goosepimples!
Just to balance things out a little!

[Ërendil]

I bought the movie soundtrack and my favourite pieces are

Concerning hobbits (Does this remind anyone else of titanic music?)
A journey in the dark
The bridge of Kazard-dum
May it be
The breaking of the fellowship
Aniron

[Earenya]

A good 60% of my CDs are soundtracks, and all of your comments really intrigue me concerning LotR, Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia, etc.

Ive read all of the posted opinions about John Williams, and I think all of you have valid points. One thing not addressed, though, is signature sounds. Most artists- in any field- have a certain signature quality about their work. Dancers working for Balanchine in the 70's would be asked (by him) during choreograpy"Ok, what will come next in the dance?" and those who had been in several of his ballets would be able to say, "A circle?" or what not correctly. For those of you unfamiliar with his work, he is known as one of the most groundbreaking and inventive choreographers in world history.
This too is something that Williams has, a signature quality. Beginning with Jaws and ending with Harry Potter, my challenge to you is what are these signature sounds? Certainly his style has morphed a bit. Thematic developements have changed but so has movie styles. His work is not my favorite because it is "his"; I like whatever soundtracks I happen to like, mostly based upon how they make me feel, how they matched the movie, etc.
LotR is one of my FAVORITE soundtracks. I accidentally broke my 1st CD of it and had to buy another- the time inbetween was torturous. Howard Shore definately has my vote for this years Oscar's. His creation covers such variance, from Lothlorien, to Concerning Hobbits, The Great River... the list goes on for almost every track.
Great thread by the way!!

[Garina]

Originally posted by Ërendil
Concerning hobbits (Does this remind anyone else of titanic music?)

Nooooooo! I can't stand Titanic. My cousin brought the piano music for it and she drives me mad!!!! (sorry anyone who like Titanic, its far too repetitive for me)

I adore the soundtrack - I went out and bought it because I had bits of the music in my head for days and it was driving me insane because I couldn't remember all of it. My fav tracks are
Concerning Hobbits
Treason of Isengard
The Black Rider
The Council of Elrond
Journey in the Dark
Bridge of Khazad Dum
Lothlorien
Breaking of the Fellowship
May It Be

I love the other tracks as well.

(I prefer Howard Shore to John Williams, but JW's style of music generally suits the films he does. The only reason the Harry Potter theme is irritating is because we heard nothing else for about 2 months b4 the cinema release!)

[azalea]

Originally posted by Ërendil


Concerning hobbits (Does this remind anyone else of titanic music?)

Yes, actually, the first strains reminded me of that song when I first heard it (I hate that Titanic song, no offense to anybody).

[Tar-Elendil]

this is one of the most peaceful as well as exciting piece of music ive heard in awhile..amon hen is prolly the best.. i even listen to it in my car..this is a big step for me..
<-------HUGE fan of sytem of a down!

[Polkat]

i adore the soundtrack.

at the moment i have borrowed it from one of my best friends who has conviently forgotten she owns it .

ha ha! [evil laugh] will keep it forever. or until i can afford to buy my own.

my fav track is concerning hobbits. its so free and joyful.

also love the bit that plays when they walk over that hill. i cannot remember which track it is. but it is great i have to fight down the urge to climb over my sofa and breath in deeply in manner of legolas.

[Khamûl]

The Fellowship of the Ring Soundtrack is one of the most amazing soundtracks I have ever heard. I think that it's the only soundtrack that I can listen to and get scenes from the movie. I especially love "The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm". You can tell when they make it over the collapsing part of the bridge because of the triumphant 'fellowship' theme, and at the end it has that extremely sad music because of Gandalf dying. Another one of my favorite moments comes 1 minute and 39 seconds into "A Knife in the Dark". You have Saruman's theme playing and then all of a sudden it stops and this ethereal music starts and I can just see Gandalf talking to that moth. I also love "The Ring Goes South" just for the stirring moment when they are leaving Rivendell.

One of my favorite soundtracks ever and well deserving of the Oscar for best score.

[azalea]

One of my favorite parts is The Black Rider, where I can just picture Frodo in the movie saying "get off the road" and then the hobbits hiding under the tree roots as the rider sniffs for them, and the screaming of the Nazgul -- it's great.

[Renille]

I love the soundtrack! On Christmas, when I got it, I listened to it twice in a row at least. Whenever I go on long trips, my dear little soundtrack is always with me. I especially love the tracks "Concerning Hobbits", the first track, and that one track where Frodo hears the Black Riders coming when Pippin, Merry and Sam are collecting mushrooms. You can hear approaching evil and the hoofsteps.

[Polkat]

i know what u mean. when i am in a paticularyly obsessed mood [always] i start shouting things like "SAM U CANT SWIM!" during track 17.

oooooooh have just reached the uruk high [dunno how to spell htat] running music.

[Faeirex]

Smooth polkat, very smooth.

In response, I can only say you will never see the Princess Bride/ that CD I'm sure you don't want me to mention by name until my soundtrack is returned.

Point out that it is you who gets the worse part of the deal here. I still have one copy of the CD in my home, and I can always burn another. Unlike you, who will have to do without PB's extremely tacky special effects until I choose to return it. Mwahahahaha-
*cough. Sorry about that. Evil tendencies escaped briefly.

For the rest of you, I have to actually confirm that Polkat is actually telling the truth. She does indeed climb on the sofa and shout out comments during the soundtrack. It makes me quite ashamed to know her. (But not ashamed enough to shout out 'Lost! My preciousssss is lost!' when I couldn't find my silver pen).

My two fave tracks are 'Concerning Hobbits' and 'The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm'. When I hear them, I can totally picture the scenes in my head. Especially BKD. It's got such a great motif, really stirring. (Can you tell I do GSCE music? Exam tomorrow- aaaaaaaaargh!)

There are other tracks I love as well, but unfortunately I cannot remember them, because a certain person has my CD. [meaningful glance at you-know-who]
And why does Lord Voldemort want the soundtrack anyway?

~Fae

[StrawberryIcecream]

I l=have the soundtrack also of course.
Love Concerning hobbits and the breakingof the fellowship.

This was asked a whil back but the video will have extra cuts on it. but only the two hour extras not the six hourversion.

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

I listened to the soundtrack almost non-stop (literally!) from December 'til March, and I still listen to it some!

[Nienna Grey]

I think the soundtrack is a truly inspired and remarkable piece of work by Howard Shore. Each piece seems to speak aloud the scene from the movie to which it relates. My favourites are "Concerning Hobbits" and "The Breaking of the Fellowship".

I have both the ordinary CD and the collectors' version and was a bit disappointed that the more expensive version didn't have extra tracks. I wish the music which was played at Bilbo's party (where Frodo was dancing) had been included as that was fun.

[Lizra]

and the "Road Song" (sung by Gandalf?) yes, the party music!!

[Nienna Grey]

Yes the "Road Song" sung by Gandalf would have been terrific too! I forgot about that one.

There was also some music which was played when the Fellowship were attempting to cross Mount Caradhras which wasn't included.

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

Breaking of the Fellowship is my favorite. . .but it makes me sad

[Garina]

This isn't the best thing to listen to if you're feeling depressed!
Oh, well, who cares. I like this CD.

I think the Journey in the Dark, and The Bridge of Khazad Dum are good, because I can actually see the movie in my head!