The
Pity of Gollum
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PITY OF GOLLUM
a theme for Gollum,
is the lyrical, slow, sad music which is used exclusively for Gollum in FOTR.
It is still evident in TTT, as Gollum and Sméagol take turns with
the creatures intentions, but by ROTK, the two have agreed: Frodo
and Sam must die. The Pity of Gollum is only hinted at until a final
aggressive variant is heard.
Historically, this theme has also been called Slinker and
Sméagol's Theme.
HS
COMMENT
(TTT Audio Commentary)
DOUG
ADAMS COMMENT (moviemusic.com post)
Places
this theme is heard in FOTR:
In the
prologue when Gollum first finds the Ring
When Bilbo refers to the Ring as, “My own. My Precious.” in
Bag End.
As
Frodo realizes that the One Ring that Gandalf is telling him
about is the one Bilbo found in Gollum’s cave
HS COMMENT
When Gandalf and Frodo discuss Gollum in
Moria
A very quick variant is played when Aragorn identifies the
‘log with eyes’ as Gollum (FOTR EE)
Places this theme is
heard in TTT:
As Frodo and Sam are sitting in the rain in
Emyn Muil... and Gollum lurks above. (TTT EE)
When Sméagol offers the deal, "We be nice to
them if they be nice to us." A moment later, a short
variant is played when Sam shows his distrust of Sméagol's vow
on the Ring.
After Frodo uses the name Sméagol with Gollum
in the Dead Marshes. Gollum is startled to hear the name
he hasn't heard in a long time.
As
Frodo calls Sméagol to him so as to keep
Faramir from killing him at the Forbidden Pool.
Suggestions of the Pity theme is heard as
Sméagol and
Gollum argue about how they've ended up in the clutches of
Faramir's men.
As Faramir leads Frodo, Sam and Sméagol out
of Osgiliath. Sméagol is hobbling behind the others,
apparently injured.
Gollum's Song is an "exploration of
the Pity of Gollum harmonies" (DA
CR-TTT Liner Notes, pg 5)
Places this theme is
heard in
ROTK:
Music was
scored for Sméagol's transformation into Gollum (opening
scenes of ROTK) but not used. Within that music, Adams reports,
are the "earliest incarnations of The Pity
of Gollum." (AS-ROTK) (Can be heard on the CR-ROTK, Disc 1,
Track 1, Roots and Beginnings)
As Gollum and Sméagol discuss
their options while gazing in a lake, the
Menace of Gollum is
heard. But at the very end, the Pity of Gollum creeps in as
Sméagol agrees with Gollum, "Yes... the stairs... and then...
up, up, up the stairs we go."
A vague hint at the Pity theme
is heard as Sméagol urges the Hobbits not to dawdle at site of
the Fallen King. It's not 'really' Sméagol here. Sméagol has
given over to Gollum. (EE scene)
After Gollum accuses Sam of
stealing the Lembas, Sam loses all patience and attacks Gollum.
Adams describes the music here as "a
sharply warped reading of the Pity of Gollum."
Doug Adams in a
post at
moviemusic.com The theme heard for Gollum in film one is the Pity of Gollum
Theme. When Bilbo displays Gollum-like traits, this theme is
either combined with the Shire music or played outright. The
Pity theme appears through the majority of the Gollum scenes in
TT, though varied and and twisted into all sorts of shapes. (As
stated by others, Gollum also gets his cimbalom music in Two
Towers, primarily to represent the side of him that is not
piteous—-the side that is a greedy, murderous river Hobbit.) The Pity of Gollum theme is also combined with the History of
the Ring music in Two Towers because the two have such an
intertwined past. You’ll notice that the Ring is rarely related
to a history prior to Gollum in Two Towers, so the History theme
is usually combined with the Pity of Gollum Theme when it
appears. This also masks some of the Pity melody and makes it a
bit harder to recognize. The Pity of Gollum theme does form the basis for Gollum’s
Song, though more through a certain vein of harmony than direct
melodic pieces. Gollum’s harmony is pretty unique in the
scores—-very loosely related chromatic minor chords.
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