Howard Shore: Anthology - The Paris Concerts

by Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France

Overview

Howard Shore may not be a household name like John Williams, but even casual filmgoers could give any number of junctures at which the Lord of the Rings films would not be what they are without his contributions. Those films are not neglected in this release by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, recorded live at its facilities over a trio of concerts in 2023. The Lord of the Rings films, including The Hobbit, take up most of the first of the album's three CDs, and one gets the sense that the films are fairly represented even if those wanting to luxuriate in their scores have other options. The main purpose here is to show the diversity of Shore's scores, emphasized by his own statements that only in film music, once they find a director whose goals accord with their own, can composers write freely. There were three concerts, two performed by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, framing a third played by the group Le Balcon and exemplifying Shore's more experimental side. Those are mixed into the general program; it might have been nice to keep them separate, but the program still testifies to the range of Shore's imagination. Perhaps an unexpected inclusion is the range of pieces from The Fly (1986), where one perhaps comes to a new understanding of why that essentially B-grade horror film was so effective. On the experimental side is Crash (2004), with low electronic sounds giving hints of rock and electronic popular styles without going over to them entirely. This is completely in tune with the film's completely controlled progressive voice, whatever one may think of it. There are shorter excerpts from a variety of other films, and one will come away from the album as a whole with a deeper understanding of Shore's work, and that is exactly the aim. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	03/21/2025
Label:	Deutsche Grammophon
UPC:	0028948662371

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ludwig Wicki   Primary Artist,Conductor
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Raphaelle Moreau   Primary Artist,Violin
Lydia Kavina   Primary Artist,Theremin
Stephane Guillaume   Primary Artist,Sax (Alto)
Radio France Chorus   Primary Artist,Choir/Chorus
Mike Schaeperclaus   Primary Artist,Conductor
Olivier Doise   Primary Artist,Oboe
Bastien Stil   Primary Artist,Conductor
Jean-Paul Gasparian   Primary Artist,Piano
Le Balcon   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Les Maitrise de Radio France   Primary Artist,Choir/Chorus

Technical Credits

Jean-Louis Deloncle   Mixing Engineer,Mixing,Engineer
Xavier Leveque   Editing,Digital Editing
Lars Hoffmann   Production Manager
Anush Alimirzaie   A&R
Cyprien Matheux   Associate Producer,Recording Producer
Lina Matschinko   Project Coordinator
Nicole Maurer   A&R
Kevin Delcourt   Editing,Digital Editing
Chloe Murphy   Product Manager
Rayan Telleria   Production Assistant
Christian Huck   Artwork
Lydia Kavina   Arranger
Howard Shore   Text,Composer,Liner Notes
Christoph Stickel   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Fran Walsh   Text,Composer
Philippa Boyens   Text,Lyricist
Benjamin Ealovega   Cover Photo
Ute Fesquet   Executive Producer
Raffi Kevorkian   Producer,Recording Producer
Stephane Lerouge   Liner Notes
Etienne Pipard   Associate Producer,Recording Producer
Jean-Baptiste Etchepareborde   Editing,Engineer,Digital Editing