Stephen Gallagher's THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM (2024)

[Jay 40,305]

The FYC album is now streaming:

 

SONG:
01 The Rider (3:53) - song by Paris Paloma, written by Phoebe Gittins & David Long

 

SCORE:
02 Unexpected Visitors (3:12)
03 The Beast Is Rabid (1:53)
04 The Watcher In The Water - Part 1 (2:28)
05 The Watcher In The Water - Part 2 (1:36)
06 Call The Men To Arms (3:38)
07 What Does Mordor Want With Rings? (2:07)
08 Helm Hammerhand Still Stands (7:03)
09 For Hope (3:27)
10 My People Need Your Help (2:56)
11 Drums Of War / I Get To Choose / A Shieldmaiden of Rohan (6:41)
12 The Hornburg Will Fall! (2:46)
13 For Rohan / Let Mercy Rule This Day (4:57)
14 Frealaf, Tenth King of Rohan (0:56)

TOTAL SCORE TIME - 43:40

TOTAL SONG & SCORE TIME - 47:33

 

https://www.wbawards.com/film/?film=thelordoftherings (click "Listen")

 

 

[Meredith McKay 7,071]

https://www.wbawards.com/film/?film=thelordoftherings#listenSection

 

Here is the link for just the listen section?

[Knight of Ren 1,125]

I skimmed through a bit of those Rohirrim samples and wow, it does sound like Shore! I don't want to listen much more as I rather discover the score on the movie itself first, but it sounds promising. One small nitpick is that the orchestrations at some points did sound a bit thin/synthetic especially when compared to Shore's, but maybe that's because of the web quality? And I guess the presentation is so short because it omits the cues where Shore's material is quoted.

[Bilbo 3,911]

7 minutes ago, Knight of Ren said:

I skimmed through a bit of those Rohirrim samples and wow, it does sound like Shore! I don't want to listen much more as I rather discover the score on the movie itself first, but it sounds promising. One small nitpick is that the orchestrations at some points did sound a bit thin/synthetic especially when compared to Shore's, but maybe that's because of the web quality? And I guess the presentation is so short because it omits the cues where Shore's material is quoted.

We will know on Friday I guess! 

[Richard P 4,375]

It's an annoying site becuse it pauses when you leave the tab and my usual way to get the files doesn't work. Definitely best to wait until Friday.

[VenomVeVenom 135]

One thing that I noticed in the opening seconds of these cues is the frequent use of high string harmonics. It seems to be a sound Gallagher particularly enjoys.

[Chen G. 4,779]

Now look here!

 

By the time I sober up, I expect a meticulous track-by-track analysis!

 

 

EDIT: IS THAT THE WATCHER IN THE WATER MUSIC IN "WATCHER IN THE WATER - PART 2?" 

[VenomVeVenom 135]

1 hour ago, Chen G. said:

By the time I sober up, I expect a meticulous track-by-track analysis!

You're not sober either? xD

[Chen G. 4,779]

I'll put it this way: I played the first track and it took me surprisingly long to realise it's just the song...even though I've heard it AND seen Jay's post.

 

So yeah, somebody else do the musicological heavy lifting while I go sleepy-bye with my mouth open...

 

[Meredith McKay 7,071]

I like what I am hearing, even if the recording is a bit... small.

 

Some of it kinda reminds me of SoUN actually.

 

Some stuff that sounds like the Mumak battles in ROTK.

 

It's nice to hear ascending chords (tetrachord?) in ME music again

 

And basoons!

[Chen G. 4,779]

Being a Consideration album, naturally it focuses on Gallagher's original material: "Hera's theme" reappears almost throughout, including some development in "Call the Men to Arms", 2.13 ff. There's also a recurring pair of horncalls whose bold nature lends them to probably being a "Helm theme" of sorts. There's some lyrical pathos to be found in "Helm Hammerhand still stands","Unexpected visitors" and "For Hope" that I jived with. In "The Hornburg Will Fall" 1:50 ff there's a nice solo soprano vocal, probably by Grace Davidson (the soprano of the later two Hobbits and many of the live-to-projection concerts). Interestingly, some of Gallagher's most interesting timbral choices from the recording sessions - crumhorns and rauschpfeife and the like - are not represented on this album.

