The Music of the Monsters of Lord of the Rings

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Howard Shore's music for The Lord of the Rings uses a vast set of clearly defined themes for the cultures, people and places of Middle-Earth, and it was no different for the monsters of this world. Let's find out what the music of the monsters of J.R.R. Tolkein and Peter Jackson's world sounds like.
FURTHER WATCHING
The Lord of the Rings - How Howard Shore Uses Voices: • The Lord of the Rings ...
The Lord of the Rings - How Howard Shore Builds Tension: • The Lord of the Rings ...
The Lord of the Rings - How Howard Shore Makes Us Care: • The Lord of the Rings ...
FURTHER READING
The Music of The Lord of the Rings Films: A Comprehensive Account of Howard Shore's Scores [Doug Adams] www.amazon.com/dp/0739071572/...
Thank you to Doug Adams for his help with the transcriptions.
▶ Support my channel: / listeningin
▶ Purchase scores of transcriptions/arrangements: www.musicnotes.com/sheet-musi...
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▶ Website: www.barnabymartin.com
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Thank you to my all my amazing supporters on Patreon, but in particular to my Perfect Fifth supporters: David Ball, Pavel Makeenko, Max Braun, Hamish Madden, Andrew Wong, David Wiley, Bryan Ellertson

[@ListeningIn]

If you want to watch an extended edition of this video, you can find the longer version on Nebula! Sign up to CuriosityStream for a 26% discount and get Nebula for free (best deal): curiositystream.com/listeningin

[@ieatbananaskins7926]

Everyone prefers the extended edition

[@sit-insforsithis1568]

But it costs money

[@mhfromnh1421]

heads up, Cirith Ungol is pronounced with a hard C. you got Caradhras perfect.

[@playermartin286]

@@ieatbananaskins7926 speak for yourself

[@danielherrin]

I can't find the extended edition and I paid for it.

[@MrJacobElias]

I guess its time for my annual LOTR Extended Cut marathon.

[@felixdittrich5469]

Annual? Dude monthly is where its at. ;D

[@itznoxy7193]

I always do mine at Christmas time 🤓 23rd Fellowship of the Ring, Christmas Eve Two Towers, Christmas day Return of the King

[@felixdittrich5469]

No seriously though I had a phase that just ended last summer, where I watched all LotR and all Hobbit movies in Extended every month. That phase lasted roughly 2-3 years.

[@carolinefiorentini3233]

We just did it with my friends a couple weeks ago. It was their first time watching the extended edition and their son's first viewing of the trilogy !

[@constancemiller3753]

🍿🥤🏃‍♂️

[@Fetch049]

That look on Legolas's face when he knows the balrog is approaching. Sheer terror. An immortal being is quaking in fear right there.

[@alucard347]

It was such a huge part in the book as well. Back at that moment, before they saw the balrog, they just knew that something dangerous is chasing them. But as they passed the bridge and the balrog appeared in full, legolas just started crying. He and gandalf were the only ones old enough to know what a balrog is, Gandalf from experience, and legolas from horror stories, as the balrog was most likely a boogie man for the elves of his generation, a tale of a monster so terrifying the bravest and greatest of elves died while fighting it, a beast of morgoth himself. And so he cried when he saw that thing, an ancient demon he only heard the name of spoken in hushed tones by war veterans, scarred and battered eons later.

[@D4rkn3ss2000]

@@alucard347 didn't Legolas's grandfather die to the legion of Balrogs in the Fall of Gondolin in the first age?

[@fathel9221]

@@D4rkn3ss2000 Legolas's grandfather died during the siege of baradur.

[@dinkelberchs3697]

To add to this: In the books, Gandalf kinda faces the Balrog before this already. As they are fleeing from the Orcs, he sends the others ahead to block a doorway they just passed through with some kind of spell. When he joins the group again, he tells them about how something insanely powerful challenged his spell from the other side all of a sudden and it almost ripped him apart, causing the whole wall and floor to collapse and buying them some time. Gandalf is very exhausted in that moment and says something along the lines of "I've never been this worn out before". He actually needs to rest for a little before continuing on

[@Ballin4Vengeance]

He’s immortal, not unkillable. IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE

[@Richard_Nickerson]

That musical shift that accompanies Gandalf's "fly, you fools" gave me intense goosebumps.

