I know it’s a few years old now, but in the first of the “Lord of the Rings” movies a whistle was used in the theme music for the hobbits and for the scenes set in the Shire. I think the piece was called “Concerning Hobbits” after the chapter in the book that that part of movie was based on. Does anyone know where the sheet music is available for that piece?
I remember seeing the Houston Symphony perform the music from the movie and seeing the tuxedo clad whistle player sitting among the “classicly trained musicians.” Or maybe he was classicly trained, too. Maybe he studied Whistle playing at Juliard or something, I don’t know. But I do know that at the end of the performance the conductor( I believe it was Howard Shore,the composer) asked him to stand to accept his share of the ovation and everyone clapped louder for him and I even heard shouts of “Bravo!” It’s nice to see Whistlers get their props.
He may well have in the movies, but I don’t think he toured with traveling company. He would have been heavily advertised and tickets would have been much harder to come by.
Yep, that’s him alright. I just don’t think he played in the performance I attended. I wish that he had, though. That would’ve been awesome.
Thanks, Rom, for the link to the other thread!
I created it as a lesson plan for my older brother who wants is awaiting delivery of his first tin whistles. (I found him a waltons irish whistle + CD + Book and a Generation D cheap so I suggested he got those)
I also recorded these as well, they sound rubbish cos I can hardly play and were first takes.
Lord of the Rings
Written for Orchestra by Howard Shore
• Houston Symphony (2004 and 2005)
• Dallas Symphony (Fall 2004)
Bass Flute, Pan Flutes and Irish Penny Whistle
I learned to play it by ear, listening to the video,and added another piece from the movie onto the end as a kind of medley. I play it every day, because I love it, almost always on a D whistle.
I also learned what I call Pippin’s Lament–the song he sang in the movie when rotten King Denethor sent his son into a hopeless battle while he ate a chicken lunch at home. It plays like a slow air, but I can’t play it much because it makes me sad!
This gives you the notes, and then the CD plays 2 tracks for each song – one with the instrument and accompaniment and the other with just accompaniment so you can play along. I have the “Flute” Version that needs a Bb whistle for playing with the CD.
Solo whistle parts on the Lord of the Rings soundtrack were recorded by New Zealander Alan Doherty, the whistle and flute player with the great Irish band Gráda. A great guy and wonderful musician, I had the privilege of meeting and sessioning with him last year when my group opened for Gráda, and he’ll be here in SD again in a few weeks. Alan plays Overton whistles, but had fun trying our Burkes and Copelands.
Thanks, Keith. I edited the above post to be a bit more precise.
Alan himself told me that he recorded solo tracks on LOTR, and I have no reason to think he was lying. But I believe he was referring to the first film (Fellowship of the Ring), and he doesn’t claim all the whistle parts, only the main solo tracks. It’s likely the soundtrack was recorded in multiple sessions, with other players doing whistle duty on the orchestral fills.
I also wonder if this was a case of success breeding success. I believe Alan met Peter Jackson in NZ, and was relatively unknown at the time. Once it was clear that the first film was a blockbuster, I can understand other more famous players being asked to participate in the soundtrack or post-soundtrack recordings, for the cachet.
If I remember, I’ll ask Alan when I see him again. Of course, Joanie herself could chime in here on her particular role.
Success breeding success? That might be part of it, although I’d hazard that much has to do with ability - have you seen that man play!!?? Oportunity tends to gravitate towards ability with attitude as the cement - Alan is also one of the nicest people I’ve met. “Destined” is a word that springs to mind.
Mitch, I agree with you completely about Alan. But he was, and still is, relatively unknown. What I meant was that after the success of the first LOTR film was established, other musicians with more “star power”, like James Galway, might have wanted to participate, or have been asked. Whereas during the recording of the first soundtrack, the choice of whistle soloist would have been based on musical considerations, regardless of fame. This is pure speculation on my part, with no aspersions on Joanie or anyone else. But sometimes it’s the way things work. Make it big, and the little guys responsible for success in the first place get pushed out.
Hmmmm - I’m put in mind of Brian Eno’s “place in the corner” - and, yes, Eno remained smaller than Elvis - but then, was Elvis big, or was it just relative to his paradigm? Who succeded? When it was a matter of “undies on the stage” was it a question of “how many” or “whose”?
Thanks for the link to the Bob Chadwick site. It was several years ago and in a darkened concert hall, so it’s not like I could pick the guy out of a lineup or anything, but according to his credits that was him in that particular performance. I checked out his site, he really is a world class musician. And the whistle is just one facet of what he can do. I do remember that he was an amazing player. I didn’t mean to downplay his training and skill in my original post, its just that I still tend to think of whistle players as homegrown, self-taught people who pay the bills by some means other than being a professional musician. They tend to play just for love of the music and the instrument. But, clearly this is not always the case. Thanks again. And thanks to everyone who helped point me to the music I was looking for.
I was waiting all the time for the solution of the mystery! 