# LotR score sheets



## Walid F. (Aug 26, 2014)

I can imagine a whole lot many other people are yearning for a look at the score sheets from the trilogy by Howard Shore, Lord of the Rings.

Surely there must exist copies around, and a possibility of getting my hands on a few of the cues from the trilogy? Or is this impossible/extremely expensive?

I saw Michael W. Barry from Cinesamples posting a pic featuring the score sheets from RotK, so that's why I'm very interested in knowing where to find it myself (been trying to figure out orchestrations from these for many many years!).

There is only a "Conductor's score" online with a few cues, but those aren't the original orchestrations and compositions.

W.


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## njO (Aug 26, 2014)

Hi Walid!

If you haven't got it already, I highly recommend the book "The Music of The Lord Of The Rings Films - A Comprehensive Account Of Howard Shore's Scores" by Doug Adams. 
It takes you through all the themes with score excerpts and reductions and the recording sessions. It also includes a cd with otherwise unreleased versions and mock-ups.

Do a search for ISBN: 978-0-7390-7157-1

Otherwise I believe Peter Alexander still have it. I got my copy from him.

Other than that there is the Symphony version, but probably only out for rental.

Nils Johan


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## Walid F. (Aug 26, 2014)

njO @ Tue Aug 26 said:


> Hi Walid!
> 
> If you haven't got it already, I highly recommend the book "The Music of The Lord Of The Rings Films - A Comprehensive Account Of Howard Shore's Scores" by Doug Adams.
> It takes you through all the themes with score excerpts and reductions and the recording sessions. It also includes a cd with otherwise unreleased versions and mock-ups.
> ...



Takk Nils-Johan!

The thing is, I am looking for specific orchestrations of several cues. Like how he built up the brass section for the harmony in Samwise The Brave, or the low woodwinds stuff in pretty much entire trilogy. There are so many things I want to look up with regards to orchestration. 

The themes and all of that is great too, but it's not what I am interested of at the moment - purely his orchestration for the recordings!

Will talk with Peter Alexander - he's a cool guy!

The symphony version isn't either what I want to check... :/

W.


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## nikolas (Aug 26, 2014)

I'd wager that it is out of reach due to copyright reasons... :-/ 

But I can't be sure, to be honest.


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## SterlingArcher (Aug 26, 2014)

Why not try contacting him through his management. I don't know what guarantee you will have of actually getting through to him, but as in most things in life, you don't know unless you ask. Just be completely honest about your intentions 

At the moment he's a managed though Columbia Artists and you can contact them at [email protected]. 

Good Luck


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## Walid F. (Aug 26, 2014)

SterlingArcher @ Tue Aug 26 said:


> Why not try contacting him through his management. I don't know what guarantee you will have of actually getting through to him, but as in most things in life, you don't know unless you ask. Just be completely honest about your intentions
> 
> At the moment he's a managed though Columbia Artists and you can contact them at [email protected].
> 
> Good Luck



Great idea! Maybe even better to call him? Haha. Would be so nice to speak with him!

Thanks!

W.


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## gsilbers (Aug 26, 2014)

did yuo see the book? 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/listing/2690630822066?r=1&cm_mmc=GooglePLA-_-Book_45Up-_-Q000000633-_-2690630822066 (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/listing/2 ... 0630822066)


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## Dan Drebing (Aug 26, 2014)

I've just started working through the Doug Adams book a week or two ago. It's good and I'm liking it so far, but it's definitely NOT a substitute for the score itself.

After getting the book, I've also been thinking about ways to get the score. I haven't emailed Howard Shore's management yet, but I'm considering it just because of the ridiculous return on minimal investment. I still think they'll ignore me or say "no," though.

Nils- Do you mean to say that you got your copy of the lord of the rings score from Peter Alexander, or just your copy of "The Music of the Lord of the Rings?"


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## njO (Aug 26, 2014)

Dan - Just the Doug Adams book. And I agree it's not a substitute for the full score of course.


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## Michael Barry (Aug 26, 2014)

the binder is Tim Starnes' property - he worked on the movies and sat through the scoring sessions so that is why he has them, they are his - with take notes and all. 

Not for public use but I had to geek out a little


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## Walid F. (Aug 26, 2014)

Michael Barry @ Tue Aug 26 said:


> the binder is Tim Starnes' property - he worked on the movies and sat through the scoring sessions so that is why he has them, they are his - with take notes and all.
> 
> Not for public use but I had to geek out a little



Lucky bastard!! :D There must be a way to get ones hands on it. 0oD 

W.


