Culminating	
  experience:	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Sound	
  guide	
  and	
  analysis	
  of	
  the	
  movie	
  
How	
  to	
  Train	
  your	
  Dragon	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Carlos	
  Alberto	
  González	
  Herrera	
  
Scoring	
  for	
  Films,	
  Television	
  and	
  Videogames	
  
Berklee	
  Valencia	
  2014	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

	
  
Introduction:	
  
	
  
How	
   to	
   Train	
   Your	
   Dragon	
   is	
   an	
   American	
   3D	
   computer-­‐animated	
   action-­‐fantasy	
  
film	
  released	
  in	
  2010	
  by	
  DreamWorks	
  Animation.	
  The	
  film	
  was	
  directed	
  by	
  Chris	
  
Sanders	
   and	
   Dean	
   DeBlois,	
   produced	
   by	
   Bonnie	
   Arnold	
   and	
   Scored	
   by	
   John	
  
Powell.	
  The	
  script	
  and	
  context	
  of	
  the	
  movie	
  are	
  loosely	
  based	
  on	
  the	
  British	
  book	
  
series	
  of	
  the	
  same	
  name	
  by	
  Cressida	
  Cowell.	
  	
  
	
  
The	
   story	
   of	
   How	
   to	
   Train	
   Your	
   Dragon	
   takes	
   place	
   in	
   Berk,	
   a	
   fictional	
   island	
  
where	
  a	
  tribe	
  of	
  Vikings	
  is	
  settled	
  down.	
  These	
  Vikings	
  have	
  been	
  in	
  fighting	
  the	
  
constant	
  raids	
  of	
  the	
  dragons	
  for	
  generations.	
  
Hiccup,	
  a	
  young	
  Viking	
  and	
  son	
  of	
  the	
  tribe’s	
  chief,	
  dreams	
  with	
  killing	
  his	
  first	
  
dragon,	
   to	
   earn	
   the	
   respect	
   of	
   his	
   fellow	
   villagers;	
   but,	
   when	
   he	
   manages	
   to	
  
capture	
  his	
  first	
  dragon	
  and	
  has	
  the	
  chance	
  to	
  do	
  kill	
  it,	
  he	
  finds	
  that	
  he	
  no	
  longer	
  
wants	
  to	
  do	
  it	
  and	
  instead,	
  befriends	
  with	
  the	
  dragon,	
  which	
  leads	
  him	
  towards	
  
learning	
   more	
   about	
   these	
   creatures	
   and	
   discover	
   how	
   his	
   tribe	
   have	
   been	
  
misjudging	
  the	
  dragons.	
  
	
  
The	
   movie	
   was	
   a	
   commercial	
   and	
   critical	
   success,	
   earning	
   nearly	
   500$	
   million	
  
worldwide	
  and	
  being	
  awarded	
  with	
  multiple	
  prizes,	
  including	
  10	
  Annie	
  Awards	
  
and	
  two	
  nominations	
  to	
  the	
  Academy	
  Awards.	
  
	
  
The	
  score	
  of	
  the	
  movie	
  is	
  a	
  wonderful	
  example	
  of	
  how	
  to	
  create,	
  work	
  with	
  and	
  
develop	
  different	
  musical	
  motifs.1	
  It	
  is	
  also	
  a	
  great	
  example	
  of	
  orchestration	
  and	
  
integration	
   of	
   non-­‐traditionally	
   orchestral	
   instruments	
   (electronics,	
   electric	
  
guitar,	
   as	
   well	
   as	
   many	
   instruments	
   associated	
   with	
   the	
   Celtic2	
  culture,	
   such	
   as	
  
fiddle,	
  bagpipes,	
  dulcimer	
  and	
  whistles)	
  in	
  an	
  orchestral	
  context;	
  all	
  this	
  making	
  
it	
  a	
  perfect	
  educational	
  material,	
  apart	
  from	
  a	
  wonderful	
  piece	
  of	
  art	
  on	
  its	
  own.	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
1	
  Or	
  themes.	
  
2	
  The	
  Vikings	
  aren’t	
  technically	
  considered	
  as	
  a	
  part	
  of	
  the	
  Celtic	
  culture,	
  they	
  
2
were	
  
	
  The	
  pVart	
  
ikings	
  
of	
  the	
  
aren’t	
  
Scandinavian	
  
technically	
  ocr	
  onsidered	
  
Nordic	
  culture	
  
as	
  a	
  piart	
  
nstead.	
  
of	
  the	
  
That	
  
Celtic	
  
said,	
  
culture,	
  
it	
  s	
  true	
  
they	
  
that	
  
were	
  part	
  of	
  the	
  Scandinavian	
  or	
  Nordic	
  culture	
  instead.	
  That	
  said,	
  it	
  s	
  true	
  that	
  
Vikings	
  attacked	
  many	
  times	
  the	
  coasts	
  of	
  England	
  and	
  Scotland,	
  so	
  they	
  could	
  
have	
  been	
  in	
  direct	
  contact	
  with	
  Celtic	
  instruments.	
  	
  
As	
  a	
  side	
  note,	
  maybe	
  the	
  use	
  of	
  traditional	
  Finnish	
  instruments	
  would	
  have	
  been	
  
a	
  more	
  accurate	
  choice,	
  as	
  Christian	
  Clemmensen	
  (founder	
  of	
  Filmtracks.com)	
  
commented.	
  
	
  

Composer’s	
  Bio:	
  John	
  Powell	
  
	
  
Born	
   in	
   East	
   Sussex	
   (England)	
   in	
   1963,	
   John	
   Powell	
   is	
   on	
   of	
   the	
   most	
   renown	
  
composers	
  of	
  our	
  time.	
  He	
  is	
  known	
  for	
  his	
  work	
  in	
  action	
  thrillers	
  (The	
  Bourne	
  
Identity,	
  The	
  Bourne	
  Supremacy,	
  The	
  Bourne	
  Ultimatum…)	
  and	
  animated	
  movies	
  
(Shrek,	
  Bolt,	
  Rio…),	
  being	
  this	
  last	
  genre	
  his	
  most	
  prolific	
  to	
  date.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
Powell	
  started	
  his	
  musical	
  career	
  as	
  a	
  violin	
  player	
  when	
  he	
  was	
  7,	
  but	
  his	
  father,	
  
who	
  was	
  a	
  tuba-­‐player	
  with	
  the	
  Royal	
  Philharmonic,	
  always	
  encouraged	
  him	
  to	
  
not	
   to	
   be	
   a	
   player:	
   to	
   be	
   a	
   composer.	
   In	
   an	
   interview,	
   Powell	
   confessed	
   that	
   he	
  
was	
  a	
  “classical	
  musical	
  posh”	
  his	
  early	
  ages,	
  and	
  didn’t	
  become	
  interested	
  in	
  pop	
  
until	
  his	
  teens.	
  
	
  
After	
   graduating	
   at	
   the	
   London	
   Trinity	
   College	
   of	
   Music,	
   he	
   worked	
   as	
   a	
   tape	
  
operator,	
   at	
   Sir	
   George’s	
   Studio,	
   in	
   London.	
   He	
   tried	
   a	
   career	
   as	
   a	
   classical	
  
concert	
  music	
  composer,	
   but soon saw that this way he could not make a living.
His first paid work as a composer came from ad jingles.
Since his very beginnings as a professional composer, he embraced computer
composition, and was in part thanks to this that he was recommended to Hans
Zimmer in the mid-1990s. Under Zimmer’s mentorship, he earned his first two
feature film gigs: Face/Off (1997) and Antz (1998).
From that point, his career skyrocketed and, since then, he has	
  been	
  nominated	
  

and	
  awarded	
  on	
  multiple	
  occasions,	
  including	
  more	
  than	
  20	
  ASCAP	
  awards	
  and	
  
one	
   Academy	
   Awards’	
   nomination	
   for	
   his	
   work	
   in	
   the	
   Dreamwork’s	
   animated	
  
movie	
  “How	
  to	
  Train	
  Your	
  Dragon”.	
  
	
  
	
  
After	
   almost	
   20	
   years	
   working	
   in	
   Hollywood,	
   Powell	
   has	
   taken	
   a	
   sabbatical	
   to	
  
work	
  on	
  a	
  45-­‐minute	
  Oratorio	
  commemorating	
  the	
  centenary	
  of	
  the	
  outbreak	
  of	
  
the	
  First	
  World	
  War.	
  

Synopsis	
  of	
  the	
  film:	
  
	
  
How	
  To	
  Train	
  Your	
  Dragon	
  is	
  the	
  story	
  of	
  Hiccup	
  Horrendous	
  Haddock	
  III,	
  a	
  14-­‐
year	
   old	
   Viking	
   from	
   the	
   Tribe	
   of	
   the	
   Hairy	
   Hooligans,	
   and	
   how	
   he	
   met	
   and	
  
became	
   friends	
   with	
   Toothless,	
   a	
   Night	
   Fury,	
   one	
   of	
   the	
   strangest	
   and	
   most	
  
intelligent	
  Dragon	
  species.	
  
	
  
The	
   story	
   takes	
   place	
   in	
   the	
   village	
   of	
   Berk,	
   a	
   small	
   village	
   that,	
   following	
  
Hiccup’s	
   directions,	
   is	
   located	
   twelve	
   days	
   North	
   of	
   “Hopeless	
   and	
   few	
   degrees	
  
South	
   of	
   “Freezing	
   to	
   Death”,	
   located	
   solidly	
   on	
   the	
   Meridian	
   of	
   Misery.	
   There,	
  
Hiccup,	
  a	
  skinny,	
  small	
  but	
  inventive	
  guy,	
  tries	
  to	
  join	
  his	
  town’s	
  fight	
  against	
  the	
  
dragons	
  that	
  constantly	
  raid	
  it,	
  but	
  his	
  father,	
  the	
  village’s	
  chief	
  Stoick	
  the	
  Vast,	
  
will	
   not	
   allow	
   Hiccup	
   to	
   do	
   so.	
   Despite	
   that	
   fact,	
   Hiccup	
   manages	
   to	
   sneak	
   into	
  
the	
   battle	
   and	
   down	
   a	
   “Night	
   Fury”	
   (one	
   of	
   the	
   most	
   mysterious	
   species	
   of	
  
dragons)	
   with	
   an	
   artifact	
   of	
   his	
   invention	
   but,	
   when	
   the	
   moment	
   comes,	
   he	
  
cannot	
  bring	
  himself	
  to	
  kill	
  it.	
  Instead,	
  Hiccup	
  and	
  the	
  dragon,	
  whom	
  he	
  names	
  
Toothless,	
  become	
  friends	
  allowing	
  Hiccup	
  to	
  learn	
  about	
  the	
  dragons	
  and	
  how	
  
him	
  and	
  his	
  fellow	
  villagers	
  have	
  misjudged	
  them.	
  
	
  

ALL	
   THE	
   TIMMNG	
   ARE	
   DONE	
   CONSIDERING	
   THAT	
   THE	
   MOON	
   OF	
   THE	
  
DREAMWORKS	
  LOGO	
  APEARS	
  AT	
  00:00:02	
  
	
  
Themes:	
  
	
  
	
  
Theme	
  1:	
  BERK	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  
Theme	
  2:	
  DRAGONS!	
  	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  
Theme	
  3:	
  WARRIORS	
  	
  

	
  
	
  
Theme	
  4:	
  STOICK	
  THE	
  VAST	
  

	
  
	
  
Theme	
  5:	
  LOVE	
  THEME	
  	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  
Theme	
  6:	
  EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

Theme	
  7:	
  HICCUP	
  

	
  
	
  
Theme	
  8:	
  FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
  

	
  
	
  
Theme	
  9:	
  DISCOVERY	
  

	
  
	
  
Theme	
  10:	
  TOOTHLESS	
  

	
  
	
  
Theme	
  11:	
  TRAINING	
  WITH	
  DRAGONS	
  
	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  

	
  
	
  
More	
  than	
  an	
  actual	
  theme,	
  it	
  is	
  a	
  recurrent	
  accompaniment	
  motif	
  that	
  appears	
  
several	
  times	
  throughout	
  the	
  soundtrack	
  
	
  
Theme	
  12:	
  FORBIDDEN	
  FRIENDSHIP	
  
	
  

	
  

Cue	
  1:	
  This	
  is	
  Berk	
  
00:00:02	
  -­‐	
  00:04:02	
  
	
  
This	
   cue	
   serves	
   as	
   an	
   introduction	
   to	
   both:	
   the	
   movie	
   and	
   some	
   of	
   the	
   main	
  
themes/characters	
  that	
  are	
  appearing	
  in	
  the	
  movie.It	
  can	
  be	
  roughly	
  divided	
  in	
  
two	
  big	
  sections,	
  “Intro-­‐section”	
  and	
  “Fight-­‐section”	
  (listed	
  as	
  “Introduction”	
  and	
  
“This	
  is	
  Berk”	
  respectively	
  in	
  the	
  expanded	
  score	
  album),	
  being	
  the	
  second	
  one	
  
the	
  largest	
  (starting	
  with	
  the	
  transition	
  that	
  can	
  be	
  hear	
  from	
  00:01:00).	
  
	
  
The	
   whole	
   cue	
   is	
   done	
   in	
   such	
   a	
   way	
   that	
   describes	
   what	
   is	
   going	
   on	
   in	
   the	
  
picture,	
  while	
  still	
  having	
  a	
  very	
  strong	
  musical	
  direction/drive.	
  The	
  sync	
  points	
  
are	
   done	
   in	
   such	
   a	
   way	
   that	
   they	
   sound	
   as	
   a	
   part	
   of	
   the	
   natural	
   develop	
   of	
   the	
  
musical	
  phrase,	
  in	
  a	
  very	
  elegant	
  way.	
  
	
  
The	
  main	
  sync	
  points	
  that	
  we	
  find	
  are	
  the	
  following:	
  
-­‐00:01:10	
  	
  Introducing	
  	
  the	
  theme	
  DRAGONS!	
  Just	
  with	
  the	
  cut.	
  
-­‐00:01:46	
  	
  Introducing	
  the	
  theme	
  STOICK	
   THE	
   VAST,	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  move	
  of	
  
Stoick’s	
  head.	
  
-­‐00:02:07,	
  after	
  they	
  yell	
  “Hoist	
  the	
  torches”,	
  the	
  music	
  modulates	
  up,	
  following	
  
the	
  movement	
  of	
  the	
  torches	
  in	
  the	
  picture.	
  
