Track-by-Track: Soundtrack Discussion and Analysis

[Encaitare]

At the very beginning of this track, we hear the hardinger again, followed by a very wistful rendition of the Rohan theme. String instruments are, in my opinion, very dangerous things. They can either sound like dying cats or create some of the most beautiful sounds that you'll ever hear. Fortunately, when the hardinger solos at 0:53, it's the latter situation. It's got a feel like a glorious place stripped of majesty, and the hardinger is it's last bit of dignity and strength shining through. The harp is a nice touch.

I like the way the theme does not resolve the way we might expect at 1:34 -- instead, it takes a much darker turn. Low strings and brass dominate for a time before giving way to something more exciting.

2:33 to the end is very sad; it's when Theoden grieves for Theodred. Gandalf is present at the time, and the trumpet, which has often seemed to represent Gandalf, plays a rendition of the Fellowship theme underneath the choir.

[Lathriel]

The very beginning of th track is known as Eowyn's theme. That is before it becomes the Rohan theme.
Of course this is one of my favourite tracks on this CD.
Partly because I think the music is exactly like the culture it is trying to portray. The Hardinger really gives the track that celtic feel. The fiddle fits with the horses and the plains which are such a large part of the Rohan people's culture.
And it is just breathtaking with the shot of Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld.

[The Tennis Ball Kid]

But the moment at 00:28 is still the peak, certainly of the track, possibly of the film...

It's good (very good), but I wouldn't go quite that far. The peak of the film comes later...

I think it captures the sense that the Fellowship, though scattered, still holds true. I like the simpler orchestration here, it is but a remmant that pursues the orcs.


The fiddle solo as the flag tears away in the wind is glorious, the visuals and music working together perfectly.


I also like the way the Old English lyrics are used throughout TTT to underscore the Rohhirrm's plight.

While I'm here....

The Box-Setisc One:
#1: Prologue (7:10)**
#2: The Shire, Middle Earth(:58)
#3: Concerning Hobbits(1:31)
#4: The Road Goes Ever On....(:39)
#5: A Wizard is Never Late(4:05)**
#6: Very Old Friends(1:39)
#7: A Night To Remember(1:26)
#8 Party#1(:45)
#9 Party#2(:57)
#10: The Sackville-Bagginses!(1:43)
#11: Goodbye(1:00)
#12: It's In My Pocket(1:43)
#13: The End of My Book(1:09)
#14: Riddles in The Dark(1:18)
#15: "Neither Secret, or Safe..."(3:14)**
#16: "The Green Dragon" (:20)
#17: "Rosie" (:17)
#18: "It Is The One Ring" (1:48)
#19: "Bilbo Found It" (:23)
#20: "Sauron endured" (:44)
#21: "Remarkable Hobbits" (3:53)**
#22 "The Journey Begins" (1:47)**
#23: "Wood Elves" (:49)
#24: "To Isengard!" (:40)**
#25: "Reason Exchanged for Madness" (2:27)**
#26: "The Treason of Isengard" (:55)**
#27: "Shortcut To Mushrooms" (:49)**
#28: "Brandybucks and Tooks" (:14)
#29: "Get off the road!" (:13)*
#30: "The Black Rider" (2:36)**
#31: "At The Sign of The Prancing Pony" (:27)**
#32: "No Gandalf" (:21)
#33 "Strider" (:38)**
#34 "Frodo Baggins" (:23)
#35 "Nazgul In The Night" (1:12)**
#36 "Journey To Rivendell" (2:07)
#37: Second Breakfast (1:08)
#38: Desecration of Isengard (:39)
#39: A Knife In The Dark (1:40)**
#40: Even the Smallest Creature... (4:02)**
#41: Weed (:48)
#42: AATF (5:23)**
61.58 Of music, 28.26 released

