Lotro's New and Improved Full Score

Just as music makes or breaks the movie, so it makes or breaks the game. For the most recent Lord of the Rings Online expansion Riders of Rohan Turbine has brought back Chance Thomas, the composer of the original music for Shadows of Angmar and the Mines of Moria expansion. That his music has been absent from the last two major updates has been disappointing. But, here he is again, and we have a preview of his work for the expansion below.






It should be noted that each track has a description by Chance on YouTube. I don't want to copy paste all three here, but I do want to take a selection of his description of the last song, and encourage all to read the descriptions he posted of the pieces above, particularly "Shadow of the Argonath." Knowing how he constructed the themes, and what each theme represents, add immensely to the experience.


From Chance Thomas,

"This track was composed to underscore the Boromir game instance, with players taking on the role of Boromir as he battles hordes of Uruk Hai in a desperate attempt to save Merry and Pippin.

Boromir has his fatal flaw, as we all know. But this piece is not about that. This music is about Boromir at his most noble, determined and powerful. Big drums, epic choir, robust cadences and powerful statements in the brass all contribute to the feeling of strength and unwavering.

After the choir sings, the Gondor theme makes its final appearance in this expansion. It is a resigned and somewhat naked version (meaning the arrangement thins out considerably) to underscore the utter aloneness of this great warrior-steward in his final mêlée. It repeats with a bit of forlorn (trumpets and high strings) before giving out to the brutal force of ragged low brass as the battle rages to its infamous conclusion.

You may be interested to know what the choir is singing. The lyrics are in Old English, translated for me by Turbine's lore master Chris Pierson and his muse for all things Anglo-Saxon, professor Michael Drout of Wheaton College. The choir sings: Arë! Thrymnes! Fréot! Maegen! The translation is: Glory! Honor! Freedom! Power! These are virtues upon which Gondor was built and to which Boromir clings until his last breath."

I think the knowledge of the lore, and the depth of thought that went into the thematic development and musical imagery is pretty brilliant. Definitely looking forward to his music setting the mood going forward.