[@fabibi_ha]

Man thank you! I was always looking for this as a separate piece of music with its own name. Finally i could find it :D At the end of "Bridge of Khazad-dum". Thank you so much!

[@Richard_Nickerson]

@@fabibi_ha I hear that a lot actually. It seems like it could be its own track called The Fall of Gandalf or something, but no it's still Bridge of Khazad-dûm.

[@bfkc111]

That is Gandalf thinking back to Valinor, when he suggested he and the other wizards should be allowed to take a form that is able to fly.

[@Richard_Nickerson]

@@bfkc111 🙄

[@NightSky98243]

To this day the Balrog is still the most badass thing I've ever seen

[@ir8free]

They're humanoid without ram horns.

[@greysnake2903]

@ir8free Only one who has them.

[@jonathanfinney7821]

The Balrog music is Shore's Dies Irae. The postlude as the fellowship watch as Gandalf falls is quasi -religious in its consolation.

[@billthorn1604]

Amazing connection, this really enhanced my appreciation of the score

[@pennyd.5866]

Agreed! During Gandalf's fall into the deepest depths of Moria, you have two choirs. The first chorus is Khuzdul and sings mournfully of the deepness of the pit and the darkness of the abyss which Gandalf and Durin's Bane are falling. Yet the second chour, in Quenya, interjects and implores Gandalf to fight on even through the corridors of stone. Without knowledge of the lyrics, the theme is pretty epic but with a translation it quickly becomes (as you say) a deeply spiritual experience. :D

[@jacksonscott3667]

@@pennyd.5866 Foundations of Stone is possibly my favorite piece in the entire score (which is a tough, *tough* choice to make). It’s just such a nuanced and epic piece, and being hit with it right at the beginning of Two Towers is an experience like no other. METTANA NARENDUR

[@brunopereira6789]

The music of the Ring is also a Dies Irae!

[@bfkc111]

Erm... The lacking Nazgul/Ringwraith music is rather reminiscent of that. The Balrog's music really just seems mostly dwarven and a bit fiery in theme. Don't even know what's "Dies Irae" about that, when one could almost use the words "Dies Irae" (day of wrath) to describe the Nazgul choirs. (The Ring's theme is sometimes used in a similar way, though it's mostly quiet. When it's loud, it's almost industrial. The Nazgul actually have a connection to "Dies Irae", or religious music, by being former people, now "wraiths"... But I guess one can go back and forth for a while how it's related or partly the same, though the choir part in particular is introduced with the Nazgul, and the industrial, dissonant "melody" is based on a quieter Ring theme. I find the "consolation" in Gandalf's lament way more poetic and general than simply attaching "quasi-religious" to it.)

[@MetaJokeTT]

It's been almost 20 years, but I still remember sitting in the theater with the two girls I went to see the movie with, and the one on my left whispering in careful awe "my god, the music" when the choir in Khazad-dum bellows out when they're on that crumbling bridge. It's the only time that's happened. Any movie. Anyone I went with. It's one of my favourite pieces of music.

[@procrastinator99]

I can't resist saying, the "C" in Cirith (of Cirith Ungol) is pronounced as "K". "Kirith Ungol". All "C"s in all Elvish languages have the tonal value of "K".

[@SpiceAndSauce]

Yes, I was pronouncing Celeborn as seleborn until I learned it is actually keleborn

[@procrastinator99]

@@SpiceAndSauce Yeah, for a lot of my life I did this, til I started getting really hardcore in my LotR interest (and read the Silmarillion, etc.)

[@owenkilcup6504]

I figured this out reading the children of hurin. It changed my life

[@LordMangudai]

I'll forgive him that one because I was so impressed that he pronounced the "dh" in Caradhras as the "th" it's supposed to be. (Well...almost. It's a voiced "th" as in "then", not "think". But still!)

[@procrastinator99]

@@LordMangudai Agreed!

[@jonathanfinney7821]

Not yet watched this. Just already delighted that you are revisiting TLOTR.

