My two children and I were visiting Seattle on holiday this past week. I was thrilled to learn on arrival that our visit would coincide with the first of four performances of the LOTR Symphony, conducted by Howard Shore himself! We got tickets right away, and a good thing, too, for I believe the performance sold out.
Our seats were fine, in the front row of the upper tier (I like to sit up high for musical performances). The music was wonderful! It seemed very close to that on the movie soundtracks, to which I’ve listened about a million times as I do housework or drive to work. Actually, I had rather hoped that the music live would sound different from the soundtracks — begin to take on a life of its own, as it were — but perhaps it’s too soon.
The first half of the program was music from FOTR – two movements; the second half was music from TTT and ROTK, two movements each. They felt more compressed to me than did FOTR, but the familiar themes from each score were satisfyingly present.
All involved did themselves proud. And there were an immense number of musicians on the stage! The Seattle Symphony played with skill and enthusiasm, the Seattle Symphony Chorale and the Northwest Boychoir sang beautifully in Elvish and the Dwarf tongue, the three soloists were fine (especially boy soprano David Farris), and Sissel’s lovely crystalline voice was a pleasure to hear. (She matched Annie Lennox’s voice and intonation very closely on “Into the West”…I wonder whose idea that was, and why) Howard Shore had complete command of this huge assemblage, and was a delight to watch. (The projected artwork was uninteresting compared to what was happening on stage). I had a ball. My children did okay (they really wanted to go hear Sonic Youth instead. Philistines…).
Highly recommended! I strongly urge anyone who has an opportunity to hear this splendid symphony to go. Now. Without delay!
—–
Chris
Thought I’d report on the afternoon performance today (17th) at the wonderful Benaroya Hall in Seattle. It was a sweltering 90 degrees today, and my wife and I’d had a terrible morning, so I was ever so grateful to be in air-conditioned bliss. The crowd was quite a mix -sophisticated couples, giggling teenage girls, families with kids, old ladies, jeans and formal dresses, and of course, the lady with the 3-foot homemade Frodo doll on her lap (yikes). I had great seats in Orchestra Right, but I don’t think there are bad seats in that 2500-seat Hall (http://www.seattlesymphony.org/benaroya/about/design/). Our performance was nearly sold out.
After hearing he’d been unable to attend one or two of these shows, I was please to see Howard Shore conducting, energetic and modest. I had along with me a print out of the translations provided here http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/pdf/NewLOTRSymphonyTranslation.pdf and found it very useful. It added a bit to know what was being chanted in Elvish, Dwarvish, etc. To echo most of the reviews posted here, this was a great experience – at once thrilling, soothing, and emotional. Initially disappointed when I’d heard that the accompanying visuals were drawings and not movie clips, I see the wisdom in that choice now. The drawings helped remind me of where we were, but allowed me to focus on the music more than video clips would have. This music will impact me so much more now having had this more direct experience with it.
I have two nits about the performance: I would have liked more sketches of the characters. We had plenty of Gollum, but most others were at a distance, if at all. This was a character-driven story and film for me, and I think having more images of those characters would have made a great experience nearly flawless. The other nit is that the men’s portion of the chorus just didn’t have the same “oomph” as the Maori choir for the Khazad-dum sequence. But I wasn’t expecting it to.
But there were several moments that I had the same goosebumps I did on watching the film for the first time: Rivendell, Dwarrowdelf, Lighting of the Beacons… and there were a few moments that simply overwhelmed me as if I’d heard it for the first time: Sissel’s renditions of Gollum’s Song was heartbreaking and eerie. Better than the one on CD, in my opinion. And her “Into the West”! Wow. There were no dry eyes between me, my wife, and my parents. I saw many others wiping them back as well. I don’t think when the credits were rolling in the movie theater, or when I’m listening to the CD, I was really paying attention to that song. For some reason, I’d always appreciated Annie’s tremendous job on the song, but hadn’t really given the song it’s due. Sissel’s delivery drew me in and the full impact of the tune, and indeed of the whole story, just washes over you like a wave. I won’t watch the Grey Havens the same way again.
