Program Notes: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert
MOVIES BIOGRAPHIES
HOWARD SHORE, composer
Howard Shore is one of today’s premier composers whose music is performed in concert halls around the world by the most prestigious orchestras and conductors. Shore’s work with Peter Jackson on The Lord of the Rings earned him three Academy Awards, four Grammys, and two Golden Globes as well as numerous critic and festival awards. He has scored over 100 films including seventeen films by David Cronenberg and six by Martin Scorsese. His concert works include a choral symphony, an opera, a Latin mass, three concertos, and two song cycles.
He is an Officier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres de la France, the recipient of Canada’s Governor General’s Performing Arts Award and is an officer of the Order of Canada. The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures honored Howard Shore with an award for Career Achievement for Music Composition, the City of Vienna bestowed him with the Max Steiner Award and in 2017 he received the Wojciech Kilar Award established by the mayors of Krakow and Katowice. In 2004 ASCAP awarded him with the Henry Mancini Award. Shore has received numerous other awards for his career achievements.
Shore has been invited to speak at many prestigious institutions, including a Masterclass at Cannes Film Festival sponsored by SACEM in 2023 with the participation of Martin Scorsese on their collaboration. In 2019 at La Fémis in Paris with Michel Hazanavicius. Other notable talks have been at Oxford Union, Royal Conservatory London, Yale, NYU, Julliard, UCLA, University of Toronto, Berklee School of Music, Berlinale, Cinémathèque in Paris, and at Trinity College Dublin where he received the Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage.
In 2003, Shore conducted the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings Symphony in Wellington. Since then, the Symphony and The Lord of the Rings – Live to Projection concerts have had over 500 performances by the world’s most prestigious orchestras.
SHIH-HUNG YOUNG, conductor
Shih-Hung Young, Chinese conductor and violinist from Taiwan, was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and later came to the United States. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music degrees from The Juilliard School and a Doctorate of Music from State University of New York at Stony Brook. Dr. Young taught at The Juilliard School Pre-College Division from 1995 to 2016.
Dr. Young is an active conductor of symphonic, film scores, Broadway musicals and operas, and a performer of solo and chamber music recitals. He conducted many global film concerts including Howard Shore’s Academy Award-winning The Lord of the Rings: Live to Projection Trilogy & Symphony, collaborating with Golden Globe winner Lisa Gerrard in Hans Zimmer’s Gladiator: Live, Nina Rota’s The Godfather, DreamWorks Animations, Harry Potter Film Concert Series, John Corigliano’s Oscar Winning The Red Violin, La La Land in Concert and many Disney’s Live-in-Concert productions including collaboration with Lebo M. in Disney’s The Lion King Live, The Little Mermaid, Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Star Wars and Asia premiere of Disney Pixar’s Toy Story.
Dr. Young has toured in the United States and internationally, collaborating with orchestras from Australia, Barcelona, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Columbia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Italy, South Korea, Luxembourg, Macau, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and Taiwan.
MOVIES BIOGRAPHIES
COLORADO SYMPHONY CHORUS
Duain Wolfe, Founding Director and Conductor Laureate
Taylor Martin, Director Designate and Conductor
Mary Louise Burke, Associate Director and Conductor
Jared Joseph, Assistant Conductor
Hsiao-Ling Lin and ShaoChun Tsai, Pianists
David Rosen, Chorus Manager
Barbara Porter, Associate Manager
Eric Israelson, Chorus Manager Emeritus
SOPRANO
Meredith Anderson
Lori Ascani
Brianna Bettis
Jude Blum
Susan Brown
Jeremy Burns
Emily Burr
Denelda Causey
Ruth Coberly
Sarah Coberly
Suzanne Collins
Angie Collums
Kerry Cote
Claudia Dakkouri
April Day
Mary Dobreff
Kate Emerich
Madalyn Farquhar
Lisa Fultz
Andria Gaskill
Lori Gill
Jackie Havens
Alaina Headrick
Elizabeth Hedrick-Collins
Erin Hittle
Elizabeth Hott
Lauren Kennedy
Lindsey Kermgard
Meghan Kinnischtzke
Leanne Lang
Cathy Look
Anne Maupin
Shannon McAleb
Erin Montigne
Kim Pflug
Barbara Porter
Roberta Sladovnik
Syd Timme
Susan von Roedern
Alison Wall
Karen Wuertz
Cara Young
ALTO
Priscilla Adams
Liz Arthur
Brenda Berganza
Mary Boyle Thayer
Charlotte Braud-Kern
Michelle Brown
Jayne Conrad
Martha Cox
Janie Darone
Debbie Davies
Barbara Deck
Valerie Dutcher
Michelle Fronzaglia
Sharon Gayley
Daniela Golden
Gabriella Groom
Hansi Hoskins
Sheri Haxton
Kaia Hoopes
Olivia Isaac
Brandy Jackson
Christine Kaminske
Annette Kim
Annie Kolstad
Andrea LeBaron
Juliet Levy
Carole London
Tinsley Long
Joanna K. Maltzahn
Susan McWaters
Annélise Nelson
Christine Nyholm
Sheri Owens
Syder Peltier
Jennifer Pringle
Donneve Rae
Leanne Rehme
Kathi Rudolph
Elizabeth Scarselli
Melanie Stevenson
Deanna Thaler
Clara Tiggelaar
Kim Trubetskoy
Benita Wandel
Beth York
TENOR
Kevan Angel
Gary Babcock
Ryan Bowman
Jim Carlson
Dusty Davies
Nicholas Dietrich
Jack Dinkel
John Gale
Frank Gordon Jr.
