Music uploaded to YouTube for Season 2

Phillip Menzies

Phillip Menzies

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I thought I would start a new thread as we are now in Season 2 and if I go back and finish more of the Valar and Maiar themes relating to season 1 I can do it on the old thread. But now we have begun season 2 and I thought I would start off with something a little lighthearted. I present to you BOBWE (I couldn't resist) a little ditty for a bit of comic relief. Bonus points for identifying the other themes.

 
Phillip Menzies said:
I thought I would start a new thread as we are now in Season 2 and if I go back and finish more of the Valar and Maiar themes relating to season 1 I can do it on the old thread. But now we have begun season 2 and I thought I would start off with something a little lighthearted. I present to you BOBWE (I couldn't resist) a little ditty for a bit of comic relief. Bonus points for identifying the other themes.

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Well, I definitely hear the Lothlorien theme in there. As well as ... the Mordor theme, I think?
 
Come on Nick !! Don't you now your themes yet?? 🙄
It starts with the Elven King's theme from the Hobbit, Lothlorien is in the middle and the third is Rivendell.
I'm going to have to educate you all to the music in the movies 😀
 
Hehe. I went over it again in my mind. The reason I associated the Rivendell theme with Mordor is because I was remembering the Elven Battle version which is creepy and unsettling.
 
My latest tune is based on some tinkerings sent to me by Karita. Ulmo and the Shoreland Pipers is really a collection of themes rather than just one theme. The hosts mentioned the importance of the music when discussing this for episode 2.05. It begins with the chaos of Ulmo at his worst and is loud and raucous. The second theme is of Cirdan and his people as they find contentment by the shores of Middle Earth. The third theme is a variation of Number 2 being a sad lament. I believe Karita had a story of Uinen to go with this. The final theme is when Cirdan finally accepts his purpose as being the bridge between Middle Earth and Valinor. I hope you enjoy it.

 
With the release of Melkor in Episode 8 I thought it was important to re-post "Melkor the Deceiver" which I did before the music session at the end of season 1.
In response to the host's comments at that time, in particular wanting the Valar themes to have no human voices in them, I have decided to keep them for this piece because the Childrren of Iluvatar are the targets for his schemes and Melkor would use their language.

 
Earlier in Season 2 the hosts set a task for the composers being a motif that exemplifies the concept of a "fall". The history of Arda is awash with people who have fallen in various ways; pride, greed, jealousy, ignorance and all of these can be shown in one short theme that can be pulled out time and time again as the next character falls, so I present to you "The Fall". I apologise for the very literal visuals as it is a complex idea to get across in one image.
The way the motif moves evokes an idea of one step forward and two steps back and the final rise claws its way up to finally accept it's fate at the bottom. It is unresolved intentionally so each character's theme can be added to the end in their episode.
Spoiler alert!!! I am working on Melkor's Fall and hoping it will be up in a few days.

 
Phillip Menzies said:
With the release of Melkor in Episode 8 I thought it was important to re-post "Melkor the Deceiver" which I did before the music session at the end of season 1.
In response to the host's comments at that time, in particular wanting the Valar themes to have no human voices in them, I have decided to keep them for this piece because the Childrren of Iluvatar are the targets for his schemes and Melkor would use their language.

Click to expand...

I remember this! It's been my favourite version of Melkor's theme so far and it definitely came to mind when the post-trial discussions started.
 
Phillip Menzies said:
I thought I would start a new thread as we are now in Season 2 and if I go back and finish more of the Valar and Maiar themes relating to season 1 I can do it on the old thread. But now we have begun season 2 and I thought I would start off with something a little lighthearted. I present to you BOBWE (I couldn't resist) a little ditty for a bit of comic relief. Bonus points for identifying the other themes.

Click to expand...

Was that Melkor's theme at the very end...? I like that little touch of ominous in association with Bobwë's disappearance.
 
This one is Melkor's Fall. It starts the same as "The Fall" but adds to it.

I must give a huge shout out to Bre for giving me permission to use her brand new images of Melkor and their transitions.
Richol Richards said:
Was that Melkor's theme at the very end...? I like that little touch of ominous in association with Bobwë's disappearance.
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Richol, This one has Melkor's theme at the end. Listen for the last three notes.
I must also comment about the discordant final note. That final note has all instruments playing together on the same note, except for the voices. Corey said he didn't want any voices until the Children of Iluvator awoke. So in this final note he is bending everything to his will, but the children are being more than bent; they are going to be warped (into orcs) which is contrary to their original design by Iluvatar, hence the really off sounding note.

 
I've been working on this one all day.
Purpose is a theme that has been emerging during season 2 of SilmFilm as the migration of the elves split into ever more groups, not through conflict, but through individuals discovering that they have a unique purpose. Lenwe, Olwe, Elwe and Cirdan each discover they were meant for more than they had originally imagined.
This piece starts off as a germ of an idea, but even at the beginning there is a depth showing it s not just a whim. As it progresses, more instruments come in as the idea gains traction and weight. The theme is not fully stated until after the key change when it becomes truer being in the key of C major. Finally the piece gains momentum, picking up tempo and becomes the full utterance of the person's destiny.
This started as a smaller piece of the Ulmo and the Shoreland Pipers piece, but it rightfully needed a much fuller exploration, so I give you "Purpose".

 
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So Ren inspired me to work on this one, "Mairon and his Posse". It is quite militaristic and maybe not for season 2, possibly season 3, but nevertheless an exploration of bad guy themes.
This is a variation of the Mairon theme but focuses on some smaller elements from that theme bringing out a simpler motif for the Bad Guys. Rather than give each bad guy his own theme I have represented each one with a different instrument. Mairon continues with the flute from the earlier theme, Tevildo by the basoon, Thuringwethil with the violins and Draugluin the thug with the Euphonium. Each in turn utters the motif, followed by a harmonious section where the theme is reiterated sometimes in a different pitch by all members of the posse. The ending shows that this is not just a band of sycophants, each has their role and part to play in Mairon's machinations.

I would suggest listening to the Mairon theme first so you can hear where this one originates.


Hey I just realised this is my 20th composition for SilmFilm 😉, and I still have a few more up my sleeve for this season so hopefully we can have a music session for season 2. 😀
 
I love it! I can really hear the group carrying out some bad and creepy plans.
So, the Euphonium is kind of a French Horn, right?

Thanks and keep going!
 
Ren said:
I love it! I can really hear the group carrying out some bad and creepy plans.
So, the Euphonium is kind of a French Horn, right?

Thanks and keep going!
Click to expand...
The Euphonium is a slightly smaller version of a tuba with a higher range (I got that from wisegeek.com, I can't play one)
 
Now for the next installment. This one was requested by the co-hosts early in season 2 (I can't remember the exact session, but I took note of it at the time). They wanted a piece that indicated the concept of DOOM.
This piece has elements from my earlier piece Namo (Mandos) and Vaire, the use of tubular bells for the tolling and the same chord structure, but it has a definite melody and different timing. The relentless nature of the piece indicates that a person cannot escape their doom. Towards the end the triplets from Vaire's loom are added letting us know that this specific doom was foreseen and pronounced. The piece slows down as you inch inexorably towards your doom at the conclusion ending with a cymbal clash. The opening three notes can easily be a motif played with a solo instrument to indicate that a person has a doom waiting for them not too far away.

 
That matches very well my expectations of a theme of doom. I like the bell ringing sound ... like a clock relentlessly ticking ... on and on ... no escape - doomed!
 
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