I have been listening to this masterpiece for a while now and must say I like the recordings better than all the original ones. But I was wondering, is this symphony just a cut-and-paste job in which parts of cues have been taken over literally, or did Shore re-wrote everything? Just curious.

Definitely a paste job, although new "transitions" were done to merge the cues. I've always found this "symphony" disappointing.

Then again, I've soured quite a bit on the scores and even the films themselves in recent years.

Right, thanks. I've got more issues with the last two scores for the Hobbit...

From my analysis here:

"A Conspiracy Unmasked" or Analyzing the Fellowship of the Ring CR - General Discussion - JOHN WILLIAMS Fan Network (http://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=23818&page=1)

Comparing the Lord of the Rings Symphony CD to the OST/CR

DISC 1 MOVEMENT I

The Prophecy/Prologue: One Ring to Rule Them All (Original Version)

Pretty much the same content as the OST track, however 1:02 of the symphony combines the Cor Anglais from 3:58 of the Rarities version of the Prologue and the horn from 0:58 of The Prophecy on the OST.

The rest of the prologue portion of the movement uses the film version.

Concerning Hobbits/The Shire - Bag End

The symphony version is slightly shortened.

The Treason of Isengard/Three Is Company

The Seduction of the Ring is sung instead of hummed.

The Journey There section is omitted, instead the music transitions to....

The Black Rider/A Shortcut to Mushrooms

The brass at 0:40 of the OST track is not in the Symphony version.

There is music not in the OST track at 9:03 of the Symphony version.

At 10:22 there is an additional descending horn line, however it is mixed very low, it can be heard more easily in these videos:

At 9:52:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybZINoDv8I8

At 1:47

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9RMZbNu3So


Instead of resolving with the last note, the music instead transitions into....

The Treason of Isengard/Saruman The White

The Symphony uses the OST version.

END OF MOVEMENT I

MOVEMENT II

Many Meetings/Rivendell

OST Version, transitions to...

The Ring Goes South/Gilraen's Memorial

EE Version, transitions to...

A Journey In The Dark/Moria

More prominent (extra?) Khuzdul singing, and harsh instrumentation, the Live to Projection version is similar, but less harsh.

The Bridge of Khazad-Dum/Balin's Tomb

Uses 5 seconds of percussion similar to the clean opening of the Fellowship theme for the escape from Balin's Tomb.

Lothlorien/Caras Galadhon

Seems to be TE and EE version hybrid, contains clean ending of "Lament for Gandalf"

The Great River/The Fighting Uruk-Hai

EE/OST Version Hybrid, contains extra music at 21:54.

Amon Hen/Parth Galen

EE Version

The Breaking of the Fellowship - May It Be/The Road Goes Ever On Parts 1 and 2

OST version

END OF MOVEMENT II

Thanks for that analysis! For me, Hobbit 2 was an un-LOTR like mess and Hobbit 3 is too brooding and dark. Misty Mountains theme, where art thou?

Thanks for that analysis! For me, Hobbit 2 was an un-LOTR like mess and Hobbit 3 is too brooding and dark. Misty Mountains theme, where art thou?

In film 1 where it was always intended to reside.

Fair enough, but the purpose of that theme isn't clear at al. If it was just for the mountain, why put it over the 'you'll have to manage without handkerchiefs' part? It remains a heroic theme symbolising the entire quest for me.

The official explanation was that it was dissolved after AUJ, to take listeners into unfamilliar territory, a musical "Edge of the Wild" so to speak.

Yes, well, it was certainly unfamiliar... and stupid.

Here is TTT:

Comparing the LOTR Symphony CD to the OST/CR.


(Timestamps refer mostly to the OST tracks, some timestamps refer to the CR when applicable)

DISC II MOVEMENT III

The Foundations of Stone/Glamdring

The LOTR symphony uses the first minute and 42 seconds of Foundations of Stone/Glamdring and segues to...

