A. R. Rahman

So, I was struck by the news that last night A. R. Rahman won the Oscar not just for his soundtrack to SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE but also for best song from the same movie. Although he's v. prolific, I only know of Rahman through his Tolkien connection, as the man who oversaw the music for the LORD OF THE RINGS MUSICAL. I'm not altogether clear just which parts of that now-closed production's music he wrote, since Christopher Nightingale ("musical supervisor and orchestrator") and the Finnish group Varttina are also credited; my impression is that Rahman took all the disparate bits and pieces and welded them smoothly together.

For anyone interested in my response to the LotR soundtrack, here's my post from last April:

http://sacnoths.blogspot.com/2008/04/new-arrival-lotr-soundtrack.html



All I can really add now is that the cd has had staying power; I'm still listening to it on occasion almost a year later -- though now in addition to the 'Hobbit' songs I think the orcs vs. elves music at the climax might now be my favorite part; it's unintentionally funny where the elves sing their way to victory.

So far as I know, there's still no dvd of the stage show, just the cd of its soundtrack and Gary Russell's OFFICIAL STAGE COMPANION.

--JDR