Rings of Power Bear McCreary's "Rings of Power" Themes

[Jay 37,281]

So a choral version of that suite track will be released after the final episode airs, probably?

[Monoverantus 363]

4 minutes ago, Jay said:

So a choral version of that suite track will be released after the final episode airs, probably?

I'm gonna go ahead and predict it will be a solo.

[Bofur01 245]

I was nearly thinking that - I’d assumed it would be just Galadriel reciting the ring-verse or similar at the end of the series. But that’s an brilliant observation Mono!

[Knight of Ren 785]

Isn't what plays at 0:28 of "For the Southlands the "evil theme" from Nampat, at 0:32? To me it seems like the same melody, but with a different rythm, adapted to the action in the Southlands track, but I'm not entirely sure.

[Monoverantus 363]

Hey, that's a nice observation! It's a very scarce motif, easily missed for incidental music. Can we find more examples of this?

[Dcole4 12]

Man, this score gets better and better the closer you listen to it. 

[Richard Penna 3,669]

I can't get The Wandering Day out of my head now. I didn't find it the most accessible melody to start with.

 

The Numenor and Nori Brandyfoot themes are also stuck in there.... well honestly they are all are sort of on rotation. I've lost count of how many times I've listened through this now.

[Dcole4 12]

I really hope the melody of "Wandering Day" gets more love throughout the series. The Main teaser had a pretty epic riff of it. It'd be funny if it accidentally became a main theme similarly to how "Misty Mountains" started as just a song the dwarves sang and later became the power house theme of AUJ. 

[Monoverantus 363]

I've finished my Rings of Power Theme Analysis, take a watch if you're interested!

 

[WampaRat 1,105]

Watching this RIGHT now! Thanks!

[blondheim 1,157]

I would definitely not congratulate Bear on being able to write a good melody. That seems like his weakest trait here.

[Boreli 1]

46 minutes ago, Monoverantus said:

I've finished my Rings of Power Theme Analysis, take a watch if you're interested!

Subscribed !

[Monoverantus 363]

On 24/08/2022 at 10:04 PM, Knight of Ren said:

Isn't what plays at 0:28 of "For the Southlands the "evil theme" from Nampat, at 0:32? To me it seems like the same melody, but with a different rythm, adapted to the action in the Southlands track, but I'm not entirely sure.

Looks like you were right on the money

[Jay 37,281]

1 hour ago, Monoverantus said:

I've finished my Rings of Power Theme Analysis, take a watch if you're interested!

 

 

Just watched it - great video!  It made me appreciate the score even more!

 

Minor tidbit that it's probably to late to fix or you'll lose your existing viewcount, but you did spell "Perilous" wrong at 14:13

 

 

17 minutes ago, Monoverantus said:

 

 

OK, so "Nampat" is a suite track and not a score cue track, then.

[Monoverantus 363]

37 minutes ago, Jay said:

Minor tidbit that it's probably to late to fix or you'll lose your existing viewcount, but you did spell "Perilous" wrong at 14:13

Hehe, a spelling error or two is par for the course. 

37 minutes ago, Jay said:

OK, so "Nampat" is a suite track and not a score cue track, then.

I'm with Knights of Ren, the short tune noted as "Evil theme?" is one of the themes he speaks of.

[WampaRat 1,105]

59 minutes ago, Monoverantus said:

Looks like you were right on the money

That’s pretty darn cool. Neat that he took the time to watch and respond.

 

Im listening to this album now without all the theme suites that you mentioned  and it’s a really terrific listen. I got a much better  sense of the story (maybe a bit too much. I might have spoiled something for myself on this last listen lol) 

I feel like the score proper on this release consists mostly of music from the first 2 episodes? Just a feeling. I could be completely wrong. Maybe it’s a sampler of the whole season? Interested to find out.

 

[Jay 37,281]

So the theme heard in "Nampat" appears in "For the Southlands", but then why does Bear tell you to listen to "The Mystics" more carefully; Does the "Nampat" theme also appear in that track too?  Or is he hinting there's something else going on in that track?

[Monoverantus 363]

9 minutes ago, Jay said:

So the theme heard in "Nampat" appears in "For the Southlands", but then why does Bear tell you to listen to "The Mystics" more carefully; Does the "Nampat" theme also appear in that track too?  Or is he hinting there's something else going on in that track?

Here, I'll link the thread and you can see his whole explanation: 

 

 

I might add that this might punch a hole in the "Evil theme" theory...

[Jay 37,281]

I don't see anything there about The Mystics?

[Monoverantus 363]

The point is, the 2 themes are only heard once in this score. Meaning, the "Nampat" chant and the "Hi-lo-ka-sa" whispers from The Mystics might as well be the themes.

[Jay 37,281]

Ohhhh I see, Bear told you there are TWO additional themes, NOT just one additional theme.

 

So he either didn't make, or just hasn't released, a theme suite yet for a theme that currently only appears on the OST album once, in "The Mystics".  Right?