The crowd leapt to their feet before Howard could lower his hands (applause ettiquette wasn’t this audience’s strong point), and we brought him back out three times for more humble bows. We went home so much happier, humming all the way.
—–
Ravyneyez
Just thought you’d like a short review of Howard Shore’s performance with the Seattle Symphony.
Last night I attended Howard Shore’s performance with the Seattle Symphony, needless to say it was spectacular. Just being able to see him live was awesome. I enjoyed watching him as he conducted in his own style, different than any I have seen before. I can only describe his style as intense, with extreme bursts of energy and emotion. The Seattle Symphony was fantastic. All of the special guest soloist did a great job. The soloist I was most impressed by was a beautiful Norwegian-born singer by the name of Sissel. She sang the major solos throughout the final movement. She seemed to have an excellent grasp on all of the music. During songs like Gollum’s Song and Into the West, she did not try to mimic the exact performances of Emiliana Torrini or Annie Lennox instead she offered a perfect complement to the style of they’re songs. She was absolutely brilliant.
On to the visual effects, it was so nice to see more of Alan Lee’s and John Howe’s work and how it was put together so nicely with the music. It completely helped transport you back once more to Middle Earth. At times it was a challenge to decide what to watch Mr. Shore or the visual effects, either way the night was amazing. Hope everyone else enjoyed it as much as I did.
Thanks, Xoanon for all you do with TORn, it remains my favorite web site.
William Wu, is proud to announce a special deal with Houghton Mifflin, publishers of the Lord of the Rings books. In years previous, Houghton Mifflin has exhibited their full line of Tolkien books and related items, but never sold them. This year, in an effort to reach more fans and readers, a deal was set up with this independent bookseller to provide a wide range of Houghton Mifflin’s catalog of LOTR books.
In addition to the full line of current releases, Mr. Wu will be taking advance orders for the forthcoming 50th Anniversary Edition of The Lord of the Rings. Please visit the Houghton Mifflin booth at #2435 to get details on all the upcoming releases, and then just walk a short distance to the end of the 2400 aisle to find booth #5440. Mr. Wu’s booth is conveniently located mere yards from the Lord of the Rings pavilion, as well as being near a concession stand and lounge area along the back wall of the convention center.
However, the list of books is not limited to Lord of the Rings titles. Mr. Wu has an extensive selection of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Mystery books to choose from. Everything from mainstream titles to the obscure and hard to find, with many of them being autographed First Editions. Most of the books are used, with some of them being well preserved classics from the 1930’s thru to the 1960’s, as well as more modern works. You won’t see a more eclectic selection of books anywhere in the hall.
Accompanying the books are collectibles and memorabilia, mostly imported, for such film titles as Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Nightmare Before Christmas and Star Wars. But just like many of the books, most of these collectibles are not items you will see anywhere else in the hall. An example would be the Star Wars 1 year anniversary poster with the birthday cake. It is one of the rarest of all the Star Wars posters, and will be just one of many hard to find Star Wars posters for sale. Another example is the 74th Oscar Poster, with the Alex Ross artwork, that was signed by all the LOTR filmmakers who attended TORN’s One Party to Rule them All. The following year, the 75th anniversary Oscar poster was decided to be too bland, so the American Library Association’s “Moving Words inspire Moving Pictures” poster was brought and signed at the Two Towers, One Party event. There will also be lunch boxes from Australia, cellphone straps from Japan and theater programs from Germany to choose from.
When I found out Howard Shore was coming to Pittsburgh for the LOTR Symphony at the end of July, I managed to get permission to sing with the Mendelssohn Choir for these performances. (DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! I have the qualifications!)
We had our first rehearsal this past Tuesday. That’s right. We have 2 ½ weeks to get this learned and polished before the first concert! Dr. Page worked with only the women on Tuesday.
I was so excited to be there, but I had to keep reminding myself that I was surrounded by “muggles,” as my friend, Sally put it. Many know at least something about the movies or the books, but Dr. Page knows nothing about them. You could see that he respects the piece, though, and that means the singers will also, because they respect his opinion.