[@Teslabluewolf]

Could not agree more

[@isaacinsungjang2937]

yeah same commenting before i even watch

[@iseriver3982]

LotR*

[@katherineheasley6196]

In the special features, Howard Shore says he brought in football and rugby players to give the chanting in Khazad-Dum extra oomph. The men's choir in that section is all Polynesian, too. Shore said he found something "other-worldly" in their voices.

[@lachlanmckinnie1406]

Makes sense. Having seen a fair few Kiwi hakas before a footy match, I can totally see them doing that well in an orchestra.

[@ir8free]

Maori (Kiwi natives), to be exact

[@clowicous]

I didn’t know this info that’s pretty awesome. I’m also realize because I was a kid when the dvds came out I never watched the behind the scenes features I only watched the movie 🤦🏽‍♀️ some fan I am! Lol

[@Kinesiology411]

​@@clowicousoh wow, that means you have some really great new stuff to enjoy. I used to have those on every day, whole getting ready for work, while making and having supper, I used to know the behind the scenes stuff almost by heart. It's so well done and entertaining.

[@clowicous]

@@Kinesiology411 I can’t wait to see it lol gotta find time to sit down with some coffee and get into it ALL OF IT 😅

[@FlorentiusIV]

One could say that each musician's free-play during the "chaotic" part of the Watcher's music eludes towards all its tentacles flying wildly in all directions each doing their own thing. Then bringing it back to a center whenever the Watcher is in full view by using the overwhelming trumpets giving us a straight loud sound to follow. The brass trumpets are its body while the other musicians/instruments are its tentacles.

[@BastiatC]

The watcher is theorized to be one of the creatures spawned from the discord created by melkor at the song of creation. If so the free play could be interpreted literally as that discord

[@annaricketts3529]

I wrote a dissertation on the power of Shore’s music in The Lord of the Rings and your videos on it were the inspiration. Thank you for releasing yet another wonderful and beautifully detailed analysis of the powerful music

[@ListeningIn]

Wow - I’d love to read it Anna! Please feel free to send it to me if you’d like ([e-mail]).

[@TheGeneralDisarray]

Me 2 tbh

[@theempire00]

Post it online please!

[@alexbartschi602]

I know I'm a year late but I certainly wouldn't mind a peek at that essay either 😂

[@nhopkins]

I wouldn't mind either :)))

[@curtiswatson4192]

i never even considered how the random flurry of instruments being played inconsistently is basically a musical representation of the horrifying tentacles of the watcher in the water, it gives it a really ancient, Eldritch quality too. As if its a monster that shouldn't exist, a complete accidental byproduct of torturing nature, some kind of alien in middle earth. Genius.

[@JasonBeo]

I think the most underrated part in Balrog sequence's music is the percussion. War drums is the only way i can describe it and the male chorus is perfectly synced with it.

[@plushiesaurp2068]

Oh I live for those drums in that sequence!! So glad someone feels the same way!

[@matthiasweiss1144]

In the book, the Fellowship's hearing the drums from the deep, "Doom! Doom!", is an important motive of the flight to the bridge.

[@arzini6580]

That is a bit of a fail in this video, the Balrogs leitmotiv is the rhythm and the pounding of the drums. It starts during the beginning of the Moria composition before Balins tomb and grows stronger the further the fellowship gets in Moria. And the peak is after the bridge collapses and you hear the last hits, kind of like Balrog stating his apparent victory over Gandalf. The drum and timpani rhythm reappears during the fight sequence in the two towers during the fall and the battle at the summit.

[@camille_la_chenille]

Yes! The percussions are so powerfull in this score! And the chorus accentuates perfetly the drums in a way that shakes me. Each time I listen to this music, I feel like I am in the scene, and I am flying for my life from a Balrog.

[@qafiansage4234]

One interesting thing about analyzing music set to LotR is that, given that the world was sung or fore-sung into being in-universe, the backing track can be interpreted as listening to the original music of the Ainur - listening to the sound of fate, in a sense, as it depicts the actions we see on-screen in a tapestry of sound.

[@johndododoe1411]

Gandalf, the Balrog, Sauron and Saruman were all part of this original choir before entering the world for as long as it exists. Dragons, Elves and humans are just part of the creation. Tom Bombadil is older and outside the story, having written all these wonderful books.

