Lord of the Rings and its Leitmotifs: The Grey Havens
"Journey to the Grey Havens" is the nearly the end of the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and as such features a number of recalled themes all reaching their natural conclusions. As a preface to this it should be noted that Douglas Adams wrote a magnificent book called The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films: A Comprehensive Account of Howard Shore's Scores in which he identifies all the different leitmotifs or musical representations of things within the narrative, and does a track by track analysis. My analysis will use his names by and large for different leitmotifs, and will occasionally cite his insights on the score. This blogpost will look at the the track: "Journey to the Grey Havens" and its different leitmotifs and how the score tells the story of the scene. Follow along with the music and with this transcription that I did: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cVHzlYMQbx_C5Vx_Xv-5reNLrNr3aaIJ/view?usp=sharing
The track opens with a new piece of music consisting of alternating notes that then rise and spell out a melody, this plays as Bilbo and Frodo travel by carriage to the shore where Bilbo will be leaving Middle Earth with the Elves. Frodo says that "Bilbo's story [is] now over," and as the camera finally takes us into the carriage to see our hero and his very old uncle, a bit of the step-wise Shire leitmotif plays. Unfortunately, it cannot seem to truly appear. It tries twice both times not getting past the first few notes before ending the phrase with a different cadence, and this happens as Bilbo asks to see the ring. That ring has been the cause of so much hardship for the hobbits, the Shire, and Frodo particularly, perhaps that is why the music cannot truly appear. The score pauses as Frodo lies and tells Bilbo that he "lost it" and Bilbo sadly accepts this. This new alternating note melody is a Departure leitmotif and will be used several times within the Track.
After this a few chords underscore the reveal of the shore and the elves and finally Bilbo, the 4 hobbits, and Gandalf find themselves face to face again, as a brief moment of the Fellowship leitmotif appears but it is soon lost as they look out at the ocean and Elrond, Galadriel, and Cirdan say that the age of the 3 rings--the elves--is over and now is "the dominion of men." Elrond offers that "The sea calls us home." Departure music plays again for the elves this time in French horn and Double-reed instruments. The instrumentation and arrangement of the second occurrence wanders less than the first flute version. The flute evoked the Shire and and there was a lack of clarity about where they were going. But the elves know where they are going and why they are leaving. They are more confident, and the music reflects that. As Bilbo accepts their invitation he says he's "ready for another adventure" and we get the step-wise indication of the Shire theme. Bilbo after all, started the journey for the 3rd age of the shire becoming involved in the grand affairs of Middle Earth. But the music changes to just continuing to move step by step up various chords. As Douglas Adams points out: the 3rd age has ended, and the leitmotifs of the 3rd age cannot be representative anymore (in fact throughout ROTK there are references to a possible Orc/Mordor 4th age, and at the end Gondor's 4th age theme and the Shire's 4th age theme both are shown) and as Bilbo leaves and the Elves leave that indicates the end for that piece of music--though it will have one more chance (Adams, 127).
As the chords reach a cadence there is a pause and a leitmotif that Adams calls "Gandalf's Farewells" begins (Adams, 131). This piece is slow chords with a simple melody over it, but it is heartbreaking as the Hobbits cry at the loss of Gandalf. Gandalf must leave as he was given life to finish the 3rd age, but now his time is over. And as Gandalf turns to leave he turns back and says "It's time Frodo." And Frodo tells Sam "we set out to save the Shire Sam, and it has been saved but not for me." On the word Shire, the second half of the 3rd Age Shire leitmotif plays this time for real. But it is a developed version, and in it is a brief recollection of the alternating notes of the Departure motif. Thus accompanied, both Frodo and this Shire music must leave, as the 4th age begins. Frodo's experience with the ring was too traumatic and he is unable to simply return to his old life. The Shire theme turns into the chords to what Adams calls the Hymn setting of the Shire theme, which is the chordal outline that the melody goes on top of (Adams, 26). However, this version begins with a minor chord which incidentally makes it the same chords that Gandalf's Farewells' melody was played over earlier. And in fact it comes back, combining Gandalf's Farewells with Frodo's as he hugs his friends goodbye. And then Frodo turns to Sam.
As he does so, the key changes do D major, the key of the original Shire theme heard back in Fellowship of the Ring's "Concerning Hobbits." Before it plays, we get a brief moment with a D powerchord and some quiet 5ths in plucked strings, which invokes the beginning of the leitmotif for which the track is named: the Grey Havens. But then the Shire theme begins, similarly with the second half of its extended melody, but it's different. The time signature starts in 5/4 before returning to 4/4, and the chords are unusual, with a Major II chord used. Once again the Shire theme has tried but failed to come back but it manages to be mostly correct for Frodo and Sam and their embrace. They saved the Shire. Their friendship is perhaps the most succinct representation of the 3rd age of the Shire, and therefore it plays for them one last time. And then Frodo goes to Gandalf and leaves. As he walks away with the other hobbits in tears, the same version of the Departure leitmotif that played for the elves is heard. Frodo is similarly sure that this is the end of his journey in Middle Earth and so it doesn't wander like it it did at the beginning of the track. However, James Galway's flute is back, which has represented the hobbits and the Shire since the first movie. He looks back and smiles. And the boat sails away. And the Grey Havens plays.