[Monoverantus 363]

44 minutes ago, Jay said:

Ohhhh I see, Bear told you there are TWO additional themes, NOT just one additional theme.

 

So he either didn't make, or just hasn't released, a theme suite yet for a theme that currently only appears on the OST album once, in "The Mystics".  Right?

Seems so.

[Jay 37,281]

Well color me curious to learn more as the show goes on!

[blondheim 1,157]

I’m still befuddled by how many people think this is a great score. I feel like I’m in that Twlight Zone episode where she wakes up and they are all pigs.

[Jay 37,281]

Every one likes different things.

[blondheim 1,157]

Sure, but it’s still alarming. It’s like one day I woke up and everyone decided mayonnaise is a meal. 

[Knight of Ren 785]

4 hours ago, Monoverantus said:

I've finished my Rings of Power Theme Analysis, take a watch if you're interested!

Great video, and I like that you added transcriptions for all the themes, as I think that makes them easier to recognize and differentiate.

 

And it's so cool that Bear took some time to watch the video and give some clarifications on the possible themes, like for example, Nampat or the chants during the first minutes of The Mystics.

 

I really cannot wait for the show and the weekly releases to see how he further develops his different themes!

[Jay 37,281]

I wonder if we'll get 2 episode albums next Friday, IE every week we get the full albums as soon as the episodes drop,

 

or,

 

If we'll only get 1 this Friday and then 1 every Friday after, IE every episode drops a full week after the episode airs (except for the 1st one)

 

(In case anyone forgot, they are airing the first 2 episodes next week)

[Holko 9,499]

25 minutes ago, Jay said:

Every one likes different things.

Everyone likes different things than blondheim!

[Jay 37,281]

Let's not pit one against each other, let's just discuss the music

[Chen G. 3,943]

36 minutes ago, blondheim said:

I’m still befuddled by how many people think this is a great score. I feel like I’m in that Twlight Zone episode where she wakes up and they are all pigs.

I have a similar feeling regarding the show itself in some fan outlets: people seem to be satiated enough that they just accept stuff like the Harfoots which I have a fundamental issue with, and it makes one feel like something of a buzzkill…

 

It can feel quite alienating…

[blondheim 1,157]

6 hours ago, Holko said:

Everyone likes different things than blondheim!

Apparently 

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

Could it maybe be that the album that's already released (minus the themes) is the music from the first 2 episodes?

[Monoverantus 363]

3 hours ago, JNHFan2000 said:

Could it maybe be that the album that's already released (minus the themes) is the music from the first 2 episodes?

Based on the names of the tracks and the footage from the trailers, it seems like at least Galadriel's plot will be something like boarding the boat that will get shipwrecked, reaching Númenor, sailing to the Southlands and partaking in the battle, followed by its aftermath. Idk if that would fit in two episodes, but on the other hand, I don't know if that's enough content for a season either.

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

3 hours ago, Monoverantus said:

Based on the names of the tracks and the footage from the trailers, it seems like at least Galadriel's plot will be something like boarding the boat that will get shipwrecked, reaching Númenor, sailing to the Southlands and partaking in the battle, followed by its aftermath. Idk if that would fit in two episodes, but on the other hand, I don't know if that's enough content for a season either.

Numenor is not in the first 2 episodes as mentioned by people who have seen them.

[Monoverantus 363]

37 minutes ago, TheUlyssesian said:

Numenor is not in the first 2 episodes as mentioned by people who have seen them.

Figures. My guess is the series will begin with Galadriel Indiana Jonesing in Forodwaith, then returning to Lindon to have her scenes with Elrond and Gil-Galad, then embarking on her voyage, which will be interrupted by a fish(?), leaving her shipwrecked with Halbrand before getting to Númenor. That's two episodes of content at least.

[Chen G. 3,943]

3 hours ago, Monoverantus said:

begin with Galadriel Indiana Jonesing in Forodwaith, then returning to Lindon to have her scenes with Elrond and Gil-Galad, then embarking on her voyage, which will be interrupted by a fish(?), leaving her shipwrecked with Halbrand before getting to Númenor.

 

 

Pretty much, except there's a prologue first (which the album very clearly tells us) with Galadriel as a little kid, and

 

Spoiler

Galadriel's voyage isn't interrupted by the sea monster: she decides her work in Middle Earth is not done and jumps ship within sight of Valinor and swims until she encounters Halbrand's ship, menaced by the sea serpent. They're only picked up in the closing minutes of Episode Two, I'm told.

 

[TolkienSS 405]

The thought of Galadriel, Lady Of Light, getting "shipwrecked" is really really idiotic.

 

There was Peter Jackson and his writers, losing sleep over how on earth they should depict a celestial being;

and now here are these children casually going "yeah throw Armor on her and give her a Turban and let her fight sea snakes and have her shipwrecked and super snarky and stuff"

[Chen G. 3,943]

I don't mind a very feisty, somewhat hellbent Galadriel in this, at least conceptually. Very "zen" characters, which is how we envision Elves, are very boring characters, dramatically. It works for minor roles or glorified cameos, but for a major role in a series? Not so much.

