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

Encaitare · 06-24-2005, 03:11 PM

Sindarin lyrics:

Quote:

Naur vi eryn,
lanc i dalaf.
Mathach vi geven?
Nostach vi 'wilith?
Mâb le i nagor,
Bâd gurth vi ngalad firiel.
Dorthach vi mar han?
Dagrathach go hain?

'The woods are burning,
the ground lies bare.
Do you feel it in the earth?
Can you smell it in the air?
The war is upon you,
Death moves in the fading light.
Are you part of this world?
Will you join their fight?'

Word-for-word translation:

'Fire in forest,
naked [is] the ground.
Feel-you [it] in earth?
Smell-you [it] in air?
Takes you [or you are taken by] the war,
Goes death in light fading.
Dwell-you in land this?
Will-make-war-you with them?'

I like how the music starts off low and menacing. It almost has a woodish sort of feel, like the creaking of branches. The voices come in like whispers through the woods. My favorite part begins at 0:54, when the solo instrument is accompanied by the percussion. I'm not sure what the instrument is, though I think it's a double reed, which would be appropriate for the whole wood theme.

Around 2:18 it changes again, with the strings entering and the percussion becoming louder. I'd really like to know what kind of percussion was used in this section, though they might have just been tapping away on wood blocks for all I know.

I'm not sure where all these lyrics come in; I suspect that just a few lines are used. Even so, I like them. I think it's cool how the lines "Do you feel it in the earth? Can you smell it in the air?" mirror Galadriel's opening lines in FotR.

Lathriel · 06-24-2005, 10:00 PM

I like this track but at times I think it is a little to dark. But reading the lyrics I understand why it is so dark. This track is partly showing the anger that Treebeard feels towards Saruman.
In the book it is Treebeard who says "I can feel it in the earth, I can smell it in the air" So it is very appropriate that those words were put in the lyrics. I like that of most of the lyrics in LOTR. Often you can find small qoutes from the book in them.

Encaitare · 06-25-2005, 07:31 AM

Quote:

In the book it is Treebeard who says "I can feel it in the earth, I can smell it in the air" So it is very appropriate that those words were put in the lyrics. I like that of most of the lyrics in LOTR.

Ooh, yes, I'd forgotten that. Thanks for pointing that one out -- it fits the track even better.

Lathriel · 07-01-2005, 05:53 PM

Track 11:The Leave Taking

I get the honour of bringing in the next track since Encaitare won't be here.

So we begin with the Rivendell theme although this version is not so vigorous as the one we heard in Fellowship. And it melts into the Lothlorien theme as Elrond "talks" to Galadriel about the ring. Which then brings us to Frodo and Sam and we hear the ring theme at 2:56. I myself call it the fate theme since everybody is becoming connected to the ring or is involved and thus the ring becomes part of their fate.

In this track you can hear the connection between the Rivendell and Lothlorien theme. They both are wistful and there is a sense of a growing darkness. This music has a certain melancholy to it that I find very fitting for elves.

I really like this track since there is a bit of quiet before the next track which is louder and faster. This way there seems to be more variety throughout the CD.

Of course the choir is beautiful and I like the fact that the ring theme is played by and oboe since the oboe has a melancholy sound but at the same time it is also very cold and clear exactly like the ring itself.

Kitanna · 07-01-2005, 06:06 PM

For Treebeard~

Quote:

Originally Posted by Encaitare

It almost has a woodish sort of feel, like the creaking of branches.

I like the woodish feel at the beginning of the track. The first thirty seconds is very mysterious, much like Ents are very mysterious. I also love how the music keeps picking up, then suddenly it drops into the percussion and the wind solo.

Kitanna · 07-01-2005, 06:13 PM

For The Leave Taking~

I like this track. The Rivendell theme always puts me in a calm state of mind and that's probably why I like it. Then at 1:15 on the track it goes from Rivendell to the Lorien theme (also a lovely theme).
The Rivendell theme is very peaceful and very homely. Then the Lorien theme is more mysterious. Then there's the Ring theme around 3:11 which more played for Gollum and the prolouge from FOTR.
So this is really three themes in one and I like those tracks the best because of the contrast.

Lathriel · 07-08-2005, 06:42 PM

Track 12: Helm's Deep

This track begins much faster. Obviously this announces conflict. The choir joins in at 0:56 and seems to add an urgency to the track.

Then the music slows down so that it can bring in the Rohan theme in war mode. I call it that because as the Hardinger is playing you can hear the drums in the background.

It ends slowly with a soprano, which I think represents the sorrow Eowyn feels because Aragorn is lost.

I really like this track and I think the vocal parts give it a nice sweeping feel.

The Tennis Ball Kid · 07-09-2005, 08:50 PM

This is some of the more exciting action music on the CD. Love the horn phrases and war drums. The choir is mixed much too low in the film.

Code:

Hwær cwóm helm? Hwaer cwóm byrne?  	 Where is the helm and the hauberk,
Hwær cwóm feax flówende? 	and the bright hair flowing?
Hwær cwóm hand on hearpestrenge? 	Where is the hand on the harp string,
Hwær cwóm scir fýr scinende? 	and the red fire glowing?

The choir at the end, as Eowyn realizes Aragorn is not there, is from "The Missing". (the lyrics are in the CD booklet)

ttbk

Lathriel · 07-11-2005, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Code:
Hwær cwóm helm? Hwaer cwóm byrne? Where is the helm and the hauberk,
Hwær cwóm feax flówende? and the bright hair flowing?
Hwær cwóm hand on hearpestrenge? Where is the hand on the harp string,
Hwær cwóm scir fýr scinende? and the red fire glowing?