[@stairwaytoholiday]

The lament for Gandalf is the most beautiful piece of music written and doesn't get talked about enough

[@fluffycloud88]

I’ll never get tired of Howard Shore’s brilliant LotR score, so I was delighted to see that notification coming up! Very interesting to see these three themes back to back, I’ve gained new insights through your sharp observations. Thank you again for the gorgeous presentation and to remind me to revisit Doug Adams’ brilliant book (which I highly recommend to anyone!)

[@AyumiFortunex]

It baffles my mind how someone can produce music that perfect to elevate these films to an even higher level.

[@pascalbourelier3463]

Few things shine as bright as analysing LotR’s musical brilliance with you! Thank you for your incredible decompositions ;) I wldn’t lie saying a special episode on the evolution & use of Choirs, and solo vocals throughout the whole trilogy would be amazing! Especially in regards to its historical influence. Might be even worth a dive into medieval chants? :*

[@Luksman]

Wonderful. Even though you knew (if you read the books at that time) that Gandalf will return, the impact of the music when he falls always makes me cry. The sheer loss in Frodo's face, when Aragorn calls for him... This Music is beyond magic. It's pure beauty.

[@nimasamet8351]

I thought that nobody else payed attention to Frodo's facial expression when Aragorn calls for him... It breaks my heart every... single... time. The loss, the hopelessness, the moment he knew...

[@BBodily]

That's so much of what makes these movies so moving and beloved--the emotion from the music. There are moments, like Gandalf's fall and the hobbits' accompanying shock and sorrow, Boromir's demise, the ride of the Rohirrim, and Sam's utter determination when he can't carry ring, but he can carry Frodo and the ring with him (and, of course, Into the West) that are so musically powerful and beautiful.

[@Becky-uz8em]

​@@BBodilyReading your comment about Sam carrying Frodo got the music from that scene playing in my head!

[@juanantoniogragasin1685]

What a coincidence! I was just listening to The Bridge of Khazad Dum then this popped off my notifications. What a treat!

[@lookaroundyou8108]

Omg sameee I was listening to the track of Moria

[@CosmicAxolotl]

Coincidence or Eru's designment?

[@frightenedsoul]

@@CosmicAxolotl or the ancient and great “algorithm”

[@PhilipReber]

The best example of how Shore uses contrast to give us hope is in the song “The Black Gate opens” as it flips back and forth from the pounding music as the final battle is about to start and the subtle peaceful music of the hobbits on mount doom! Right before the incredibly triumphant moment with Sam lifting Frodo and the grey havens/into the west theme comes in! Truly epic

[@Ybarchov21]

The Bridge of Khazad Dum is one of my favorite compositions in which you can tell just by listening what's happening in the story. The other one that's really good is James Horner's "Stealing the Enterprise" from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

[@andrewroth3439]

Keep doing LOTR stuff dude. This stuff puts into words the profound emotion I always feel watching my favorite movies of which these are. It’s cathartic

[@musicindulgent229]

This is unrelated, but I love the way Christopher Lee says “Khazad” when the clip of the fellowship passing over Caradhras is playing. The way the h is slightly aspirated after the k is very smooth and is in line with how the sound is made in Khuzdul (a Dwarven language).

[@stephenpatterson2860]

Shore is such an absolute bloody genius, man. And I love your breakdowns of his work. I'd love to see more LotR stuff from you if there's more to talk about. I think I've watched your other LotR videos but I'm not sure if you've talked about the music of the ents yet...? They're also ancient creatures of Middle Earth that have wonderful music to go with them, but I understand not including them here since they're not antagonistic "monsters" like the other creatures talked about here. Not sure if there's a whole video that could be made about just the ents, but that could probably be included along with something else maybe? Anyway, love your channel.

[@alskarmode]

Yes I would love to hear an analysis of the March of the Ents. It’s one of my favorites

[@moritzrein2907]

@@alskarmode Yay! And also the other Ent-Themes, like Treebeard's Stride and Small Stones!

