Agreed on the Shire theme, and that the themes should be lighter. Lalathiel has thought this through, it seems. The Mirkwood elves' are more earthbound, less ethereal, if you know what I mean. I bet Alison Krauss would be able to have just the right sweetness but not so high elven. Of course, she couldn't have a Southern US accent! Folksy is O.K., but British folksy, not American. I have to go back to work -- work spoils everything! I want to say more -- Later!

Agreed on the Shire theme, and that the themes should be lighter. Lalathiel has thought this through, it seems. The Mirkwood elves' are more earthbound, less ethereal, if you know what I mean. I bet Alison Krauss would be able to have just the right sweetness but not so high elven. Of course, she couldn't have a Southern US accent! Folksy is O.K., but British folksy, not American. I have to go back to work -- work spoils everything! I want to say more -- Later!

Interesting . . . interesting. Though I am sure Howard will give it a face lift.

For anyone who's interested, TORn board member Earl has a website where he has analyzed Howard's music, and he has identified a "Lonely Mountain" theme used in FotR. Perhaps Howard may revisit this for The Hobbit. Here's a link: http://thehouseofeorl.googlepages.com/TheLonelyMountain.htm

Hi, sorry just picked this up looking for info on the Hobbit- Like most on this site I'm looking forward to it. I'm surprised the option of doing the Hobbit wasn't written in to the contract if LotR ? The original cast of LotR was great so I'm confident in their casting this movie, especially if Sir Ian will dso Gandalf, etc. Bilbo will be interesting?

Oh wow, amazing news, thank you Elanor! I can't wait listening to the soundtrack, I'm sure it will once again be brilliant work.

This on TORN, Sept 28,

Sohaib Awan at Fictional Frontiers spoke to Howard Shore about his recent composition for Macy’s who are celebrating their 150th anniversary. During the interview, Howard had a few words to say about the Hobbit:

Sohaib: (speaking about the attendance at the celebratory concert) … I know a lot of the attendee’s are huge fans of Lord of The Rings films and I have to ask a couple of questions related to those films. I feel, to me, they are the seminal works in film over the last 35 to 40 years. And I think you’re score is as a critical as important as the actors and directors in that piece. To me it is one of the premiere pieces of modern music. Looking back at the film itself and your work on the Lord of the Rings is there a particular piece your most proud of, and is there a particular piece that you most personally relate to?

Howard Shore: Its such a vast epic story, that I always relate it to the very small intimate story of The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings really is this relationship of Frodo and Sam, and it’s at the centre of it, and I’m very keen on making sure that that was always close to my writing and close to my heart.

Sohaib: Hmm, as that story was to all of us. One last question before we go Howard, I have to ask you – You brought up the Hobbit. The new Hobbit films are obviously on their way in the next couple of years – are you going to be involved with this project, and if so, are you already started thinking about ideas along those lines. Will we see similar themes carried over from the original trilogy to the new films?

Howard Shore: “Yes I am starting to work on the Hobbit. A lot of the group is coming back together to work on it. It’s really a wondrous occasion. It’s fantastic guide for me to be able to go back to Middle earth and create more music , ‘cause these films, the films, are placed before Fellowship of the Ring, so I have to go back into Middle earth a little earlier and pick up my writing, and write a piece that would grow and take you right into Fellowship of the Ring.”

"Does anyone remember the Rankin/Bass made for tv movie, "The Hobbit." Some of the songs from that movie are awesome. I think in some fashion, or another, at least the song 15 Birds (What Funny Little Things) should be included in the movie. Perhaps jazz it up, but a nod to Rankin/Bass in this movie would be pretty interesting, in my opinion."

