Track-by-Track: Soundtrack Discussion and Analysis - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lathriel · 05-06-2005, 09:26 PM

Looks like you got it all figured out!
If that big CD set comes out I am definitly going to buy it. The rest of my family rolls their eyes but I don't care. There are so many little pieces of music that I hear while watching the movies that aren't on the soundtrack. Plus it would be nice if they added some of Merry and Pippin's songs.

Encaitare · 05-07-2005, 01:32 PM

Whoops! With my AP test yesterday I completely forgot to post. Shan't happen again (if I can help it).

Low brass and timid strings set the scene for the atmosphere of the Marshes. They provide an extremely eerie feel. When the music gets more forceful around 1:04, there are voices added, although I can't find any lyrics or translation.

The voices around 1:20 make me shiver.

Afterwards, things calm down a bit as the continue through the Marshes. At 1:53 and continuing, there is a variation of the Ring theme. Then at 2:26, we hear those creeping footfall noises previously attributed to Gollum. I'm not sure what instrument that is -- I originally thought it was a xylophone of some sort, although it now sounds to me like a plucked string being played very quickly. Any ideas?

Lathriel · 05-07-2005, 05:05 PM

Sometimes I skip this track cause it scares me. In general music has a big affect on me and if music is somewhat eerie it can really scare me. (Like Shelob's lair in ROTK)
Every time I hear the track I can see the ghosts (from the movie)that try to reach out to Frodo and that freaks me out.

The Tennis Ball Kid · 05-12-2005, 07:03 AM

Quote:

we hear those creeping footfall noises previously attributed to Gollum. I'm not sure what instrument that is -- I originally thought it was a xylophone of some sort, although it now sounds to me like a plucked string being played very quickly. Any ideas?

I believe it's a hammered dulcimer, If I remember correctly from the documentary with TTT:EE.

Like Alice, I seem to have fallen down the rabbit hole and become very late...

Not really much to say about this one I think, very effective horror music (especially the voices! *shudder*), sort of a return to their roots for both Shore and Jackson.

Then it plays out with Gollum leading them on.

One thing, this track seems to start exactly where the previous one left off musically.

ttbk

Encaitare · 05-12-2005, 03:00 PM

I'm posting this a day early because tomorrow I am departing with the school band for a trip to Disney World(!) until Monday. We've got to meet up at 3:30 AM (

) in order to catch an early flight, so there's no sensible way for me to post tomorrow.

So track 5 begins with the Fellowship theme once more, sounding subdued at first and then very triumphant as the Three Hunters track the Uruk-hai in search of Merry and Pippin.

An oboe plays the theme as well -- it seems like a hobbity sort of sound, and for me it ties in the fact that the loyalty and friendship within the broken Fellowship is the motivation behind this hunt.

Around 1:30, the Rohan theme kicks in, but it is quickly dominated by low brass. The hammering rhythm in the background reminds me of Isengard, which has hold over Rohan, but then this too is overwhelmed by the theme of Mordor, which in turn has hold over Isengard. At 1:24, the Isengard theme returns.

I'm looking forward to next week -- more Rohan theme goodness!

Anguirel · 05-13-2005, 07:05 AM

...this track summons to the mind one of the most iconic moments of the film (and book), when the Three Hunters are running across the plains. I remember being excited beyond words when I heard it. 28 seconds in the Fellowship theme (I think? Duh-duh, duhh, duh-duh-duuhh) cuts in, swelling the heart and making me want to jump off my chair. We then hear only a few notes of Rohan before the Forces of Evil take over. The dichotomy, the struggle, the epic of the story, is perfectly encapsulated. But the moment at 00:28 is still the peak, certainly of the track, possibly of the film...it has what Tolkien called eucatastrophe. It seems to me a far more potent expression of this than the badly mishandled arrival of Aragorn at the Pelennor Fields in the film of ROTK.

Lathriel · 05-14-2005, 06:11 PM

I don't like the Mordor or Isengard theme too much. However, I do really like the intro. And I also really like it that the Isengard theme has that industrial sound to it.
Well my mom is calling me so I'll post more later.

