The Fighting Uruk-hai

Isengard’s Uruk-hai move out to track the Fellowship. The Five Beat Pattern and Isengard/Orc theme sound their coarse rallying call, picking up tempo as the frenzied Uruks storm out. Meanwhile the remaining members of the Fellowship bid farewell to the Elves of Lothlórien, but not before Galadriel bestows upon each of them a personalized gift. Teasing whistle and mandolin play behind Merry and Pippin’s accidental gluttony (they’ve unwittingly gorged themselves on lembas bread), but the music soon takes a more dire and emotional tone. As the eight heros depart, Shore develops a somber variation out of the Fellowship theme in the cor anglais and violins (see instrumentalists list, orchestra), incorporating a few concluding strands of the Lothlórien melody. A female chorus sings “Namárië,” Quenya for “Farewell,” as Galadriel looks upon the eight one last time. Steeled to their task, whatever it may entail, the Fellowship earns one last collection of heroic variations on their melody.

Abruptly, the thrashing Five Beat Pattern returns: the Orcs have picked up the Fellowship’s trail. Horns, trombones and tuba (see instrumentalists list, orchestra) etch the Isengard theme deeper and deeper into the score, which once again pushes the tempo forward to reflect the Orcs’ rabid determination.

While the Fellowship stops along the coast for the night’s rest, Aragorn reveals that Gollum has been discretely following their trail for some time. Tellingly, Shore hides grizzled tufts of Gollum’s Pity theme in a bassoon line that swims through string chords. The Shire’s Pensive setting is read by solo clarinet as Sam and Frodo share a moment, but it’s interrupted by a series of surprisingly insecure developments on the Fellowship theme. Has the troupe lost its resolve? Where is the brassy heroism displayed in Moria? “They’ve lost one member and are feeling very apprehensive about the road ahead,” explains Shore.

At daybreak the Fellowship sets back to the river. After mounting a choral setting of “Elessar’s Oath,” the score introduces a robust Horn and string setting of the History of the Ring theme, and the Fellowship passes between the gargantuan twin statues of the Argonath. Once again the Ring has seen a significant development in its existence: it’s making its way back towards Mordor and its eventual fate, whatever that may be.

UNUSED CONCEPT:
Music was written and recorded for the Theatrical edit of the gift giving scene. Although this shorter Theatrical version was released on the 2001 original soundtrack CD, the longer DVD version was actually composed earlier. When the DVD edit of Fellowship was assembled, Shore went back and recorded the composition he had originally written, and included it in the film.

TEXTS
NAMÁRIË (EXCERPT)
English and Quenya Texts by J.R.R. Tolkien
FIRST HEARD: DISC THREE | TRACK FOUR
Ai! laurië lantar lassi súrinen, | Ah! like gold fall the leaves in the wind,
yéni únótimë ve rámar aldaron! | long years numberless as the wings of trees!
Yéni ve lintë yuldar avánier | The long years have passed like swift draughts
mi oromardi lissë-miruvóreva | of the sweet mead in lofty halls
Andúnë pella, Vardo tellumar | beyond the West, beneath the blue vaults of Varda
nu luini yassen tintilar i eleni | wherein the stars tremble
ómaryo airetári-lírinen. | in the voice of her song, holy and queenly.

Sí man i yulma nin enquantuva? | Who now shall refill the cup for me?

An sí Tintallë Varda Oiolossëo | For now the Kindler, Varda, the Queen of the stars,
ve fanyar máryat Elentári ortanë | from Mount Everwhite has uplifted her hands like clouds
ar ilyë tier undulávë lumbulë | and all paths are drowned deep in shadow;
ar sindanóriello caita mornië | and out of a grey country darkness lies
i falmalinnar imbë met, | on the foaming waves between us,
ar hísië untúpa Calaciryo míri oialë. | and mist covers the jewels of Calacirya for ever.
Sí vanwa ná, Rómello vanwa, Valimar! | Now lost, lost to those of the East is Valimar!
Namárië! Nai hiruvalyë Valimar! | Farewell! Maybe thou shalt find Valimar!
Nai elyë hiruva! Namárië! | Maybe even thou shalt find it! Farewell!

ELESSAR’S OATH
English and Quenya Text by J.R.R. Tolkien
FIRST HEARD: DISC THREE | TRACK FOUR
Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. | Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come.
Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn’ | In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the ending
Ambar-metta! | of the world!