-­‐00:02:44	
  	
  as	
  in	
  00:02:07,	
  the	
  music	
  gets	
  higher,	
  increasing	
  the	
  tension.	
  
-­‐00:02:55	
   Introducing	
   the	
   LOVE	
   THEME	
   as	
   Astrid	
   turns	
   around.	
   The	
   strongest	
  
option	
  for	
  this	
  sync	
  point	
  would	
  have	
  been	
  the	
  fireball	
  at	
  00:02:53,	
  but	
  the	
  sound	
  
effects	
  would	
  have	
  clashed	
  with	
  the	
  music.	
  
-­‐00:03:23	
  	
  when	
  Gobber	
  says	
  “you	
  can’t	
  swing	
  an	
  axe”,	
  the	
  music	
  gets	
  a	
  “cowboy-­‐
music”	
  flavor.	
  
-­‐00:03:30	
  	
  the	
  music	
  stops	
  as	
  the	
  catapult	
  projectile	
  is	
  accidentally	
  fired.	
  
	
  
The	
   choice	
   of	
   instrumentation	
   for	
   this	
   first	
   cue	
   is	
   Grand	
   Orchestra,	
   with	
   choir	
  
and	
   tin	
   whistle.	
   The	
   cue	
   starts	
   with	
   a	
   brass	
   chorale,	
   followed	
   immediately	
   by	
   a	
  
melodic	
   section	
   in	
   which	
   the	
   woodwinds	
   take	
   the	
   lead	
   and,	
   after	
   that,	
   a	
   full-­‐
orchestra	
  section	
  that	
  keeps	
  going	
  pretty	
  much	
  until	
  the	
  end	
  of	
  the	
  cue.	
  	
  
This	
  choice	
  of	
  Brass-­‐>Woodwinds-­‐>Strings/Full	
  orchestra,	
  is	
  somehow	
  peculiar,	
  
especially	
  if	
  we	
  keep	
  in	
  mind	
  that	
  we	
  are	
  speaking	
  about	
  the	
  intro	
  of	
  the	
  movie.	
  
Maybe,	
  a	
  more	
  logical	
  approach	
  would	
  have	
  been	
  choosing	
  exactly	
  the	
  opposite	
  
order	
  for	
  introducing	
  the	
  instruments	
  (going	
  from	
  those	
  capable	
  of	
  playing	
  with	
  
the	
  least	
  intensity	
  to	
  those	
  able	
  to	
  be	
  the	
  loudest	
  in	
  the	
  whole	
  ensemble).	
  	
  
That	
   say,	
   it	
   is	
   true	
   that	
   the	
   cue	
   works	
   very	
   well	
   and,	
   its	
   peculiar	
   way	
   of	
  
introducing	
  the	
  colors	
  of	
  the	
  orchestra,	
  gives	
  it	
  an	
  extra	
  flavor	
  that	
  maybe	
  could	
  
have	
  not	
  been	
  achieved	
  with	
  a	
  different	
  approach.	
  
	
  
	
  
We	
  can	
  find	
  the	
  following	
  themes	
  in	
  the	
  first	
  Cue:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
Berk	
  
00:00:02	
   Slow	
  chorale	
  with	
  brass.	
  Works	
  as	
  an	
  intro.	
  
Dragons!	
  
00:00:25	
   Slow	
   with	
   woodwinds,	
   choir	
   and	
   strings.	
   Has	
   a	
  
magical	
  and	
  Celtic	
  flavor	
  that	
  helps	
  to	
  locate	
  the	
  
story.	
  

Dragons!	
  

00:01:10	
  

Warriors	
  

00:01:24	
  

Dragons!	
  

00:01:32	
  

Stoick	
  The	
  Vast	
  

00:01:47	
  

Dragons!	
  

00:02:07	
  

Fighting	
  Dragons	
  

00:02:22	
  

Warriors	
  

00:02:37	
  

Normal	
  tempo.	
  Much	
  faster	
  than	
  previously	
  and	
  
with	
   an	
   action-­‐oriented	
   approach.	
   The	
   use	
   of	
  
big	
   unisonos	
   an	
   low	
   choir,	
   gives	
   a	
   “primitive	
  
feeling”	
   to	
   it	
   that	
   emphasizes	
   the	
   feeling	
   of	
  
being	
  in	
  the	
  middle	
  of	
  a	
  battle.	
  
The	
   melody	
   is	
   spread	
   all	
   around	
   the	
   orchestra,	
  
with	
   a	
   mix	
   of	
   strings,	
   woodwinds,	
   brass	
   and	
  
choir.	
  
As	
   a	
   opposition	
   to	
   DRAGONS!,	
   this	
   theme	
  
makes	
   a	
   bigger	
   use	
   of	
   an	
   accompanied	
   texture,	
  
giving	
   the	
   melody	
   to	
   the	
   lower	
   section	
   of	
   the	
  
orchestra,	
   predominantly	
   brass,	
   while	
   the	
  
higher	
   instruments	
   play	
   an	
   accompaniment.	
  
There	
  is	
  not	
  a	
  significant	
  change	
  in	
  the	
  mood.	
  
This	
   is	
   just	
   a	
   continuation	
   of	
   the	
   previous	
  
segment	
  that	
  works	
  mostly	
  as	
  a	
  transition	
  until	
  
the	
   next	
   significant	
   change.	
   One	
   thing	
   that	
   is	
  
worth	
   highlighting	
   is	
   how	
   the	
   instrumentation	
  
gets	
  smaller	
  by	
  the	
  end	
  of	
  this	
  transition	
  (going	
  
from	
   full	
   orchestra	
   to	
   woodwinds	
   with	
   some	
  
light	
   accompaniment),	
   which	
   helps	
   to	
  
emphasize	
  the	
  character	
  of	
  the	
  next	
  theme.	
  
Mainly	
  characterized	
  by	
  the	
  use	
  of	
  the	
  choir	
  as	
  
the	
   leading	
   instrument,	
   this	
   is	
   by	
   far	
   the	
   most	
  
Epic	
   of	
   the	
   themes	
   presented,	
   emphasizing	
   the	
  
fact	
   that	
   Stoick	
   a	
   great	
   warrior	
   and	
   a	
   hero	
   for	
  
his	
  village.	
  
At	
   this	
   point	
   the	
   score	
   modulates	
   one	
   step	
  
higher.	
  This	
  happens	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  time	
  in	
  which	
  
the	
   torches	
   are	
   elevated	
   in	
   the	
   picture,	
   making	
  
this	
   modulation	
   a	
   sort	
   of	
   sync	
   point.	
   Besides	
  
that,	
   the	
   orchestration	
   is	
   quite	
   similar	
   to	
   one	
  
used	
  in	
  the	
  previous	
  presentations	
  of	
  the	
  theme,	
  
until	
   00:02:14,	
   where	
   it	
   becomes	
   much	
   lighter,	
  
giving	
   the	
   leading	
   melody	
   to	
   the	
   whistles	
   and	
  
flutes,	
   while	
   the	
   brass	
   almost	
   disappear	
   and	
   the	
  
rest	
   of	
   the	
   orchestra	
   work	
   as	
   a	
   light	
  
accompaniment.	
  
The	
  leading	
  melody	
  appears	
  in	
  the	
  horns	
  while	
  
the	
   rest	
   of	
   the	
   orchestra	
   play	
   a	
   light	
   “wavy”	
  
accompaniment.	
   At	
   this	
   point,	
   this	
   theme	
   is	
  
used	
   almost	
   as	
   a	
   joke	
   (since	
   appears	
   when	
  
Hiccup	
  mentions	
  that	
  he	
  is	
  “way	
  too	
  muscular”	
  
for	
  the	
  dragons)	
  and	
  works	
  as	
  a	
  bridge	
  until	
  the	
  
next	
  tutti.	
  
At	
   this	
   point	
   the	
   orchestra	
   plays	
   a	
   powerful	
  
tutti,	
   giving	
   the	
   main	
   melody	
   to	
   the	
   low	
   brass	
  
and	
   the	
   male	
   voices	
   of	
   the	
   choir,	
   while	
   the	
  
strings	
  and	
  woodwinds	
  have	
  a	
  more-­‐secondary	
  

Love	
  Theme	
  

00:02:55	
  

HICCUP	
  

00:03:11	
  

Fighting	
  Dragons	
  

00:03:54	
  

role,	
   while	
   playing	
   a	
   “wavy”	
   accompaniment,	
  
quite	
   similar	
   to	
   the	
   utilized	
   in	
   previous	
   sections	
  
of	
  the	
  piece.	
  	
  
The	
   two	
   most	
   noticeable	
   changes	
   that	
   occur	
   at	
  
this	
   point	
   are	
   the	
   orchestration	
   changes	
   (the	
  
violins,	
   woodwinds	
   and	
   horn	
   play	
   the	
   leading	
  
melody)	
  and	
  the	
  meter	
  change,	
  from	
  a	
  binary	
  to	
  
a	
  ternary	
  feeling.	
  
The	
  theme	
  can	
  be	
  heard	
  starting	
  from	
  the	
  point	
  
in	
  which	
  Hiccup	
  says	
  “I	
  need	
  to	
  make	
  my	
  mark”,	
  
and	
   it’s	
   light	
   orchestration	
   resembles	
   the	
   sound	
  
of	
   those	
   old	
   cartoons,	
   where	
   one	
   character	
   is	
  
trying	
  to	
  sneak	
  around	
  a	
  forest.	
  
The	
   character	
   of	
   the	
   music	
   changes	
   drastically	
  
at	
  00:03:22,	
  where	
  it	
  becomes	
  a	
  clear	
  tribute	
  to	
  
the	
  music	
  utilized	
  in	
  Westerns.	
  
At	
   this	
   point,	
   the	
   theme	
   is	
   presented	
   in	
   such	
   a	
  
way	
   that	
   it	
   sounds	
   epic	
   and	
   dreamy	
   at	
   the	
   same	
  
time,	
   pointing	
   out	
   the	
   fact	
   that	
   Hiccup	
   yearns	
   to	
  
fight	
   a	
   dragon,	
   but	
   it	
   is	
   impossible	
   at	
   the	
   same	
  
time.	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  2:	
  Dragon	
  Battle	
  	
  
00:04:04	
  –	
  00:05:50	
  
	
  
This	
  second	
  cue	
  can	
  be	
  divided	
  in	
  two	
  main	
  sections:	
  from	
  00:04:04	
  to	
  00:05:07	
  
and	
   from	
   00:05:08	
   until	
   the	
   end	
   of	
   the	
   cue.	
   The	
   first	
   of	
   these	
   sections,	
   widely	
  
characterized	
  by	
  the	
  use	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  EVIL	
   DRAGONS,	
  work	
  as	
  a	
  description	
  of	
  
what	
   is	
   going	
   on	
   in	
   the	
   picture,	
   accompanying	
   and	
   putting	
   the	
   mood	
   to	
   the	
  
moment,	
   without	
   being	
   too	
   intrusive.	
   It	
   basically	
   works	
   as	
   a	
   description	
   of	
   the	
  
environment	
  at	
  that	
  point	
  of	
  the	
  movie.	
  
On	
   the	
   other	
   hand,	
   the	
   second	
   section	
   has	
   a	
   more	
   psychological	
   approach,	
  
serving	
  to	
  represent	
  the	
  mood	
  of	
  Hiccup.	
  
The	
  beginning	
  of	
  the	
  cue	
  is	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  moment	
  in	
  which	
  Hiccup	
  leaves	
  the	
  
sword	
   mid-­‐air	
   to	
   fall	
   over	
   the	
   whetsone.	
   The	
   music	
   is	
   based	
   mostly	
   in	
   two	
  
themes:	
  EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  and	
  FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS.	
  
	
  
This	
  cue	
  is	
  full	
  of	
  soft	
  sync	
  points,	
  where	
  some	
  actions	
  take	
  place	
  in	
  time	
  with	
  the	
  
musical	
  tempo	
  being	
  the	
  following	
  the	
  most	
  noticeable:	
  	
  
	
  
-­‐00:04:14	
  	
  the	
  bite	
  of	
  the	
  dragon.	
  
-­‐00:04:20	
  	
  the	
  door	
  breaking.	
  
-­‐00:04:31	
  	
  the	
  dragon	
  being	
  hit	
  but	
  the	
  boulder.	
  
-­‐00:04:34	
  	
  the	
  off-­‐screen	
  explosion.	
  
-­‐00:04:40	
  	
  the	
  appearance	
  of	
  the	
  head	
  of	
  the	
  dragon	
  through	
  the	
  flames.	
  
-­‐00:04:44	
  	
  the	
  hit	
  on	
  the	
  head	
  of	
  the	
  dragon.	
  
-­‐00:04:47	
  	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  the	
  eyes	
  of	
  the	
  dragon.	
  

-­‐00:04:48	
  	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  the	
  dragon	
  (jumping	
  off	
  the	
  screen).	
  
-­‐00:05:39	
  the	
  opening	
  of	
  the	
  catapult-­‐box.	
  
-­‐00:05:22	
  	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  Hiccup	
  through	
  the	
  crowd	
  is	
  on	
  sync	
  the	
  music.	
  This	
  
fact	
  is	
  enhanced	
  with	
  the	
  cymbal.	
  Another	
  interpretation	
  for	
  this	
  would	
  be	
  that	
  
the	
   instrument	
   is	
   used	
   to	
   cover	
   a	
   tempo	
   change	
   of	
   an	
   edit	
   at	
   that	
   point	
   (even	
  
when	
  none	
  of	
  them	
  are	
  really	
  noticeable),	
  or	
  maybe	
  it	
  is	
  just	
  used	
  to	
  emphasize	
  
the	
  change	
  of	
  musical	
  material	
  (introducing	
  the	
  FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
  theme).	
  
	
  
The	
  list	
  of	
  themes	
  utilized	
  in	
  this	
  cue	
  is	
  the	
  following:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
Evil	
  Dragons	
  
00:04:12	
   The	
   theme	
   starts	
   sounding	
   after	
   a	
   brief	
  
introduction	
   by	
   the	
   low	
   brass	
   and	
   percussion.	
   It	
  
is	
   characterized	
   by	
   having	
   the	
   melody	
   in	
   the	
  
brass	
   and	
   being	
   constantly	
   accelerating.	
   All	
   this	
  
is	
   done	
   over	
   an	
   almost	
   unalterable	
   continuous,	
  
characterized	
  by	
  the	
  use	
  of	
  brass	
  and	
  percussion,	
  
specially	
  the	
  Anvils.	
  
