The defeated Wraiths skulk back into the night while the Threat of Mordor hisses curses at their vanquishers. The collective dangers of Middle-earth, however, are far from conquered. Isengard has been ripped to shreds, converted into a deadly collection of machines and malice. The score introduces the Five Beat Pattern as the soulless drive of the once beautiful land, and the Isengard/Orc theme as its call to arms. “Here’s all that metal percussion (see instruments list, The Orcs),” Shore says, ominously. “It’s the industrial might of Middle-earth.”
Also debuting here is material from the opposite end of the spectrum: Nature’s Reclamation, sung by boy soprano Edward Ross. This theme’s first appearance is flanked on either side by the Orcs’ bellicose Five Beat Pattern. Although the pattern fades when the Nature theme enters, the score actually calls for the London Philharmonic (see instrumentalists list, The London Philharmonic Orchestra) percussion section to continue playing the entire time. Shore wrote this way, fully intending to dissolve a section of the Five Beat Pattern so that that this rhythm would never lose its energy. In the film, the Pattern reenters after the vocals with a ruthless sense of continued drive.
INSTRUMENTS
THE ORCS
The Orcs’ unique instruments are particularly important to this base and uncivil race. Here Shore represents the ferocity and anger that melody would be far too eloquent to articulate. The Five Beat Pattern is designed to showcase these joltingly sharp industrial tones of pounded metal and stretched skins.
BELL PLATE
Listening Example: Disc Two| Track Two| 1:27 [Accenting Beats One and Four of the Five Beat Pattern]
Bell plates are similar to anvils, but they constructed of comparably thinner sheets of metal, and are generally suspended when played.
CHAINS AND PIANO WIRES
Listening Example: Disc Two| Track Two| 2:36 [Playing the Five Beat Pattern]
The music of composer Henry Cowell (1897–1965) brought to the general public daring new ideas in piano performance techniques. In works such as Aeolian Harp and The Banshee, Cowell called for the pianist to reach inside the piano and strike the strings inside. Shore’s Orc music follows in this tradition, as he requires his pianist to violently strike the wires inside the instrument with metal chains.
TEXTS
A MOTH IN ISENGARD (NATURE’S RECLAMATION)
Text by Philippa Boyens
Quenya Translation by David Salo
FIRST HEARD: DISC TWO | TRACK TWO
I cemen nurrua… ar i sure…i súre naina! | The earth groans… and the wind… the wind is crying!
PERFORMERS
VOCALISTS
EDWARD ROSS
Listening Example: Disc Two | Track Two | 2:04
Edward Ross sang all the boy soprano solos in The Fellowship of the Ring, including “In Dreams” and the first appearance of the Nature theme.
(c) The Annotated Score (The Music of The Lord of the Rings Films)
The Caverns of Isengard
Howard Shore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
text by PHILIPPA BOYENS, translation by DAVID SALO
( QUENYA )
I cemen nurrua...
Ar i sure...
I súre naina!
And the wind...
The wind is crying! ))
The lyrics to The Caverns of Isengard describe the response of the natural world to the destruction wrought by Saruman, the character ruling the fortress of Isengard. The opening lines, "I cemen nurrua... Ar i sure..." describe the earth groaning and the wind blowing, representing the distress of the natural world at Saruman's actions. The final line, "I súre naina!", which translates to "the wind is crying!", is a powerful evocation of this distress.
The title of the song, "A Moth in Isengard (Nature's Reclamation)", also alludes to the idea that even in the midst of destruction, there is still a chance for nature to reclaim what has been lost. The image of the moth, a creature that is often associated with metamorphosis and transformation, suggests that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for renewal and rebirth.
Overall, The Caverns of Isengard is a haunting and evocative piece of music that reflects the deeper themes of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic stories. It speaks to the power of nature, the importance of hope and renewal, and the enduring human struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world that can often seem chaotic and unpredictable.
Line by Line Meaning
I cemen nurrua...
The earth emits a deep, sorrowful groan, as if it is struggling under a great weight.
Ar i sure...
And the wind whips through the trees and over the landscape, carrying with it a sense of danger and unease.
I súre naina!
The wind seems to wail and moan with grief, as if mourning the land that has been lost to darkness and evil.
Contributed by Gianna L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.