David Hodel
Sami Ibrahim
Curt Jordan
Ken Kolm
Sean Lund-Brown
Garvis J. Muesing
Tim Nicholas
Dallas Rehberg
David Rosen
Andrew Seamans
Evan Secrist
Philip (P.J.) Stohlmann
Daniel Thompson
Hannis Thompson
Max Witherspoon
BASS
John Adams
Grant Carlton
Bob Friedlander
Tim Griffin
Chris Grossman
Nic Hammerberg
Doug Hesse
David Highbaugh
Leonard Hunt
Terry Jackson
Tom Jirak
Jared Joseph
Matthew KerstenGray
Jakson McDaniel
Nalin Mehta
Matthew Molberg
Greg Morrison
Eugene Nuccio
John Phillips
Ben Pilcher
Tom Potter
Jacob Pullen
Ken Quarles
Joshua Richards
Adam Scoville
Russ Skillings
Matthew Smedberg
Riley Somo
Matt Steele
Wil Swanson
Marc Whittington
Lu Wu
MOVIES BIOGRAPHIES
COLORADO CHILDREN’S CHORALE
The Colorado Children’s Chorale has been performing with the Colorado Symphony for more than 40 seasons. With a diverse repertoire ranging from fully staged opera and musical theater to standard choral compositions in classical, folk, and popular traditions, the Chorale performs with an innovative stage presentation and a unique theatrical spirit. In recognition of its artistic quality, the Chorale was awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and the prestigious El Pomar Award for Excellence in Arts and Humanities. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Emily Crile and Executive Director Meg Steitz, the Colorado Children’s Chorale annually trains 400 members between the ages of 7 and 14 from all ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds representing more than 180 schools in the Denver metro area and beyond. Since its founding, the Chorale has sung countless performances with some of the world’s finest performing arts organizations, performed for numerous dignitaries, and appeared in television and radio broadcasts. The Performance Program includes a series of self-produced concerts, numerous performances with other Colorado arts organizations and touring around the world. This season the Chorale presents Merry and Bright and Where Dreams Fly in Boettcher Concert Hall, as well as So Many Voices, Performing Small Miracles, and Spring Fling Sing! in venues across the metro area. Chorale children also take to the stage in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Central City Opera, Colorado Christmas, Carmina Burana and Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring with the Colorado Symphony, and La bohéme with Opera Colorado.
Emily Crile, Artistic Director, exhibits her passion and enthusiasm for choral music through developing and conducting singers of all ages. In her 25th season with the Colorado Children’s Chorale, she now serves as the Artistic Director conducting Tour Choir and overseeing all aspects of the 50-year-old professional children’s choral organization. During her tenure with the Chorale, she has worked with all choir levels, established Legacy, the young alumni ensemble, prepared children for appearances with the Colorado Symphony, Central City Opera, Opera Colorado, and Colorado Ballet, and toured throughout Australia, China, Costa Rica, Europe, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. With a commitment to equitable access for high quality music education, she crafted, led, and administered School Partnership and Community Choir programs across the Denver Metro area and earned a certification in Facilitating Effective DEI Discussions from Dena Samuels Consulting.
Emily is the Past President of the Colorado American Choral Directors Association and is an active choral clinician and presenter throughout the United States. Prior to joining the Chorale in 2000, she served as an Assistant Conductor with the Northern Iowa Children’s Choir. She holds a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Bachelor of Music (Choral Education) from the University of Northern Iowa.