Up until this point the musical analysis has been subtle, mostly it has been recalling brief or somehow imperfect versions of old Leitmotifs, or new ones that directly represent Departure and so the score has been brilliantly reflecting the story being told and the closing of the 3rd age, but it requires some in depth listening to understand what's going on beyond just "Oh that's the Fellowship music again when they're on screen together." But with the Grey Havens Shore has done something masterful. Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Elves are leaving Middle Earth and sailing to the Undying Lands from the Grey Havens (a port city of the elves). The Undying Lands or Valinor is a kind of heaven to the West. It's the realm of the Valar which are essentially a kind of angel in the Tolkien canon. But this is not the first time it's been mentioned. In ROTK during the siege of Gondor, in a track called "A Far Green Country" where Pippin fears it's the end, and Gandalf says that this life isn't the end, that after this we begin another journey in "A far green country." The Grey Havens track plays here, and represents the idea of heaven, or perhaps more importantly: Hope. In fact, theoretically the Grey Havens mostly alternates between a I and a IV chord which gives it a consistent plagal feeling and regular plagal cadences, more colloquially known as the church cadences or the "amen cadence" which is fitting for music representing a kind of Middle Earth haven. The story of LOTR is all about having hope and faith that they will prevail against immeasurable odds, and that is especially present in ROTK where all the non-Frodo/Sam characters are only doing what they do based on the hope and faith that Frodo and Sam will ultimately succeed in destroying the ring. Adams describes this leitmotif as the apotheosis of LOTR, a musical idea that connects to the fullest realization of the moral of the story (Adams, 133). And so fittingly it plays in one more section after this and before the end. During the track "The Mouth of Sauron" Aragorn is told by Sauron that Frodo is dead or has been defeated, and Aragorn is at his lowest low. Up on Mount Doom, this is shown to be a lie but only barely as Frodo has lost all willpower and energy and collapses. Sam talks to him of memories of the Shire trying to find hope in this darkest of moments, and he then finally says his greatest line "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you" and he picks up Frodo and keeps walking up the mountain. At this moment the Grey Havens appears in full glory in the brass adding one more word to the various concepts at the core of this trilogy that it represents: friendship. Soon after Aragorn charges into battle with the words "For Frodo." Hope, faith, friendship, these are the things that are good in the world of Middle Earth, these are the things worth fighting for. And so carrying all these connotations and representing so much within the film, the Grey Havens leitmotif plays one last time during this track "Journey to the Grey Havens. Frodo is at peace, he fought for the things this leitmotif represents and saved them. His friendships are secure and he, now leaving Middle Earth, has the potential for peace and growth beyond his trauma; he has hope. This Howard Shore's track "Journey to the Grey Havens" weaves together various motifs for departure and loss but ultimately gives us the musical representation of hope and friendship to add happiness to the bittersweet of Frodo's retreat.
The track opens with a new piece of music consisting of alternating notes that then rise and spell out a melody, this plays as Bilbo and Frodo travel by carriage to the shore where Bilbo will be leaving Middle Earth with the Elves. Frodo says that "Bilbo's story [is] now over," and as the camera finally takes us into the carriage to see our hero and his very old uncle, a bit of the step-wise Shire leitmotif plays. Unfortunately, it cannot seem to truly appear. It tries twice both times not getting past the first few notes before ending the phrase with a different cadence, and this happens as Bilbo asks to see the ring. That ring has been the cause of so much hardship for the hobbits, the Shire, and Frodo particularly, perhaps that is why the music cannot truly appear. The score pauses as Frodo lies and tells Bilbo that he "lost it" and Bilbo sadly accepts this. This new alternating note melody is a Departure leitmotif and will be used several times within the Track.
After this a few chords underscore the reveal of the shore and the elves and finally Bilbo, the 4 hobbits, and Gandalf find themselves face to face again, as a brief moment of the Fellowship leitmotif appears but it is soon lost as they look out at the ocean and Elrond, Galadriel, and Cirdan say that the age of the 3 rings--the elves--is over and now is "the dominion of men." Elrond offers that "The sea calls us home." Departure music plays again for the elves this time in French horn and Double-reed instruments. The instrumentation and arrangement of the second occurrence wanders less than the first flute version. The flute evoked the Shire and and there was a lack of clarity about where they were going. But the elves know where they are going and why they are leaving. They are more confident, and the music reflects that. As Bilbo accepts their invitation he says he's "ready for another adventure" and we get the step-wise indication of the Shire theme. Bilbo after all, started the journey for the 3rd age of the shire becoming involved in the grand affairs of Middle Earth. But the music changes to just continuing to move step by step up various chords. As Douglas Adams points out: the 3rd age has ended, and the leitmotifs of the 3rd age cannot be representative anymore (in fact throughout ROTK there are references to a possible Orc/Mordor 4th age, and at the end Gondor's 4th age theme and the Shire's 4th age theme both are shown) and as Bilbo leaves and the Elves leave that indicates the end for that piece of music--though it will have one more chance (Adams, 127).
