Howard Shore: The Shire
Context
Composed for the first instalment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Shire is a piece of orchestral underscore that showcases the beautiful landscape that the hobbits reside in. Howard Shore composed over 150 leitmotifs throughout the three LOTR films (even more if you count the hobbit!), so it is unsurprising that each and every place/object has its own theme. Filmed in picturesque parts of New Zealand, Shore’s music for The Shire accompanies this perfectly.
The Music
Rich and sonorous strings open views to The Shire and as the sweet melodies begin to sweep over the orchestra, the listener gets a descriptive account of the scenes. A folk-inspired violin solo takes over, supporting and accentuating the idea of rural-ness in the Shire. Each theme in this sequence is phased slightly differently, giving you a selection of characters who live here. The joyous character of The Shire is shown on screen with how much the hobbits love their home.
Final Thoughts
The sweetness that Howard Shore creates from the various sections of The Shire show just how important and integral this scene is for the rest of the trilogy. The pureness of the melodies and the folk-inspired violin solo only adds to the rural-ness of this quaint theme.
Ⓒ Alex Burns
Happy Reading!
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