 

In terms of returning material, early in "Watcher in the Water - Part 2" Gallagher mimics the "squirmy" tone painting that Shore applies to the Watcher, though not the trumpet figure. The beginning of "Call the Men to Arms" sounds not far off of the tragic theme from The Hobbit. Rohan appears in “Drums of War / I Get To Choose / A Shieldmaiden of Rohan” 4:07 ff (the confrontation with Wulf) and, quite slow and elegiac, in "For Hope" in 1:54 ff. Shore's Nature writing peeks into the texture in the former track, 5:34 ff.

[tomsmoviemadness 3,695]

The official album is over 2 hours. Lot's of long tracks.

 

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of/1780249424

 

[Barnald 404]

Nice blast of Gondor in 'Who Dares Occupy Isengard?'

 

'Lament for Helm' sounds familiar...

[Chen G. 4,779]

I wonder about that overture: does it play in the film? End credits? Album only?

[crocodile 8,739]

I imagine the pre-order links for CD and vinyl releases will be up sometime tomorrow on Made By Mutant website. Exciting! 😀

 

Karol

[Bilbo 3,911]

4 hours ago, Chen G. said:

I wonder about that overture: does it play in the film? End credits? Album only?

I would guess the beginning and the History of the Ring theme plays over the title card like the trilogy? 

[Chen G. 4,779]

1 minute ago, Bilbo said:

I would guess the beginning and the History of the Ring theme plays over the title card like the trilogy? 

 

Oh yeah!

 

Funny, as this tale doesn't really have anything to do with the Ring, but I think when all is said and done it probably be a decent kind of "prelude" so I guess it's not a bad choice.

[Meredith McKay 7,071]

12 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

 

Oh yeah!

 

Funny, as this tale doesn't really have anything to do with the Ring, but I think when all is said and done it probably be a decent kind of "prelude" so I guess it's not a bad choice.

What does Mordor want with Rings?

 

 

 

[VenomVeVenom 135]

The first few seconds of "A Shield-maiden of Rohan" reminded me a lot of the "Skyrim theme":

 

 

[Gollum Cat 32]

I hear (what seems to be) Hera's theme in "Drums of War" 5:44, and it sounds like Gondor . . . ? Am I missing something?

[Chen G. 4,779]

"Hera's theme", like Eowyn's, is not dissimilar in contour to Gondor: all three start with an open fifth.

[crocodile 8,739]

Speaking of which, Gondor theme does appear in the score.

 

Karol

[Chen G. 4,779]

Also Nature, the Ring and a kind of mimicing of the tone painting that Shore used with the Watcher. Cool stuff!

[VenomVeVenom 135]

12 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

Also Nature, the Ring and a kind of mimicing of the tone painting that Shore used with the Watcher. Cool stuff!

In what track is the Ring theme?

[crocodile 8,739]

2 minutes ago, VenomVeVenom said:

In what track is the Ring theme?

Track 1.

 

Karol 

[Chen G. 4,779]

Oh, and I forgot: they reprise Eowyn's Lament for Theodred here!

[Bilbo 3,911]

4 hours ago, Chen G. said:

 

Oh yeah!

 

Funny, as this tale doesn't really have anything to do with the Ring, but I think when all is said and done it probably be a decent kind of "prelude" so I guess it's not a bad choice.

I guess it’s kinda like the series’ theme in a way. 
 

you hear that and you know it’s PJ’s Middle-earth 

[Chen G. 4,779]

Shore's scores really don't operate on that level: there's really not any one main theme, no more than the Ring cycle has one.

