Our friend, Doug Adams, recently confirmed via twitter that the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s program later this month, The Film Music of Howard Shore, will include the premiere of The Hobbit: Four MovementsRa. This has been long awaited by fans as a logical progression from Shore’s The Lord of the Rings Symphony, released on CD in September 2011. No word yet on if and when it might be available on CD, but if you’re in or near the Pittsburgh area at the end of this month, the performances are scheduled for Friday, June 24 and Saturday, 25 at 8:00 p.m. with an afternoon concert scheduled for Sunday, June 26. In addition to music from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the performances will also include music from other Howard Shore scores such as The Aviator, Hugo and The Silence of the Lambs, and more. Get more information and purchase tickets here, on the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s website.
Update: thanks to Doug, we can now share the official press release for the event! Check it out below, and be sure to purchase your tickets soon if you’re lucky enough to be able to go. Also, don’t forget to send us your reports and pictures from the concert!
The Film Music of Howard Shore
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestraorld Premiere:
THE HOBBIT
FOUR MOVEMENTS FOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
with many more favorites from his outstanding career
June 24, 2016 – June 26, 2016 at Heinz Hall
Special Guest Howard Shore
Artists
Howard Shore, special guest
Ludwig Wicki, conductor
Jon Burlingame, interviewer
Lydia Kavina, Theremin
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concludes another spectacular Pops season with a one of a kind evening: an audience with the Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra celebrates the outstanding career and achievements of a true icon, with performances of his best known scores and live interviews, by acclaimed film music writer Jon Burlingame, with the composer from the stage. Audiences will thrill to the music from his legendary scores to The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the world premiere of music from The Hobbit with scores from his films: The Aviator, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Silence of the Lambs, Hugo and many more. This is an epic evening filled with amazing music and the composer’s own insights.
While Tolkien was a British writer, his readership and influence extend far beyond the English language. Middle-earth transcends both time and culture as we have seen again and again when having the pleasure to meet fellow fans from around the globe through both TheOneRing and Happy Hobbit. That said, sometimes it takes a little longer for Tolkien events and/or specials in other languages and countries to reach our ears. Fortunately for you, dear reader, famed Tolkien artist and scholar John Howe sent a message our way via thrush to let us know about a delightful Franco-English documentary he narrated in 2015 about the source material for Tolkien’s The Hobbit titled A la Recherche du Hobbit (Looking for the Hobbit).
You can watch the first episode of five in English below:
If you’re confident enough to navigate the French website (all you have to do is click on the shopping cart icon!) you can purchase a region-free English version here, and the series is available in French on DVD and streaming here (along with a preview). You can also peruse several delightful behind the scenes photos on their Facebook page.
John Howe at Hobbiton in Matamata, NZ.
What’s more, John Howe has taken the time to provide us with his thoughts on why, even after all this time, he was excited to contribute to yet another exploration of Tolkien.
Peter Jackson has agreed to direct the upcoming film, The Jumping Bean Surprise, according to Court Five Producer Mark Ordesky. Conceived by Tyler H. Jacobson, the story is set in the 1870s and involves four teenagers using a time machine to journey back three hours to scare their past selves by dressing up as clowns. When one of them falls in love with his past self, however, a love triangle develops that challenges the boundaries of time and space.
“It’s a science fiction story, a horror story and a love story all in one,” Ordesky said in his announcement. “And we knew we needed somebody who could bring all these elements together. That somebody is Peter Jackson.”
Set for release in January of 2018, Ordesky added that Jackson is so excited, “he’s already setting aside a suit for the Oscars.”
Peter Jackson is the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the latter of which was adapted into a feature film directed by Jackson and produced by Ordesky.
Alright, we’ll come clean: as most of you have guessed, this is just an April Fool’s Day joke! The story idea for this film, written by one of our staffers, is only a proposal that he is currently attempting to gain funding for. If you’d like to donate, visit: www.kickstarter.com/projects/jumpingbeansurprise
How time flies! Exactly a year ago today, February 21st 2015, many of us gathered in Hollywood for The One Last Party. Fans and TheOneRing.net staffers were joined by movie cast and crew members, brought together by a love of Tolkien and of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth trilogies. Many more fans around the world tuned in to watch TORn’s live stream coverage, led by staffers Quickbeam and Justin. Bruce Hopkins (Gamling) acted as MC for the night, PJ himself sent a special video greeting, and the Professor’s great-grandson Royd Tolkien came all the way from Britain for the celebration. Partygoers danced the night away to the music of Emerald Rose and William Kircher’s group The California Dreamers. It was indeed a night to remember!
Staffer Mithril posted recently about the beautiful Red Book she made, containing the names of all who contributed to the crowdfunding campaign to make The One Last Party happen; this lovely book was sent to Sir Peter as a ‘thank you’ from all of us to whom his movies have meant so much. In another look back to that wonderful night a year ago, here are just a few moments captured from that night, and put together by film maker and TORn friend Dan McBride. Let’s reminisce – and hope that it isn’t really the last such event. We may yet have an excuse, one day, for an unexpected party…
From stuff.co.nz: Peter Jackson along with fellow Oscar winner Jamie Selkirk stepped down from Sir Richard Taylor’s Miramar workshop on December 31, Companies Office documents show. The change comes ahead of new legislation which would make directors personally liable for health and safety, which the Institute of Directors said demonstrated that directors needed to be across all aspects of the business. Jackson and Selkirk both still own about one third of Weta Workshop.
Weta Workshop senior communications manager Erik Hay confirmed the law change was behind the move for Jackson and Selkirk. “The reason was centred around the law change, which will require them to be more involved on a daily basis. As a manufacturing business, it’s important they are. Peter felt he was not and decided to step out of the piece. They will still retain shares in the company.” Read more…
Check out this wonderful Entertainment Weekly interview with Peter Jackson about his experiences with, and memories of, the actor who brought J.R.R. Tolkien’s wizard Saruman to life for millions of loving fans. You’ll chuckle at PJ recalling some comical moments, but have a box of tissues ready because you just might shed a tear too. Read more…
Our friend, Doug Adams, recently confirmed via twitter that the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s program later this month, The Film Music of Howard Shore, will include the premiere of The Hobbit: Four Movements Ra. This has been long awaited by fans as a logical progression from Shore’s The Lord of the Rings Symphony, released on CD in September 2011. No word yet on if and when it might be available on CD, but if you’re in or near the Pittsburgh area at the end of this month, the performances are scheduled for Friday, June 24 and Saturday, 25 at 8:00 p.m. with an afternoon concert scheduled for Sunday, June 26. In addition to music from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the performances will also include music from other Howard Shore scores such as The Aviator, Hugo and The Silence of the Lambs, and more. Get more information and purchase tickets here, on the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s website.
