Track-by-Track: Soundtrack Discussion and Analysis

[Encaitare]

For quite a while I've been thinking it would be a cool idea to get a bunch of people together to analyze the LotR soundtracks, to discuss the technical aspects of it as well as how it contributes to the events in the movie, the mood, etc. Since there has been some interest expressed in this idea, it has at last manifested, and I'm putting it in Novices and Newcomers, due to the wise counsel of Esty.

I suppose this will work in much of the same way as the Chapter by Chapter threads -- we'll focus on one track at a time; all aspects of each track are open for discussion. One thing which has been bugging me is how long to provide for each track discussion. CbC starts a new chapter every Monday. Since so many of us are busy during the week (and I need no further distractions from my mountains of homework ) I'm thinking it would make sense to start a new track every Friday; I could do so right after I get home from school. I've also been wondering if we need a full week to discuss each track. I guess we'll see how the first one goes and take it from there!

In light of Mr. Wight's Idea + Example = Better Topic thread, I'll start with Track One of FotR: The Prophecy.

The following Quenya lines are heard during this track:

Hlasta!
Quetis Ilfirimain:
Corma turien te
Corma tuvien
Corma tultien te
Huines se nutien.
Tercáno Nuruva.
Tuvien Corma tultien te
Huinesse nutien
Corma turien te Corma.

Listen!
It speaks to those who were not born to die:
[One] Ring to rule them [all]
[One] Ring to find [them]
[One] Ring to bring them [all]
[And] in the Darkness bind them
[The] Herald of Death
To find [One] Ring, to bring them [all]
[And] in the Darkness bind them
[One] Ring to rule them [all], [One] Ring

The lyrics and translation are not given in full in the CD booklet; I found them at arwen-undomiel.com, which also features many more Elvish bits from the soundtracks and their translations. If you follow the words along while listening to the track, you can make the words out, more clearly in some places than in others.

At this point in the movie, we have the flashback to Sauron's defeat. It's great that this translation would be what the choir is actually singing. Howard Shore and everyone who worked on the music could have chosen random syllables, and hardly anyone would have known the difference. The attention to detail is great here, and will continue throughout the soundtracks. Also, it is fitting that the words would be in Quenya rather than Sindarin, as the story is one which goes back into history and would merit a more formal tongue.

After we have the grand and terrifying brass, choir, and timpani part (the timpani almost seems like a pounding heartbeat) which accompanies Sauron's presence, the score moves to more mysterious violins, and the movie moves on to Gollum. We hear hints of the Ring theme (I hope you all know what I mean) with the trumpet solo at 2:17.

Towards the end of the track, the sound of the music grows a little lighter, with plucked strings (like the next track will use for the far more light-hearted hobbit music) and softer, calmer dynamics. There is another trumpet solo (3:34) which gives us the Hobbiton theme for the first time, and will tie in nicely to track 2.

Time for me to turn in... hope to see some responses!

[Aiwendil]

There is another trumpet solo (3:34) which gives us the Hobbiton theme for the first time, and will tie in nicely to track 2.

I love this little trumpet solo; it functions, in a way, to pull one away gently away from the bombastic earlier section toward the Shire. There's what sounds to me like a somewhat distant chord change underneath it (as I recall - I don't have the CD at hand) that is rather nice.

Howard Shore and everyone who worked on the music could have chosen random syllables, and hardly anyone would have known the difference.

As indeed Rosenman did for the Bakshi movie. The use of Quenya and Sindarin for the choral sections was an excellent choice, and I agree that a Quenya translation works best here. I do have a few issues with the "neo-Quenya" and "neo-Sindarin", though - I would have used "Alfirimain" instead of "Ilfirimain", for example. But I doubt that many care about such things.

[Encaitare]

I do have a few issues with the "neo-Quenya" and "neo-Sindarin", though - I would have used "Alfirimain" instead of "Ilfirimain", for example. But I doubt that many care about such things.

Would you care to explain this for a poor confused soul? I'm afraid I don't know nearly enough about Elvish to understand the significance or difference here.

There's what sounds to me like a somewhat distant chord change underneath it (as I recall - I don't the CD at hand) that is rather nice.

Yes, three chords underlie this solo. Since I'm firmly against doing my history essay before dinner, I figured out which chords they were: first, D major. Second (not completely sure about this one) a minor, and third is C major. D has always sounded sounded mysterious to me, then it goes to the fifth of the D scale and makes it minor, in a transition of sorts between musical scenes. Finally, the a chord moves to its relative major, C, giving it the lighter, calmer sound I mentioned in my last post.