 

But I get your point: the two closest themes to "main" theme would be the Ring and the Hobbits. It's funny that they're both melodically-altered arpeggios - one minor one major.

[Meredith McKay 7,071]

Anyone else think Hera's theme (I think it's her theme at least?) or at least some of its appearances, sounds like a mix of The White Rider (as heard in Osgiliath Invaded, right before Ben Del Maestro) and "Journey to the Island" from Jurassic Park?

[Meredith McKay 7,071]

7 hours ago, crocodile said:

Track 1.

 

Karol 

And 17

Quick shortened playlist, minus songs:

 

Overture
Riders from the Westmarch
An Ill Omen
The Beast is Rabid
Who Dares Occupy Isengard?
Call the Men to Arms
The Wisest Move
The Line of Helm
Arise, Arise Now
Edoras Burns
Call the Retreat
Pretty Words Will Not Save You
What Does Mordor Want with Rings?
Helm Hammerhand Still Stands
For Hope
A Shield-maiden of Rohan
The Hornburg Will Fall
The Tenth King of Rohan
Adventure Beckons

 

1:32:11

 

I would have liked to go shorter, but there were some tracks I couldn't bear to just delete, so if I wanted to shorten it further, I would probably have to break out a wave editor

[Chen G. 4,779]

Okay, damn this is cool!

 

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lfbeeI0ZVJoj1ORFT3I6qPw6fS_2tLBco

[tomsmoviemadness 3,695]

I've picked up on a couple Shore themes.

 

Rohan

Gondor

The Ring (or whatever everybody calls it)

 

Are there more themes used? If so, anybody been able to llcate them.

[Meredith McKay 7,071]

10 minutes ago, tomsmoviemadness said:

I've picked up on a couple Shore themes.

 

Rohan

Gondor

The Ring (or whatever everybody calls it)

 

Are there more themes used? If so, anybody been able to llcate them.

Nature's Reclamation in Adventure Beckons

[tomsmoviemadness 3,695]

Thanks!

 

Another question:

Everyone seems to be talking about Hera's theme, but where is it exactly? I've listened to the whole album once, but I've not been able to really identify any themes. I'd love to appreciate the score on a deeper level at some point.

[Meredith McKay 7,071]

5 minutes ago, tomsmoviemadness said:

Thanks!

 

Another question:

Everyone seems to be talking about Hera's theme, but where is it exactly? I've listened to the whole album once, but I've not been able to really identify any themes. I'd love to appreciate the score on a deeper level at some point.

There's a mysterious theme, usually cor anglais/English Horn

 

There's a heroic theme, usually blaring trumpets, reminds me a tad of Jurassic Park.

 

Another heroic theme, somewhat noble, slightly desperate, usually in strings. Reminds me of The Clone Wars

[Bilbo 3,911]

Musically I really like this. I think it sits in the PJ universe quite well. 
 

sonically though it sounds a bit like a 2010 video game. A bit synthy and/or thin. I’m sure I’ll get used to the sound though. 

[Alan 716]

The music is good, it's just a shame it often sounds like demo material. It deserves a full orchestra, recorded well.

 

I was probably a bit harsh there. There clearly are "real" instruments being played here but I agree with @Bilbo that it often sounds synthy/thin.

[Chen G. 4,779]

2 hours ago, Alan said:

There clearly are "real" instruments being played here but I agree with @Bilbo that it often sounds synthy/thin.

 

I can't access my notes - damn Fellowship of Fans deleted all my old essays - but it was recorded with a very small ensemble indeed.

 

3 hours ago, tomsmoviemadness said:

Rohan

Gondor

The Ring (or whatever everybody calls it)

 

Nature in "Adventure Beacons" and "A Shieldmaiden of Rohan."

 

One of Eowyn's themes in the overture, 1:17 ff.

 

Eowyn's Lament for Theodred is reprised as a lament for Helm.