MOVIES BIOGRAPHIES
COLORADO CHILDREN’S CHORALE
Emily Crile, Artistic Director
Libby Cotten, Associate Conductor
Victoria Bailey, Assistant Conductor
Jared Joseph, Assistant Conductor
Tre Appleton
Maddi Burm
Jade Calkins
Annon Camero
Hale Camero
Cordelia Cheever
Nelle Collier
Carly Crile
Adita Dande
Anika Dande
Terra Darnell
Tessa Ditterline
Elliot Gee
Frank Gomez
Portia Hansen
Willow Hartman
Norma Jackson
Lyssa Klein
Jane Lanoha
Brooks Larson
Kade Matsumoto
Carly Mehmen
Christy Mulryan
Miranda Murillo Durango
Abby Musser
Nicolaus Nagle
Aiana Ochoa
Parker Olson
Emmy Pouliot
Marion Powers
MOVIES PROGRAM NOTES
Beckett Rathbun
Cooper Rathbun
Molly Reagan-Wilson
Grayson Riek
Elijah Rosen
Rocco Rowekamp
Gabriel Salaz
Clara Seigle
Henning Shook
Gavin Ulmer
Elizabeth Von Stroh
Madeline Walker
Davina Wang
Charles Wisser
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Original Score Composed by Howard Shore
Composer Howard Shore brings J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary imagination to vivid life with his Academy®- and Grammy® Award-winning score to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Shore’s music expresses Peter Jackson’s film as an immense symphonic work—a uniquely developed vision drawn from centuries of stylistic tendencies.
The music of The Lord of the Rings is counted among film music’s most complex and comprehensive works. This unique performance sets the score to the film, but allows the music to bear the narrative weight, creating a wholly new and dramatic live concert experience.
Shore’s score not only captures Fellowship’s sweeping emotion, thrilling vistas and grand journeys, but also echoes the very construction of Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Styles, instruments and performers collected from around the world provide each of Tolkien’s cultures with a unique musical imprint. The rural and simple hobbits are rooted in a dulcet weave of Celtic tones. The mystical Elves merit ethereal Eastern colors. The Dwarves, Tolkien’s abrasive stonecutters, receive columns of parallel harmonies and a rough, guttural male chorus. The industrialized hordes of Orcs claim Shore’s most violent and percussive sounds, including Japanese taiko drums, metal bell plates and chains beaten upon piano wires, while the world of Men, flawed yet noble heirs of Middle-earth, is introduced with stern and searching brass figures. In operatic fashion, these musical worlds commingle, sometimes combining forces for a culminated power, other times violently clashing…and always bending to the will of the One Ring and its own ominous family of themes.
MOVIES PROGRAM NOTES
The music’s vast scope calls for symphony orchestra, mixed chorus, boys chorus and instrumental and vocal soloists singing in the Tolkien-crafted languages Quenya, Sindarin, Khuzdul, Adûnaic, Black Speech, as well as English. Original folk songs stand alongside diatonic hymns, knots of polyphony, complex tone clusters and seething, dissonant aleatoric passages. It is purposeful, knowing writing, as contained in execution as it is far-reaching in influence; for within this broad framework resides a remarkably concise musical vision. Shore’s writing assumes an earthy, grounded tone built on sturdy orchestral structures and a sense of line that is at once fluid yet stripped of frivolous ornamentation.
Says Howard Shore, “This is the first time that the complete score to The Fellowship of the Ring will be performed live to projection in Denver's Boettcher Concert Hall. My first score for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, was the beginning of my journey into the world of Tolkien and I will always hold a special fondness for the music and the experience.”
-Doug Adams
Doug Adams is a Chicago-based musician and writer. He is the author of the book The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films.
“One Ring to rule them all,
One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them”
For decades, the words above have ignited the imaginations of more than 100 million readers around the globe. They were first read in 1954, when J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume in his towering three-part epic, The Lord of the Rings, was published.
Tolkien’s work was to have a profound effect on generations of readers, defining for many the archetypal struggle between good and evil, and was voted in worldwide polls the “Book of the Century.” It set the benchmark for the modern epic in its creation of an entirely new and thrillingly vital universe. It introduced an unforgettable hero – the Hobbit Frodo Baggins –caught up in a war of mythic proportions in Middle-earth, a world full of magic and lore. Most of all, it celebrated the power of loyal friendship and individual courage, a power that may hold at bay even the most devastating forces of darkness.