 

Its why Jackson gave Elrond a parenting crisis and made Galadriel creepy as all hell in The Fellowship of the Ring: so they actually have some source of anguish or internal conflict, which is exactly what makes characters psychologically compelling - its the same thing that allows Hamlet to monologue for as long as he does, or allows Tristan to basically speak his thoughts for some 40 minutes with little by way of plot actually happening around him.

 

My only concern is that this Galadriel will be so hellbent, so fixated, that it will become grating to the audience. One of the things that helps Galadriel (but which also makes the narrative a little simple-minded) is that if she's insisting that Sauron has returned - even if we didn't know The Lord of the Rings - we'd assume she's correct because of Chekov's Gun.

[blondheim 1,157]

4 hours ago, Chen G. said:

I don't mind a very feisty, somewhat hellbent Galadriel in this, at least conceptually. Very "zen" characters, which is how we envision Elves, are very boring characters, dramatically. It works for minor roles or glorified cameos, but for a major role in a series? Not so much.

 

Its why Jackson gave Elrond a parenting crisis and made Galadriel creepy as all hell in The Fellowship of the Ring: so they actually have some source of anguish or internal conflict, which is exactly what makes characters psychologically compelling - its the same thing that allows Hamlet to monologue for as long as he does, or allows Tristan to basically speak his thoughts for some 40 minutes with little by way of plot actually happening around him.

 

My only concern is that this Galadriel will be so hellbent, so fixated, that it will become grating to the audience. One of the things that helps Galadriel (but which also makes the narrative a little simple-minded) is that if she's insisting that Sauron has returned - even if we didn't know The Lord of the Rings - we'd assume she's correct because of Chekov's Gun.

 So she’s serving the same purpose as Gandalf in The Hobbit trilogy. Got it.

[Chen G. 3,943]

A little bit, yeah. But that's a very common premise for prequels: is it not what Qui Gon does in The Phantom Menace, too? The whole idea is that we intrude upon this civilization at a time of peace and prosperity, but also of complecency, and its up to one up-and-about character to shake the others out of their idleness. You'd honestly struggle to make this show and not make that its premise, so fine by me.

 

The difference is that Gandalf is mostly calm and collected, whereas this Galadriel is decidedly not. She's closer to someone like Thorin, perhaps; but where I suggest that Thorin balanced his more abrasive traits (cantankerousnes, haughtiness, neuroticism, insularity) with a lot of fortitude, valour and appreciativeness, its at this moment not entirely clear to me that this would be the case with Clark's Galadriel.

 

Spoiler

Character choices like leaping off of a boat in the middle of the ocean and starting swimming back towards Middle Earth certainly don't help...

 

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

Okay - so I have the album a few times now - and I've come to appreciate the score. I do like it a lot now.

 

I was initially resisting because it wasn't Shore. And I had an idea ingrained me for the past 20 years about what Middle Earth has to sound like. 

 

Once I got past that hang-up and opened my mind, I was able to appreciate it much more.

 

Clearly a lot of effort was put into this by McCreary. So yes, it is indeed good and I am now looking forward to see how the music plays with the visuals.

 

Also - Shore's own main title is superb as well.

[WampaRat 1,105]

I’m surprised there hasn’t been a tiny bit more information on Shores main title. I assume Amazon wants the focus to be on Bear’s music. But even  a tiny interview or something about him coming back to middle earth ever so briefly. Heck, even a Doug Adams tweet acknowledging it.( Not just his “no comment” tweet after Bear premiered his themes lol)

[Jay 37,281]

Yea...

[WampaRat 1,105]

I mean, especially if they went through the effort to get him involved early on. It’s odd ya know?
 

I suppose it’s another bizarre legal tango they want to avoid. If Shore happened to mention that he was, in fact, referencing some thematic aspect of his scores for the Jackson films, WB would could potentially claim some sort of copyright infringement (?) Who knows..

[TolkienSS 405]

I have a theory on Shore not getting more music approved, but I'll keep it to myself.

[Mr. Who 919]

I'm surprised by the radio silence from Doug as he's usually pretty talkative on twitter about Howard Shore news

[TolkienSS 405]

8 minutes ago, Mr. Who said:

I'm surprised by the radio silence from Doug as he's usually pretty talkative on twitter about Howard Shore news

 

That's why my theory is based on something more ... personal.

 

Even when Shore was replaced on King Kong, Doug Adams had no problem talking about some of it.

 

This had to be a real doozy for him to not even mention it.

[artguy360 1,843]

I think y'all are putting way too much stock into whether or not someone tweets about something... it's weird.

[TolkienSS 405]

5 minutes ago, artguy360 said:

I think y'all are putting way too much stock into whether or not someone tweets about something... it's weird.

 

It's really not.