Evil	
  Dragons	
  
00:04:40	
   This	
   is	
   pretty	
   much	
   a	
   repetition	
   of	
   the	
   previous	
  
section	
   of	
   the	
   cue,	
   with	
   some	
   variations:	
   on	
   this	
  
occasion,	
   the	
   melody	
   sounds	
   slightly	
   lighter	
   and	
  
appears	
   accompanied	
   by	
   some	
   basic	
  
counterpoint	
  in	
  the	
  strings.	
  
Fighting	
  Dragons	
   00:05:07	
   The	
  theme,	
  which	
  has	
  an	
  inherent	
  heroic	
  feeling,	
  
starts	
   sounding	
   just	
   after	
   Hiccup	
   mentions	
   that	
  
he	
   will	
   be	
   the	
   first	
   person	
   to	
   hunt	
   a	
   Night	
   Fury.	
  
This	
  makes	
  us	
  believe	
  that	
  the	
  music	
  at	
  this	
  point	
  
stops	
  describing	
  what	
  is	
  happening	
  in	
  the	
  village	
  
and	
  focuses	
  on	
  what	
  happens	
  inside	
  the	
  mind	
  of	
  
Hiccup,	
   thus	
   the	
   heroic	
   mood	
   despite	
   the	
   fact	
  
that	
   the	
   whole	
   village	
   is	
   being	
   destroyed	
   by	
   the	
  
attack	
  of	
  the	
  dragons.	
  
Instrumentation-­‐wise,	
   probably	
   the	
   most	
  
noticeable	
   aspects	
   are	
   the	
   fact	
   that	
   the	
   Anvils	
  
stop	
   sounding	
   and	
   the	
   cease	
   of	
   the	
   use	
   of	
  
counterpoint	
  in	
  the	
  melody.	
  
Evil	
  Dragons	
  
00:05:22	
   At	
   this	
   point,	
   the	
   music	
   is	
   still	
   focusing	
   on	
  
Hiccup’s	
   mood	
   but,	
   at	
   the	
   same	
   time,	
   starts	
  
describing	
   once	
   more	
   what	
   is	
   going	
   on	
   in	
   the	
  
village.	
   That’s	
   why,	
   despite	
   using	
   the	
   EVIL	
  
DRAGONS	
   theme,	
   it	
   sounds	
   triumphal,	
   instead	
   of	
  
menacing.	
   This	
   done	
   by	
   changing	
   the	
   harmony	
  
and	
  putting	
  the	
  melody	
  in	
  a	
  higher	
  register	
  than	
  
previously.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  3:	
  Did	
  Anybody	
  See	
  That?	
  	
  

00:06:07	
  –	
  00:07:06	
  
	
  
This	
   cue	
   works	
   as	
   a	
   closure	
   of	
   the	
   whole	
   introduction	
   and	
   dragons’-­‐attack	
  
episode.	
   	
   It	
   keeps	
   the	
   tension	
   going	
   until	
   the	
   end	
   and	
   finishes	
   quite	
   abruptly	
  
when	
  the	
  torch	
  falls	
  at	
  00:06:57.	
  
Musically-­‐wise,	
  probably	
  the	
  most	
  remarkable	
  thing	
  is	
  the	
  fact	
  that,	
  for	
  the	
  first	
  
time	
   in	
   the	
   whole	
   soundtrack,	
   we	
   can	
   clearly	
   hear	
   electronic	
   sounds	
   (at	
   the	
   very	
  
beginning	
   of	
   the	
   cue,	
   mixed	
   with	
   acoustic	
   instruments).	
   Apart	
   from	
   that	
  
peculiarity,	
   the	
   instrumentation	
   of	
   the	
   Cue	
   is	
   not	
   far	
   from	
   the	
   used	
   in	
   the	
  
previous	
  2	
  Cues.	
  
	
  
This	
  cue	
  has	
  several	
  sync	
  points,	
  despite	
  some	
  of	
  them	
  being	
  hard	
  to	
  notice:	
  
	
  
-­‐00:06:07	
   the	
   harp	
   creates	
   a	
   soft	
   sync	
   point	
   with	
   the	
   movement	
   of	
   the	
   eyes	
   of	
  
Hiccup	
  while,	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  time,	
  makes	
  the	
  camera	
  cut	
  feel	
  less	
  abrupt.	
  
-­‐00:06:30	
   the	
   Bass	
   Drum	
   is	
   synced	
   with	
   the	
   movement	
   of	
   Hiccup,	
   when	
   he	
   hides	
  
behind	
  the	
  torch.	
  
-­‐00:06:33	
   the	
   movement	
   of	
   Hiccup’s	
   head	
   is	
   in	
   sync	
   with	
   the	
   music	
   and	
  
emphasized	
  with	
  the	
  cymbals.	
  
-­‐00:06:39	
   there	
   is	
   a	
   strong	
   sync	
   point	
   when	
   Stoick’s	
   feet	
   land	
   on	
   the	
   earth	
   and	
  
the	
  theme	
  DRAGONS!	
  start	
  sounding.	
  This	
  is	
  further	
  accented	
  by	
  the	
  cymbal	
  that	
  
can	
  be	
  heard	
  at	
  this	
  same	
  point.	
  
-­‐00:06:56	
  the	
  percussion	
  at	
  the	
  end	
  follows	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  the	
  falling	
  torch.	
  
	
  
	
  
This	
  cue	
  utilizes	
  several	
  themes,	
  even	
  when	
  all	
  of	
  them	
  appear	
  slightly	
  of	
  heavily	
  
modified.	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
HICCUP	
  
00:06:11	
   This	
  theme	
  appears	
  briefly	
  (around	
  4	
  seconds)	
  
at	
   the	
   beginning	
   of	
   the	
   cue.	
   It	
   sounds	
   as	
   a	
  
fanfare,	
   with	
   the	
   melody	
   in	
   the	
   trumpets,	
   the	
  
snare	
  drum	
  and	
  all	
  of	
  that	
  layered	
  over	
  runs	
  in	
  
the	
  accompanying	
  piccolo	
  flute.	
  At	
  this	
  point	
  ,	
  
this	
   theme	
   is	
   used	
   to	
   emphasize	
   the	
   triumph	
  
and	
   happiness	
   of	
   Hiccup,	
   after	
   successfully	
  
downing	
   the	
   Night	
   Fury	
   (even	
   when	
   this	
  
happy	
   moment	
   is	
   soon	
   interrupted	
   by	
   the	
  
appearance	
  of	
  the	
  Monstrous	
  Nightmare).	
  
WARRIORS	
  
00:06:20	
   Despite	
   the	
   shouts	
   from	
   Hiccup	
   and	
   all	
   the	
  
sound	
   effects	
   that	
   are	
   being	
   used,	
   if	
   we	
   listen	
  
carefully	
   we	
   notice	
   that	
   the	
   theme	
  
WARRIORS,	
   with	
   its	
   characteristic	
   low	
   brass	
  
and	
   choir,	
   is	
   sounding	
   underneath	
   the	
   whole	
  
action	
   that	
   is	
   happening.	
   This	
   might	
   be	
  
considered	
   as	
   some	
   sort	
   of	
   joke,	
   since	
   Hiccup	
  
is	
   running	
   for	
   his	
   life,	
   instead	
   of	
   fighting	
   the	
  
dragon.	
  
STOICK	
  THE	
  VAST	
   00:06:33	
   This	
   theme	
   is	
   briefly	
   presented	
   (quite	
  

DRAGONS!	
  

00:06:39	
  

modified)	
   seconds	
   before	
   the	
   appearance	
   of	
  
Stoick	
   to	
   face	
   the	
   dragon.	
   At	
   this	
   point,	
   the	
  
music	
   is	
   anticipating	
   what	
   is	
   going	
   to	
   happen	
  
in	
  the	
  picture	
  but	
  is	
  not	
  really	
  a	
  great	
  spoiler,	
  
since	
   the	
   theme	
   is	
   modified	
   to	
   make	
   it	
   sound	
  
menacing,	
   which	
   could	
   perfectly	
   fool	
   the	
  
audience,	
  making	
  them	
  think	
  that	
  the	
  music	
  is	
  
representing	
   the	
   intentions	
   on	
   the	
   Monstrous	
  
Nightmare,	
   instead	
   of	
   the	
   movement	
   off-­‐
screen	
  of	
  Stoick	
  to	
  defend	
  his	
  son.	
  
Despite	
   the	
   fact	
   that	
   the	
   theme	
   DRAGONS!	
   is	
  
the	
   one	
   that	
   is	
   being	
   played	
   at	
   this	
   point,	
   the	
  
orchestration	
   utilized	
   is	
   closer	
   to	
   the	
   one	
  
originally	
   used	
   in	
   WARRIORS.	
   This	
   might	
   be	
  
considered	
   as	
   some	
   sort	
   of	
   fusion	
   between	
  
both	
  themes.	
  Another	
  remarkable	
  aspect	
  is	
  the	
  
fact	
   that	
   the	
   theme	
   is	
   played	
   slightly	
   faster	
  
than	
  on	
  its	
  previous	
  appearances.	
  

	
  
	
  
Cue	
  4:	
  War	
  Room	
  	
  
00:08:55	
  –	
  00:09:31	
  
	
  
The	
   whole	
   cue	
   is	
   basically	
   a	
   modified	
   (softer	
   and	
   slowed	
   down)	
   version	
   of	
   the	
  
theme	
   WARRIORS.	
   	
   That	
   said,	
   the	
   cue	
   works	
   mainly	
   as	
   a	
   background	
   sound,	
  
setting	
  an	
  after-­‐the-­‐battle	
  mood,	
  but	
  without	
  any	
  major	
  role.	
  Even	
  so,	
  there	
  are	
  
some	
  elements	
  that	
  are	
  synced:	
  
	
  
-­‐00:09:00	
  the	
  change	
  of	
  the	
  music	
  from	
  a	
  minor,	
  almost	
  nostalgic,	
  horn	
  line	
  to	
  a	
  
happier	
   woodwind	
   melody	
   is	
   following	
   the	
   movement	
   of	
   Hiccus	
   through	
   the	
  
house	
  and	
  his	
  immediate	
  escapade.	
  
-­‐00:09:04	
  the	
  percussion	
  enhances	
  the	
  cut	
  of	
  the	
  camera	
  while	
  helping	
  to	
  cover	
  
the	
  change	
  of	
  mood	
  of	
  the	
  music.	
  	
  
-­‐00:09:31	
   the	
   tension	
   that	
   has	
   been	
   created	
   by	
   the	
   underscore	
   below	
   the	
   speech	
  
of	
  Stoick,	
  drives	
  to	
  the	
  point	
  in	
  which	
  all	
  the	
  Vikings	
  rise	
  their	
  hands.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  5:	
  The	
  Downed	
  Dragon	
  (in	
  the	
  movie,	
  the	
  cue	
  starts	
  around	
  its	
  50th	
  second)	
  
00:10:48	
  –	
  00:14:09	
  
	
  
This	
  cue	
  appears	
  as	
  “The	
  Downed	
  Dragon”	
  in	
  the	
  soundtrack	
  and	
  as	
  “Out	
  there”	
  
in	
   the	
   expanded	
   score	
   Album,	
   but,	
   in	
   both	
   cases,	
   there	
   is	
   around	
   50	
   seconds	
   at	
  
the	
  beginning	
  that	
  are	
  missing	
  in	
  the	
  movie.3	
  	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
3	
  This	
  makes	
  us	
  think	
  that	
  we	
  are	
  facing	
  a	
  last-­‐minute	
  change,	
  where	
  the	
  
producer	
  or	
  the	
  director	
  decided	
  that	
  the	
  fragment	
  of	
  the	
  movie	
  from	
  00:09:31	
  
to	
  00:10:48	
  didn’t	
  need	
  music.	
  
	
  

The	
  cue	
  is	
  full	
  of	
  elements	
  that	
  could	
  be	
  considered	
  as	
  almost	
  a	
  tribute	
  to	
  Hans	
  
Zimmer	
  and	
  the	
  time	
  that	
  John	
  Powell	
  spent	
  working	
  with	
  him.	
  The	
  low	
  brass	
  +	
  
percussion	
  +	
  electronics	
  (00:11:36),	
  the	
  string	
  ostinato	
  (00:12:43)	
  and	
  the	
  use	
  of	
  
an	
   electric	
   guitar	
   mixed	
   with	
   orchestral	
   instruments	
   (00:13:54)	
   are	
   some	
  
techniques	
  often	
  associated	
  with	
  Zimmer’s	
  style.	
  
In	
  any	
  case,	
  this	
  cue	
  (especially	
  it’s	
  ending)	
  has	
  a	
  very	
  distinctive	
  tone	
  that	
  makes	
  
it	
  stand	
  out	
  over	
  the	
  rest	
  of	
  the	
  soundtrack.4	
  
	
  
Sync	
  Points:	
  
-­‐00:11:36	
  when	
  the	
  trail	
  of	
  the	
  downed	
  Nigh	
  Fury	
  appears	
  on	
  camera.	
  
-­‐00:11:51	
   the	
   music	
   emphasizes	
   the	
   moment	
   when	
   Hiccup	
   hides	
   after	
   seeing	
   the	
  
dragon	
  instead	
  of	
  remarking	
  the	
  moment	
  in	
  which	
  he	
  actually	
  see	
  it.	
  This	
  might	
  
have	
  been	
  done	
  to	
  not	
  to	
  anticipate	
  Hiccup’s	
  reaction	
  to	
  the	
  audience.	
  
-­‐00:11:55	
  the	
  music	
  follows	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  Hiccups	
  head,	
  making	
  it	
  a	
  soft	
  sync.	
  
-­‐00:11:58	
  the	
  bass	
  pad/drone	
  appears	
  following	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  the	
  camera,	
  as	
  
soon	
  as	
  the	
  dragon	
  is	
  visible.	
  Once	
  again,	
  this	
  could	
  be	
  considered	
  as	
  some	
  sort	
  of	
  
soft	
  sync.	
  
-­‐00:12:08	
   the	
   bass	
   drum	
   and	
   the	
   harp	
   are	
   synced	
   with	
   the	
   moment	
   in	
   which	
  
Hiccup	
  lands.	
  The	
  descending	
  arpeggio	
  in	
  the	
  harp	
  might	
  be	
  understood	
  as	
  a	
  way	
  
to	
  emphasize	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  Hiccup.	
  
