Before you see one single image in the
"Lord of the Rings" film trilogy you hear a chorus singing in a somewhat unsettling harmonic minor key over black. This is a musical theme that signals the Lothlorian Elfs. It's the theme of Galadriel, who's about to narrate the story of the One Ring in prologue, but not before the Ring's own theme fades in with the first title. as the prologue ends and an e flat minor chord shifts to an E flat major, the narration shifts also, from Galadriel to Bilbo, and
the mood changes. The lighter "Shire Theme" is introduced as Bilbo places us there on a map, and finally after he places us in time. The "Fellowship" theme plays in full statement as its corresponding subtitle fades in, bracketing the opening of the film. Now, if this masterful interplay of themes isn't enough to prove to you already that composer Howard Shore is a genius, that's okay. There's a lot more to say. The first thing is that these four themes that I've mentioned are actually what's called Leitmotifs - an operatic
technique popularized by Richard Wagner, that fuses musical themes with specific people, events, or places to aid, and in some cases, augment the dramatic development of a story. In order to show how Shore develops his Leitmotifs, I'm gonna isolate one: the "Fellowship" theme, which has the most variations and focus on its
development in the "Fellowship of the Ring." Now, before the "Fellowship" theme can
come together in its full heroic glory, Shore builds it up with a few variations. The first time we hear it after the title is when Frodo and Sam leave the Shire on the road to Rivendell. Shore presents a small snippet of the "Shire" theme as foreshadowing of that theme's final variation at the end of the film and then transitions into a humble statement of the "Fellowship" theme, using just French horn and cor anglais. "Remember what Bilbo used to say? 'It's a dangerous business, Frodo. Going out your door.'" This is almost immediately contrasted with another, darker variation as Gandalf rides into Isengard to take counsel with Saruman. Shore adds crashing
cymbals and plays the theme off Gandalf's galloping horse, and this tense variation
prefigures Saruman's eventual betrayal, and the two versions playing
off each other anticipate the eventual fracturing of the fellowship later in the film. The next time we hear the theme, Frodo and the hobbits have accepted Strider (or Aragorn) as their temporary leader. The Fellowship is growing so the brass section is growing too. We started with one French horn, now we have three. But the stately melody of this theme is upset with the timpani drumbeat that adds urgency. The fellowship Leitmotif doesn't
appear again until after Frodo has been stabbed by the Ringwraiths. As Arwen
races to get him to Rivendell the fellowship theme mixes with a Wraith Theme threatening to overtake it. The fellowship might dissolve before it even has a chance to fully form. At the middle of the film, the fellowship
finally comes together and Shore echoes that by presenting a string of three
"Fellowship" theme statements in their full orchestration and full glory. First, as
Elrond announces the fellowship. "Nine companions." And third as the fellowship strides
heroically away on their quest. But the second one is the most
interesting to me, just as the Fellowship is about to depart Shore softly teases
the "Shire" theme before it is overpowered by the "Fellowship" theme, suggesting that the hobbits priorities have shifted and they now have to live with the
consequences of that. And it ends with the unique harmony on the second half of the full statement, as if to sow a seed of doubt right into the middle of the team as it comes together. "The Fellowship awaits the Ringbearer." We're going to get another exciting full
statement in the Mines of Moria, the only time that the nine members of the
fellowship will be in action together. But the 3/4 time signature of the
Fellowship is quickly swallowed up by the 5/4 time signature of the orcs.
And from now on, after Gandalf is lost, the "Fellowship"
theme will only appear in fragmented form until the very end of the trilogy. "Fly, you fools!" For example, after what's left of the fellowship departs Lothlorien, the theme can only muster violins
and cor anglais, and Shore has this already weak variation trampled on as soon as it starts. Then as they rest on the shore,
the Leitmotif can't find its footing. It wanders away from its full expression as uncertainty and suspicion creep in. "You've so little faith in your own people." These insecure variations on the theme
herald the breaking of the fellowship. First with the death of Boromir,
then with the departure of Frodo and Sam. In fact Shore links these two moments with a severely deflated, but poignant rendition of the
Leitmotif that fades into silence. Like the fellowship itself, the
"Fellowship" theme builds to its full formation and then is deconstructed
until it's only a shell of its former self. Shore does this with instrumentation, with tempo, and with harmony, and he does it for several other Leitmotifs in the trilogy, weaving them back and forth and through one another so that the result
is a complex web that entwines with the story. I think that we hardly grasp the
importance of music in film. It's an invisible layer of pure emotion that guides us, or challenges us, or guides or challenges the drama itself. In the "Lord of the Rings"
trilogy, Howard Shore gave us perhaps the most complete and complex exploration
of Leitmotifs in the history of cinema. And the result is a score that's as alive as the world Tolkien gave us. Hey everybody thanks for watching and thank
you to Squarespace for sponsoring this video. Like all of you guys who pledged on
Patreon, Squarespace is just helping to fund this channel, keep the nerd writer
going and they don't interfere in the content which is amazing. Anyway, the product is
really great really sleek professional-looking websites if you
don't know. Very intuitive. You don't have to know coding to start one and you can
get a FREE domain name if you sign up for a year. You can start your free trial
today at Squarespace.com and if you use the offer code "nerdwriter" you can get
10% off your first purchase so, yeah, do it. Anyway, thank you so much. Squarespace you should.
The music is probably the main reason I re-watch these movies every couple of years. Really integrates and flows with the movie in a way I haven't experienced before with any other title.
ROTK deserved every single oscar it was nominated for.
I love how The Lord Of The Rings is one of those films everyone just unanimously loves but doesn't seem to fervently jerk over.
http://i.imgur.com/2gruNCI.jpg
I love this channel. It's like a perfect representation of Mr. Plinkett's "You may not realize this, but your brain did."
the music when the Beacons get lit is the best. Perfect choice with the imagery
I love soundtracks that fit seamlessly within the film, but are so listenable on their own too- usually because they're mixed slightly differently for either. LOTR is a perfect example.
It is really an incredible score.
Reminds me of the cinema classes I had. The teacher was showing how boring the second lord rings movie is without the epic music. Half of it is people jogging through hills and mountains.