[@jessicazhang2771]

If you want a super detailed breakdown off all the themes and other little musical details in every single track of the Complete Recording, check out Monoverantus' channel! He's halfway through ROTK.

[@carolinefiorentini3233]

'The Bridge of Kazah Dum' is one of my favorite track of the LoTR soundtrack, i love it !

[@bdonaghu]

The only thing missing from this video is the amazing music and analysis from the battle as Gandalf and the Balrog fall into the depths of Moria. Such powerful music in this section. METTANA!

[@debbiehenri345]

I don't know one note of music - but the explanation of how the music supports the film is just wonderful.

[@matthewarant377]

Finally someone breaks down the bridge if Khazad Dum sequence. The whole Moria them in it is just wonderful. The horns constantly rising higher and higher with the voices chanting in dwarvish in the background. One of the most dark and tense pieces in the whole works besides maybe Crack if Doom

[@LoneTiger]

10:55 You are surrounded and outnumbered 100 to 1, things can't get any worse, can they? Balrog: _"You called?"_

[@messiah7344]

Just rewatched your first 3 LOTR videos for like the 20th time, then THIS. You outdo yourself.

[@Sylphin]

STOP MAKING ME CRY!! You’re videos are unbelievably fantastic. Truly. Some of the best content I watch on KZbin. ❤️

[@aralornwolf3140]

Fancy seeing you here. I just found this channel. With your ringing and clearly sound endorsement, I really should watch the rest of his videos. :) Of course, they were awesome, too bad half of what he said I know nothing about, lol.

[@funkyfreshwizardry]

I have seen The Lord of the Rings trilogy hundreds of times. I have listened to the soundtrack nearly as much. And yet, this was still absolutely riveting. Well done.

[@isabellethedragy8248]

man i wish i was able to delete the memory of lord of the rings from my mind, so i can watch it in the theatres For the first time

[@j.l.m.6954]

Now it falls to us in these dark times to share the light of Arda with those who have never basked in its glow. To share these masterpieces to a new generation does bring this hobbit such a joy that almost rivals when I saw them in theater. To share is the joy now and a hope for a brighter tomorrow.

[@isabellethedragy8248]

@@j.l.m.6954 ya

[@djwoody1649]

Please do something on the other themes you haven't yet like the Nazgul theme and Isengard, still some smashing ones to cover. Brilliant work, especially on the Balrog theme.

[@flooglebinder3493]

Excellent, as ever. I think the single standalone piece in the whole LOTR trilogy music is *Isengard Unleashed* - which for me tells a complete journey Starting with the excited playfulness of going on an adventure, like Dickens, before shortly falling into the trap of deeper, darker challenges, as it moves on to industrial summoning of power to drive forward and then uplifting into the choral solo that takes us out of the dark and into the light of progress

[@ainiel7602]

Underrated piece of music in the dead marshes with that menacing violin and the whispers behind it and then the forbidden pool with this combination of relaxing but otherwordly/sad/dark feeling. I think these themes that appear only once and are usually overlooked but give the darkest moments in the films are brilliant.

[@thra-x1855]

i dont know jack about music, but i sure do enjoy hearing you explain the thinking behind it.

[@ChiPandaAndKeegan]

Same. No clue about the lingo used here 😂

[@anthonybranch4712]

The blast of trumpets during the Watcher attack (here, beginning at 4:45 ) has always reminded me of Herman Stein's recurrent theme for the attacking giant octopus in the film 'It Came From Beneath The Sea.' The two are so similar, that it almost has to be an intentional homage.

[@stefanlewszuk5359]

Has anyone done a video on the music of the Uruk Hai? If not, that would be a really cool thing to see, the 5/4 rythhm gets me excited every time I hear it, its so cool!

[@skoogadoo]

Duh-duh-duuuuuuh, duh-duh-duh! (bomp bomp! Bomp bomp!)

[@colindunnigan8621]

It would have been interesting had you included the score that is played while Gandalf and the Balrog are plummeting into the depths at the start of The Two Towers.

[@Reeserehak]

Most underrated channel

[@alucard347]

Fantastic to see you returned to the lord of the rings!