-­‐00:12:14	
  the	
  sync	
  here	
  appears	
  when	
  the	
  whole	
  dragon	
  is	
  on	
  camera,	
  the	
  rock	
  
(lower	
   right	
   corner)	
   disappears	
   and	
   the	
   camera	
   movement	
   starts	
   lowering	
  
down.	
  
-­‐00:12:24	
  this	
  sync	
  point	
  is,	
  at	
  least,	
  strange.	
  The	
  most	
  logic	
  point	
  to	
  put	
  it	
  would	
  
have	
   been	
   at	
   00:12:23	
   (when	
   the	
   dragon	
   moves	
   its	
   paw),	
   and,	
   since	
   the	
   music	
  
“stinger”	
   is	
   predominantly	
   high-­‐pitched,	
   it	
   shouldn’t	
   clash	
   with	
   the	
   low-­‐
frequency	
  sound	
  effects	
  that	
  are	
  being	
  used	
  at	
  that	
  point.	
  Even	
  so,	
  the	
  composer	
  
decided	
  to	
  emphasize	
  the	
  moment	
  in	
  which	
  Hiccup	
  hit	
  the	
  rock	
  instead.5	
  
-­‐00:12:36	
   the	
   cymbal	
   follows	
   the	
   movement	
   of	
   the	
   camera	
   and	
   enhances	
   the	
  
vision	
  of	
  the	
  open	
  eye	
  of	
  the	
  dragon.	
  
-­‐00:13:10	
  the	
  cut	
  and	
  the	
  presentation	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  TOOTHLESS	
  are	
  synced.	
  
-­‐00:13:45	
   the	
   movement	
   of	
   the	
   dragon’s	
   pupil,	
   highlighted	
   by	
   the	
   Bartok	
  
pizzicatti	
  in	
  the	
  strings,	
  restarts	
  the	
  flow	
  of	
  the	
  music	
  which	
  had	
  briefly	
  stopped	
  
at	
  00:13:44.	
  
-­‐00:13:51	
   the	
   jump	
   of	
   the	
   Night	
   Fury	
   is	
   emphasized	
   by	
   the	
   fast	
   run	
   in	
   the	
  
woodwinds,	
   leaving	
   room	
   for	
   the	
   sound	
   effects	
   to	
   enhance	
   the	
   collision	
   of	
  
Hiccup’s	
  head	
  against	
  the	
  rock	
  at	
  00:13:52.6	
  
-­‐00:13:54	
   the	
   cut	
   of	
   the	
   camera	
   and	
   the	
   beginning	
   of	
   the	
   theme	
   TOOTHLESS	
   are	
  
synced,	
  once	
  more.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
4	
  Even	
  if	
  not	
  as	
  the	
  “best”	
  cue,	
  yes	
  as	
  one	
  of	
  the	
  most	
  unique.	
  
5	
  It	
  Works	
  perfectly	
  fine,	
  but,	
  from	
  an	
  analytic	
  point	
  of	
  view,	
  it	
  doesn’t	
  make	
  too	
  
much	
  sense.	
  
6	
  This	
  is	
  a	
  procedure	
  that	
  we	
  can	
  find	
  many	
  times	
  throughout	
  the	
  whole	
  
soundtrack.	
  

The	
  list	
  of	
  themes	
  used	
  in	
  this	
  cue	
  is	
  the	
  following:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
HICCUP	
  
00:10:48	
   The	
   melody	
   in	
   the	
   bassoon	
   and	
   the	
  
sustained	
   noted	
   in	
   the	
   strings	
   give	
   to	
   this	
  
slowed-­‐down	
  version	
  of	
  HICCUP’s	
  theme	
  a	
  
warm	
   and	
   affective	
   color,	
   helping	
   the	
  
audience	
   to	
   understand	
   that	
   Stoick	
   is	
   not	
  
just	
   a	
   fearsome	
   warrior,	
   but	
   also	
   a	
   father	
  
that	
  worries	
  about	
  his	
  son.	
  
DISCOVERY	
  
00:11:03	
   This	
   theme	
   appears	
   in	
   the	
   woodwinds	
   and	
  
strings,	
  
with	
  
some	
  
light	
  
string	
  
accompaniment	
   in	
   the	
   form	
   of	
   sustain	
   and	
  
pizzicatti	
  notes,	
  which	
  confers	
  to	
  it	
  a	
  casual	
  
and	
  easygoing	
  mood.	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
00:13:01	
   Even	
  when	
  the	
  panting	
  and	
  growling	
  of	
  the	
  
dragon	
   cover	
   the	
   entry	
   point	
   of	
   the	
   theme,	
  
we	
  can	
  still	
  perceive	
  it.	
  The	
  said,	
  the	
  fact	
  is	
  
that,	
   at	
   this	
   point,	
   the	
   theme	
   is	
   used	
   as	
   a	
  
bridge	
  y	
  the	
  strings,	
  more	
  than	
  as	
  an	
  actual	
  
theme.	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
00:13:10	
   This	
   is	
   the	
   first	
   “real”	
   appearance	
   of	
   this	
  
theme,	
   dramatically	
   played	
   in	
   the	
   strings	
  
over	
   a	
   timpani	
   roll.	
   At	
   the	
   same	
   time,	
   the	
  
tempo	
   accelerates,	
   which	
   increases	
   the	
  
tension	
  even	
  more.	
  
BERK	
  
00:13:27	
   The	
  theme	
  is	
  utilized	
  slowed	
  down	
  a	
  lot	
  and	
  
“minorized”,	
   conferring	
   an	
   almost	
   funeral	
  
mood	
  to	
  it	
  (as	
  if	
  all	
  Hiccup’s	
  dreams	
  of	
  glory	
  
died	
  at	
  that	
  point)	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
00:13:54	
   As	
   a	
   contradistinction	
   	
   to	
   the	
   previous	
  
times,	
   this	
   time	
   around	
   the	
   theme	
   has	
  
menacing	
   mood	
   emphasized	
   by	
   the	
   use	
   of	
  
an	
   electric	
   guitar	
   combined	
   with	
   a	
   fiddle,	
  
both	
  of	
  them	
  layered	
  over	
  the	
  orchestra.	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  6:	
  Bread-­‐making	
  Vikings	
  
00:14:34	
  –	
  00:14:52	
  
	
  
This	
   is	
   an	
   extremely	
   short	
   cue	
   based	
   entirely	
   on	
   the	
   materials	
   from	
   the	
   theme	
  
EVIL	
   DRAGONS.	
   Consists	
   on	
   a	
   single	
   musical	
   phrase	
   (the	
   beginning	
   of	
   the	
  
theme)	
  orchestrated	
  mainly	
  with	
  strings	
  and	
  horns,	
  with	
  some	
  sustained	
  noted	
  
in	
   the	
   low	
   woodwinds	
   and	
   brass,	
   which	
   gives	
   to	
   it	
   a	
   mood	
   that	
   could	
   be	
  
associated	
  as	
  a	
  “memory	
  of	
  the	
  recent	
  battle”.7	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
7	
  Or	
  at	
  least	
  that	
  is	
  one	
  possible	
  interpretation	
  after	
  seeing	
  the	
  music	
  in	
  it’s	
  
context.	
  In	
  any	
  case,	
  the	
  music	
  is	
  most	
  likely	
  there	
  to	
  fill	
  an	
  empty	
  space,	
  despite	
  
all	
  the	
  possible	
  interpretations	
  that	
  could	
  be	
  made	
  about	
  it.	
  

	
  
	
  
Cue	
  7:	
  Dragon	
  Training	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
00:16:12	
   –	
   00:19:09	
   	
   (the	
   music	
   stops	
   briefly	
   between	
   00:18:49	
   and	
   00:18:57,	
  
but	
  in	
  the	
  soundtrack	
  everything	
  is	
  listed	
  as	
  a	
  single	
  cue,	
  and	
  so	
  he	
  have	
  done	
  the	
  
same	
  in	
  this	
  analysis).	
  
	
  
The	
  cue	
  is	
  divided	
  in	
  5	
  sections,	
  each	
  one	
  representing	
  a	
  different	
  moment	
  of	
  the	
  
training:	
  
Entering	
   to	
   the	
   Arena:	
   00:16:12	
   -­‐	
   00:16:41	
   this	
   section	
   is	
   characterized	
   by	
   the	
  
slow	
   pulse	
   of	
   the	
   music	
   and	
   glorious	
   and	
   Celtic	
   flavor	
   obtained	
   by	
   using	
   choir	
  
and	
  bagpipes.	
  
Hiccup’s	
   unhappiness:	
   00:16:41	
   -­‐	
   00:17:08	
   this	
   section	
   works	
   as	
   background	
  
music	
   or	
   as	
   a	
   transition.	
   The	
   instruments	
   used	
   are	
   mainly	
   a	
   combination	
   of	
  
strings	
  and	
  horns.	
  
Preparing	
   to	
   the	
   Battle:	
   00:17:08	
   –	
   00:17:36	
   this	
   section	
   is	
   a	
   basically	
   a	
  
continuous	
   increment	
   of	
   tension	
   obtained	
   by	
   the	
   repetition	
   of	
   an	
   ostinato	
   and	
  
the	
  transposition	
  of	
  it	
  (from	
  low	
  to	
  high	
  strings).	
  
Surviving!:	
  00:17:36	
  –	
  00:18:49	
  this	
  section	
  is	
  orchestrated	
  in	
  such	
  a	
  way	
  that	
  it	
  
reminds	
  the	
  music	
  used	
  in	
  adventure	
  movies.8	
  
End	
  of	
  the	
  Lesson:	
  00:18:57	
   –	
  00:19:09	
  this	
  section	
  is	
  mainly	
  compound	
  of	
  a	
  low	
  
sustained	
  note	
  and	
  serves	
  to	
  close	
  this	
  “episode”	
  of	
  the	
  movie.	
  
	
  
	
  
-­‐00:16:12	
   the	
   beginning	
   of	
   the	
   cue	
   is	
   synced	
   with	
   the	
   movement	
   of	
   the	
   Arena	
  
door.	
  
-­‐00:16:30	
  the	
  aerial	
  view	
  of	
  the	
  full	
  Arena	
  is	
  emphasized	
  with	
  the	
  cymbals	
  and	
  
the	
  crescendo	
  in	
  that	
  starts	
  at	
  around	
  00:16:17.	
  The	
  choir	
  enhances	
  the	
  idea	
  of	
  
“glory”	
  that	
  represents	
  fighting	
  in	
  the	
  Arena	
  for	
  the	
  young	
  Vikings.	
  
-­‐00:17:40	
  the	
  dragon	
  hitting	
  the	
  wall	
  is	
  in	
  time	
  with	
  the	
  music.	
  
-­‐00:17:47	
  the	
  music	
  is	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  cut.	
  There	
  is	
  also	
  a	
  change	
  in	
  the	
  music	
  at	
  
this	
  point.	
  
-­‐00:18:12	
  the	
  change	
  in	
  the	
  music	
  is	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  cut.	
  
-­‐00:18:45	
   at	
   this	
   point	
   (where	
   Hiccup	
   is	
   trapped	
   between	
   the	
   dragon	
   and	
   the	
  
rock	
  wall)	
  we	
  can	
  listen	
  a	
  tremolo	
  in	
  the	
  brass.	
  This	
  might	
  be	
  there	
  to	
  represent	
  
Hiccup’s	
  fear.	
  
	
  
About	
  the	
  thematic	
  materials	
  that	
  can	
  be	
  found	
  in	
  this	
  cue:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
   00:16:12	
   The	
  tempo	
  is	
  slowed	
  down	
  in	
  comparison	
  with	
  
previous	
   appearances	
   of	
   the	
   theme.	
   The	
  
orchestration	
   is	
   also	
   quite	
   different,	
   using	
  
mainly	
   horns	
   and	
   choir	
   for	
   the	
   melody	
   and	
  
adding	
  a	
  bagpipe	
  pedal	
  and	
  whistles	
  a	
  little	
  bit	
  
later.	
  All	
  these	
  elements	
  confer	
  a	
  epic	
  (almost	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
8	
  More	
  specifically	
  like	
  those	
  moments	
  in	
  which	
  the	
  Hero	
  is	
  successfully	
  escaping	
  
from	
  a	
  trap.	
  

glorious)	
  yet	
  Celtic	
  flavor	
  to	
  it.	
  
FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
   00:17:47	
   After	
   the	
   cymbal	
   roll,	
   the	
   music	
   starts	
   utilizing	
  
elements	
  from	
  the	
  theme,	
  but	
  the	
  theme	
  itself	
  
doesn’t	
   appear	
   clearly	
   until	
   00:18:07	
   in	
   the	
  
trumpet.	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  
00:17:57	
   Here	
   happens	
   something	
   similar	
   to	
   what	
  
happened	
   in	
   the	
   previous	
   case:	
   the	
   musical	
  
material	
   is	
   based	
   in	
   elements	
   from	
   EVIL	
  
DRAGONS,	
  but	
  the	
  whole	
  theme	
  itself	
  doesn’t	
  
appear.	
  Compared	
  with	
  the	
  first	
  time	
  in	
  which	
  
this	
  theme	
  was	
  presented	
  (in	
  the	
  2nd	
  Cue),	
  this	
  
time	
   it	
   sounds	
   more	
   “casual”	
   and,	
   definitely,	
  
less	
  wicked.	
  
The	
   rest	
   of	
   the	
   Cue	
   (until	
   00:18:49)	
   is	
   a	
   mix	
   of	
  
elements	
  from	
  FIGHTING	
   DRAGONS	
  and	
  EVIL	
  
DRAGONS.	
  	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  
00:18:28	
   At	
   this	
   point	
   the	
   theme	
   recovers	
   its	
   original	
  
“evil”	
   sound	
   but	
   the	
   tempo	
   and	
   orchestration	
  
remains	
  similar	
  to	
  the	
  one	
  that	
  have	
  been	
  used	
  
until	
  this	
  point.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  8:	
  Wounded	
  	
  	
  (Based	
  almost	
  entirely	
  on	
  a	
  “faery”	
  version	
  of	
  “Berk”)	
  
(00:19:51	
  –	
  00:21:10)	
  
	
  
The	
  most	
  interesting	
  aspect	
  of	
  this	
  cue	
  is	
  the	
  instrumentation	
  and	
  how	
  it	
  changes	
  
when	
  we	
  compare	
  it	
  with	
  previous	
  appearances	
  of	
  the	
  materials	
  that	
  are	
  being	
  
used	
  in	
  the	
  Cue.	
  
