FotR Live at Radio City Music Hall NY

Post by **Alatar** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 7:52 pm

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5362254n&tag=api

Anyone attending? Elen, Jewel, PearlyDi and I all saw this in the Albert Hall London. Its well worth the trip!

Post by **sauronsfinger** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 8:20 pm

I am going to see it in Grand Rapids on the 16th of this month with my grandson. Tickets in row #8, center. Radio City it is not - but it still should be great.

Mon Oct 05, 2009 8:27 pm

Good for you, sf. I'm sure it will be immensely enjoyable

Post by **Alatar** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 8:46 pm

I already have my tickets for TTT next year bought!

Post by **Elentári** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:15 pm

Enjoy, sf, it will be an unforgettable experience

Al - thanks for the reminder...what night are you going? it would be great to meet up again...

Post by **Alatar** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:42 pm

Can't remember Elen, I'll have a look and let you know closer to the time!

Post by **Elentári** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 7:22 am

Not too close , Al, I need to book up a bit sooner than that!

Post by **Alatar** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:30 am

Oh right! Just checked. Its Sat 24th April.

Post by **Elentári** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:20 am

OK, thanks

I'm just waiting on childcare arrangements before we can book!

Post by **Inanna** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:44 pm

I missed it. I knew it was there and did not go. My back had basically died with all the driving from SC to NYC every weekend - and I elected for hubby to drive to SC this last weekend.

Am kicking myself, my back is thanking me, though.

Post by **Dave_LF** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:58 pm

sauronsfinger wrote:I am going to see it in Grand Rapids on the 16th of this month with my grandson. Tickets in row #8, center. Radio City it is not - but it still should be great.

Hey; I am going to be there too.

Post by **sauronsfinger** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:49 am

Dave... cooooll ... I sent you a PM

Post by **sauronsfinger** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 8:01 pm

Back home from Grand Rapids. Met Dave LF and his lovely wife and both were charming. Its always nice to meet other board members at these events to put a face and personality with the name and posts.

Before I give my opinions of the experience, could those who have saw the combined film and symphony experience at other venues please comment about the quality of the film image itself that you saw? I do not want to say anything before I hear from others so as to not poison the well.

Post by **Alatar** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 9:44 am

It was excellent in the Albert Hall.

Post by **Elentári** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 11:30 am

I don't remember anything wrong with it there either, though I had my eyes on the orchestra a lot of the time!

btw, Al, have booked our tickets for TTT on April 24th...can't wait!

Post by **Dave_LF** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 1:31 pm

It was cool getting to meet sauronsfinger and his grandson (who sounds like he could become a bigger LotR fan than us all). It was my first time encountering anyone from these boards in real life. I'm really glad I found this thread before Friday; it would have been pretty frustrating to discover after the fact that we'd both been there and hadn't realized it.

But I feel obligated to let the board know that he was wearing a tie with elephants on it; we may have a double-agent on our hands.

The performance itself was an interesting experience. Most of the time the music matched what's in the film so exactly, I'd start to forget I wasn't just in a theater watching a movie. Then there'd be some little variation that would jar me out of my trance; they used an instrument like a dulcimer during a few pieces and some of the percussion was different (guess they couldn't bring in an actual hammer and anvil

). A few scenes struck me as quite a bit different; the two I remember in particular are the conversation between Elrond and Gandalf right before the council and music that played as the boats went down the Anduin. Also, during some parts they played more quietly than the film did, so I could hear voices and sound effects I usually don't (during other parts they played quite a bit louder and drowned out all the speech. But the music is what we were there for). I was actually thinking it would be neat to get ahold of the cut they were using and see what it's like to watch the movie without any music at all.

I'll reserve comment on the picture quality until after SF says what he thought.

Post by **Elentári** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 1:59 pm

That is interesting about the differences, Dave. I certainly didn't pick up on anything when we went. In fact, Al, Di, Jewel & I were treated to a pre-show talk by Howard Shore & Doug Adams, where they demonstrated some of the unusual percussion instruments that were going to be used - like the chains on the piano wires, and Japanese taiko drums. I guess the set-up with a smaller venue and orchestra will have had some bearing on what was used for your show.

Did you get a look at the conductor's lectern, etc? He not only has the score to follow, but also a monitor with the film playing, and you could see (from where we were sitting) how he had cues in the form of coloured verticle "bar lines" scrolling across intermittently, to help him keep the music in synch with the visual action. Very cool!

Post by **Dave_LF** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 2:07 pm

Yes, I did notice that (and commented to my wife that the conductor was apparently so bored with his job that he was watching TV

). There wasn't any type of intro talk; they just tuned up and jumped in. Maybe they were concerned about how long it was already.

Post by **Elentári** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 2:25 pm

Talking of length, TTT Live next April starts a whole half-hour earlier...could mean RotK will start at teatime...

Post by **Alatar** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:26 am

Just spotted on Doug Adams website that the RotK performance in London will be in Sept of this year instead of April next year. Also, they'll be using the event to launch Doug's book "The Music of Lord of the Rings" and the "Rarities Archive" companion pieces to the Complete Recordings Box sets.