Thanks for your response, Aiwendil. Come on, guys, join the fun!

[Sapphire_Flame]

What I love about this track is the choral opening, with the orchestra slowly easing into the background. It really sets the emotional stage for the film, and the rest of the music. In fact, up until the dropoff at 2:11, the choir is the central force of this track.

Another nice bit is the emphasis of the strings at 0:37; a sort of "Hey, look, the title!" piece, but very delicately arranged.

Towards the end of the track, the sound of the music grows a little lighter, with plucked strings (like the next track will use for the far more light-hearted hobbit music) and softer, calmer dynamics. There is another trumpet solo (3:34) which gives us the Hobbiton theme for the first time, and will tie in nicely to track 2.

That is a brilliant lead in. It is a graceful transition into the idyllic setting of Hobbiton and the Shire.

This is a really brilliant thread; thank'ee, Encaitare, for starting this up!

Abedithon le,

~ Saphy ~

[Encaitare]

Thanks, Saphy; glad you've come to join us.

By the way, Aiwendil, I read your essay over on the Tolkien Forum about music in Middle-earth -- wonderful job on that. I really enjoyed reading it.

A note to all readers: you don't have to have any great musical knowledge to post here. You can post your favorite parts of the track, what emotions it evokes in you, why you think it evoked said emotions, the effect you think was trying to be achieved, the relations to the movie events, the tie-in to the cultures we see, etc. All you have to do is have opinions and a sense of observation, which I know we've all got here! And if you do happen to have a more technical knowledge of music, please share it!

[Aiwendil]

Encaitare wrote:

Would you care to explain this for a poor confused soul?

Well, il- was at one point a negative prefix, but later on Tolkien seems to have been using al- instead. Of course, it's very difficult to try to take the massive body of Tolkien's linguistic material and try to formulate a single unified version of either Quenya or Sindarin, so differences of opinion are to be expected.

By the way, Aiwendil, I read your essay over on the Tolkien Forum about music in Middle-earth -- wonderful job on that. I really enjoyed reading it.

Thanks. I think perhaps the number of musical terms that I used scares some away, even if I'm not really saying anything too complicated.

Sapphire_Flame wrote:

Another nice bit is the emphasis of the strings at 0:37; a sort of "Hey, look, the title!" piece, but very delicately arranged.

Yes, this is a very nice little moment, and somehow very evocative (I think) of the sense of ancient history being presented.

Again Encaitare:

first, D major. Second (not completely sure about this one) a minor, and third is C major.

This sounds about right to me. I think it's the D - a change that I was thinking of. Not, in fact, distant at all, but the fact that the A is minor makes all the difference (and is accentuated by the fact that the melody climbs here to a C (the note that makes the chord minor)).

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Encaitare

By the way, Aiwendil, I read your essay over on the Tolkien Forum about music in Middle-earth -- wonderful job on that. I really enjoyed reading it.

A wonderful idea for a thread, Encaitare. Once some of the seasonal hubub slows down, I hope to have time to contribute to this. (And once I've proverbially spread a bit of jam around on other yeasty posts, I can return to 'give a toast' to yours again! Honestly, I dislike that expression, "spread some rep around.' It sounds so crudely suggestive for such a high-minded forum. )

Could either you or Aiwendil provide a link to this essay? Much appreciated ifyou could!

[Kitanna]

Originally Posted by Sapphire_Flame

What I love about this track is the choral opening, with the orchestra slowly easing into the background. It really sets the emotional stage for the film, and the rest of the music.

I totally agree with that. Not only does it open up the movie for us, it sets the stage for just how powerful and moving the rest of the music will be. It's wonderful how Howard Shore uses different instruments to stir up a wide range of emotions for the listener.

Whenever I listen to my FOTR cd I can see the opening of the movie and hear Galadriel's monologue. It's not often I listen to a soundtrack a can see the scenes from the book and movie. Truly wonderful.

[Encaitare]

What I love about this track is the choral opening, with the orchestra slowly easing into the background. It really sets the emotional stage for the film, and the rest of the music. In fact, up until the dropoff at 2:11, the choir is the central force of this track.

The choir is used so much throughout all the soundtracks, probably because it's so versatile. Certain instruments tend to have a characteristic tone to them (for example, it's difficult to make a flute sound angry, or a string bass to sound cheery). Yet a choir can achieve any sort of sound depending on the voicing and the chords. In this case, it definitely does set the emotional stage, and then creates the tension of the battle.

