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Then theres Adars theme, the chanting orc vocals all these pieces come together.
Those themes recur throughout the series in different orchestrations and contexts, interlaced with music developed for specific situations.
Legally, I cannot quote anything from the New Line films, McCreary said.
But it makes me happy that you said that.
(Wouldnt be the only time my fandom would bite me in the ass, McCreary joked.)
All these societies have outlier characters, McCreary said.
Theyre more melodic, have more yearning, and something else in them that their society doesnt have.
It has this Celtic influence, but its very British in a Ralph Vaughan Williams sort of way.
I wanted to write music that couldevolve into that, that had a proto-British folk vibe.
Their music has bagpipes and penny whistles,combined with a lot of mallet and West African balafon percussion.
My thought was that this is the sound of nature, McCreary said.
When they stop wandering, theyll settle in and their music will become more orchestral.
Im passing the baton to Howard.
Is he a wizard?
Might he be Sauron?
His music also leaves things open to interpretation harmonically.
It is both major and minor, both heroic and twisted, McCreary said.
That sort of tells you … nothing, McCreary said with a hint of glee.
Theres no hint to how hell fit into any other faction on the show.
Hes otherworldly in a literal sense.
The instant you see him, you hear the nickel harp associated with the Southlands, McCreary said.
(Get your tinfoil-hat theories about Halbrand going.)
So I wanted its music to sound like the ancient empires of our world probably sounded.
Its Babylon meetsCamelot, because theres an Arthurian legend aspect to this, McCreary said.
That was recorded live on set, with the dwarven accompaniment arranged around it.
In many places in the score, choral music uses the languages Tolkien invented in his writings.
The choir, because of NDAs and secrecy, didnt even know what they were saying.