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## rgames (Aug 26, 2014)

I seriously doubt Howard Shore owns the copyright, so he probably can't give you the score even if he wanted to.

But there are other alternatives - there's a huge library of public-domain concert music that uses the same orchestral techniques. Check out the late romantics on IMSLP.

rgames


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## Walid F. (Aug 26, 2014)

rgames @ Tue Aug 26 said:


> I seriously doubt Howard Shore owns the copyright, so he probably can't give you the score even if he wanted to.
> 
> But there are other alternatives - there's a huge library of public-domain concert music that uses the same orchestral techniques. Check out the late romantics on IMSLP.
> 
> rgames



Yeah, that's a gold mine right there. Looked into a lot of Sibelius, as whenever I hear Sibelius I hear LotR. Especially in the brass and the chord flow.

W.


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## fbuerger (Aug 26, 2014)

There are 4 little books here:
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/lor ... ic/5447788

Each for 9$. These sheets are more in form of medleys, so no full songs, but ..hey..better than nothing?
While i am very lazy as hobbyist i had not looked deep in this sheets. So i can't tell more yet.

For me the best way was, to take the very first melody line from the Doug Adams book, and then filled the rest by ear. Out comes this:

https://soundcloud.com/fbuerger2000/lot ... the-ring-1

This was a very good training.

Frank

PS: These are the "Conductor's score's" you mentioned?


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## synthetic (Aug 26, 2014)

> There are 4 little books here:
> http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king-orc (http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/lor ... e-king-orc) hestra-conductor-s-score-sheet-music/5447788



Are the sheet music plus scores someone else's takedowns or official releases?


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## fbuerger (Aug 26, 2014)

For each book they are arranged by another person, so i guess they are not official.

Frank


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## Walid F. (Aug 26, 2014)

Yeah, the problem is, Howard Shore is famous for writing LOADS of clusters and similar dissonant things like that, and still making the orchestration work nicely.

It's really hard to hear what he's doing in the harmonic parts (while it's much easier in the melodies).

Here are just a few orchestration tests from just listening to some cues in the score:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12797960/lotr_orchestration_4.mp3 (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/127 ... tion_4.mp3)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12797960/lotr_orchestration_1.mp3 (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/127 ... tion_1.mp3)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12797960/lotr_orchestration_2.mp3 (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/127 ... tion_2.mp3)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12797960/lotr_orchestration_3.mp3 (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/127 ... tion_3.mp3)

I think I need to thicken it up a lot more, like have almost entire orchestra playing pretty much constantly, haha.

W.


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## Peter Alexander (Aug 27, 2014)

synthetic @ Tue Aug 26 said:


> > There are 4 little books here:
> > http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king-orc (http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/lor ... e-king-orc) hestra-conductor-s-score-sheet-music/5447788
> 
> 
> ...



They're arrangements by another composer.


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## Walid F. (Aug 27, 2014)

In that case, it's just fine to figure out the orchestration on my own, as I have many times..

W.


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## Mahlon (Aug 27, 2014)

Love your artwork, man.

Mahlon


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## mt108 (Aug 27, 2014)

Calling/visiting Howard's studio over in Tuxedo might end up being fruitless... after all there are likely quite a few legal issues to say nothing of what the composer himself might want. But, it's certainly worth trying. The complete conductor's scores for those films are a holy grail for me, and "arrangements" just don't cut it. The symphony is a good resource though, assuming you can get your hands on it....

Failing that, these scores are an excellent way to test your aural skills, and not only for the crafty orchestrations. So embrace that!


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## Walid F. (Aug 27, 2014)

mt108 @ Wed Aug 27 said:


> Calling/visiting Howard's studio over in Tuxedo might end up being fruitless... after all there are likely quite a few legal issues to say nothing of what the composer himself might want. But, it's certainly worth trying. The complete conductor's scores for those films are a holy grail for me, and "arrangements" just don't cut it. The symphony is a good resource though, assuming you can get your hands on it....



I hear ya for sure. But hell, can try anyways! Arrangements are like... they just don't have that Howard Shore magic.



Mahlon said:


> Love your artwork, man.



Haha, awesome! Thanks. 

W.


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## newbycomposer (Sep 12, 2014)

njO @ Tue Aug 26 said:


> Hi Walid!
> 
> 
> Do a search for ISBN: 978-0-7390-7157-1
> ...



What is the difference between that version and the symphony version? I'm intrested in buying/renting the book and would like to give it a look. Do you have the isbn version of it?


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