A GLOBAL SYMPHONY: MUSIC
A s gold dust swirls into shapes, rings, and trees, a new theme emerges from a familiar musical realm. The title theme for The Rings of Power comes from the creativity of Canadian composer Howard Shore, the man who created the aural atmosphere of Middle-earth in the Third Age. Taking up the baton and turning back the fantastical clock for the series’ episodic score is Bear McCreary, American composer whose work has spanned film, television, and video games. While the main theme of the series was composed by Shore independently of McCreary’s music, the iconic nature and distinctive sound of Shore’s past work allowed the pair to work seamlessly together and build on solid foundations. Reflecting on the difference between their music, McCreary says that Shore’s work “is so bold, and takes you on that journey, leading you emotionally every step of the way. With television, we have a different opportunity. We get to explore these amazing new cultures gradually. We get to meet each of these characters and watch their stories unfold over hours of storytelling.” The result is a musical journey of its own—nine hours of original music written over eight months for the first season alone. McCreary’s work lends an operatic feel to every element in The Rings of Power. Each character, location, and object has its own Wagnerian leitmotif, a theme which announces its presence in the world and brings the elements of the series together into a sonoric tapestry. Ethereal voices and choir singing Sindarin and Quenya, the Elvish languages, herald the Elves, while a bass chorus in Khuzdul, the secret language of the Dwarves, announces
the presence of the isolation-seeking mining species, to identify two of the 15 new themes. As McCreary reflects, “We have the time and space to pull you into each of these cultures with the music, and evolve our character themes so that you feel their emotions as they take you with them on this journey.” For every episode, McCreary’s score was recorded over four days with a symphonic orchestra at Abbey Road Studios and AIR Studios in London. Concurrently with the orchestral recording, vocals were recorded over three to four days by a 40-person choir at Synchron Stage Vienna, along with solo instrumentalists in different locations over seven days. He was determined to write something unique and unexpected for this soundtrack. This included being intentional in choosing specific instruments and sounds for the different realms: ethereal voices for the Elves; for Dwarves, the metronomic clanging of anvils; hammered dulcimers and a Nordic instrument called a nyckelharpa for the Southlanders; penny whistles and Irish uilleann pipes for Harfoots; for the Númenóreans, a Turkish instrument called the yaylı tambur that produces a distinctive metallic sound; and for the Orcs, a flute made out of human bones. “Every cue is recorded with a massive orchestra and choir. It’s very thematic. But unlike a movie, there’s more opportunities for you to get to know everybody, for you to hear themes and get to know themes.” In its totality, McCreary’s soundtrack celebrates a Middle-earth as it was in the Second Age, vibrant and in its prime.
AND SCORE
On the integral part that music plays in enhancing the emotions of Middle-earth
“We have the time and space to pull you into each of these cultures with the music, and evolve our character themes so that you feel their emotions as they take you with them on this journey.”
— Bear McCreary, Music Composer
Above: Bear McCreary conducting a symphonic orchestra at AIR Studios, London, as part of nine hours of original music he composed for the first season.
Above: Princess Disa (Sophia Nomvete) leads a choir in resonating with the mountain, pleading for the safe return of trapped Dwarven miners.
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