[@94entoi]

Your videos are absolute quality my friend. Film schools should show these in class for the future cinema industry workers. Seriously you are fenomenal and I thank you for these master pieces.

[@abcrasshadow9341]

14:23-14:24 is some high quality editing / attention to details!

[@timebor]

Awesome video! 10:09 "The Kingdom under the Mountain" is used to refer to Erebor though, not Khazad-Dum

[@tiamzy]

Another incredible LOTR video. Thank you so much for the effort you put in here. The Khazad-dum music was undoubtedly Howard Shore’s best composition in the trilogy. I cannot imagine how well it was well-received in Cannes when that scene was first previewed there. I sure felt like I was in hell the first time I saw this scene. Too bad its continuation (The Foundation of Stone) was not included here but nevertheless, I truly enjoyed this one!

[@rachel_sj]

This video is excellent, just like the music of LOTR. When I was a teen, I’d listen to the soundtracks on repeat to and from school/church and be immersed in the movies in my mind (cause I couldn’t be glued to my TV). I also bought all three of the extended cut DVDs which had hours of footage showing how the films were made. I loved it all but the music portions with Howard Shore talking about how his ideas all came together were the best!

[@AsrielDreemurr56]

I had no idea the chanting in Moria was actually words in dwarvish, especially that some of it was an actual dwarven song, that makes it hit so much harder emotionally for me now!

[@Richard_Nickerson]

C's at the beginning of words make a hard C sound, like a K. Celebrimbor, Círdan, Cirith Ungol... all hard C's. So, it's kirith oongull (U is long, O is short).

[@geoffstemen3652]

Yes, true

[@Richard_Nickerson]

@@geoffstemen3652 I'm just a Grammar Nazi, whether it's English or French or Elvish haha

[@GeorgeThoughts]

@@Richard_Nickerson a Grammar Nazgul, if you will! Thanks for the explanation though, I always said Cirith with a K but it wasn't based on any knowledge, just that thing where you read a word in a book you've never heard and so you guess how to say it!

[@Richard_Nickerson]

@@GeorgeThoughts For me, I remember being constantly frustrated throughout RotK for that exact reason. I pronounced Minas as minus, Cirith as searith... when I got to the appendices, I soaked up everything I could about pronunciation and spelling and regretted not checking the back of the book earlier.

[@ninjazet3585]

Man I cant get enough of Lord of the Rings music analysis or generally anything that has to do with it. Great video, as always and if you have anything left to analyse of the LotR music, please do it.

[@snailmusk9468]

Somehow I can't stop gaining more and more appreciation for these movies beyond what I even thought possible. Brilliant video.

[@dxaminal777]

If you made a series of vids exploring all the themes from the series I would watch every one of them.

[@nathanthaxton7492]

Long have I waited for this.

[@divinicron5454]

Sauron is lucky Farmer Maggot didn't go to Mordor

[@aniruddhmuley5592]

in the books farmer maggot simply drives the nazgul away when they come to his house, if i remember correctly

[@marisp2588]

@@aniruddhmuley5592 And it works because the Nazgul know Farmer Maggot gonna fuck them up real badly

[@Thespian6969]

Once again, just in awe of the work you do to bring a deeper and richer understanding of the music to life. Thank you for what you do! I loved the quote you used from the film at the end, as we all need to have that light to cling to in the dark places. And, I could not help but hear the smile in your voice as you uttered, "See you next time." Yes! You will.

[@ameliaroseillustrations]

Can we just appreciate the narration of these videos! I feel like I’m listening to a BBC documentary. ✨✨

[@jesusfernandezsanchez155]

I completely agree. It's a great video, largely because of the rhythm and the voice of the narrator throughout the entire speech.

[@Dewkanediscipline]

Few things hit home as hard as when you breakdown LOTR score mate! Bloody brilliant 👌 literally brought a tear to my eye

[@mageman26]

I love this! It just shows how well thought out Howard Shore's music is! Even though it's genius, I could see how writing something like the theme for The Shire is done. A very clear and simple melody. Writing music for monster scenes like these though is a whole other art form!