I must say this is not for the faint-hearted. We covered four of the six movements that evening.
I know a little about the Elven languages, and this actually hindered me at first, as I kept trying to force Elvish pronunciations onto the text. The words in the piece are written phonetically, not at all the way they appear in the books. Howard Shore’s note was that we should pronounce the words as if they were English. Even Dr. Page said that this would be difficult, as some of the pronunciations don’t exist in English.
For example, Osgiliath is written “awss-ghee-lee-ahth.” Fifty-four pages of this! There is a separate book, which translates some, but not all of the text, so people know what they’re singing about. It also includes a pronunciation guide, which translates the phonetics to Elvish (doesn’t specify which Elvish) and Old English. Needless to say, it is very confusing.
My sight-reading skills are good, but not so good that I can just look at a piece and know immediately what it is. So it was an evening of discoveries, as I realized, “Oh, this is the wizard fight. Oh, now we’re in Rivendell.”
You may not be aware of this, but when the choir is a part of a symphony, the music you get is not complete – just like the violinists, horn players, etc., the music contains only the parts you need to see, so there is much more for me to discover, as I have not yet seen or heard the whole thing.
There were several moments where I got chills singing through this, and I kept thinking how lucky I am to be doing it. I’m looking forward to singing with the full choir and hearing the men sing “The Bridge of Khazad-Dum.”
—–
Dimholt Road adds this:
I noticed your earlier post concerning another perspective on the upcoming performance of the LOTR Symphony with the Pittsburgh Symphony. I am a baritone in the Mendelssohn choir of Pittsburgh and we had our first rehearsal with just the men this past Monday. Dr. Robert Page our director mentioned the complexity of Tolkien’s text even though he himself is not well versed in the overall story.
I must admit how exciting it is to sing the “Bridge of Kazad dum”. The dwarvish text is so gutteral and pounding as the voices will act in concert with the instruments of the symphony. Needless to say, the notes sung in this passage are quite low, it is almost as if Howard Shore is paralleling the deepness of Moria with the deepness of the male voice.
I had chills when rehearsing the choral section that is heard when the Fellowship exits Moria, weeping for the fallen Gandalf, quite haunting. I look forward to the coming weeks as I get more and more intimate with scores that I have listened to constantly over these last three years.
The Silmarils, the Arkenstone, Lembas, the Palantiri, the Elessar, the Rings of Power, Elven weaponry, Morgul blades. Some of Tolkien’s most famous objects were mysterious. Some inspired obsession while others carried legacies.
Powerful objects in Middle-earth’s History
Some were objects of art, while others were maybe magical. Through certain objects, we learn about Tolkien’s love for mythology, while through others, we feel his reverence for spirituality.
What were some of Tolkien’s most famous and most mysterious objects? How did these objects affect history in Middle-earth? What did they do for their owners, and others? What did they bring to Tolkien’s stories?
Come join us in #thehalloffire this week as we discuss Tolkien’s most fascinating objects.
=== Upcoming topics:
July 24-25 — Gandalf’s Involvement with the Hobbits August 7-8 — Middle Earth’s Greatest Cities August 14-15 — The Hobbit: Chapter 11: On the Doorstep
=== Place: #thehalloffire on theonering.net IRC server. Need instructions? Go here: http://www.theonering.net/barlimans/instructions.html
=== Chat Times:
Saturday Chat: 5:30pm ET (17:30) [also 11:30pm (23:30) CET and 9:30am Sunday (07:30) AET]
Sunday Chat: 7:00 pm (19:00) CET [also 1:00pm (13:00) ET and 5:00am (03:00) Monday morning AET]
ET = Eastern Time, USA’s East Coast CET = Central European Time, Central Europe AET = Australian East Coast
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA — Friday, JULY 16, 2004 – The man behind the ‘Gollum,’ actor Andy Serkis, has been interviewed for the upcoming independent feature documentary, RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS. Mr. Serkis shared many remarkable insights into the nefarious character he portrayed in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy — widely regarded as a watershed moment in film history that perfectly married the skills of thespian performance with digital artistry.