As the chords reach a cadence there is a pause and a leitmotif that Adams calls "Gandalf's Farewells" begins (Adams, 131). This piece is slow chords with a simple melody over it, but it is heartbreaking as the Hobbits cry at the loss of Gandalf. Gandalf must leave as he was given life to finish the 3rd age, but now his time is over. And as Gandalf turns to leave he turns back and says "It's time Frodo." And Frodo tells Sam "we set out to save the Shire Sam, and it has been saved but not for me." On the word Shire, the second half of the 3rd Age Shire leitmotif plays this time for real. But it is a developed version, and in it is a brief recollection of the alternating notes of the Departure motif. Thus accompanied, both Frodo and this Shire music must leave, as the 4th age begins. Frodo's experience with the ring was too traumatic and he is unable to simply return to his old life. The Shire theme turns into the chords to what Adams calls the Hymn setting of the Shire theme, which is the chordal outline that the melody goes on top of (Adams, 26). However, this version begins with a minor chord which incidentally makes it the same chords that Gandalf's Farewells' melody was played over earlier. And in fact it comes back, combining Gandalf's Farewells with Frodo's as he hugs his friends goodbye. And then Frodo turns to Sam.
As he does so, the key changes do D major, the key of the original Shire theme heard back in Fellowship of the Ring's "Concerning Hobbits." Before it plays, we get a brief moment with a D powerchord and some quiet 5ths in plucked strings, which invokes the beginning of the leitmotif for which the track is named: the Grey Havens. But then the Shire theme begins, similarly with the second half of its extended melody, but it's different. The time signature starts in 5/4 before returning to 4/4, and the chords are unusual, with a Major II chord used. Once again the Shire theme has tried but failed to come back but it manages to be mostly correct for Frodo and Sam and their embrace. They saved the Shire. Their friendship is perhaps the most succinct representation of the 3rd age of the Shire, and therefore it plays for them one last time. And then Frodo goes to Gandalf and leaves. As he walks away with the other hobbits in tears, the same version of the Departure leitmotif that played for the elves is heard. Frodo is similarly sure that this is the end of his journey in Middle Earth and so it doesn't wander like it it did at the beginning of the track. However, James Galway's flute is back, which has represented the hobbits and the Shire since the first movie. He looks back and smiles. And the boat sails away. And the Grey Havens plays.
Up until this point the musical analysis has been subtle, mostly it has been recalling brief or somehow imperfect versions of old Leitmotifs, or new ones that directly represent Departure and so the score has been brilliantly reflecting the story being told and the closing of the 3rd age, but it requires some in depth listening to understand what's going on beyond just "Oh that's the Fellowship music again when they're on screen together." But with the Grey Havens Shore has done something masterful. Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Elves are leaving Middle Earth and sailing to the Undying Lands from the Grey Havens (a port city of the elves). The Undying Lands or Valinor is a kind of heaven to the West. It's the realm of the Valar which are essentially a kind of angel in the Tolkien canon. But this is not the first time it's been mentioned. In ROTK during the siege of Gondor, in a track called "A Far Green Country" where Pippin fears it's the end, and Gandalf says that this life isn't the end, that after this we begin another journey in "A far green country." The Grey Havens track plays here, and represents the idea of heaven, or perhaps more importantly: Hope. In fact, theoretically the Grey Havens mostly alternates between a I and a IV chord which gives it a consistent plagal feeling and regular plagal cadences, more colloquially known as the church cadences or the "amen cadence" which is fitting for music representing a kind of Middle Earth haven. The story of LOTR is all about having hope and faith that they will prevail against immeasurable odds, and that is especially present in ROTK where all the non-Frodo/Sam characters are only doing what they do based on the hope and faith that Frodo and Sam will ultimately succeed in destroying the ring. Adams describes this leitmotif as the apotheosis of LOTR, a musical idea that connects to the fullest realization of the moral of the story (Adams, 133). And so fittingly it plays in one more section after this and before the end. During the track "The Mouth of Sauron" Aragorn is told by Sauron that Frodo is dead or has been defeated, and Aragorn is at his lowest low. Up on Mount Doom, this is shown to be a lie but only barely as Frodo has lost all willpower and energy and collapses. Sam talks to him of memories of the Shire trying to find hope in this darkest of moments, and he then finally says his greatest line "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you" and he picks up Frodo and keeps walking up the mountain. At this moment the Grey Havens appears in full glory in the brass adding one more word to the various concepts at the core of this trilogy that it represents: friendship. Soon after Aragorn charges into battle with the words "For Frodo." Hope, faith, friendship, these are the things that are good in the world of Middle Earth, these are the things worth fighting for. And so carrying all these connotations and representing so much within the film, the Grey Havens leitmotif plays one last time during this track "Journey to the Grey Havens. Frodo is at peace, he fought for the things this leitmotif represents and saved them. His friendships are secure and he, now leaving Middle Earth, has the potential for peace and growth beyond his trauma; he has hope. This Howard Shore's track "Journey to the Grey Havens" weaves together various motifs for departure and loss but ultimately gives us the musical representation of hope and friendship to add happiness to the bittersweet of Frodo's retreat.
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