The	
   female	
   voices	
   and	
   choice	
   of	
   harmonies,	
   combined	
   with	
   the	
   long	
   notes	
   in	
  
strings	
   and	
   horns	
   and	
   the	
   little	
   “sparkles”	
   in	
   the	
   woodwinds	
   and	
   percussion,	
  
confer	
  to	
  this	
  cue	
  an	
  ancient/exotic,	
  almost	
  magical,	
  taste.	
  
Also,	
  the	
  staticity	
  of	
  the	
  music	
  enhances	
  the	
  idea	
  of	
  a	
  pause	
  in	
  the	
  course	
  of	
  time,	
  
as	
  is	
  everything	
  else	
  had	
  stopped	
  and	
  we	
  were	
  looking	
  at	
  a	
  frozen	
  scene.	
  
	
  
This	
  cue	
  has	
  several	
  sync	
  points,	
  although	
  some	
  of	
  them	
  are	
  quite	
  subtle:	
  
-­‐00:19:51	
  As	
  it	
  happened	
  several	
  times	
  before,	
  the	
  music	
  is	
  nor	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  
strongest	
  point	
  (the	
  dragon),	
  but	
  with	
  a	
  softer	
  one	
  (Hiccup’s	
  fall),	
  avoid	
  a	
  clash	
  
between	
  music	
  and	
  SFX.	
  
-­‐00:20:11	
  we	
  can	
  feel	
  a	
  soft	
  sync	
  point	
  but	
  it	
  is	
  hard	
  to	
  tell	
  if	
  the	
  music	
  is	
  pointing	
  
out	
  the	
  fall	
  of	
  the	
  dragon	
  or	
  the	
  rise	
  of	
  Hiccup’s	
  head.	
  
-­‐00:20:33	
   when	
   Hiccup	
   removes	
   his	
   hand	
   from	
   the	
   notebook	
   and	
   we	
   can	
   see	
   the	
  
sketch	
  of	
  the	
  dragon	
  without	
  half	
  of	
  it’s	
  tail.	
  
-­‐00:02:53	
   the	
   modulation	
   in	
   the	
   music	
   when	
   both,	
   the	
   dragon	
   and	
   Hiccup,	
  
become	
   aware	
   of	
   the	
   presence	
   of	
   the	
   other	
   one.	
   This	
   modulation	
   appears	
  
together	
   with	
   a	
   change	
   in	
   the	
   instrumentation	
   which	
   serves	
   to	
   take	
   the	
   audience	
  
away	
   from	
   the	
   “dreamy”	
   atmosphere	
   that	
   was	
   established	
   by	
   the	
   first	
   part	
   of	
   the	
  
cue.	
  
	
  

	
  
	
  
This	
  is	
  the	
  list	
  of	
  themes	
  used	
  in	
  this	
  cue.	
  
	
  
Theme	
   Time	
  
Description	
  
BERK	
  
00:20:03	
   We	
   can	
   listen	
   to	
   it	
   in	
   the	
   choir.	
   This	
   choice	
   of	
  
instrumentation	
  makes	
  it	
  sound	
  exotic	
  and	
  magical.	
  
BERK	
  
00:20:53	
   The	
   thematic	
   materials	
   used	
   are	
   the	
   same,	
   but	
  
reorchestrated	
   and	
   in	
   a	
   lower	
   tonality,	
   making	
   it	
   sound	
  
more	
   serious	
   and	
   solemn,	
   in	
   comparison	
   with	
   the	
   “faery”	
  
taste	
  of	
  the	
  rest	
  of	
  the	
  cue.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  9:	
  The	
  Dragon	
  Book	
  	
  	
  	
  
(00:22:18	
  –	
  00:24:29)	
  
	
  
This	
   cue	
   feels	
   as	
   a	
   direct	
   continuation	
   to	
   the	
   previous	
   one,	
   musically-­‐wise	
  
speaking,	
   since	
   it	
   starts	
   with	
   the	
   same	
   thematic	
   materials	
   and	
   with	
   a	
   (somehow)	
  
slightly	
  similar	
  orchestration.9	
  One	
  of	
  the	
  main	
  differences	
  while	
  comparing	
  with	
  
the	
   previous	
   cue	
   is	
   that	
   this	
   time	
   around	
   the	
   music	
   is	
   constantly	
   evolving	
   and	
  
increasing	
  it’s	
  tension,	
  while	
  in	
  the	
  previous	
  cue	
  the	
  music	
  was	
  more	
  static.	
  
	
  
This	
  cue	
  has	
  one	
  main	
  sync	
  point	
  at	
  00:23:22,	
  with	
  the	
  appearance	
  of	
  the	
  Night	
  
Fury	
  in	
  the	
  Dragon	
  Book:	
  
-­‐00:22:57	
   after	
   the	
   thunder,	
   the	
   musical	
   materials	
   change	
   from	
   BERK	
   to	
   EVIL	
  
DRAGONS.	
  
-­‐00:23:22	
  we	
  can	
  listen	
  to	
  a	
  wicked	
  version	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  TOOTHLESS.	
  
-­‐00:23:42	
   there	
   is	
   a	
   soft	
   sync	
   between	
   the	
   music	
   and	
   the	
   moment	
   in	
   which	
  
Hiccup	
  drops	
  his	
  notebook,	
  although	
  this	
  could	
  be	
  understood	
  as	
  a	
  preparation	
  
for	
  the	
  cut	
  and	
  the	
  ships’	
  scene.	
  
-­‐00:24:08	
   the	
   music	
   changes	
   from	
   the	
   more	
   “introspective”	
   and	
   “landscapy”	
  
feeling	
  to	
  an	
  almost	
  military-­‐march	
  sounding	
  music.	
  
-­‐00:24:28	
  here	
  we	
  found	
  one	
  case	
  in	
  which	
  the	
  music	
  and	
  the	
  sound	
  effects	
  are	
  
hitting	
  the	
  same	
  point	
  simultaneously.10	
  
	
  
	
  
The	
  list	
  of	
  themes	
  that	
  we	
  can	
  find	
  in	
  this	
  cue	
  is	
  the	
  following:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
BERK	
  
00:22:18	
   The	
   choice	
   of	
   instrumentation	
   in	
   this	
   case	
  
(harmonics	
  in	
  the	
  violins	
  and	
  voices	
  for	
  the	
  melody	
  
and	
   electronics	
   +	
   orchestra	
   as	
   accompaniment)	
  
make	
   this	
   cue	
   sound	
   mysterious	
   and	
   menacing,	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
9	
  Understanding	
  by	
  that,	
  that	
  the	
  music	
  is	
  orchestrated	
  as	
  a	
  thin	
  and	
  mysterious	
  
melody	
  over	
  a	
  mattress	
  of	
  sustain	
  notes.	
  
10	
  As	
  we	
  have	
  previously	
  seen,	
  in	
  many	
  occasions	
  the	
  composer	
  decides	
  to	
  avoid	
  
a	
  clash	
  between	
  sound	
  effects	
  and	
  music.	
  

while	
  sounding	
  fascinating	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  time.	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
   00:22:57	
   The	
  theme	
  is	
  used	
  mainly	
  as	
  a	
  continuation	
  for	
  the	
  
cue,	
  as	
  it	
  keeps	
  increasing	
  the	
  tension.	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
00:23:22	
   This	
   time	
   around,	
   the	
   theme	
   is	
   orchestrated11 	
  to	
  
sound	
   wicked	
   and	
   menacing,	
   in	
   contrast	
   with	
   the	
  
voice	
   if	
   Hiccup,	
   who	
   cannot	
   believe	
   what	
   he	
   is	
  
reading	
  in	
  the	
  book.	
  
WARRIORS	
  
00:23:51	
   The	
   theme	
   sounds	
   as	
   a	
   sailors’	
   melody,	
   while	
  
sounding	
  sad,	
  nostalgic	
  and	
  Celtic	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  time.	
  
This	
   feeling	
   happens	
   because	
   of	
   the	
   main	
   melodic	
  
line	
  being	
  assigned	
  to	
  the	
  fiddle.	
  	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  10:	
  Focus,	
  Hiccup!	
  	
  	
  	
  00:24:40	
  –	
  00:26:35	
  
	
  
We	
  can	
  find	
  the	
  following	
  sync	
  points:	
  
-­‐00:24:40	
  the	
  beginning	
  of	
  the	
  Cue	
  is	
  not	
  exactly	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  picture	
  (once	
  
more,	
   the	
   beginning	
   of	
   the	
   music	
   is	
   slightly	
   late	
   to	
   leave	
   room	
   for	
   the	
   sound	
  
effects).	
  
-­‐00:25:02	
  at	
  the	
  point	
  in	
  which	
  they	
  find	
  the	
  “blind	
  spot”	
  of	
  the	
  dragon,	
  the	
  music	
  
suddenly	
  stops.	
  
-­‐00:25:12	
  the	
  music	
  keeps	
  going	
  with	
  the	
  dragonfire.	
  
-­‐00:25:17	
   at	
   the	
   point	
   in	
   which	
   Hiccup	
   asks	
   more	
   information	
   about	
   the	
   Night	
  
Fury,	
   the	
   music	
   follows	
   this	
   isolation	
   from	
   the	
   battle,	
   pointing	
   out	
   the	
   fact	
   that	
  
Hiccup	
  is	
  not	
  really	
  focused	
  (as	
  the	
  Cue	
  name	
  mentions).	
  
-­‐00:25:26	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  Hiccup	
  is	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  cymbal.	
  
-­‐00:25:30	
   the	
   music	
   changes	
   when	
   the	
   cut	
   shows	
   Astrid’s	
   face,	
   following	
   the	
  
psychology	
  of	
  this	
  character	
  instead	
  of	
  narrating	
  the	
  context	
  (something	
  similar	
  
to	
  what	
  happened	
  earlier,	
  at	
  00:25:17).	
  
-­‐00:25:35	
   the	
   music	
   changes	
   in	
   the	
   moment	
   in	
   which	
   the	
   dragon	
   notices	
   Hiccup,	
  
going	
  back	
  to	
  use	
  the	
  music	
  to	
  describe	
  the	
  environment.	
  
-­‐00:25:56	
  once	
  more,	
  at	
  this	
  point	
  the	
  music	
  stops	
  as	
  it	
  follows	
  Hiccup,	
  instead	
  of	
  
the	
  actual	
  battle	
  with	
  the	
  dragon.	
  
-­‐00:26:16	
  the	
  music	
  movement	
  stops	
  as	
  Astrid	
  hits	
  the	
  dragon.	
  
	
  
List	
  of	
  themes	
  used	
  in	
  this	
  cue	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  
00:24:40	
   This	
   is	
   the	
   first	
   point	
   in	
   the	
   movie	
   in	
  
+	
  
which	
   we	
   can	
   find	
   an	
   overlap	
   of	
   two	
  
TRAINING	
  WITH	
  DRAGONS	
  
different	
  
themes,	
  
even	
  
when	
  
TRAINING	
   WITH	
   DRAGONS	
   could	
   be	
  
considered	
   more	
   as	
   a	
   recurrent	
   motif	
  
than	
  as	
  an	
  actual	
  theme.	
  
The	
   combination	
   of	
   percussion	
   and	
  
short	
   notes	
   in	
   the	
   strings	
   recreate	
   an	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
11	
  This	
  is	
  the	
  first	
  time	
  in	
  the	
  movie	
  that	
  we	
  can	
  clearly	
  listen	
  to	
  the	
  harpsichord,	
  
which	
  appear	
  combined	
  with	
  harp,	
  brass,	
  stings	
  and	
  percussion.	
  

“action	
   context”,	
   while	
   the	
   melody	
   in	
  
the	
   brass	
   makes	
   the	
   overall	
   result	
  
sound	
  epic.	
  
TRAINING	
  WITH	
  DRAGONS	
   00:25:12	
   Here	
   the	
   theme	
   sound	
   lighter	
   as	
   the	
  
instrumentation	
   changes	
   and	
   the	
   music	
  
modulates	
  up.	
  
WARRIORS	
  
00:25:30	
   We	
   can	
   hear	
   a	
   light	
   and	
   faster	
   version	
  
of	
   the	
   theme	
   WARRIORS,	
   as	
   if	
   the	
  
music	
   was	
   sneaking	
   around	
   (following	
  
the	
  movement	
  of	
  the	
  characters).	
  
FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
  
00:25:47	
   We	
   can	
   briefly	
   listen	
   this	
   theme	
   in	
   the	
  
horns,	
   on	
   top	
   of	
   all	
   the	
   orchestral	
  
movement	
  that	
  is	
  taking	
  place.	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  11:	
  Offering	
  	
  
(00:26:36	
  –	
  00:27:21)	
  
	
  
The	
  beginning	
  of	
  this	
  Cue	
  is	
  overlapped	
  with	
  the	
  ending	
  of	
  the	
  previous	
  one.	
  The	
  
whole	
  Cue	
  is	
  done	
  as	
  an	
  “indefinite”	
  background,	
  as	
  the	
  audience	
  doesn’t	
  know	
  
exactly	
  what	
  is	
  going	
  to	
  happen.	
  
	
  
-­‐00:26:55	
  we	
  find	
  a	
  soft	
  sync	
  when	
  Hiccup	
  takes	
  the	
  fish.	
  
-­‐00:27:03	
  there	
  is	
  another	
  soft	
  hit,	
  as	
  the	
  Night	
  Fury	
  appears	
  in	
  the	
  screen.	
  
-­‐00:27:10	
  the	
  music	
  changes,	
  following	
  the	
  story	
  more	
  than	
  hitting	
  one	
  specific	
  
point.	
  Even	
  so	
  there	
  is	
  a	
  noticeable	
  change.	
  
	
  
The	
  themes	
  that	
  we	
  can	
  find	
  in	
  this	
  Cue	
  are	
  the	
  following:	
  
	
  
Theme	
   Time	
  
Description	
  
BERK	
  
00:26:36	
   The	
   theme	
   appears	
   very	
   distorted,	
   recreating	
   an	
   (almost)	
  
“scary-­‐moviesque”	
  context.	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  12:	
  	
  Forbidden	
  Friendship	
  	
  	
  	
  
(00:27:52	
  –	
  00:31:48)	
  
	
  
The	
  beginning	
  of	
  this	
  Cue	
  is	
  quite	
  peculiar	
  since	
  the	
  music	
  suggests	
  a	
  hard	
  Sync	
  
Point	
  (which	
  in	
  this	
  case	
  would	
  be	
  the	
  bite),	
  and	
  it	
  starts	
  instead	
  on	
  a	
  softer	
  Sync	
  
Point	
   (the	
   moment	
   when	
   Toothless	
   pulls	
   his	
   head	
   back).	
   This	
   was	
   done	
   to	
   let	
  
room	
  for	
  the	
  sound	
  effects	
  and	
  avoid	
  a	
  clash	
  between	
  these	
  and	
  the	
  music.	
  
