Back indoors, Shore introduces a bright oboe line orchestral voice matched to the Mithril vest Bilbo has just bestowed upon Frodo. But the elder hobbit spies a former possession chained around Frodo’s neck, and a jolting high string chord reminds us of the Ring’s lurid power. “Again, it’s all the gestures,” the composer remarks. “These little pauses, they’re operatic, as if the score were sung first and the gestures were being created by the director afterwards.”
Bilbo expresses his remorse, both for his outburst and for the dire task he has foist upon Frodo. But Frodo accepts his responsibility, and the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring assemble, ready to embark upon their mission. The Fellowship theme begins to swell within the orchestra, the down-and-back-up shape passing emotionally until, with a trill of strings and a striking French horn statement of the Shire, Shore sets the Fellowship theme alight: “It’s all Fellowship in a slow setting, now a very heroic version!” The thematic progression illustrates that the hobbits are now members of the Fellowship first and citizens of the Shire second–a new set of priorities that will not be without its sacrifices.
PERFORMERS
VOCALISTS
HILARY SUMMERS
Listening Example: Disc Two | Track Nine | 0:00
Hilary Summers has the distinction of being the only alto soloist used in The Lord of the Rings films. “I wanted an alto voice for Gilraen,” recalls Shore. “I thought that a low female voice would be a great sound.” Summers has also performed extensively on the film scores of composer Michael Nyman.
TEXTS
GILRAEN’S SONG
Text by Philippa Boyens
Sindarin Translation by David Salo
FIRST HEARD: DISC TWO | TRACK NINE
A chéneg a ionneg | Little boy, little one
Danna si fuin | Night is falling.
Tolo na rengy nin | Come into my arms,
Beriathon | Let me hold you safe
A núriel annant | But still you run
Trin aduial | Through the twilight,
Ne dúath roeg dagech | Lost in your play
Ne theilien | Slaying demons in the shadows.
A chéneg A ionneg | Little boy, little one,
Pant galu pant glas | Full of grace full of joy,
A naenatha hún nín | Oh, my heart will break,
Ne chinn lín cenim: | For I see in your eyes:
Le iôn adar lín | You are your father’s son,
û iôn naneth lín | Not your mother’s child.
(c) The Annotated Score (The Music of The Lord of the Rings Films)
Gilraen's Memorial
Howard Shore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
text by PHILIPPA BOYENS, translation by DAVID SALO
( SINDARIN )
A chéneg a ionneg
Danna si fuin.
Tolo na rengy nin,
Beriathon.
(( Little boy, little one,
Night is falling.
Come into my arms,
Let me hold you safe. ))
A núriel annant
Trin aduial,
Ne dúath roeg dagech
Ne theilien.
(( But still you run
Through the twilight,
Lost in your play
Slaying demons in the shadows. ))
A chéneg a ionneg
Pant galu pant glas.
A naenatha hún nín
Ne chinn lín cenim...
(( Little boy, little one,
Full of grace, full of joy.
Oh, my heart will break
For I see it in your eyes... ))
Le iôn adar lín,
Û iôn naneth lín.
(( You are your father's son,
Not your mother's child. ))
The lyrics to Howard Shore's song, Gilraen's Memorial, are emotional and evocative, telling a story of a mother's love for her son. In the first verse, the mother addresses her "little boy" as night falls and asks him to come into her arms so she can hold him safe. The imagery is that of a mother protecting her child from the darkness and the unknown, offering comfort and warmth. The second verse depicts the child running and playing in the twilight, slaying imaginary demons in the shadows. The mother watches her child, torn between joy at his innocence and sadness at the inevitability of his growing up.
In the final verse, the mother addresses her son directly, using Sindarin, an elvish language from The Lord of the Rings. She tells him that he is his father's son, not his mother's child, which emphasizes the loss and grief she feels after her husband's death. The song's lyrics capture the bittersweet beauty of a mother's love, which is both protective and letting go.
Overall, Gilraen's Memorial is a poignant meditation on life, death, and the powerful bond between a mother and her child.
Line by Line Meaning
Little boy, little one,
Night is falling.
The little boy is out and about, caught up in his playtime as night begins to set in.
Come into my arms,
Let me hold you safe.
The singer attempts to soothe the little boy, inviting him to seek refuge and comfort in her embrace.
But still you run
Through the twilight,
Lost in your play
Slaying demons in the shadows.
The little boy persists in his imaginary adventures, despite the encroaching darkness, as he battles foes hidden in the shadows.
Little boy, little one,
Full of grace, full of joy.
Oh, my heart will break
For I see it in your eyes...
The artist is both filled with pride and wistful sorrow as she observes the little boy's carefree exuberance, sensing the fleeting nature of childhood.
You are your father's son,
Not your mother's child.
The artist recognizes the little boy's resemblance to his father and acknowledges that he will grow up to be his own person, distinct from his mother.
Contributed by Sydney I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.