If you watch Game of Thrones on HBO, you know that the theme music is some of the most epic ever created. It definitely stands apart from other themes composed for fantasy shows. In fact, composer Ramin Djawadi, who was asked to avoid flutes and violins due to their ubiquitous nature in fantasy theme songs, made the cello the lead instrument. Plus, the key switches several times to make the song more interesting.
He designed the structure of the song to bring to mind backstabbing, conspiracies, and the overall unpredictability of the popular show — hence, the key changes every few bars. In addition, the cello was chosen to bring a darker feel to the music. If you’ve heard the theme, you will know that it ends with dulcimer and kantele notes. Djawadi wanted to use these instruments to build anticipation for the upcoming episode by the end of the title sequence.
The theme was meant to reflect the entirety of the show. Thus, if you hear bits of the main theme in parts of other songs on Game of Thrones, it’s no mistake. The way that the song is interweaved throughout different parts of the show really ties the feel of the entire series together.
Possibly the most impressive fact about this theme is that he only took about three days to produce the entire song. Djawadi had been shown a preliminary title sequence, which was what inspired him to write this beautiful piece. He actually conceived the main theme on the way back to his studio, making incredibly quick progress — especially considering the three-day timeframe he wrote it in.
Of course, a theme song that is so popular is bound to be covered by other artists. On the Internet, you can find this awesome theme being played on violin, electric guitar, harp, and even with the noise of floppy disk drives. But one of the best renditions is a flowing, melodic interpretation of the theme played on a Yamaha electric piano.
This video by Lisztlovers captures the adventurous feel of the Game of Thrones theme immaculately. The fact that it is for a solo performer is even more impressive. As you listen to the rendition, you will notice that the artist stays faithful to the overarching theme while adding his own personal embellishments and small sequences. The feel you get from this particular version of the theme is almost a nostalgia for a time that never happened (or for watching Game of Thrones!)
For any pianist out there, Listzlovers also includes the sheet music and MIDI file in the description of the video. The files are very professional in presentation, and should make it easy for any accomplished pianist to learn this great version of the famous theme.
If you’re ready to bring the sense of adventure to your fingertips — or just to check out someone who can — you should definitely watch this video by Listzlovers. Whether you are a pianist, a Game of Thrones fan, or even just someone who appreciates the feel of great music, this rendition is worth listening to. It captures the feel of the original theme well, with plenty of emotion from the cover artist coming through in the trills and licks he used to make it his own.
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