	
  
This	
  cue	
  could	
  be	
  roughly	
  explained	
  as	
  a	
  huge	
  crescendo	
  (build	
  over	
  an	
  ostinato)	
  
from	
  the	
  bite	
  at	
  00:27:52	
  until	
  the	
  point	
  in	
  which	
  Hiccup	
  realizes	
  that	
  the	
  Dragon	
  
is	
  behind	
  him	
  (at	
  00:31:12).	
  From	
  there,	
  and	
  until	
  the	
  end	
  of	
  the	
  Cue,	
  the	
  music	
  
changes	
   drastically	
   to	
   a	
   more	
   “faery”	
   style,	
   which	
   serves	
   to	
   emphasize	
   the	
  
magical	
  moment	
  that	
  is	
  happening	
  in	
  the	
  picture	
  while,	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  time,	
  helps	
  
releasing	
  all	
  the	
  tension	
  accumulated	
  by	
  the	
  previously	
  mentioned	
  crescendo.	
  
	
  

The	
  sync	
  points	
  that	
  we	
  can	
  find	
  are	
  the	
  following:	
  
-­‐00:27:52	
   the	
   beginning	
   of	
   the	
   Cue.	
   It	
   has	
   some	
   peculiarities,	
   as	
   mentioned	
  
earlier.	
  
-­‐00:29:07	
   when	
   Hiccup	
   tries	
   to	
   touch	
   the	
   Dragon	
   and	
   the	
   music	
   changes	
   as	
   it	
  
does	
  the	
  dragon’s	
  mood.	
  
-­‐00:29:25	
  the	
  harp,	
  representing	
  the	
  idea	
  of	
  flying	
  (and	
  traditionally	
  associated	
  
with	
   thinking	
   and	
   memories	
   in	
   the	
   movies),	
   can	
   be	
   heard	
   as	
   the	
   dragon	
   watch	
  
the	
  bird	
  flying,	
  sounding	
  somehow	
  magical	
  and	
  bittersweet	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  time.	
  
-­‐00:31:12	
  the	
  music	
  changes	
  following	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  Hiccup’s	
  shoulders	
  as	
  he	
  
notices	
  that	
  the	
  dragon	
  is	
  behind	
  him.	
  
	
  
Themes	
  used:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
00:29:01	
   We	
   can	
   hear	
   the	
   theme	
   in	
   the	
  
vibraphone,	
   as	
   another	
   element	
   of	
   the	
  
huge	
  build	
  up	
  that	
  is	
  in	
  fact	
  this	
  Cue.	
  
FORBIDDEN	
  FRIENDSHIP	
   00:29:52	
   This	
   is	
   the	
   first	
   time	
   in	
   the	
   whole	
  
(only	
  the	
  second	
  half)	
  
soundtrack	
   in	
   which	
   we	
   can	
   hear	
   this	
  
theme,	
   more	
   specifically,	
   it	
   appears	
   in	
  
the	
  whistle	
  at	
  this	
  point.	
  	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
00:30:06	
   The	
   vibes	
   play	
   the	
   theme	
   TOOTHLESS,	
  
+	
  
while	
   strings	
   and	
   female	
   voices	
   are	
  
BERK	
  
playing	
   the	
   theme	
   BERK,	
   layering	
   both	
  
themes.	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  13:	
  New	
  Tail	
  
(00:32:53	
  –	
  00:35:29)	
  
	
  
This	
  Cue	
  is	
  divided	
  in	
  three	
  main	
  parts:	
  
-­‐The	
   first	
   part,	
   while	
   Hiccup	
   is	
   creating	
   the	
   new	
   tail	
   for	
   Toothless,	
   vastly	
  
dominated	
  by	
  the	
  theme	
  DISCOVERY.	
  
-­‐The	
  second	
  part,	
  less	
  defined	
  thematically-­‐wise,	
  from	
  00:33:43.	
  
-­‐The	
  third	
  part	
  starts	
  at	
  00:34:47,	
  when	
  Toothless	
  notices	
  the	
  new	
  tail.	
  
	
  
There	
  sync	
  points	
  that	
  we	
  find	
  in	
  this	
  Cue	
  are	
  the	
  following:	
  
-­‐00:33:07	
  the	
  end	
  of	
  the	
  pickup	
  bar	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  DISCOVERY	
  and	
  the	
  movement	
  
of	
  the	
  book	
  in	
  the	
  picture	
  are	
  synced.	
  
-­‐00:33:55	
  the	
  music	
  is	
  following	
  the	
  movements	
  of	
  Toothless,	
  as	
  he	
  notices	
  the	
  
smell	
  of	
  the	
  eel.	
  
-­‐00:35:29	
  the	
  Cue	
  ends	
  as	
  Hiccup	
  falls	
  into	
  the	
  water,	
  syncing	
  the	
  splash	
  with	
  the	
  
cymbals.	
  
	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
DISCOVERY	
  
00:33:06	
  
We	
   can	
   listen	
   to	
   the	
  
theme,	
  first	
  as	
  a	
  solo	
  line	
  
in	
   the	
   whistle,	
   and	
  

BERK	
  

00:33:47	
  

	
  DRAGONS	
  

00:34:49	
  

immediately	
   after	
   that,	
  
orchestrated	
   with	
   a	
   full	
  
orchestra.	
  
The	
   theme	
   is	
   not	
  
presented	
   literally,	
   but	
  
the	
   entire	
   segment	
   from	
  
00:33:47	
   to	
   00:34:47	
   is	
  
based	
   on	
   materials	
   from	
  
BERK.	
  
We	
  can	
  heard	
  the	
  theme,	
  
first	
   in	
   the	
   whistle	
   and,	
  
immediately	
   after	
   that,	
  
fully	
  
orchestrated	
  
(something	
   similar	
   to	
  
what	
   we	
   found	
   at	
   the	
  
beginning	
   of	
   this	
   cue	
  
with	
  
the	
  
theme	
  
DISCOVERY).	
  

	
  
	
  
Cue	
  14:	
  Teamwork	
  
(00:35:39	
  –	
  00:36:14)	
  
	
  
Probably	
   the	
   most	
   interesting	
   aspect	
   of	
   this	
   Cue,	
   mechanically-­‐wise,	
   is	
   the	
   fact	
  
that	
  the	
  music	
  starts	
  before	
  the	
  actual	
  scene,	
  but	
  unlike	
  other	
  examples,	
  this	
  time	
  
around,	
  the	
  music	
  starts	
  with	
  energy	
  from	
  the	
  very	
  beginning	
  (making	
  its	
  entry	
  
point	
  feel	
  much	
  more	
  noticeable,	
  at	
  least	
  when	
  compared	
  with	
  other	
  cases).	
  
	
  
This	
   Cue	
   has	
   only	
   one	
   clear	
   sync	
   point,	
   at	
   00:36:14,	
   when	
   they	
   throw	
   the	
   bucket	
  
of	
  water.	
  
	
  
The	
  only	
  theme	
  that	
  can	
  be	
  heard	
  in	
  this	
  Cue	
  is	
  the	
  following:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
TRAINING	
  WITH	
  DRAGONS	
   00:35:41	
  
The	
  
theme	
  
starts	
  
sounding	
   at	
   this	
   point	
   in	
  
the	
  piano	
  and	
  strings,	
  but	
  
is	
   barely	
   audible	
   due	
   to	
  
the	
  sound	
  effects.	
  
	
  
The	
   rest	
   of	
   the	
   Cue	
   is	
   mostly	
   ambience	
   music,	
   recreating	
   the	
   sound	
   of	
   an	
  
Amazonian	
   jungle, 12 	
  which	
   is	
   quite	
   far	
   from	
   the	
   sound	
   of	
   the	
   rest	
   of	
   the	
  
Soundtrack,	
  making	
  it	
  a	
  risky	
  choice.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
12	
  Or	
  at	
  least,	
  the	
  sound	
  that	
  usually	
  is	
  associated	
  with	
  them	
  in	
  films.	
  

Cue	
  15:	
  Charming	
  the	
  Zippleback	
  
(00:36:57	
  –	
  00:37:18)	
  
	
  
This	
   cue	
   is	
   very	
   similar	
   to	
   the	
   Cue	
   Nº9:	
   Wounded,	
   to	
   the	
   point	
   that	
   it	
   almost	
  
feels	
  as	
  a	
  music	
  edit	
  of	
  the	
  same	
  materials.	
  
There	
   aren’t	
   many	
   thematic	
   elements	
   used	
   in	
   this	
   brief	
   cue,	
   which	
   (as	
  
Wounded)	
  is	
  made	
  over	
  a	
  variation	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  BERK.	
  
	
  
There	
  is	
  some	
  sort	
  of	
  soft	
  sync	
  at	
  00:37:01,	
  where	
  the	
  music	
  changes,	
  following	
  
the	
  picture	
  and	
  at	
  00:37:14,	
  where	
  the	
  trumpet	
  point	
  out	
  the	
  fear	
  that	
  produces	
  
the	
  eel	
  in	
  the	
  dragon.	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  16:	
  	
  See	
  you	
  Tomorrow	
  
(00:37:28	
  –	
  00:41:11)	
  	
  
	
  
The	
   cue	
   begins	
   as	
   a	
   traditional	
   pennywhistle	
   Irish	
   song	
   and	
   slowly	
   evolves,	
  
adding	
  materials	
  of	
  different	
  themes	
  as	
  the	
  story	
  is	
  narrated	
  by	
  the	
  picture.	
  
	
  
The	
  sync	
  points	
  that	
  can	
  be	
  found	
  in	
  this	
  Cue	
  are	
  the	
  following:	
  
	
  
-­‐00:37:48	
  the	
  music	
  follows	
  the	
  movement	
  as	
  Hiccup	
  raises	
  his	
  arm,	
  provoking	
  
his	
  fall.	
  
-­‐00:38:28	
  the	
  cut	
  and	
  the	
  cymbals	
  are	
  synced.	
  
-­‐00:38:48	
  the	
  music	
  enhances	
  the	
  moment	
  in	
  which	
  Hiccup	
  finds	
  the	
  correct	
  spot	
  
to	
  scratch	
  and	
  the	
  dragon	
  falls	
  asleep.	
  
-­‐00:39:05	
  the	
  music	
  stops	
  expectantly,	
  waiting	
  for	
  the	
  picture	
  to	
  keep	
  narrating	
  
the	
  story.	
  
-­‐00:39:10	
   there	
   is	
   a	
   hit	
   (done	
   by	
   sound	
   effects)	
   immediately	
   followed	
   by	
   the	
  
music.	
  
-­‐00:39:29	
  the	
  music	
  anticipates	
  the	
  static	
  pose	
  of	
  Astrid.13	
  
-­‐00:40:44	
   the	
   en	
   of	
   the	
   Cue	
   “jumps”	
   to	
   the	
   next	
   scene	
   of	
   the	
   story,	
   helping	
   to	
  
understand	
  the	
  connection	
  between	
  two	
  completely	
  different	
  scenes.	
  
	
  
This	
  cue	
  is	
  based	
  almost	
  entirely	
  in	
  three	
  themes:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
00:37:39	
  
The	
  music	
  doesn’t	
  show	
  the	
  theme,	
  but	
  it	
  
is	
  clearly	
  inspired	
  by	
  it.	
  
DISCOVERY	
  
00:38:01	
  
The	
   theme	
   starts	
   sounding	
   as	
   Hiccup	
  
discover	
   the	
   fact	
   that	
   the	
   grass	
   tame	
   the	
  
dragons	
  and	
  make	
  them	
  playfull.	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
00:38:35	
  
The	
   theme	
   appears	
   in	
   mayor	
   mode,	
   fast	
  
and	
  orchestrated	
  in	
  a	
  way	
  that	
  resembles	
  
the	
  sound	
  of	
  marching	
  music	
  (mainly	
  due	
  
to	
   the	
   combination	
   of	
   high	
   woodwinds	
  
and	
  snare	
  drum)	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
13	
  Or,	
  in	
  other	
  words,	
  is	
  hitting	
  a	
  little	
  bit	
  early.	
  

DISCOVERY	
  

00:38:53	
  

TOOTHLESS	
  

00:39:43	
  

BERK	
  

00:39:47	
  

DISCOVERY	
  

00:39:57	
  

WARRIORS	
  

00:40:44	
  

The	
   theme	
   isn’t	
   pointing	
   out	
   anything	
  
specifically.	
   It	
   is	
   just	
   a	
   coherent	
  
continuation	
   of	
   the	
   musical	
   structure	
   of	
  
the	
  cue.	
  
The	
  theme	
  is	
  slowly	
  presented,	
  first	
  shyly	
  
in	
   the	
   harpsichord,	
   and	
   progressively	
   in	
  
the	
  rest	
  of	
  the	
  strings.	
  It	
  is	
  interesting	
  the	
  
fact	
   that	
   it	
   is	
   presented	
   initially	
   as	
  
melody,	
  but	
  shortly	
  after	
  that,	
  it	
  becomes	
  
an	
  accompaniment.	
  
The	
   theme	
   appears	
   in	
   the	
   horns,	
   layered	
  
over	
   the	
   theme	
   TOOTHLES	
   (in	
   the	
  
strings)	
  
As	
   it	
   happened	
   earlier	
   (at	
   00:38:53),	
   the	
  
theme	
   is	
   used	
   as	
   a	
   natural	
   continuation	
   of	
  
the	
   cue.	
   This	
   time	
   around,	
   the	
   melody	
   is	
  
assigned	
   to	
   the	
   string	
   section,	
   and	
  
becomes	
   progressively	
   thinner,	
   to	
   the	
  
point	
  in	
  which	
  it	
  stops	
  at	
  00:40:26.	
  
The	
   theme	
   appears	
   slowed	
   down,	
   in	
   the	
  
bassoon,	
  over	
  a	
  mattress	
  of	
  sustain	
  notes	
  
in	
   the	
   strings.	
   The	
   overall	
   combination	
  
creates	
  a	
  feeling	
  of	
  defeat.	
  

	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  17:	
  Test	
  Drive	
  
(00:41:41	
  –	
  00:44:03)	
  
	
  
In	
   this	
   cue	
   we	
   can	
   hear	
   for	
   the	
   first	
   time	
   a	
   complete	
   version	
   of	
   the	
   theme	
  
FORBIDDEN	
   FRIENDSHIP.	
   	