Mr. Serkis has a significant stage resume, including Iago in Braham Murray’s 2002 production of Othello at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. He played Factory Records producer Martin Hannett in Michael Winterbottom’s 24 Hour Party People; and starred opposite Jennifer Garner in the recent comedy smash, 13 Going on 30. He has appeared on American television in The Arabian Nights; and stole every scene in which he appeared as John D’Auban in Mike Leigh’s modern classic, Topsy-Turvy. His “motion capture” performance for the creature Gollum also included playing his hobbit counterpart, Sméagol, seen in the final installment, The Return of the King. Mr. Serkis is a co-recipient of the “Best Acting Ensemble” award from both the National Board of Review and the Broadcast Film Critics Association; also winning the Screen Actor’s Guild Award (Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture) for his work in the Rings Trilogy. He will feature prominently in Peter Jackson’s upcoming King Kong, where more of his “motion capture” work will support the CGI creation of the titular ape.
About the documentary:
Very funny yet often moving, Ringers: Lord of the Fans shows the hidden power behind Tolkien’s books — and how after 50 years a single literary work continues to spark the minds and hearts of millions, across cultures and across time. Ringers explores the real foundations of Middle-earth; a community of true fans who share a common bond. Moving beyond “cult classic” and over several different generations, the film unearths academics, musicians, authors, filmmakers, and a plethora of pop junkies — the people gathered under the banner of ‘Ringer.’
RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS spent 16 months shooting on three continents. Produced in association with the popular Tolkien fan-site TheOneRing.net, Ringers stands as the most comprehensive film document of the ongoing fandom of “The Lord of the Rings.”
Actor – Sir Ian McKellen, Actor – Dominic Monaghan, Actor – Andy Serkis, Actor – Sala Baker, Author/Filmmaker – Clive Barker, Writer/Director/Producer – Cameron Crowe, Actor – David Carradine, Author – Terry Pratchett, Author – Peter S. Beagle, Author – Terry Brooks, Musician – Lemmy Kilmister, Musician – Geddy Lee, Tolkien Scholar – Dr. Jane Chance, Chairperson of the Tolkien Society – Christine Crawshaw, Author – Colin Duriez, Filmmaker/Critic – Chris Gore, Writer/Publisher – Forrest J. Ackerman, Actor – Bill Mumy, Author/Broadcaster – Brian Sibley, Illustrator/Author – Colleen Doran, Illustrator/Author – Jill Thompson, Great-Grandson – Royd Tolkien, and hundreds of Tolkien fans!
For additional information, contact: Melanie Marquez, Publicist 9220 Sunset Blvd Suite 220 West Hollywood, CA 90069 Office: +1 323-669-1173
Games Day conventions are the annual gaming extravaganzas for the Games Workshop series of hobby games such as Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000, the world’s most popular tabletop battlegames. There will be gaming events ranging from beginner to expert for all the games, plus painting contests, seminars, demo games, special guests, and more. This year the action will spread to 4 locations, with Atlanta joining Los Angeles, Chicago, and Baltimore as host cities. There will be lots of new Lord of the Rings tabletop battlegame events too, including special displays and promotions.
Our special guests in Chicago this year include game designer Phil Kelly and miniature designer Mark Harrison. Both will be on hand to discuss their past projects (such as Codex: Daemonhunters, the Tomb Kings & Cadian Imperial Guard miniatures line) and future ones (Codex: Tyranids, Battle of Five Armies).
The Storm of Chaos summer campaign will hit the Windy City as well, with a huge gaming event! Stop by all day and make sure you do your part for your chosen side! You can bring up to 1,000 points of your own models (which must be painted, based, and assembled according to the 1,000-point restrictions of your Army book), or use models provided. Battles will rage back and forth all day, with the final results counting massively in the ongoing campaign! [More]
This year will feature expanded Club Games where members of the Regiments of Renown Club Support Program run great games at each show. These are always original and feature the best from the local gaming community. The Golden Daemon Painting Competition, always the highlight of any Games Day, will be showing off the finest painting and modeling in the country. There will also be new Create and Keep scenery construction classes, where people will be provided materials for making their own gaming terrain piece and can then keep their new creation after they are done!