Now, the legend that Tolkien imagined has finally been brought to life on the motion picture screen, an undertaking that has required nothing less than one of the most colossal movie productions ever embarked upon. The mythos, landscapes, and creatures Tolkien created are so vast and detailed in scope that it has taken more than four decades for cinema technology to reach the necessary level of sophistication to bring his universe to powerful and palpable life. Such a project would require nothing less than a visionary to take it on, and a first-ever experiment in filmmaking to make the simultaneous production of all three films possible. Tolkien’s epic found a passionate and dedicated shepherd in director/writer/producer Peter Jackson.
Jackson and his devoted production team of over 2400 filmed all over the spectacular landscapes of New Zealand. The result has been the deployment of a logistical operation on par with an intricate and wide-reaching military campaign. An army of artists – including digital experts, medieval weapons designers, stone sculptors, linguists, costumers, make-up artists, blacksmiths and model builders – as well as an internationally-renowned cast of actors and over
MOVIES PROGRAM NOTES
scenes in the Elf realm, constantly ebbing back and forth in its signature style, but presenting different faces of prestige and concern.
THE DWARVES
In contrast to his florid Elf music, Shore’s Dwarf music is blocky and stout, full of basso profundo timbres and hard-cornered rhythms. It, too, depicts a culture in decline, though the ruins of Dwarf society are seen specifically relating to the danger of Moria. So while the Elf music is distantly extravagant, the Dwarves’ is frequently threatening and haunting.
Moria
The Moria theme, a stony rising line in parallel fifths, is scattered throughout the Fellowship’s journey through the dark. Peter Jackson’s directive was that Moria’s music should be “voices from hell.” “It’s all men singing in ancient Dwarvish,” explains Shore. The music of Moria is an unsettling reminder of what the Dwarves’ unchecked expansion awoke in the deep. The gruff singing is transformed into unrelentingly brutal chanting as the Balrog begins its approach.
Dwarrowdelf
The Dwarrowdelf writing contains fewer references to the coarseness of Dwarf culture because this was the Dwarves’ greatest accomplishment: a grand city expressing the loftiest aspirations of the generally utilitarian Dwarves. The theme expresses the Dwarves’ pride as well as their folly. It’s scored with bold French horn lines to create a sense of weight and solidity, but each leap upwards droops sadly back down almost immediately.
The Dwarrowdelf theme is twice reiterated in downtrodden variations: as Gimli discovers Balin’s tomb, and as Merry and Pippin leap onto the Cave Troll’s back to avenge Frodo. “Merry and Pippin jump on the cave troll and, with their little daggers, try to bring down this huge monster. They’re on his head just poking into it, which probably feels like little pinpricks. It shows the hobbits and their bravery, but you hear this theme of the ancient world—the grandeur and the glory of this once great place,” explains Shore.
THE WORLD OF MEN: GONDOR
The Fellowship of the Ring marks the first appearance of two themes related to the world of men: the Realm of Gondor theme and the Minas Tirith (Silver Trumpets) theme. However, in this first film each of these melodies appears only once, hinting at the future significance of the material. The Realm of Gondor debuts during the Council of Elrond when Boromir learns of Aragorn’s heritage and speaks of the burden borne by Gondor and his father, Denethor. The melody begins in solo French horn, but drops deeper in the orchestra with each iteration. It eventually comes to reside in the double basses—Gondor has fallen upon hard times.
Later in the film, as Aragorn and Boromir rest in Lothlórien and discuss the future of Gondor, Shore plays the Minas Tirith (Silver Trumpets) theme, another beautiful brass line that represents everything that mankind can be, should it chose the nobler path. Although they pass rather quickly in Fellowship, these foretelling glimpses into primary material of The Return of the King illustrate the level of detail and forethought running through the scores.
MOVIES PROGRAM NOTES
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
Like the courageous coalition itself, Shore’s theme for the Fellowship of the Ring is assembled by fragments throughout the first film and scattered into shards thereafter. Its first tentative tones accompany Frodo and Sam’s passage through a Shire cornfield—the de facto beginning of the Fellowship. These snippets are expanded slightly as new members join the hobbits, but it’s not until they reach Rivendell that the theme completely forms. During the Council of Elrond the melody begins to stir in the midrange strings and low brass, as members of the future Fellowship volunteer their services. When Elrond declares them the Fellowship of the Ring, Shore opens the melody into a fully realized heroic theme. “It’s the first time you hear it in its full orchestration,” comments Shore. “It’s such a great moment. It had to be just right.” The Fellowship theme strikes a unique posture. It is receptive and sympathetic, but at the same time steely and unaffected—a theme for a benevolent yet steadfast mission. Though the writing is harmonically modern (the tune itself is in a minor mode while its harmonization is major), the theme suggests the relics of Middle-earth’s ancient glory. After Gandalf falls in the Mines of Moria the Fellowship theme begins to break down, and is seldom heard in the same heroic guise.