   This	
   might	
   done	
   be	
   to	
   point	
   out	
   the	
   fact	
   that	
   the	
  
relation	
   between	
   Hiccup	
   and	
   Toothless	
   is	
   growing	
   as	
   they	
   are	
   becoming	
   close	
  
friends.	
  
The	
  overall	
  structure	
  of	
  the	
  Cue	
  is	
  A-­‐B-­‐A’,	
  being	
  the	
  middle	
  section	
  the	
  point	
  in	
  
which	
   Hiccup	
   and	
   Toothless	
   are	
   separated	
   mid-­‐air	
   (and	
   the	
   music	
   changes	
  
drastically).	
  
	
  
The	
  main	
  sync	
  points	
  that	
  we	
  find	
  in	
  this	
  cue	
  are	
  the	
  following:	
  
	
  
-­‐00:42:38	
  there	
  is	
  a	
  hit	
  (slightly	
  anticipated	
  by	
  the	
  woodwinds)	
  as	
  Toothless	
  hits	
  
the	
  rock.	
  
-­‐00:42:59	
  the	
  music	
  changes	
  as	
  Hiccup	
  loses	
  the	
  paper.	
  
-­‐00:43:38	
   the	
   theme	
   FORBIDDEN	
   FRIENDSHIP	
   starts	
   sounding	
   following	
   the	
  
movement	
  of	
  Hiccup’s	
  foot.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

The	
  themes	
  used	
  in	
  this	
  cue	
  are:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
00:41:45	
  

BERK	
  

00:42:03	
  

FORBIDDEN	
  FRIENDSHIP	
  

00:42:19	
  

BERK	
  

00:42:42	
  

TOOTHLESS	
  

00:43:30	
  

FORBIDDEN	
  FRIENDSHIP	
  

00:43:38	
  

Description	
  
The	
  theme	
  is	
  presented	
  in	
  the	
  bagpipes,	
  
which	
  combines	
  with	
  the	
  landscape	
  and	
  
the	
   fact	
   that	
   they	
   are	
   flying.	
   All	
   this	
   is	
  
strong	
   enough	
   to	
   take	
   our	
   attention	
  
away	
   from	
   the	
   cliché	
   of	
   thinking	
   about	
  
“Scotland”	
  when	
  we	
  hear	
  bagpipes.14	
  
The	
  theme	
  shows	
  up	
  in	
  the	
  horns,	
  over	
  
the	
   theme	
   TOOTHLESS	
   (which	
   at	
   this	
  
point	
  is	
  being	
  used	
  as	
  a	
  continuum).	
  
The	
   theme	
   appears	
   complete	
   for	
   the	
  
first	
   time	
   (as	
   the	
   friendship	
   and	
  
connection	
   between	
   Hiccup	
   and	
  
Toothless	
   is	
   consolidated),	
   over	
   an	
  
accompaniment	
  that	
  is	
  made	
  as	
  a	
  result	
  
of	
  a	
  variation	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  TOOTHLESS	
  
This	
   time,	
   the	
   theme	
   evolves	
   slightly	
  
(becomes	
   slightly	
   more	
   developed	
   by	
  
adding	
  more	
  notes	
  to	
  it).	
  
Once	
   more,	
   the	
   theme	
   is	
   used	
   as	
   an	
  
accompaniment	
  in	
  the	
  strings	
  
This	
   time	
   the	
   orchestration	
   is	
   more	
  
developed	
   (there	
   is	
   much	
   more	
  
movement,	
   turning	
   the	
   music	
   into	
   a	
  
more	
  action-­‐oriented	
  Cue).	
  

	
  
	
  
Cue	
  18:	
  Not	
  So	
  Fireproof	
  
(00:44:46	
  –	
  00:45:14)	
  
	
  
This	
  short	
  cue	
  is	
  the	
  result	
  of	
  a	
  combination	
  of	
  elements	
  from	
  two	
  different	
  cues:	
  
-­‐The	
   beginning	
   is	
   a	
   strongly	
   variated	
   version	
   of	
   EVIL	
   DRAGONS	
   (sounding	
  
definitely	
  more	
  casual	
  and	
  playful	
  than	
  evil)	
  
-­‐At	
  00:45:00	
  we	
  listen	
  the	
  second	
  half	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  FORBIDDEN	
  FRIENDSHIP.	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  19:	
  This	
  time	
  for	
  sure	
  
(00:47:37	
  –	
  00:48:14)	
  
	
  
This	
  short	
  cue	
  is	
  almost	
  a	
  condensed	
  version	
  of	
  the	
  second	
  half	
  of	
  the	
  first	
  cue	
  of	
  
the	
   soundtrack,	
   as	
   we	
   find	
   almost	
   the	
   same	
   themes	
   and	
   the	
   orchestration	
   is	
  
identical	
   at	
   many	
   points.	
   In	
   fact,	
   from	
   00:48:03	
   until	
   the	
   end	
   of	
   the	
   cue,	
   the	
  
instrumentation	
  used	
  is	
  the	
  same	
  that	
  we	
  could	
  listen	
  in	
  the	
  first	
  cue.	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
14	
  The	
  reiterate	
  repetition	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  with	
  slight	
  changes	
  in	
  the	
  
instrumentation	
  vaguely	
  reminds	
  the	
  orchestration	
  of	
  the	
  main	
  theme	
  of	
  
Chariots	
  of	
  fire.	
  

We	
  find	
  sync	
  at	
  three	
  points	
  in	
  this	
  Cue:	
  
	
  
-­‐00:47:37	
  the	
  beginning	
  of	
  the	
  Cue	
  is	
  synced	
  moment	
  in	
  which	
  Stoick	
  closes	
  the	
  
door.	
  
-­‐00:47:50	
   as	
   Astrid	
   pulls	
   down	
   Hiccup’s	
   shield,	
   the	
   music	
   also	
   “goes	
   down”	
  
(becomes	
  lighter	
  both	
  in	
  dynamics	
  and	
  orchestration).	
  
-­‐00:48:03	
   the	
   appearance	
   of	
   the	
   theme	
   WARRIORS	
   is	
   synced	
   with	
   the	
  
movement	
  of	
  Astrid.	
  
	
  
Even	
  when	
  the	
  Cue	
  is	
  short,	
  many	
  themes	
  are	
  being	
  used:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
DRAGONS!	
  
00:47:45	
   The	
   orchestration	
   is	
   quite	
   similar	
   to	
   the	
  
one	
   utilized	
   for	
   this	
   same	
   theme	
   in	
   the	
  
first	
  Cue	
  of	
  the	
  soundtrack.	
  
FORBIDDEN	
  FRIENDSHIP	
   00:47:50	
   We	
   can	
   only	
   hear	
   a	
   variated	
   version	
   of	
  
the	
  tail	
  of	
  the	
  theme,	
  but	
  is	
  clear	
  enough	
  
to	
  point	
  it	
  out.	
  
DRAGONS!	
  
00:47:53	
   The	
   theme	
   appears	
   in	
   the	
   stacatti	
   of	
   the	
  
oboe,	
  and	
  then,	
  progressively,	
  in	
  the	
  rest	
  
of	
  the	
  woodwinds	
  and	
  orchestra.	
  
WARRIORS	
  
00:48:03	
   -­‐	
  
DRAGONS!	
  
00:48:10	
   -­‐	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  20:	
  Astrid	
  finds	
  Toothless	
  
(00:49:50	
  –	
  00:50:21)	
  
	
  
This	
   Cue	
   is	
   a	
   combination	
   of	
   the	
   themes	
   TOOTHLESS	
   (which	
   has	
   the	
   leading	
  
role)	
   and	
   the	
   second	
   half	
   of	
   FORBIDDEN	
   FRIENDSHIP	
   (as	
   accompaniment	
   at	
  
some	
   points).	
   The	
   orchestration	
   resembles	
   the	
   one	
   used	
   in	
   The	
   Downed	
  
Dragon,	
  and	
  the	
  theme	
  TOOTHLESS	
  sounds	
  menacing	
  once	
  more	
  (at	
  least	
  at	
  the	
  
beginning).	
   From	
   that	
   point,	
   the	
   rest	
   of	
   the	
   Cue	
   is	
   a	
   series	
   of	
   variations	
   of	
   the	
  
same	
  theme.	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  21:	
  Astrid	
  goes	
  for	
  a	
  Spin	
  
(00:51:22	
  –	
  00:52:00)	
  
	
  
At	
  00:51:37	
  we	
  can	
  listen	
  one	
  of	
  the	
  melodies	
  that	
  were	
  used	
  in	
  the	
  Cue	
  See	
  you	
  
Tomorrow. 15 	
  Apart	
   from	
   that,	
   the	
   Cue	
   is	
   mainly	
   built	
   using	
   the	
   theme	
  
DRAGONS!,	
  which	
  we	
  can	
  listen	
  at	
  00:50:22	
  and	
  00:51:50.	
  
	
  
The	
  only	
  sync	
  point	
  that	
  is	
  being	
  used	
  is	
  found	
  at	
  00:51:37,	
  when	
  the	
  previously	
  
mentioned	
  melody	
  “emerges”	
  as	
  they	
  emerge	
  from	
  the	
  water.	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
15	
  It	
  hasn`t	
  been	
  classified	
  as	
  a	
  theme	
  because	
  it	
  only	
  appears	
  in	
  these	
  two	
  points.	
  

Cue	
  22:	
  Romantic	
  Flight	
  
(00:52:02	
  –	
  00:53:48)	
  
	
  
This	
  Cue	
  is	
  made	
  with	
  a	
  lot	
  of	
  musicality,	
  without	
  following	
  frame-­‐by-­‐frame	
  what	
  
is	
  going	
  on	
  in	
  the	
  picture	
  (which	
  means	
  that	
  there	
  are	
  not	
  too	
  many	
  sync	
  points),	
  
but,	
  even	
  so,	
  it	
  works	
  beautifully.	
  
The	
  structure	
  of	
  the	
  Cue	
  could	
  be	
  roughly	
  explained	
  as	
  a	
  continuous	
  build	
  up	
  and	
  
then	
  a	
  tail	
  to	
  release	
  the	
  tension.	
  
	
  
We	
  find	
  two	
  sync	
  points:	
  
-­‐00:50:50	
  there	
  is	
  a	
  soft	
  sync	
  ad	
  the	
  theme	
  TOOTHLESS	
  appears,	
  following	
  the	
  
movement	
  of	
  the	
  camera.	
  
-­‐00:52:57	
  the	
  cut	
  is	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  cymbals.	
  
	
  
About	
  the	
  themes	
  used,	
  they	
  are	
  the	
  following:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
LOVE	
  THEME	
  
00:52:02	
   The	
  theme	
  is	
  presented	
  isolated,	
  as	
  a	
  solo	
  
line	
   on	
   the	
   violin,	
   and	
   is	
   progressively	
  
coated	
  by	
  the	
  harmony	
  
LOVE	
  THEME	
  
00:52:23	
   This	
   time,	
   the	
   theme	
   appears	
   in	
   the	
  
Horns,	
   but	
   it	
   is	
   played	
   soft	
   and	
   carefully,	
  
over	
  a	
  light	
  accompaniment.	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
00:52:50	
   The	
   theme	
   appears	
   adapted	
   to	
   the	
  
romantic	
   context,	
   with	
   variated	
   rhythms	
  
and	
   with	
   a	
   lovely-­‐major	
   melody	
   that	
  
hardly	
  reminds	
  the	
  first	
  appearance	
  of	
  the	
  
theme.	
  
LOVE	
  THEME	
  
00:53:10	
   At	
   this	
   point	
   the	
   Cue	
   reaches	
   it’s	
   thickest	
  
orchestration,	
  it’s	
  climax,	
  so	
  to	
  call	
  it.	
  The	
  
whole	
   orchestra	
   is	
   playing,	
   making	
   it	
  
sound	
  thick	
  and	
  glorious.	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  23:	
  Dragon’s	
  Den	
  
(00:55:4716	
  –	
  00:56:19)	
  
	
  
This	
   Cue	
   is	
   quite	
   different	
   from	
   previous	
   Cues.	
   Here	
   the	
   composer	
   opted	
   for	
   a	
  
textural	
   approach,	
   but	
   using	
   primarily	
   orchestral	
   instruments	
   and	
   little-­‐to-­‐no	
  
electronic	
  sounds.	
  
	
  	
  
Even	
   when	
   this	
   is	
   primarily	
   a	
   textural	
   Cue,	
   the	
   number	
   of	
   sync	
   points	
   that	
   we	
  
find	
  is	
  smaller	
  than	
  what	
  we	
  could	
  think.	
  
-­‐00:55:27	
  the	
  cymbals	
  and	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  the	
  wings	
  of	
  Toothless	
  are	
  synced.	
  
-­‐00:56:10	
  the	
  appearance	
  of	
  theme	
  EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  is	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  bite.	
  
-­‐00:56:19	
  the	
  ending	
  of	
  the	
  Cue	
  is	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  cut.	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
16	
  The	
  beginning	
  of	
  this	
  Cue	
  is	
  really	
  hard	
  to	
  perceive,	
  because	
  of	
  all	
  the	
  sound	
  
effects	
  that	
  are	
  being	
  played	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  time	
  

We	
  find	
  the	
  following	
  themes	
  as	
  well:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
   00:55:09	
   The	
   theme	
   appears	
   slowed	
   down	
   and	
   with	
   it’s	
  
rhythm	
   and	
   harmony	
   changed,	
   but	
   is	
   still	
  
recognizable.	
   It	
   sounds	
   imposing	
   and	
   astounding	
  
thanks	
  to	
  the	
  slow	
  tempo	
  and	
  the	
  instrumentation.	
  