05-06-2005, 09:26 PM	#1
Lathriel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through Middle-Earth (Sadly in Alberta and not ME) Posts: 612	Looks like you got it all figured out! If that big CD set comes out I am definitly going to buy it. The rest of my family rolls their eyes but I don't care. There are so many little pieces of music that I hear while watching the movies that aren't on the soundtrack. Plus it would be nice if they added some of Merry and Pippin's songs. __________________ Back again

05-07-2005, 01:32 PM	#2
Encaitare Bittersweet Symphony Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: On the jolly starship Enterprise Posts: 1,814	Track 4: the Passage of the Marshes Whoops! With my AP test yesterday I completely forgot to post. Shan't happen again (if I can help it). Low brass and timid strings set the scene for the atmosphere of the Marshes. They provide an extremely eerie feel. When the music gets more forceful around 1:04, there are voices added, although I can't find any lyrics or translation. The voices around 1:20 make me shiver. Afterwards, things calm down a bit as the continue through the Marshes. At 1:53 and continuing, there is a variation of the Ring theme. Then at 2:26, we hear those creeping footfall noises previously attributed to Gollum. I'm not sure what instrument that is -- I originally thought it was a xylophone of some sort, although it now sounds to me like a plucked string being played very quickly. Any ideas?

05-07-2005, 05:05 PM	#3
Lathriel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through Middle-Earth (Sadly in Alberta and not ME) Posts: 612	Sometimes I skip this track cause it scares me. In general music has a big affect on me and if music is somewhat eerie it can really scare me. (Like Shelob's lair in ROTK) Every time I hear the track I can see the ghosts (from the movie)that try to reach out to Frodo and that freaks me out. __________________ Back again

05-12-2005, 03:00 PM	#5
Encaitare Bittersweet Symphony Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: On the jolly starship Enterprise Posts: 1,814	Track 5: the Uruk-hai I'm posting this a day early because tomorrow I am departing with the school band for a trip to Disney World(!) until Monday. We've got to meet up at 3:30 AM ( ) in order to catch an early flight, so there's no sensible way for me to post tomorrow. So track 5 begins with the Fellowship theme once more, sounding subdued at first and then very triumphant as the Three Hunters track the Uruk-hai in search of Merry and Pippin. An oboe plays the theme as well -- it seems like a hobbity sort of sound, and for me it ties in the fact that the loyalty and friendship within the broken Fellowship is the motivation behind this hunt. Around 1:30, the Rohan theme kicks in, but it is quickly dominated by low brass. The hammering rhythm in the background reminds me of Isengard, which has hold over Rohan, but then this too is overwhelmed by the theme of Mordor, which in turn has hold over Isengard. At 1:24, the Isengard theme returns. I'm looking forward to next week -- more Rohan theme goodness!

05-13-2005, 07:05 AM	#6
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	I love this...as usual... ...this track summons to the mind one of the most iconic moments of the film (and book), when the Three Hunters are running across the plains. I remember being excited beyond words when I heard it. 28 seconds in the Fellowship theme (I think? Duh-duh, duhh, duh-duh-duuhh) cuts in, swelling the heart and making me want to jump off my chair. We then hear only a few notes of Rohan before the Forces of Evil take over. The dichotomy, the struggle, the epic of the story, is perfectly encapsulated. But the moment at 00:28 is still the peak, certainly of the track, possibly of the film...it has what Tolkien called eucatastrophe. It seems to me a far more potent expression of this than the badly mishandled arrival of Aragorn at the Pelennor Fields in the film of ROTK. __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso

05-14-2005, 06:11 PM	#7
Lathriel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through Middle-Earth (Sadly in Alberta and not ME) Posts: 612	I don't like the Mordor or Isengard theme too much. However, I do really like the intro. And I also really like it that the Isengard theme has that industrial sound to it. Well my mom is calling me so I'll post more later. __________________ Back again

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