THE MONSTERS OF MIDDLE-EARTH
Howard Shore’s scores play, first and foremost, to the cultures and settings of Middle-earth. However, in certain instances the composer was offered frightful creatures that were so unordinary, or posed such a potent threat to the Fellowship, that the writing encapsulates their danger in a singular musical world. Each of these worlds is utterly unique in flavor, not only to the other “Monster” worlds, but to mainstream Middle-earth. Here is found some of Shore’s most adventurous and modern writing, full of Twentieth Century compositional techniques, unusual orchestrations, and other alien musical timbres.
The Watcher in the Water
Outside the Gates of Moria, Merry and Pippin mindlessly toss stones into the lake. Here Shore begins the world of the darkly pliable Watcher music with a double bass line that bends pitches by quartertones. As the Watcher’s limbs wriggle free of the black waters, the score transforms into a convulsing skein of tones, gurgling and grabbing in a disturbing musical shiver. The Watcher music is almost entirely aleatoric; Shore defined the pitch material, durations, and playing style, but the members of the orchestra are not required to align their performances. The tangled musical web results from dozens of individual performances gnarling around each other, and the dissonant eruptions of brass that spike through the mesh.
The Cave Troll
The Cave Troll is the second creature the Fellowship encounters on their quest. Where the Watcher’s music was a squirming Medusa’s Head of sounds, the Cave Troll’s is pounding, sharp and heavy. Plodding lines for timpani and low brass follow the enraged Troll around the room while piercing outbursts in muted and flatterzunge brass slice through.
The Balrog
The Balrog’s music, like the fiery creature itself, doesn’t suddenly appear on the scene, but steers its way through the caverns, slowly gathering strength on its approach towards the Fellowship. As a permanent resident of Moria it is treated as a musical extension of the Dwarf music, prodded and pierced by the grunting chorus of male voices. The emphasis here is on the lowest tones available
MOVIES PROGRAM NOTES
All Compositions by Howard Shore (ASCAP) except:
“Aníron (Theme For Aragorn And Arwen)” and “May It Be” Music by Enya/Nicky Ryan, Lyrics by Roma Ryan featured in “The Council of Elrond Assembles” and “The Road Goes Ever On…” respectively.
“Flaming Red Hair” Composed by Janet Roddick, David Donaldson, Stephen Roche and David Long; Performed by Janet Roddick, David Donaldson, Stephen Roche and David Long with Chris O’Connor, Peter Daly, Ruairidh Morrison and Grant Shearer.
The Song “The Road Goes Ever On” featured in “Bag End” performed by Ian McKellen and reprised in “Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe” performed by Ian Holm: Music Composed by Fran Walsh, Lyrics by J.R.R. Tolkien.
“Lament For Gandalf” Featured in “Caras Galadhon” Music by Howard Shore, Lyrics by Philippa Boyens.
“In Dreams” Featured in “The Road Goes Ever On…” Music by Howard Shore, Lyrics by Fran Walsh. Choral Text by J.R.R. Tolkien, Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh.
The Lord of the Rings and the name of the characters, events, items and places therein, are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Mr. Shore would like to thank: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen Einhorn, Michael Mulvihill, Ronald Wilford, Jean-Jacques Cesbron, New Line Cinema, Mark Ordesky, Paul Broucek, Danny Bramson, Lori Silfen, Elizabeth Cotnoir, Alan Frey, Ludwig Wicki, Pirmin Zängerle, Doug Adams, James Sizemore, Jesse Pynigar, Tim Starnes, Jeffrey Markowitz, Jeff Halsey, Javier Manzana, Shih-Hung Young, Kaitlyn Lusk, Your Colorado Symphony, Colorado Symphony Chorus, Taylor Martin, Mary Louise Burke, Colorado Children’s Chorale, and Emily Crile.
Producers
Columbia Artists Music, LLC: Ronald A. Wilford - Founding Chairman