Unlike most of the fans on these boards, I actually adore the Rank/Bass toon. The later Lord of the Rings cartoons are another issue, though I enjoy them on a basic level. I like that 70's folk sound, and it was very fitting for all of the music in the Hobbit. In Del Toro's Hobbit, I predict that the songs will take on either a drunken or sado-masochist connotation, depending on the scene. Some of the limericks sung by Merry and Pippin in the Extended Versions of the Trilogy were awesome. The instrumentation in the Rankin/Bass toon would be outdated for Del Toro's film, but I wouldn't mind some sort of tribute to it whenever the Dwarves sing. To this day, when I pop in the old Hobbit toon, that first grader resurfaces, and I am filled with raw wonder and joy. I grew up on the cartoon, and did not even read the Hobbit or LOTR trilogy until I was in college. It defined my understanding of Tolkien for many years, so it has sentimental value for me. But I am only 25, so I can imagine that some of the older fans on these boards have different feelings about it and that is fine. But when the dwarves are drunk, I think some cool Rankin/Bass folk music is called for. Also, I can imagine the goblins singing "down down to goblin town," kind of like how Samuel L. Jackson quotes scripture to his victims just before he blows them away in Pulp Fiction. Its sick, and some "f---d up s--t!" LMAO!

How can musicians try to be part of the mucic for the upcoming movie(s)? What about entire an entire chorus?

We can count on middleearthgirl at least ... but that was never in doubt

Does anyone remember the Rankin/Bass made for tv movie, "The Hobbit." Some of the songs from that movie are awesome. I think in some fashion, or another, at least the song 15 Birds (What Funny Little Things) should be included in the movie. Perhaps jazz it up, but a nod to Rankin/Bass in this movie would be pretty interesting, in my opinion.

NZ fans have been practising be assured we have just been treated to an ozzy ozbourne concert in which we did most of the singing

More close male harmony singing for the dwarves then ... i think the sports fans of new zealand (who provided much of the chanting for the lotr films) should start practising now?

The Shire themes should definitely be back, of course, but obviously not the Fellowship, Minas Tirith, Lothlorien, and themes like that whose subject will not (hopefully be appearing in the film. The Rivendell themes can be reprised. But we'll need a new theme for the Misty Mountains, a new theme for Beorn, a new theme for Mirkwood evil creatures, a new theme for the Mirkwood Elves, a new theme for Lake Town, a theme for Bard , and a theme for the Lonely Mountain... and a theme for the Dwarves, of course. So, yeah, lots of new material, but in a similar style to the other films. I think a more folky singer might be good for the credits and other "verbal" songs-- as this is a movie about a Hobbit and Dwarves. Enya is more of an "Elf", if you know what I mean

I agree with QuackingTroll with the start.
I would like music which is not so epic as it was in Lord of the Rings. Hobbit´s story is not so big and complicated. It is lighter, more cheerful and more happy. Well of course there are scenes such as Mirkwood and Lonely mountain.

The original Hobbit song is going to be great as an introduction theme, the audience will feel confortable in the scene as soon as they hear it which is one of the benefits of the Lord of the Rings coming out before the Hobbit. Where usually Hobbiton would look alien to us, it now appears familiar and the soundtrack should certainly compliment this. But as the film goes on other less familiar scores will appear and we can get lost in Middle-Earth again. It's truely great news that Howard Shore is on board.

Presumably Howard Shore will use similar themes for the Dwarves that he developed for the passage of Moria in FOTR?. And the same could be said of 'concerning hobbits', though of course in both cases he will no doubt freshen things up and possibly lighten the tone slightly for the Hobbit?.

God, if my life had a soundtrack that guy would be the composing it.
I can't even begin to imagine what the soundtrack should be like. Should feature some lighter tones for the hobbits I suppose, but a more earthen element to reflect the dwarves. For some reason I can't decide whether Smaug's theme would have serious overtones or a slightly comical feel lol. He really was a quirky fellow, that Smaug.

For the Elves of Mirkwood, perhaps something wild and celtic to reflect the 'wildhunt' aspect they seem to represent?.

The theme's concerning the dwarves, already introduced in LOTR, could be developed a lot, concidering the story. The Mirkwood Elves music should be a little bit like Lorien I guess, but with a slightly darker twist to it.