The comfort is short-lived, for soon a winding line in the alto flute and cor anglais reminds us that the two hobbits are still being stalked. The Pity of Gollum (Sméagol’s Theme) peeks out momentarily before retreating behind a screen of harrowed brass and strings. A brief choral interlude reinstates the ominous stillness of the surroundings with the text, “The Road to Mordor,” a Sindarin translation of the same lines Gollum will speak later in the film.
The tortured creature returns, now prepared to actively reclaim his precious Ring. No longer a passive character, he is represented by the new Gollum’s Menace (Gollum’s Theme) and the jittery tones of the cimbalom. Gollum’s approach, however, has not gone unnoticed, and he is seized upon by the hobbits. A struggle ensues with families of brass shouting chaotically at each other across racing string lines. After a fit of grabbing, scratching and biting, Gollum finds himself at the end of Sting, Bilbo’s sword passed down to Frodo. Now at the hobbits’ mercy Gollum shivers and sobs as, once again, the cimbalom quivers beneath him.
UNUSED CONCEPT:
Shore wrote and recorded an early version of this scene that was considerably different in content. In this original draft, progressive choral harmonies drew themselves over stately interjections from the low strings.
Approximately half-way through the “Lost in Emyn Muil” heard here, Shore includes part of this original composition, further exploring his perception of the barren, rocky landscape. “It’s a compositional decision,” he asserts.
TEXTS
THE ROAD TO MORDOR
Text by Fran Walsh and J.R.R. Tolkien
Sindarin Translation by David Salo
First Heard: Disc One | Track Three
No ring cam a hûn ah asg | Cold be hand and heart and bone
A no ring randir chaer o mbar | And cold be travelers far from home
Ú-genir i lû i caeda na nîf | They do not see what lies ahead
Ta i pellen Anor a firnen Ithil. | When Sun has failed and Moon is dead.
Vi gwae’ vorn elin firithar | In the black wind the stars shall die,
bo cae lanc hen sí caedathar | On this bare earth here let them lie,
Tenn i Vorchir gam în ortha | Till the dark lord lifts his hand
Or aerath firnin a dôr tharn. | Over dead seas and withered land.
INSTRUMENTS
GOLLUM
CIMBALOM
Listening Example: Disc One | Track Three| 2:12 [Playing the Debut of the Gollum’s Menace Theme]
Just as Gollum was once nearly a hobbit, the cimbalom was once nearly a standard hammered dulcimer. Developed in the Nineteenth Century, the cimbalom is an elaborate Hungarian variant on the dulcimer—with nearly twice the range and a chromatic tuning. Like the dulcimer, the strings of the cimbalom are struck with small hammers that create a tactile, twitchy sound that matches the character of Gollum’s Menace theme.
(c) The Annotated Score (The Music of The Lord of the Rings Films)
Lost in Emyn Muil
Howard Shore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
text by J.R.R. TOLKIEN and FRAN WALSH
translation by DAVID SALO
( SINDARIN )
No ring cam a hûn ah asg
A no ring randir chaer o mbar.
Ú-genir i lû i caeda na nîf
(( Cold be hand and heart and bone
And cold be travelers far from home.
They do not see what lies ahead
When Sun has failed and Moon is dead. ))
Vi gwae' vorn elin firithar
Bo cae lanc hen sí caedathar
Tenn i Vorchir gam în ortha
Or aerath firnin a dôr tharn.
(( In the black wind the stars shall die
On this bare earth here let them lie
Till the dark lord lifts his hand
Over dead seas and withered land. ))
Lost in Emyn Muil is a song composed by Howard Shore, with lyrics by J.R.R. Tolkien, Fran Walsh and translation by David Salo in Sindarin. The song is part of the original soundtrack for the movie The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, released in 2002. The lyrics in Sindarin depict the journey towards Mordor and the ominous feelings of the travelers.
The first stanza, "No ring cam a hûn ah asg / A no ring randir chaer o mbar. / Ú-genir i lû i caeda na nîf / Ta i pellen Anor a firnen Ithil," translates to "Cold be hand and heart and bone / And cold be travelers far from home. / They do not see what lies ahead / When Sun has failed and Moon is dead." The words entice fear and uncertainty in the hearts of travelers who might know where they are heading, but can never be sure of what to expect. It's like walking blindly into the unknown with no certainty of what lies ahead. The diction in the lyrics paints a vivid picture of people who are lost, cold, and clueless about their destination.
The second stanza, "Vi gwae' vorn elin firithar / Bo cae lanc hen sí caedathar / Tenn i Vorchir gam în ortha / Or aerath firnin a dôr tharn," portrays the darkness and evils that one can expect as they progress towards Mordor. The words mean "In the black wind the stars shall die / On this bare earth here let them lie / Till the dark lord lifts his hand / Over dead seas and withered land." The lyrics express that the journey is going to be dangerous, treacherous, and filled with sorrow. The lyrics indicate how the travelers shall have to fight darkness to overcome everything that comes their way to complete the task they have been given.
Line by Line Meaning
No ring cam a hûn ah asg
The traveler's hand is freezing without a ring to warm it.
A no ring randir chaer o mbar.
The traveler's heart shivers without a ring to comfort it.
Ú-genir i lû i caeda na nîf
No one knows what lies ahead when the sun has set and the moon has disappeared.
Ta i pellen Anor a firnen Ithil.
The land is cold and dark without the light of the sun and the moon.
Vi gwae' vorn elin firithar
The cold wind extinguishes the stars in the sky.
Bo cae lanc hen sí caedathar
Let the stars lie on this bare earth.
Tenn i Vorchir gam în ortha
The dark lord will rise and cover the earth with shadow.
Or aerath firnin a dôr tharn.
Over dead seas and withered land.
Contributed by Chase W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.