Music and the Fictive Dream: The Burden of Destiny in "The Ring Theme"




            Basic Information: 
    • Specific Work: "The Ring Theme" (also known as "The History of the Ring")
    • Larger Work: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
    • Composer: Howard Shore
    • Country of Origin: New Zealand / United States
    • Date: 2001
        Biographical Information:
    One of the most monumental composing undertakings in cinematic history was assigned to Canadian composer Howard Shore for Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Shore had a background in jazz and rock before making the transition to film scores. By utilizing a system of leitmotifs—recurring musical themes associated with a particular character, place, or idea—Shore approached the score as a massive, through-composed opera, rather than a collection of isolated cues. Among these leitmotifs, "The Ring Theme" stands out as the most important. The One Ring, with all its ancient evil, alluring power, and crushing weight of destiny that it imposes on whomever possesses it, could be symbolized by Shore's simple, but incredibly powerful and malleable, phrase.




        Role in the Story:
    Sonically, "The Ring Theme" represents the story's main enemy, the One Ring. It goes beyond just being with a person; it also accompanies things and the intangible ideas of temptation, corruption, and omnipotence. The theme serves as a gateway into the Ring's impact in any given scene whenever it appears. It alerts viewers whenever the Ring is being considered, pursued, or used to corrupt a character's thoughts. In the scene at the Council of Elrond, for instance, the theme builds as Boromir makes his case for using the Ring, revealing important details about his inner conflict and how the Ring manipulates his desire to rescue his people. It embodies the will of the Ring in music form.

        Social Commentary: 

   As a social critique of the pernicious influence of total power, "The Ring Theme" has stood the test of time. The gloomy, forlorn, and ominous tone of the theme suggests that such power is an awful burden that weakens ethics and personal identity. Critiques of authoritarian regimes, unbridled corporate dominance, and even attention-hogging technologies resound even outside of Middle-earth. According to J.R.R. Tolkien, the music bolsters his main moral point, which is that pursuing power for good can corrupt the seeker, and that true heroism is suffering temptation and pain for the benefit of others. If you're worried about too much power in too few hands, you should listen to the theme.



    Musical Analysis & Personal Reaction: 

Melody and Harmony: The theme is built on a simple, repeating minor-key phrase that feels like it is perpetually descending or circling back on itself. This creates a sense of inescapable fate and sorrow. There is no triumphant resolution in this melody; it is a musical ouroboros, symbolizing the Ring's cyclical nature and how it traps those who desire it. This directly supports the social commentary that the pursuit of such power is a closed loop with no happy ending.

Timbre and Dynamics: Shore makes excellent use of the orchestral color. The theme is often introduced by a male chorus or low-register brass (trombones, tubas) to give it a sense of foreboding, age, and masculinity. Rather than being quick and clever, this theme is slow and unstoppable. As the entire orchestra and choir build to a crescendo, what begins as a soft, almost subconscious hum from the strings will frequently give way to a symphony of sound. It can start as a subtle attraction in one's thoughts and grow into an obsessive fixation that dominates rational thought, just like Boromir's experience. With the use of timbre and dynamics, the Ring's menacing presence isn't just voiced; it's felt on an instinctive level.


References: 
    Chełkowska-Zacharewicz, Maria, and Mateusz Paliga. "Music Emotions and Associations in Film Music Listening: The Example of Leitmotifs from The Lord of the Rings Movies." Roczniki Psychologiczne, vol. 22, no. 2, Dec. 2019, pp. 151-75. DOI.org (Crossref), doi:10.18290/rpsych.2019.22.2-    4., https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338532736_Music_emotions_and_associations_in_film_music_listening_The_example_of_leitmotifs_from_The_Lord_of_the_Rings_movies

    Adams, Doug. The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films. Carpentier and Alfred Music Publishing, 2010., https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/The_Music_of_the_Lord_of_the_Rings_Films

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