The Threat of Mordor,
a theme for
Mordor, is a danger motif used
alone or as an ostinato under other music.
Although Doug Adams states that
this music, officially known as The Threat of Mordor, is a
"motive...constructed much like the (Mordor)
Accompaniments, but...employed differently in the score"
CR-FOTR liner notes, page 31), he doesn't
elaborate on how it employed differently.
This phrase, in
FOTR and TTT, is a
circling melody comprised of a low note on 1 and three
descending notes on 2,3, and 4, that are repeated till the final
run when the notes ascend It is played in incidences where
characters are hiding from or running away from something and it
is sometimes used as a background counterpoint to the
theme. It is rarely long. But in ROTK, the danger becomes
more immediate and present and the theme often ascends
instead of descending.
The Threat of Mordor is blending with the rhythm of the
Isengard theme to produce the
Witch King of Angmar / Orcs
of Mordor theme. Additionally, if one overlooks that first low note, the rhythm structure is
the same as the
Mordor Skip Beat.
In fact, one iteration is identified in the
AS-ROTK as being
'somewhere between an inverted Threat of Mordor and the
Mordor Skip Beat.'
The Way to Mordor is a three note
'truncated variant' of the Threat of Mordor that occurs a handful of
times between the TTT and ROTK. I have placed those instances in
the list below.
Some of the
places this motif is used in FOTR:
As Gandalf creeps to the window of Bag-End after he and Frodo
it. Sam is hiding outside the window
Gandalf dismounts from his
horse in Isengard
As the Hobbits run out from the tree root where they’ve
hidden from the Ringwraith
Merry says, "Bucklebury Ferry... follow me."
As Frodo asks,
(after jumping onto the Ferry) "How far to the nearest crossing"
and Merry answers, "Brandywine Bridge... 20 miles."
as we see the aerial view of them
entering the Prancing Pony
Gimli takes his axe to the Ring at the Council of Elrond.
Some of the
places this motif is used in TTT:
A slow version of the truncated
variant, Way to Mordor, is heard as Frodo asks Sméagol,
"You know the way to Mordor? You've been there before?"
Three notes of the variant, Way
to Mordor, are played aggressively as Frodo, Sam and Gollum
realize the Black Riders have appeared in the Dead Marshes and
Gollum yells, "Hide!"
As the Ringwraith flies over the Dead Marshes while Gollum,
Frodo, and Sam huddle under some bushes. The motif is
heard as an ostinato under the
as we realize that they are now 'Wraiths on Wings.' Then
again a few seconds later by itself as Gollum says, "They are
calling for it. They are calling for the precious."
Some of the
places this motif is used in ROTK:
First a single note variant and then
the descending version after the Voice of Saruman fails to
seduce Théoden. The Wizard calls Théoden a dotard and then turns
on Gandalf. (EE scene)
A phrase 'somewhere between an
Threat of Mordor and the
Mordor Skip Beat is heard as
Gandalf and Pippin discuss Mordor on the balcony of their rooms
in Minas Tirith. (EE version) This version is an ABC version
with the notes descending. I would say it bears more similarity
to the Threat of Mordor than to the
Mordor Skip Beat but it is
ascending rather than descending.
A quiet but aggressive version is
heard as the Orcs steal up onto the western shore of the river
Anduin to attack the Gondorian company defending western
Osgiliath. It starts with ascending phrases, moves briefly to
descending ones, then back to ascending phrases.
A very rapid three note version of
the variant, Way to Mordor, is heard as Gothmog,
approaching Osgiliath by boat, orders the Gondorian scout
killed. A more moderate version takes over as Faramir realizes,
"They're not coming by the north." and the Gondorian troops take
their places while the Orcs hasten their advance by boat and
draw swords. The Gondorians mostly in place and waiting tensely,
the music holds some suspenseful notes as the Orcs continue
towards the landing. But the Way to Mordor resumes again
as the boats disgorge the passengers who make their way into the
city. The theme finally gives way to the
Gondor Theme as Faramir
leads the attack against the Orcs.
Quiet ascending versions play as
Gothmog approaches the wounded Madril and kills him.
As Gothmog declares,
"The age of Men is over. The time of the Orc has come." a
more assertive version begins that runs once through as ascending then another
time through with descending phrases in a different key as the
regular Threat of Mordor motif.
The regular descending Threat motif
is heard just after Gandalf's staff is broken by the Witch King.
He taunts the Istar, "You have failed. The world of Men will
fall." (EE scene)
The Threat of Mordor plays under the
choir as as the Witch King is whipping his flail at Éowyn.
As Frodo and Sam, disguised as Orcs,
get caught up in the Orc Army moving toward the Black Gate.
Here, both the Five Beat Pattern and the
Threat of Mordor function as ostinatos under a melodic line that wavers between the old
and its Fourth Age version, the Witch King / Orcs of Mordor Theme.
The same mix of
Five Beat Pattern, Threat
of Mordor, and Isengard/Orcs
of Mordor Theme is heard as infighting (instigated by Sam
and the weakened Frodo) breaks out among the Orc troops. (EE