#lotr #trilogy #soundtrack
Flight To The Ford is the eighth track of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Howard Shore. It is played during the escape of Arwen and Frodo to the Fords of Rivendell.
- The Revelation of the Ringwraiths (~ represents partial words)
Lyrics by Philippa Boyens, translated into Adûnaic by David Salo.
- Song to Tinúviel: Arwen's Theme Words by J.R.R. Tolkien, translated into Sindarin by David Salo.
Full Lyrics (Aragorn's song in the book by J.R.R. Tolkien (LotR, Book I, Chapter A Knife in the Dark):
Tinúviel elvanui
Elleth alfirin edhelhael
O hon ring finnil fuinui
A renc gelebrin thiliol...
Tinúviel the elven-fair,
Immortal maiden elven-wise,
About him cast her shadowy hair
And arms like silver glimmering...
FOTR - Annotated Score:
Arwen encounters Aragorn and the hobbits in the forest. In introducing Arwen’s theme, Shore stresses the dulcet tones of female voices—the characteristic choral sound of the elves. Arwen picks up Frodo and, with Ringwraiths in pursuit, makes for Rivendell with all her might. She defeats the Black Riders at the Ford of Bruinen, but the ride has taken its toll on Frodo. Arwen offers him a blessing and the score returns to its Elvish vein, repeating Arwen’s theme then echoing her words in female chorus.
UNUSED CONCEPT: Shore wrote several versions of the Flight to the Ford chase. Originally the piece concluded with a brief spate of stillness followed by mounting strings and chorus phrases (set to a text entitled “Flood at the Ford of Bruinen”) and a timpani statement of the Mordor Outline. This take was abandoned before the chorus was ever recorded. In its place, Shore recorded an ending that included a wild panic of aleatoric French horns heard just as the Wraiths reach the river’s edge. In the film, Peter Jackson decided to use Shore’s first approach, but to dissolve the music as the river’s waters rushed in. (No attempt was ever made to record the choral line once it was decided that passage was not to be included in the final film.)
“Pete liked the quiet,” Shore recalls, “just the sound of the standoff.”
Heard on this CD is Shore’s preferred setting, including the French horns.