Once again Games Day will be the site of exciting Tournaments for Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. These tournaments will run all day and consist of 3 games. Players must bring a 1500 pt force for either game system. Entry into the tournament will be $20.00 in addition to the normal Games Day ticket cost. Registration for the tournament will begin at 8:00 AM for the event and is on a first come, first serve basis. Space is limited to 70 40K slots and 30 WFB slots.
The 2004 US Games Day Miniature: Archaon on Foot
In conjunction with the upcoming global campaign – Storm of Chaos – our 2004 US Games Day miniature will be the mighty chosen one of Chaos itself – Archaon, Lord of the End Times, on foot. This mighty scion of the Dark Gods is provided free with the purchase of each full-price admission to a US Games Day (models will be distributed upon entry to Games Day) and will also be available for sale separately at each show for $20.00 USD. 4 other new limited edition models will also be available at the show as well!
Event Details: Games Day Chicago When: July 31st, 2004 Where: Donald E. Stephens Conventions Center 5555 N. River Rd Rosemont, IL 60018 Exhibit Hall G Hours: Saturday, 10 AM – 6 PM
Ticket Information
Tickets are $30.00. Each ticket includes full admission for the event, entry to the day-long seminar program, participation in the Golden Daemon competition, 2 free Registered Game sessions, unlimited gaming in the Club and Open Gaming areas, plus this year’s free Games Day miniature! Additional Registered Game session tickets will be available at the door.
You can get tickets through Mail Order at 1-800-394-GAME, the Games Workshop website www.games-workshop.com, your local Games Workshop Hobby Center, selected Independent Retailers, or at the door.
Special Runtherd (Parents) tickets are also available. Runtherd passes allow a parent or guardian to attend Games Day (but not play in any of the games or events) and keep an eye on their kids. 2 Runtherd passes are available per ticket for parents of children 16 and under.
For more information or to order tickets, visit www.games-workshop.com or call 1-800-394-GAME.
Games Day History
Long a tradition in England where the Games Workshop hobby started, Games Day in the USA started over 10 years ago in one of Maryland’s Games Workshop Hobby Centers. Despite the small venue, nearly 100 dedicated fans showed up for the full day of fun! The next year the show was moved to a real convention hall, where the show grew even larger. So big in fact that two years later the show moved to the Baltimore Convention Center and spread into a 2 day event. Each year the show has expanded in both size and attendance, with thousands arriving each year to play, paint, and celebrate the miniature gaming hobby.
Each year has seen such wild events as Squig Hopper Races, fun (but messy!) Speed Painting competitions, and Formula Waaaagh! Demolition Derbies. One highlight has always been the Golden Demon miniature painting competition, showcasing the best figure painters in the country and their work with the finest miniatures in the world. Last year’s Games Day conventions drew nearly 10,000 enthusiastic hobby fans from all over the country, and even more are expected this year.
For more information, visit www.games-workshop.com or call 1-800-394-GAME.
About Games Workshop
For almost 30 years Games Workshop has designed, manufactured, distributed and sold tabletop wargame systems and associated miniatures, marketed as a complete hobby for teenagers and older. Its key brands are Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. The latest addition to the range is The Lord of the Rings line of battle games and miniatures produced under an exclusive global license from New Line Cinema, with imagery based on the Oscar winning series of films directed by Peter Jackson.
With its international headquarters in Nottingham, England, the company also has wholly-owned subsidiaries in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, and Australia. Over 2,200 people are employed by the company through these operations. Games Workshop America has its headquarters in Glen Burnie, Maryland and oversees a coast-to-coast operation which includes independent retailers, direct sales, and Games Workshop operated retail hobby centers.
Games Workshop owns nearly 300 retail stores worldwide and its products are featured in over 2,000 independent outlets internationally. Games Workshop is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange.
Games Workshop controls every aspect of its business, from initial concept and design through to manufacture, distribution and retail. Its long-running publication White Dwarf is available via the stores, by mail order, on newstands throughout the world (in several languages), and through its website: www.games-workshop.com.