[@Katharina_Lieblich]

I've been a silent subscriber for a while, but I wanted to say that this series on the LOTR music actually prompted me to watch the movies, as I hadn't seen them before. I am so glad I did. Thank you so much for that!! I would LOVE to see further videos in this series on LOTR music, if you can . Thank you for continuing to inspire me as a young musician and composer!

[@willemvangorselwvg]

Just when I got the feeling to watch lord of the rings again, this pops up... nice

[@dave493010]

Man thank you for shedding some more light on this incredible score score. As all the other comments have said, your insight and presentation on this wonderful music is unmatched. I'd also like to give massive credit to your scriptwriting. I genuinely had a tear in my eye after your last line with the Galadriel quote. I would love some more LoTR content

[@RigelBlueMarkII]

This was really cool. I enjoyed it very much. Forgive me if you've already made this, but would you do a video (or two) on the heroes--the Fellowship, the Rohirim, Gondor, etc--and the villains, such as Sauron and Saruman? Thanks :)

[@Symphorch]

I’m so glad you revisited this series!! These monster themes are my favorites from the series. Thanks, man.

[@isaacbutler4895]

Damn, where was this when I was doing my dissertation 😂. Great video 10/10

[@j.l.m.6954]

Had a huge music history project with oral report for the final and did Howard Shore for my study a couple years back. So wish I had these vids to supplement! Lol. I’m sure your dissertation rocked though!

[@Eletrikelly]

How dare you make me cry about my favorite film score more then I have before.

[@ilovenycsomuch]

I’ve always been obsessed with the male choir of the Khazad dum music, & the shrieking cascading strings for Shelob always stood out to me as a really freaky spider-like musical accompaniment

[@Sinewmire]

Great analysis, thankyou so much for sharing! I love what you say about the Balrog's "primal" theme - exactly the word I would use, it very much puts me in mind of the Rites of Spring, and Disney's famous arrangement and animation set to it on Fantasia - volcanoes, fire, extinction.

[@Masilya111]

Satisfying notification. Would love to see more

[@kevnar]

The Moria scene is probably the most epic movie moment ever created. Basically, everything we like about fantasy adventure was all crammed into a few minutes of story. Darkness, danger, monsters, heroes. This is why games like D&D were invented in the first place. Tolkien, Jackson, Shore, and the cast worked together in a once-in-a-lifetime combination of talents that will live forever, as long as movies are watched.

[@GeorgeThoughts]

This is why FotR is my favourite LOTR film of the three! When I was younger I loved The Two Towers for all the time spent with Aragorn's crew, Rohan, Isengard and the "cool battles" from that movie. But as an adult, I love FotR as a simply phenomenal "fantasy adventure journey" story. A group of heroes travelling from one fantastical location to another, encountering myriad creatures of good and evil along the way. As you say, this is the feeling of a journey through a mystical land which games like D&D or The Elder Scrolls are seeking to recreate. But no other fantasy movie has captured this idea as effectively or as originally as FotR did.

[@BartTheBardOfficial]

This is such a high-quality channel and your voice is really easy to listen to. Glad I subbed to find this new video in my feed :) Keep it up!

[@jjambts]

Love this! You really capture the heart and meaning behind Shore's epic score. Would love to hear your take on the Nazgul and Orc themes as well.

[@jimbeaux89]

The Balrog’s intro is so freaking sick.

[@dimitrisnikoloulis4071]

Either melancholic , either sad and heartbreaking , either scherzosic , happy , nostalgic , elegant , luminous of aleatorical disconased , horroric and operatic , lord of the rings soundtracks will always be in our hearts. That was the most tremendous level of work by Howard Shore as composer and orchestrator . Real big cojones for his level . The Balrog sequence my number one on the first film . Nazgul sequences also that horroric and operatic dark ominous feeling . Black speech , Khuzdul and every language of Middle Earth is in the score. Even Old English. How cool. Maestro Shore is a power leveled magician in orchestration and motivical composition. As epic as Wagner with Nimbelungen Ring circle . High level fantasy soundtrack . A big circle of every emotion . Chorus pats are the cherry on the cake. Even the male mongol throat singers in Moria sequens . Urukhas tanakhi bushra !