Disc Two:
#1: "Short Cuts Make For Long Delays" (1:01)
#2: "Many Meetings" (3:18)**
#3: "Aniron" (2:02)*
#4: "Men? Bah!" (2:23)
#5: Broken Heirloom (1:06)
#6: Isildur's Bane (1:12)
#7: Gondor Needs The Ring, Not A King (2:08)
#8: The Fellowship is Formed (3:10)**
#9: "Gilraen" (:57)*
#10: "The Ring goes South" (3:46)**
#11: "Rabbi! From Dublin!"(4:20)
#12: "Moria" (3:56)
#13: "Open Sesame!" (:40)
#14: "The Watcher" (1:34)
#15: "Journey In The Dark" (2:15)**
#16: "Pity/The Darrowdelf" (5:26)**
#17: "Here They Come!" (1:05)
#18: "Not dead (yet!)" (4:15)**
#19: "The Bridge Of Khazad-Dum" (7:53)**
55.24 of music, 13.53 released

Disc Three:
#1: "Lothlorien" (7:25)**
#2: "Lament For Gandalf" (1:58)**
#3: "Silver Trumpets" (1:05)
#4: "The Mirror Of Galadriel (2:50)
#5: "Test Of Galadriel (2:28)**
#6: "The Fighting Uruk-hai" (1:57)
#7: "Gifts Of Galadriel" (5:21)**
#8: "The Great River/The Argonath" (5:09))**
#9: "Boromir Succumbs" (2:40)
#10: "Temptation Of Aragorn" (:48)**
#11: "That Which It Defends" (7:22)**
#12: "The Passing Of Boromir" (1:55)**
#13: "The Breaking Of The Fellowship/In Dreams/May It Be" (11:39)*
51.43 music, 27.24 released
[*=released, **=partially released]

The latest news is that we might be getting the complete scores one at a time, staggered by a couple months, begining this fall, presumably to avoid turning people off by the huge price to get the whole thing at once. And we should get more news hopefully in a couple weeks. LINK

This might be of interest if anyone here is attending the Symphony in Toronto:

By the way, if any one’s going to be in the Toronto area the weekend of June 4 and 5 and planning on attending the any Kitchener Waterloo Philharmonic’s LOTR concerts, I’m scheduled to speak as part of a panel at Roy Thompson Hall that weekend discussing film music and Shore’s scores. Should anyone be interested in a little sneak preview of upcoming publications, please drop me a line. I sound far less like a bad fortune cookie in person. (My email is in my profile.)

-Doug Adams

ttbk

[Encaitare]

The track immediately establishes a frantic feel with the brash Mordor theme. Even when the music softens a bit, it still seems urgent. Not until 1:24 does it relax a bit, although it becomes more eerie. A subtle rendition of the Ring theme is heard from the strings. The very end of the track features a very bleak-sounding version of the Fellowship theme.

On a level of personal preference, this track doesn't do much for me... which I suppose is evident by the meager analysis above!

[Lathriel]

I am not very fond of this track either but I do like the very end of the track when the strings take over. I always find that they represent Gollum's plea to Frodo to take another road into Mordor.

[The Tennis Ball Kid]

It doesn't do much for me either.

*shrug*


I did like how it was used in the film though, the Mordor theme blaring up as they see the gate, etc.



ttbk

[Encaitare]

Most of the track features beautiful vocals in Sindarin, with soloist Isabel Bayrakdarian

Solo [0.00]

Ú i vethed nâ i onnad.
Si boe ú-dhanna.
Ae ú-esteli, esteliach nad.


Chorus (simultaneous with above) [0.00]

Ú i vethed nâ i onnad.


Chorus (alone) [0.48]

Nâ boe ú i.


Solo [1.58]

Estelio han, estelio han, estelio,
estelio han, estelio veleth.


Chorus (simultaneous with above) [1.58]

[Es]teliach nad, estelio han.



Literal Translation:

'Not the end [it] is the beginning.
Now it-is-necessary [that] don't-fall
If you don't-trust some-thing.'

'Not the end [it] is the beginning.'


'[It] is necessary don't that.'



'Trust this, trust this, trust
Trust this, trust love.'

You trust some-thing, trust this.'


A Nicer Translation:

This is not the end; it is the beginning.
You cannot falter now
If you don't trust something

This is not the end; it is the beginning

You cannot do that


Trust this, trust this, trust
Trust this, trust love

You trust something, trust this.

This is one of my favorite tracks on the album because of the wonderful harmonies. They seem decidedly "elvish" to me, these gentle choirs, and the low strings provide the melancholy, "wood-like" tone that also seem characteristic of elves. And as a flautist, I of course love the flute solo. Cheers to the soloist there -- low tones on a flute are awesome.