Concerning Hobbits Print

"Concerning Hobbits" is a piece by composer Howard Shore for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack. It is a concert suite of the music of the Hobbits, arranged from the music heard in the film during the early Shire scenes, and features the various themes and leitmotifs composed for the Shire and Hobbits; it is intended to evoke feelings of peace. It is also the title of one of the sections of the prologue to The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. Excerpts of the piece can be heard during an extended scene in the 2012 film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, where it was tracked intentionally. The piece has become synonymous with the Shire and Hobbiton themes. The piece uses a large symphony orchestra (originally, The London Philharmonic Orchestra), including an on-stage band consisting of various Celtic instruments, namely whistles. Although the tin whistle and fiddle both have solos and have the main melodies throughout the piece, it is also noted for Shore's distinctive use of the bodhrán to create a heartbeat-like sound. Other accompaniment instruments include a celtic harp, hammered dulcimer, musette-type accordion, drones, classical guitars, mandolin, low whistle and recorders. Live performances may feature an accordion and/or a concertina. One of the chief tracks of the entire trilogy, it is also one of the happiest tracks, with others invoking feelings of heroism or foreboding. It show-cases the Shire theme or Hobbits' theme, in its main, "pensive" orchestral setting: A stepwise melody played by strings, a solo fiddle or a tin whistle in the key of D major. The B-section of the theme is often played by strings tutti to a very expansive effect, arguably forming a separate theme altogether. Also in the piece is a "rural" or "folk" setting or variation, labeled by musicologist Doug Adams as a separate theme for Hobbiton, played by solo fiddle and various Celtic instruments in accompaniment. The chords of the third main shire theme, the "hymn" variant (which later serves mostly as Frodo's theme), also play briefly under the melody. The melody is accompanied by several motifs: Hobbit Outline Figure: This simple figure, often heard in the cellos and double basses, is used as an expectation of things to come. It is heard quite a bit in the early Shire scenes, portraying the hobbits' playful sides. Hobbit Two Step Figure: This short figure appears frequently during the introduction of the Shire, and it often concludes with the End Cap figure. Hobbit Skip Beat: This ostinato figure is heard throughout the Shire material, usually as an accompaniment, but sometimes more prominently. Hobbit End Cap: A graceful rim-shot that plays to the good-humoured hobbit lifestyle. The Heartbeat of the Shire: played on Bodhrán. Also in the piece (about a minute into the track) is a coda that closes a statement of the Hobbiton theme, which coincides with Bilbo's "Happy Birthday" sign being erected. This motif was also used in "Old Friends" in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, turning it after-the-fact into a theme for Bilbo's birthday party Preparations. Source: Wikipedia