[@bfkc111]

There is another indication of the Watcher in Water, with the things that gnaw the world underneath it (even unknown to Sauron etc.), implying the Watcher in the Water is related to them in nature (by relative proximity and weirdness, maybe it was even explicitly referred to). The description is also perfectly sufficient and makes sense, as the thing is underwater... And fingered tentacles, etc, are perfectly enough to give one an idea of what attacks one.

[@nazgullord3198]

Have just discovered your channel, and your LotR videos are absolutely amazing! I actually wept once or twice watching them, they were so well thought off and moving. If I'm allowed to put in a humble request, I'd love to hear your analysis on the Nazgûl theme!

[@fr.patrickbehm6474]

I found your channel yesterday, and I can't stop watching! These videos you put together on LOTR are simply brilliant, and I mean that in every sense of the word. Absolutely fantastic content!

[@milozimben]

I love how much Howard Shore got to draw upon his experience working on Cronenberg's films in these movies.

[@Fetch049]

It always gets me how much you can add to these movies by breaking down the music like this.

[@neilzientek]

With Tolkien, always pronounce names starting with a C as a hard C. Love your work.

[@PartOfTheGame]

Everything about The Lord of the Rings from the visuals that, even coming on 20 years later, are incredible to see, to the sound and score and everything in-between still solidifies these three movies as the best that have ever been produced.

[@jacks5463]

I just found your LOTR videos. It's really just one more layer to why that trilogy is the greatest work of art of all time.

[@solomonchilds8574]

Shelob’s theme is one on the most underrated in the whole trilogy

[@joshuafischer684]

I wish he'd pointed out the eight note theme a little more. Eight legs like a spider.

[@solomonchilds8574]

@@joshuafischer684 spot on

[@fonti22]

I don't think it's underrated. I just think that most of the people, even us freaks who listen to film scores prefer something more... Light? Hopeful? Harmonic? This music elevates the scene perfectly, but I will always choose the lighthearted Shire theme over the theme of the creature. I don't need to be reminded of the Schelob lair in the middle of my day.

[@solomonchilds8574]

@@fonti22 completely know what you mean

[@funkyfreshwizardry]

I think it’s also one of the most unique. It feels a lot more “classic horror” than anything else in the trilogy, which hearkens not only to PJ’s background directing horror films (which informs a LOT of the more intense bits of LotR), but also to the basic, almost primal fear of fleeing a giant spider. The scenario is not altogether unique, but is almost universally frightening. The score reflects a more “universal horror” flavor in response, connecting it with horror flicks throughout the decades.

[@ladylandlubber499]

Bro I'm sitting here holdin back tears... that's how fantastically managed the Belrog/Gandalf's death is.... Lord of the Rings is so goooooooood TnT

[@StephenAMCook]

I could watch this again and again.

[@b.amancio]

You should do a video about the music of The Lion King, one of Zimmer's many masterpieces.

[@pablomartinez1671]

Beautiful, as always!! Thanks for the video!!

[@keeperman4]

Beautiful work. Fantastic analysis.

[@MrDinko]

Oh, this is going to be a great watch! I already say my thanks to you! ^^

[@GarrettRobinson]

Just discovered you today and blazed through the whole LOTR music series. Never let it be said the algorithm doesn’t bring us to some amazing places.

[@basmca1]

I know nothing of music, but i love this breakdown. It shows all the work that went into just somr part of the music of the LOTR.

[@Jd8jd]

Wow great work! Very thorough video. Greatly appreciated.

[@crazzylarry1]

Just discovered your channel, loving the format, pace, and content! I love how you keep the music going as you provide analysis, instead of stopping for narration. We get to feel it as you guide us through it. Great work!

[@PhantomObiWan]

This channel never fails to deliver the best quality content.

[@xairo8134]

The moment when the Watcher first appears and Shore's notation for the orchestra really reminds of the ending of The Beatles' A Day in The Life

[@16maze]

I always love your ending wrap ups. They are so peaceful and calm.

[@sebastianmeert6160]

Love your videos, not only does it give me a deeper understanding of the music i already love, it also gives me hope in dark times

[@SoleaGalilei]

An excellent watch as always!

[@nuesschen4525]

Haven’t watched it yet, but it’s great there’s a new LotR video😍