 

The tone painting used to depict the squirming of the Watcher in the Water is mimiced in "The Beast is Rabid", 5:50 ff. Exactly how Gallagher did this I have no idea: Shore did this entirely with aleatorics.

 

@Doo_liss hears the Mumak music, but then that was never a fixed motif: more of a kind of orchestrational configuration. It may well be that Gallagher set out to revisit it but I don't really hear it myself.

 

A pedant would also count the horcall sound effects in the film, which are clearly reprised from Lord of the Rings.

[Bilbo 3,911]

1 hour ago, Chen G. said:

Eowyn's Lament for Theodred is reprised as a lament for Helm.

Seems Olwyn sings it in the film. Lyrics are also changed. 

[Chen G. 4,779]

8 minutes ago, Bilbo said:

Lyrics are also changed. 

 

Yeah, and the tune itself trails off in a different direction after 0:17.

 

Ashbourne is in dry voice, but I guess the whole point is that it's a piece of mourning and wailing, and not meant to sound too musicianly: same as when Miranda Otto sang it.

[enderdrag64 1,010]

2 hours ago, Chen G. said:

I can't access my notes - damn Fellowship of Fans deleted all my old essays - but it was recorded with a very small ensemble indeed.

Damn, there's not anything lost permanently, I hope?

[Chen G. 4,779]

Oh no, I found it elsewhere:

 

Strings: 10 Violins I, 8 Violins II, 6 Viola, 4 Violoncelli, 2 Contrabasses. Hardingfele. At least 1 harp doubling Celtic harp.

 

Woodwinds: 2 Flutes and 1 Piccolo, 2 Oboes and 1 Cor Anglais, 2 Clarinets and 1 Bass Clarinet, 2 Basoons and 1 Contraforte; at least two Crumhorns, doubling multiple registers, seemingly bass, tenor and soprano; at least two shawms also doubling several registers and on Rauschpfeife and Dulcian.

 

Brass: 6 horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones and 1 Bass Trombone.

 

Keyboards: 1 Grand Piano

 

Percussion: At least 2 percussionists on Taiko (O-Daiko, Chu-Daiko, Hira-Daiko and Shime-Daiko), gong, fish temple blocks, tibetan singing bowls, possibly vibraphone.

 

You can see how small the string ensemble is. No wonder it's a thin sound.

[crocodile 8,739]

It's funny what is perceived as "small orchestral ensemble" by film music standards (as compared to traditional concert music). 

 

But yes, compared to Shore's music, this sounds quite small. 

 

I am not hating the music but also not liking it (yet). But, in all fairness, I was very tired listening to it and quite fed up (with everything going on) so that probably wasn't the best kind of mindset for 2-hour Howard Shore-like murkiness. Didn't have much patience for it. It definitely feels like an extension of Shore's earthy "world of men" sound of The Two Towers. It definitely gets some points for consistency. The song isn't bad either, much better than anything heard in The Hobbit. I will definitely give this another go in a more relaxed setting.

 

Karol

[Meredith McKay 7,071]

5 hours ago, Chen G. said:

 

@Doo_liss hears the Mumak music, but then that was never a fixed motif: more of a kind of orchestrational configuration. It may well be that Gallagher set out to revisit it but I don't really hear it myself.

 

 

I mean stuff like 4:22 of Shield-Maiden vs 1:13 of A Far Green Country.

 

And more generally Dernhelm in Battle.

7 hours ago, Doo_liss said:

There's a mysterious theme, usually cor anglais/English Horn

 

There's a heroic theme, usually blaring trumpets, reminds me a tad of Jurassic Park.

 

Another heroic theme, somewhat noble, slightly desperate, usually in strings. Reminds me of The Clone Wars

#1: example in Call the Men to Arms.