The Taming of Smeagol/Lost In Emyn Muil

The Symphony uses the last minute and 45 seconds of The Taming of Smeagol, with additional Shakers in the orchestration under the statement of Gollum's menace and more prominent woodwinds during the bit for Gollum releasing Sam.

The Riders of Rohan/The King's Decision and Exodus from Edoras

The Symphony uses 57-3:56 of The Riders of Rohan and segues to...

The Black Gate Is Closed/The Heir of Numenor

The Symphony uses the OST version, but with the section at 1:14-1:18 removed.

Evenstar/One of the Dunedain

The Symphony uses 2:15-5:05 of the CR track, with 3:38-4:08 removed, more prominent Cor Anglais (and no flute?) at 4:08-4:32, and a clean opening of the Rivendell theme at 2:15. The Symphony then segues to....

The White Rider/Gandalf the White

The Symphony uses the TE version (CR and OST "hybrid").

Treebeard/War Is Upon Us and Fangorn

The Symphony uses a shortened version of the OST track, and segues to...

The Forbidden Pool/The Forests of Ithilien, Rock and Pool, and Faramir's Good Council.

The Symphony uses a shortened version of the OST track, with extra orchestration at 0:45-1:07, more prominent cymbal at 2:26-2:33, and more prominent Cor Anglais at 2:56-3:40

END OF DISC II MOVEMENT III

DISC II MOVEMENT IV

The Hornburg/The Battle of the Hornburg.

The Symphony uses 3:03-End of the OST track, with more prominent strings, additional (or differently pitched) strings at 3:56-4:08, and an extra aleatoric brass bit (cluster?) at 4:04-4:09. The Symphony then segues to...

Forth Eorlingas/Theoden Rides Forth

The Symphony uses the OST track, and segues to...

Isengard Unleashed/The Last March of the Ents and Theoden Rides Forth.

The Symphony uses the OST track, with the extra brass at 2:18-3:16, and more prominent brass throughout.

Gollum's Song/Long Ways To Go Yet

The Symphony uses the OST track 0:00-3:55, I don't know if it uses the altered lyrics of the Live to Projection version.

END OF DISC II MOVEMENT IV

And ROTK:

(Timestamps refer mostly to the OST tracks, some timestamps refer to the CR when applicable)

DISC II MOVEMENT V

Hope and Memory/Flight from Edoras.

The LOTR Symphony uses the OST track.

Minas Tirith/Osgiliath Invaded.

The Symphony mostly uses the OST track, but uses the CR ending.

The White Tree/The Eyes of the White Tower and The Lighting of the Beacons.

The Symphony uses the OST track, and segues to....

The Steward of Gondor/The Sacrifice of Faramir.

The Symphony uses the OST track, but with an additional intro and The Edge of Night omitted.

Cirith Ungol/The Stairs of Cirith Ungol and The Parting of Sam and Frodo.

The Symphony uses the OST track, with more prominent horns.

Anduril/Anduril- Flame of the West.

The Symphony uses the OST version with a slightly re-orchestrated ending.

END OF DISC II MOVEMENT V

DISC II MOVEMENT VI

The Fields of the Pelennor/The Battle of the Pelennor Fields.

The Symphony uses the OST track.

Hope Fails/The Paths of the Dead.

The Symphony uses the OST track, and segues to...

The End of All Things/Sammath Naur/Mount Doom, The Cracks of Doom, and The Eagles.

The Symphony uses the OST track, with more prominent Brass and Percussion, extra percussion at 1:45-1:50, and the Fellowship theme omitted. The Symphony then segues to....

The Return of the King/The Fellowship Reunited.

The Symphony uses the OST track, with numerous sections omitted, more prominent brass, additional wordless choir at 6:14-7:22, additional Bodhran at 6:48-7:22, and an extra phrase of fiddle at 8:59-9:04. The Symphony then segues to...

The Grey Havens/The Journey to the Grey Havens.

The Symphony uses the OST track with numerous sections omitted.

Into the West/Days of the Ring.

The Symphony uses OST track, but with the CR/film ending.

END OF DISC II MOVEMENT VI AND THE END OF THE LOTR SYMPHONY