EDIT:

I just received an unsigned rep, which read as follows:

Nice idea for a topic...alas that I cannot participate as I am not as talented in music as you obviously are.

Firstly, thanks for the compliment.

And secondly, no! This is negative thinking! Like I said previously, you don't have to be any sort of musical genius to participate. Music is all about emotion, and in the case of a movie score, it's also about carrying along the story. All you need to know is how the music makes you feel, and how it contributes to the storyline. If whoever sent that rep reads this, please don't be afraid to join in!

[Encaitare]

I hereby commence the analysis of track 2: Concerning Hobbits.

The title is the first of many to be taken from the books (or drafts), as we'll see later in "The Shadow of the Past" and "The Treason of Isengard."

The first few notes have a plodding sort of sound, like we're now settling into a more ordinary and mundane place. Next enters what sounds to me like a wooden flute (played by Sir James Galway?) and a fiddle (I think this is played by Dermot Crehan, who also does the Rohan theme). These two instruments, and the style of playing, with a lot of grace notes, remind me of Celtic music. It definitely creates a tranquil, lush image in my mind.

Then at 0:27, the harpsichord enters and continues as accompaniment under the fiddle. It moves in what is called Alberti bass -- tones 1 5 3 5. The tones do change, but their relation remains mostly the same. This was used widely in 18th century music, and the harpsichord was also popular in England at this time, tying into the idea of Hobbits really just being little Englishmen.

Thanks to all who have responded so far, I hope to see some new faces in here since this is a very popular track.

EDIT: Well, I was over at a music dictionary website, looking up the difference between Alberti bass and an ostinato, when suddenly something caught my eye -- something that looked suspiciously like Oliphaunt. I clicked upon the link and found this definition:

Oliphant [pronounced oe-lee-FAHN]

An ivory horn of Medieval Europe, usually ornately decorated and primarily used as a sign of status and wealth rather than as a musical instrument.

Has nothing to do with the track -- just an interesting tidbit of information.

[Kitanna]

Ah, Concerning Hobbits! Probably the song with the lightest feel to it. It has such a Celtic feel with it's flute and fiddle. Whereever you hear it it can really make you feel like you're at home. It's such an innocent sounding song too.

[Aiwendil]

This is one of my favorite tracks.

To be perfectly honest, when I heard exerpts from this track and from the Enya songs prior to the release of the CD, I was afraid that the whole soundtrack would turn out to be "new age"-type Celtic noise. Of course, as it turns out, the tracks I heard happened to be the most Celtic ones there were (a bit like Bilbo thinking Mirkwood was endless since the tree he climbed was in a valley).

And after repeated listenings, I realize that this track is much more than cliched Celtic music. As Encaitare points out, there is something very mid-18th century about it, not only in the fact that a harpsichord is used but also in the manner of its use. The track on the whole is a blend of Celtic and Rococco styles that somehow, in my opinion, perfectly captures the feel of the Shire.

I do wonder what kind of flute that is. It certainly isn't an ordinary transerve concert flute - it could be a wooden baroque flute, I suppose. At first I assumed it was some kind of recorder, but now that I think about it, it doesn't really sound like one.

[Encaitare]

I do wonder what kind of flute that is. It certainly isn't an ordinary transerve concert flute - it could be a wooden baroque flute, I suppose. At first I assumed it was some kind of recorder, but now that I think about it, it doesn't really sound like one.

After playing the theme on a tin whistle and a plastic double pennywhistle (basically two little recorders stuck together so I can play my own harmony -- yay!), I still think it's a wooden flute. The tin whistle's sound wasn't clear enough, and the pennywhistles sounded a little too clean. You're right, Aiwendil, it's definintely not an ordinary flute. I originally thought wood because my flute teacher plays this beautiful wooden flute, and it reminds me of that.

A little note: I said maybe this flute part was done by Sir James Galway, but now I think probably not. He's so famous, and I can't find his name anywhere in the CD booklet -- they'd have to credit him. Now I think it likely it was someone from the London Philharmonic or the New Zealand Symphony... I just wish I knew who.

[Aiwendil]

I originally thought wood because my flute teacher plays this beautiful wooden flute, and it reminds me of that.

I've only played a wooden flute once (many years ago) - but somehow I don't recall the tone being quite like that in this track. But my memory may be faulty - also I don't doubt that there's significant variation in tone among different wooden flutes. And of course the tone quality I was able to produce was obviously far inferior to what a professional can do - yes, the more I think about it, the more it seems that it is a wooden flute on the track.