 

#2: 1:55 of The Beast is Rabid, 1:50 of Arise, Arise Now. (possibly two different themes)

 

#3: 6:11 of A Shield-maiden of Rohan

 

 

[crocodile 8,739]

CD and Vinyl available for pre-order from Made by Mutant (will be released on the 7th of March).

 

 

Quote

Mutant, in partnership with WaterTower Music, and New Line Cinema are proud to present the premiere physical release of Stephen Gallagher's original score to the animated epic The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.

 

Stephen Gallagher steps in a sonic world that Howard Shore built with comfort and ease, forging a new trail and taking the music of The Lord of the Rings to inspired new directions. This massic and powerful score fits comfortably side by side with The Hobbit trilogy and the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

 

Pressed on 4x 140gm Vinyl, housed in an M-Pack (double gatefold) style jacket. Also available on 2x CD, housed in a 6 panel digipak with a 24 page booklet. Both feature liner notes by Producer Philipa Boyens, Director Kenji Kamiyama, and Composer Stephen Gallagher

 

Tracklist

 

1. Overture
2. Hama's Song performed by Yazdan Qafouri
3. Riders from the West March
4. The Witan
5. An Ill Omen
6. The Beast Is Rabid
7. Who Dares Occupy Isengard?
8. Call the Men to Arms
9. The Wisest Move
10. The Line of Helm
11. Arise, Arise Now
12. Edoras Burns
13. Call the Retreat
14. Surround the Keep
15. Pretty Words Will Not Save You
16. A Wraith
17. What Does Mordor Want with Rings?
18. Helm Hammerhand Still Stands
19. For Hope
20. Out of Time
21. One Small Chance
22. A Shield-maiden of Rohan
23. The Hornburg Will Fall
24. Let Mercy Rule This Day
25. The Tenth King of Rohan
26. Adventure Beckons
27. The Rider performed by Paris Paloma
28. Secret Tunnels
29. Lament for Helm performed by Lorraine Ashbourne
30. Hama's Song (Hearth Edit) performed by Ben O’Leary

 

Karol

[Bilbo 3,911]

2 minutes ago, crocodile said:

CD and Vinyl available for pre-order from Made by Mutant (will be released in March).

 

 

Karol

Do these sell out before they’re re-released or should you order straight away?

[Yavar Moradi 3,138]

3 hours ago, crocodile said:

The song isn't bad either, much better than anything heard in The Hobbit.

 

SHUT YO MOUTH!

 

 

Ironic that the worst Hobbit film had the only End Credits song that was really good.

 

That said I do like the War of the Rohirrim song a lot too.

 

Yavar

[crocodile 8,739]

12 minutes ago, Yavar Moradi said:

 

SHUT YO MOUTH!

 

 

Ironic that the worst Hobbit film had the only End Credits song that was really good.

 

That said I do like the War of the Rohirrim song a lot too.

 

Yavar

I don't mind it but it always sounded to me like an Into the West knock-off.

 

13 minutes ago, Bilbo said:

Do these sell out before they’re re-released or should you order straight away?

Hard to tell. These runs are never huge. CDs are a rare commodity these days, just assume everything is limited.

 

Karol

[Chen G. 4,779]

It has the same sorts of plagal cadences. Otherwise, it tends to remind me - appropriately and unsurprisingly - of "Edge of Night."

 

I think it's a marvel of a song: it manages to close The Hobbit (it's sung very much as Bilbo's farewell to the Dwarves), set-up Lord of the Rings (not least by aurally introducing Pippin and even Bilbo's lines in the Farewell Party to come) AND acts as a farewell from the six-part series. Boyd and orchestrator Victoria Kelly also manage to integrate it very convincingly into the soundscape of the Shire, not least with the plagal cadences but also the characteristic orchestration.

 

I've warmed to the Rohirrim song, but it's no "The Last Goodbye."

[Jay 40,305]

1 hour ago, crocodile said:

CDs are a rare commodity these days, just assume everything is limited.

 

Yep.