Category: Blog

The Lord of the Rings: Episode 106

In this series of blogs, I explore the musical details of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. For a comprehensive introduction to my approach and my creative experience, start with my introductory four-part “Appendices:” Part 1 “Journey to Middle-earth,” Part 2 “Themes of Middle-earth,” Part 3 “Forming a Fellowship,” and Part 4 “There and Back Again.” I also blogged about scoring episodes 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105.

SCORING EPISODE 106
“UDÛN”

SPOILERS AHEAD: “Udûn” is unlike any episode of television I have ever scored before. It was substantially more difficult and  demanding even than scoring a feature film. Scoring a big film is a sprint (as I learned on Godzilla: King of the Monsters). The composer blasts down the racetrack, gets to the end in one piece, and can collapse when done.  Television is a marathon. I could not even start “Udûn” until I had already scored five hours of narrative for nearly half a year. Even before I laid down the episode’s first notes,  I was already nearing exhaustion. And when I was done with its fiery climax, I would still need to have in reserve enough strength to keep going for another two months.

The Lord of the Rings: Episode 105

In this series of blogs, I explore the musical details of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. For a comprehensive introduction to my approach and my creative experience, start with my introductory four-part “Appendices:” Part 1 “Journey to Middle-earth,” Part 2 “Themes of Middle-earth,” Part 3 “Forming a Fellowship,” and Part 4 “There and Back Again.” I also blogged about scoring episodes 101, 102, 103, and 104.

SCORING EPISODE 105
“PARTINGS”

The fifth episode of The Rings of Power, “Partings,” is the first to cover events in all the series’ major story arcs. As a result, this massive episode not only required I thread together quotations of every theme I’d written thus far, but also necessitated one final new one, and produce a heartfelt vocal song, as well.

The Lord of the Rings: Episode 104

In this series of blogs, I explore the musical details of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. For a comprehensive introduction to my approach and my creative experience, start with my introductory four-part “Appendices:” Part 1 “Journey to Middle-earth,” Part 2 “Themes of Middle-earth,” Part 3 “Forming a Fellowship,” and Part 4 “There and Back Again.” I also blogged about scoring episodes 101, 102, and 103.

SCORING EPISODE 104
“THE GREAT WAVE”

SPOILERS AHEAD: The fourth episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, “The Great Wave,” is the first unburdened by the need to introduce the audience to new characters, cultures, and lore. As a result, I was able to shift my focus away from generating and introducing musical themes, to developing and interweaving them.

The Lord of the Rings: Episode 103

In this series of blogs, I explore the musical details of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. For a comprehensive introduction to my approach and my creative experience, start with my introductory four-part “Appendices:” Part 1 “Journey to Middle-earth,” Part 2 “Themes of Middle-earth,” Part 3 “Forming a Fellowship,” and Part 4 “There and Back Again.” I also blogged about scoring episode 101, and scoring episode 102.

SCORING EPISODE 103
“ADAR”

SPOILERS AHEAD: Over the first two episodes, the score to The Rings of Power introduced and developed most of the major musical themes for the season. The majority are divided into musical cultures, each with an anthem and subsequent character variations. “Galadriel” and “Elrond Half-elven” relate to the music of the Elves, “Valinor.” “Durin IV” is a Dwarven theme that relates to the rousing theme of his father, “Khazad-dûm,” as “Nori Brandyfoot” relates to the music of her people, “Harfoot Life.” “Bronwyn and Arondir” represents a forbidden relationship in The Southlands, a location signified by the rustic “Halbrand.” “The Stranger” and “Sauron” stand out from the pack as unique oddities, each with their own mysterious attributes not shared with any cultural musical language.

Nevertheless, two new major musical languages come to the forefront in the third episode, “Adar.”

The Lord of the Rings: Episode 102

In this series of blogs, I explore the musical details of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. For a comprehensive introduction to my approach and my creative experience, start with my introductory four-part “Appendices:” Part 1 “Journey to Middle-earth,” Part 2 “Themes of Middle-earth,” Part 3 “Forming a Fellowship,” and Part 4 “There and Back Again.” I also blogged about scoring episode 101.

SCORING EPISODE 102
“ADRIFT”

SPOILERS AHEAD: In the first episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, “A Shadow of the Past,” the score introduced a number of significant musical themes. Over the course of the next two episodes the music will continue to expand as the narrative introduces new characters, locations, and story arcs. “Adrift” brings to the score several significant musical themes and cultural styles that will be central to the story moving forward.