Track-by-Track: Soundtrack Discussion and Analysis

[Dragon Reborn]

Just had to say this is a fantastic idea for a thread and as soon as Im not so heavily burdended with schoolwork i will be right on to making some contributions!

[Encaitare]

The track begins sounding rather eerie, with the choir and strings slowly building. At this point, Boromir is trying to convince Frodo to give him the Ring, and the choir sings the following (in Quenya):

i tuo...
i macil...
... (a?)staldaron...
marinyë... cor...
i tuo...
i macil...
a lelyat
túrenna...
i tuo...

the strength...
the sword...
... of-the-valiant (?)...
I-live... ring (?)...
the strength...
the sword...
let they go (?)
to-victory...
the strength...

It seems like a little bit of a rough translation, but it corresponds pretty well to what is going on. Boromir truly believes that he can save Gondor by use of the Ring. After this little episode, the strings become dominant for a bit as Frodo tries to run.

The brass solo which immediately follows reminds me of the Minas Tirith theme that we'll hear in RotK, symbolizing Boromir's fierce loyalty to his land. I have not watched FotR in a long time, so I'm a bit rusty on what exactly is going on after this -- battle shots, I imagine. But at 2:07, the Isengard theme returns with the Uruk-hai. It stops at 2:36, but not before delivering three last hammerblows, which further drive home the point that Boromir, our valiant warrior, is being shot down. The choir returns, mournfully backed up by strings:

... i alda helda
i ehtelë lin(d)a.
Manna lelyalyë
Voromirë...
canelya ... dessë si .... mas

... the tree naked
the spring beautiful.
Where-to you-go
Boromir...
your-valour... ?-in now ... ?

For me this is the most emotional track, because in the movie the sound fades until it seems as though everything is happening very far away, and the music covers most of it up. You can hear Boromir's cries, and see Merry and Pippin's distraught faces just by listening.

Gentle brass and strings playing the Fellowship theme end the track; I believe this is played in the movie when Boromir is finally dead.

One thing I'm not so sure about is this: supposedly, the following lines are sung while Boromir is being shot:

Ú-velin i vegil an aegas
egor i bilin a linnas

I-do-not-love the sword for sharpness,
or the arrow for swiftness

This is of course from Faramir's speech in TTT (the book): "...but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend: the city of the Men of Numenor..." It's a beautiful passage, and very appropriate for what is going on. However, it doesn't seem to be in the track itself. Maybe it's just in the movie?

[The Tennis Ball Kid]

I have not watched FotR in a long time, so I'm a bit rusty on what exactly is going on after this

This site, has a good run down of what's going when on the soundtracks.

However, it doesn't seem to be in the track itself. Maybe it's just in the movie?

It's only in the EE, thus not on the soundtrack, and it plays while he's defending Merry and Pippin.

I'm very behind, but I'll try to catch up to these three tracks either tonight or tommorow....

Edit:

Does this piece fit your thoughts of what Elvish music would sound like? If not, what would you do differently? How does this (either the contents of the track or your own ideas) fit in with Lorien's history and people?

1. Not really, my ideas for Elvish music prior to watching these films wasn't very in depth beyond "Tra la lally, down in the valley..."

Not sure I'd change anything, the otherworldy Middle-Eastern effect worked well in the film.

The Great River:

Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien.
Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!

Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come.
In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world!

I hadn't noticed that before, it's remarkable how much depth the use of Tolkien's language adds to score, it's something the Bashki cartoon didn't have.

The epic rendition of the 'Ring theme' as they pass the Argonath is one of highlights of the album, in large part because it's the only full statement of the theme on the CD.

Amon Hen:
Together with The Breaking of The Fellowship this one the better musical endings to a film I've ever see_er, heard.

The Seduction theme playing as Aragorn (not Boromir) is tempted by the Ring gives an eerie start to the proccedings.

Then, the brass, which I believe you've correctly connected to Minas Tirith, as Aragorn faces down the Uruk-hai, this minute and a half is some of the best action writing I've ever heard.

The Isengard theme as heard here is frightening, menacing, as Boromir, Merry and Pippin are set upon by the orcs.

The track finishes with a mournful rendtion of the 'Fellowship' theme as Boromir dies, how long ago Moria and that full, triumphiant statement of it seem now...

Missing on the CD are the fantastic additions to the EE; namely: the 'Nature/Moth' theme as Merry and Pippin create a diversion to allow Frodo to escape, and the new choral pieces as Boromir defends the two young Hobbits.



ttbk

[Encaitare]

Thanks for the link!

The Seduction theme playing as Aragorn (not Boromir) is tempted by the Ring gives an eerie start to the proccedings.

Ah, yes, seduction. That was the term I was looking for and just couldn't come up with while writing my last post. Quite an appropriate title for it, too.

[Lathriel]

The Seduction theme is very key in the movies (and in the book) because almost all the characters are seduced by the ring. Even Sam is almost seduced by it. As the dutch title of LOTR says they are Bound by the ring It is one of my favourite theme songs because it doesn't only sound seductive, its also melancholy due to all the evil influences the ring brings with it. It certainly fits with Boromr because he ends up loosing his life in the quest of getting the ring to Mordor. Overall I really like this track due to its contrast between the quiet of the rings power, and Boromir's death compared to the loudness of battle. This is usually split in strings with choir for the quiet parts (and a solo for lowbrass) to Full blown brass for the battles. However, I really like it that Howard Shore decided not to go along this path completely but to turn down the volume of the music halfway through the fight.
Encaitare thanks once again for the lyrics, I didn't know their meaning yet so its great to finally see what they are actually singing.

[Encaitare]

This track is just so beautiful and sad... I love it.

So we start out with strings on a pedal tone under very "round"-sounding brass; the two then merge to a melancholy variation on the Shire theme -- Frodo, while with quite a ways to go, is not the hobbit he was when he first left home. As Sam comes after Frodo, the strings drift along even as he does under the water.

At 1:44, Frodo pulls Sam out, and the theme becomes more hopeful -- especially as the original whistle that we heard in Track 2 returns, although it's much sadder. It shows us that while there will be suffering, at least Sam and Frodo will be together.

Cut to Boromir's boat and those who will be the Three Hunters. There is a snippet of the Shire theme again which then changes to the Fellowship theme. The theme is no longer full; several instruments seem to be missing, as their group is broken.

Percussion grows and then fades in the background as the Shire theme and eventually the whistle return. After this solo, the percussion returns muted under strings. Edward Ross' vocal solo follows, accompanied at times by a boys' choir. It brings in the phrase "there and back again," implying that while hardship will ensue, all is not lost. There is still hope. Strings and brass do a short conclusion of this solo, which leads nicely into the next track... but that's for next week.

Do share your thoughts.

[The Tennis Ball Kid]

Gosh, is it Friday already?

The emotional highlight of the score, don't how much there is to say.....love the tom-toms(?) near the end.


I love In Dreams, it's, as Shore has called it, "The Hobbit Hymn"; I greatly prefer it to what to comes next and wish it came at the begining of the credits in the movie.




ttbk