This comes back later in Forth Eorlingas (# 15 or 16)

Encaitare · 07-15-2005, 07:24 PM

The whole track has a very ominous feel to it, magnified by the low instrumentation at the beginning. At 0:45, upper strings enter, providing a spoofy contrast. I like the tremolos starting around 1:25; they definitely add to the feel.

Around 2:57, a version the "seduction theme" is heard in the middle and upper strings, which develops until 4:38. The seduction theme is repeated in the way which we originally know it, by a choir. The track ends with a small string buildup.

In fact, much of this track consists entirely of strings -- what do you think of this? What might the purpose of this instrumentation be? To me, strings are a very "borderline" sort of instrument; they can create some of the most beautiful and also some of the most grating sounds. They're additionally somewhat persuasive and subtle; sometimes they're there without the listener fully realizing it. This seems to make sense with the need of Frodo to persude Gollum to trust him.

06-24-2005, 10:00 PM	#2
Lathriel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through Middle-Earth (Sadly in Alberta and not ME) Posts: 612	I like this track but at times I think it is a little to dark. But reading the lyrics I understand why it is so dark. This track is partly showing the anger that Treebeard feels towards Saruman. In the book it is Treebeard who says "I can feel it in the earth, I can smell it in the air" So it is very appropriate that those words were put in the lyrics. I like that of most of the lyrics in LOTR. Often you can find small qoutes from the book in them. __________________ Back again

07-01-2005, 05:53 PM	#4
Lathriel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through Middle-Earth (Sadly in Alberta and not ME) Posts: 612	Track 11:The Leave Taking I get the honour of bringing in the next track since Encaitare won't be here. So we begin with the Rivendell theme although this version is not so vigorous as the one we heard in Fellowship. And it melts into the Lothlorien theme as Elrond "talks" to Galadriel about the ring. Which then brings us to Frodo and Sam and we hear the ring theme at 2:56. I myself call it the fate theme since everybody is becoming connected to the ring or is involved and thus the ring becomes part of their fate. In this track you can hear the connection between the Rivendell and Lothlorien theme. They both are wistful and there is a sense of a growing darkness. This music has a certain melancholy to it that I find very fitting for elves. I really like this track since there is a bit of quiet before the next track which is louder and faster. This way there seems to be more variety throughout the CD. Of course the choir is beautiful and I like the fact that the ring theme is played by and oboe since the oboe has a melancholy sound but at the same time it is also very cold and clear exactly like the ring itself. __________________ Back again

07-01-2005, 06:13 PM	#6
Kitanna Child of the West Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Watching President Fillmore ride a unicorn Posts: 2,132	For The Leave Taking~ I like this track. The Rivendell theme always puts me in a calm state of mind and that's probably why I like it. Then at 1:15 on the track it goes from Rivendell to the Lorien theme (also a lovely theme). The Rivendell theme is very peaceful and very homely. Then the Lorien theme is more mysterious. Then there's the Ring theme around 3:11 which more played for Gollum and the prolouge from FOTR. So this is really three themes in one and I like those tracks the best because of the contrast. __________________ "Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." - Mark Twain

07-08-2005, 06:42 PM	#7
Lathriel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through Middle-Earth (Sadly in Alberta and not ME) Posts: 612	Track 12: Helm's Deep This track begins much faster. Obviously this announces conflict. The choir joins in at 0:56 and seems to add an urgency to the track. Then the music slows down so that it can bring in the Rohan theme in war mode. I call it that because as the Hardinger is playing you can hear the drums in the background. It ends slowly with a soprano, which I think represents the sorrow Eowyn feels because Aragorn is lost. I really like this track and I think the vocal parts give it a nice sweeping feel. __________________ Back again

07-09-2005, 08:50 PM	#8
The Tennis Ball Kid Animated Skeleton Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 38	This is some of the more exciting action music on the CD. Love the horn phrases and war drums. The choir is mixed much too low in the film. Code: Hwær cwóm helm? Hwaer cwóm byrne? Where is the helm and the hauberk, Hwær cwóm feax flówende? and the bright hair flowing? Hwær cwóm hand on hearpestrenge? Where is the hand on the harp string, Hwær cwóm scir fýr scinende? and the red fire glowing? The choir at the end, as Eowyn realizes Aragorn is not there, is from "The Missing". (the lyrics are in the CD booklet) ttbk

07-15-2005, 07:24 PM	#10
Encaitare Bittersweet Symphony Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: On the jolly starship Enterprise Posts: 1,814	Track 13: the Forbidden Pool The whole track has a very ominous feel to it, magnified by the low instrumentation at the beginning. At 0:45, upper strings enter, providing a spoofy contrast. I like the tremolos starting around 1:25; they definitely add to the feel. Around 2:57, a version the "seduction theme" is heard in the middle and upper strings, which develops until 4:38. The seduction theme is repeated in the way which we originally know it, by a choir. The track ends with a small string buildup. In fact, much of this track consists entirely of strings -- what do you think of this? What might the purpose of this instrumentation be? To me, strings are a very "borderline" sort of instrument; they can create some of the most beautiful and also some of the most grating sounds. They're additionally somewhat persuasive and subtle; sometimes they're there without the listener fully realizing it. This seems to make sense with the need of Frodo to persude Gollum to trust him.