Minas Tirith Theme

A Theme for Gondor

 

MINAS TIRITH (SILVER TRUMPETS), a theme for Gondor, represents "everything that mankind can be, should it choose the nobler path" (Doug Adams, CR-FOTR liner notes, page 20-21) and "Gondor's place in the history of Middle-earth" (Doug Adams, CR-ROTK liner notes, page 18). The theme matures into the Fourth Age theme, Gondor Reborn.

Howard Shore has also referred to this music, "The History of Gondor Theme" but this name was not used in the liner notes.

Historically, this theme has also been called the Silver Trumpets theme.

HS COMMENTS
 

Places this theme is heard in FOTR:

  • As Boromir talks with Aragorn while resting at Lórien and he asks Aragorn if he's ever seen '...the white tower of Ecthelion, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver. Its banners caught high in the morning breeze.'.

Places this theme is heard in ROTK:

  • As two Rivendell Elves reforge the broken Narsil into Andúril. At the end of the phrase, the scene cuts to Gandalf and Pippin on Shadowfax bound for Minas Tirith.

  • I had considered music heard as as Gandalf and Pippin top a rise and spot Minas Tirith to be a fast paced variant of the Minas Tirith theme. But Doug Adams writes in the AS-ROTK, "And yet their first view of Minas Tirith is met by an odd inversion of the Gondor theme. All is not well in the White Tower and Gandalf knows it." This inverted Gondor theme is very like the Minas Tirith theme, I think. Rather than remove it from my list here, I thought I'd leave it in for its curiosity.

  • A slow, noble version Gandalf and Pippin walk past the White Tree in the courtyard of Minas Tirith. Gandalf comments it is the Tree of the King, but Denethor is not King... he is a Steward only.

  • As Elrond gives Andúril to Aragorn. He says it's reforged from the shards of Narsil. Aragorn says, "Sauron will not have forgotten the sword of Elendil." and whips it out.