BERK	
  
00:55:35	
   The	
   theme	
   appears	
   shyly	
   with	
   some	
   variations	
   in	
  
the	
  melody.	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
   00:56:10	
   The	
  theme	
  is	
  used	
  primarily	
  as	
  a	
  Coda,	
  the	
  close	
  this	
  
chapter	
  of	
  the	
  story.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  24:	
  The	
  Cove	
  
(00:56:30	
  –	
  00:57:27)	
  
	
  
	
  
This	
  short	
  as	
  smooth	
  Cue	
  is	
  based	
  entirely	
  on	
  materials	
  from	
  two	
  themes.	
  There	
  
aren’t	
   noticeable	
   sync	
   points,	
   even	
   when	
   there	
   is	
   a	
   change	
   in	
   the	
   music	
   as	
   the	
  
context	
   changes	
   (at	
   00:56:58).	
   Apart	
   from	
   that,	
   the	
   Cue	
   is	
   just	
   a	
   simple	
   and	
  
beautiful	
  peace	
  that	
  works	
  as	
  a	
  “calm	
  in	
  the	
  middle	
  of	
  the	
  storm”	
  kind	
  of	
  Cue.	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
BERK	
  
00:56:30	
   The	
   theme	
   is	
   used	
   with	
   truncated	
   rhythm	
   and	
   light	
  
orchestration.	
   The	
   overall	
   context	
   creates	
   an	
  
atmosphere	
  that	
  suggests	
  “plotting”	
  or	
  	
  “sneaking”,	
  as	
  
if	
  something	
  not	
  fully	
  legal	
  was	
  being	
  done.	
  
LOVE	
  THEME	
   00:56:58	
   The	
   theme	
   starts	
   sounding	
   as	
   Astrid	
   notices	
   that	
  
Hiccup	
   is	
   speaking	
   seriously	
   and	
   she	
   discovers	
   her	
  
feelings	
   for	
   him.	
   The	
   theme	
   sounds	
   intimate	
   an	
   also	
  
has	
   some	
   nostalgia	
   feeling,	
   as	
   if	
   the	
   music	
   was	
  
reviving	
  stories	
  from	
  the	
  past.	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  25:	
  The	
  Kill	
  Ring	
  
(00:58:03	
  –	
  01:02:18)	
  
	
  
This	
  Cue	
  is	
  heavily	
  inspired	
  in	
  the	
  music	
  from	
  action/war	
  movies	
  as	
  it	
  combines	
  
epic	
   elements	
   with	
   textural/rhythmic	
   elements.	
   That	
   said,	
   it	
   doesn’t	
   have	
   too	
  
many	
  sync	
  points	
  for	
  a	
  Cue	
  of	
  its	
  nature:	
  
	
  
-­‐00:58:43	
  there	
  is	
  some	
  sort	
  of	
  soft	
  syncing	
  at	
  this	
  point,	
  as	
  Hiccup	
  enters	
  in	
  the	
  
Arena.	
  
-­‐00:59:14	
  the	
  point	
  in	
  which	
  the	
  doors	
  are	
  broken	
  are	
  enhanced	
  by	
  the	
  cymbals.	
  
-­‐00:59:54	
  the	
  music	
  stops	
  as	
  Hiccup	
  throws	
  his	
  helmet.	
  

-­‐01:00:27	
  the	
  theme	
  EVIL	
   DRAGONS	
  start	
  sounding.	
  It	
  is	
  worth	
  saying	
  that	
  the	
  
theme	
   is	
   following	
   the	
   actions	
   that	
   are	
   taking	
   place	
   off-­‐screen	
   at	
   this	
   point,	
  
making	
  it	
  an	
  interesting	
  choice.17	
  
-­‐01:01:49	
  the	
  music	
  stops	
  as	
  Toothless	
  stops	
  when	
  Hiccup	
  shouts.	
  
	
  
The	
  theme	
  that	
  can	
  be	
  found	
  through	
  this	
  Cue	
  are	
  the	
  following:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
HICCUP	
  
00:58:09	
   The	
  slow	
  “path-­‐ed”	
  melody	
  in	
  the	
  horns,	
  
the	
   light	
   accompaniment	
   and	
   the	
  
reharmonization	
   of	
   the	
   theme	
   make	
   it	
  
sound	
   Epic,	
   resembling	
   the	
   sound	
   of	
  
some	
   Cues	
   traditionally	
   found	
   in	
   the	
  
American	
  war-­‐movies.	
  
BERK	
  
00:58:43	
   The	
   theme	
   doesn’t	
   appear	
   in	
   its	
   full	
  
“natural”	
  form,	
  but	
  this	
  passage	
  is	
  clearly	
  
based	
  on	
  materials	
  from	
  BERK,	
  although	
  
heavily	
  distorted	
  at	
  some	
  points.	
  
-­‐	
  
	
  
We	
   cannot	
   find	
   any	
   recognizable	
   theme	
  
in	
  this	
  passage.	
  That	
  said,	
  there	
  are	
  some	
  
elements	
  with	
  theme-­‐like	
  characteristics	
  
(for	
   example	
   at	
   01:00:04	
   the	
   melody	
   in	
  
the	
  trumpet	
  or	
  at	
  01:00:17	
  the	
  melody	
  in	
  
the	
  strings).	
  
The	
   whole	
   passage	
   has	
   primarily	
   a	
  
textural	
   function	
   and	
   is	
   steadily	
  
modulating	
  the	
  level	
  of	
  tension.	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  
01:00:27	
   The	
   theme	
   appears	
   briefly,	
   as	
   Toothless	
  
is	
   trying	
   to	
   scape	
   from	
   the	
   hole	
   to	
   help	
  
Hiccup.	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
01:00:38	
   The	
   theme	
   appears	
   heavily	
   distorted	
   in	
  
the	
   strings,	
   modulating	
   every	
   4	
   notes,	
  
oozing	
  anxiety,	
  as	
  Toothless	
  runs	
  to	
  save	
  
his	
  friend.	
  
FORBIDDEN	
  FRIENDSHIP	
   01:01:14	
   The	
   theme	
   can	
   be	
   hard	
   split	
   between	
   the	
  
instruments	
   of	
   the	
   orchestra	
   (first	
   in	
  
woodwinds	
  and	
  strings,	
  and	
  after	
  that	
  in	
  
the	
  horns	
  and	
  glockenspiel).	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
01:01:51	
   The	
   theme	
   sounds	
   dramatic	
   and	
   sad,	
  
with	
   an	
   orchestration	
   that	
   somehow	
  
reminds	
   the	
   first	
   appearance	
   of	
   the	
  
theme	
  in	
  the	
  5th	
  Cue.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
17	
  An	
  alternative	
  could	
  have	
  been	
  using	
  an	
  anxious	
  version	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  
TOOTHLESS,	
  but	
  the	
  composer	
  saved	
  that	
  for	
  later.	
  

Cue	
  26:	
  You’re	
  Not	
  a	
  Viking	
  
(01:02:54	
  –	
  01:03:45)	
  
	
  
This	
   Cue,	
   as	
   the	
   5th	
   one	
   “The	
  Downed	
  Dragon”,	
   has	
   it’s	
   beginning	
   cut.	
   When	
   we	
  
compare	
   the	
   soundtrack	
   and	
   the	
   movie	
   we	
   find	
   that	
   the	
   Cue	
   starts	
   from	
   the	
  
second	
  35,	
  with	
  all	
  the	
  beginning	
  (based	
  on	
  the	
  theme	
  EVIL	
  DRAGONS)	
  removed	
  
from	
  the	
  final	
  cut.	
  
	
  
The	
  cue	
  has	
  the	
  following	
  sync	
  points:	
  
	
  
-­‐01:02:54	
  as	
  Stoick	
  turns,	
  the	
  music	
  starts.	
  
-­‐01:03:21	
  the	
  music	
  changes	
  from	
  the	
  continuum	
  to	
  a	
  more	
  dramatic	
  section,	
  as	
  
Stoick	
  pushes	
  Hiccup	
  back.	
  
-­‐01:03:41	
   the	
   melody	
   here	
   is	
   felt	
   synced	
   with	
   the	
   moment	
   where	
   Stoick	
   raises	
  
his	
  head	
  and	
  shows	
  how	
  affected	
  he	
  really	
  is.	
  
	
  
Apart	
   from	
   the	
   previously	
   mentioned	
   EVIL	
   DRAGONS,	
   there	
   are	
   some	
   other	
  
themes	
  used	
  in	
  this	
  Cue:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
01:02:54	
   The	
   theme	
   starts	
   sounding	
   in	
   the	
   harp	
  
and	
   harpsichord,	
   and	
   it	
   is	
   used	
   as	
   a	
  
continuum	
   as	
   the	
   harmony	
   modulates	
  
several	
   steps	
   lower,	
   which	
   helps	
   to	
  
increase	
  the	
  tension	
  
WARRIORS	
  
01:03:31	
   The	
   choices	
   of	
   orchestration,	
   harmony	
  
and	
   rhythm	
   here	
   are	
   very	
   similar	
   to	
   the	
  
ones	
   that	
   we	
   found	
   at	
   the	
   end	
   of	
   the	
   9th	
  
Cue	
  “The	
  Dragon	
  Book”	
  and	
  at	
  the	
  end	
  of	
  
the	
   16th	
   “See	
   you	
   Tomorrow”,	
   as	
   if	
   this	
  
moment	
  were	
  a	
  combination	
  of	
  both;	
  with	
  
a	
  mix	
  of	
  feelings	
  of	
  defeat	
  and	
  fear.	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  27:	
  Ready	
  the	
  Ships	
  
(01:03:45	
  –	
  01:05:05)	
  &	
  (01:05:57	
  –	
  01:08:11)	
  
In	
   the	
   movie	
   this	
   Cue	
   appears	
   split	
   in	
   two	
   halves	
   as	
   the	
   part	
   from	
   01:05:05	
   to	
  
01:05:57	
  has	
  been	
  removed	
  from	
  the	
  final	
  cut.	
  There	
  is	
  also	
  a	
  section	
  removed	
  
from	
  the	
  end	
  of	
  the	
  cue.18	
  
	
  
Probably	
   the	
   most	
   interesting	
   aspect	
   of	
   this	
   Cue,	
   apart	
   from	
   how	
   beautiful	
   the	
  
music	
  is	
  at	
  this	
  point,	
  is	
  the	
  orchestration.	
  Is	
  especially	
  interesting	
  to	
  see	
  how	
  the	
  
composer	
   managed	
   to	
   blend	
   the	
   sound	
   of	
   the	
   bagpipes	
   and	
   voices	
   into	
   the	
  
orchestra,	
  obtaining	
  an	
  epic,	
  yet	
  dramatic	
  and	
  cohesive	
  sound.	
  
	
  	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
18	
  Although	
  it	
  is	
  hard	
  to	
  tell,	
  since	
  the	
  sound	
  effects	
  cover	
  completely	
  the	
  music	
  at	
  
this	
  point.	
  

Besides	
   it’s	
   beginning,	
   there	
   aren’t	
   noticeable	
   sync	
   points	
   in	
   this	
   Cue	
   until	
   the	
  
second	
  half:	
  
	
  
-­‐01:07:10	
   as	
   Stoick	
   asks	
   for	
   silence,	
   the	
   music	
   stops,	
   being	
   coherent	
   with	
   the	
  
context.	
  
-­‐01:07:21	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  Toothless’	
  head	
  and	
  the	
  beginning	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  EVIL	
  
DRAGONS	
  are	
  synced.	
  
-­‐01:07:28	
  the	
  cymbal	
  anticipates	
  and	
  follows	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  Toothless’	
  head.	
  
-­‐01:07:58	
  the	
  music	
  (the	
  muted	
  trumpet	
  to	
  be	
  more	
  precise)	
  is	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  
cut,	
  as	
  the	
  context	
  changes.	
  
	
  
About	
  thematic	
  material,	
  this	
  is	
  what	
  we	
  can	
  find	
  in	
  this	
  Cue:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  	
  
Description	
  
WARRIORS	
  
01:03:50	
   The	
   theme	
   is	
   used	
   with	
   a	
   slow	
   tempo,	
  
making	
  it	
  sound	
  glorious	
  and	
  menacing	
  
at	
  the	
  same	
  time.	
  Somehow,	
  it	
  reminds	
  
the	
   orchestration	
   from	
   the	
   beginning	
   of	
  
the	
  2nd	
  Cue,	
  as	
  if	
  the	
  “Evil”	
  ones	
  are	
  now	
  
the	
  “Warriors”19	
  instead	
  of	
  the	
  dragons.	
  
FORBIDDEN	
  FRIENDSHIP	
   01:04:18	
   The	
   theme	
   is	
   reharmonized,	
   making	
   it	
  
sound	
   beautifully	
   sad	
   and	
   epic,	
  
reflecting	
  the	
  suffering	
  of	
  Toothless	
  and	
  
Hiccup,	
   who	
   is	
   watching	
   helplessly.	
   The	
  
choice	
   of	
   a	
   combination	
   of	
   strings	
   and	
  
voices	
   for	
   the	
   melody	
   confers	
   to	
   it	
   a	
  
more	
  human	
  and	
  distressing	
  mood.	
  
FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
  
01:04:47	
   The	
   theme	
   is	
   used	
   as	
   a	
   closing	
   section,	
  
as	
  it	
  dissolves	
  the	
  tension	
  little	
  by	
  little	
  
until	
  only	
  one	
  note	
  remains.	
  
HICCUP	
  
01:06:00	
   At	
   this	
   point,	
   the	
   theme,	
   orchestrated	
  
with	
   horns,	
   strings	
   and	
   voices,	
   sounds	
  
melancholic,	
  slightly	
  bittersweet.	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  
01:06:34	
   The	
   theme	
   in	
   the	
   voices	
   fuses	
   with	
   the	
  
textural	
   sound	
   of	
   the	
   mist20,	
   resulting	
  
in	
   a	
   textural-­‐yet-­‐thematic	
   section.	
   The	
  
rhythm	
   of	
   the	
   melody	
   progressively	
  
gets	
  dissolved	
  until	
  it	
  becomes	
  another	
  
element	
  of	
  the	
  texture.	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  
01:07:21	
   The	
  theme	
  appears	
  twice	
  in	
  a	
  row	
  with	
  
differentiated	
  
orchestrations	
  
at	
  
01:07:21	
   and	
   at	
   01:07:30,	
   being	
   the	
  
second	
  one	
  one-­‐step	
  higher:	
  
-­‐The	
  first	
  time	
  the	
  melody	
  is	
  in	
  the	
  low	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
19	
  Using	
  this	
  terminology	
  just	
  to	
  follow	
  the	
  names	
  that	
  have	
  been	
  given	
  to	
  the	
  
different	
  themes.	
  
20	
  Meaning	
  by	
  mist	
  the	
  fact	
  that,	
  whenever	
  there	
  is	
  mist	
  in	
  the	
  movie,	
  the	
  choice	
  
of	
  music	
  is	
  textural	
  (almost	
  Amazonian,	
  as	
  mentioned	
  earlier).	
  

-­‐	
  

01:07:38	
  

brass	
  and	
  choir.	
  
-­‐The	
   second	
   time,	
   the	
   melody	
   can	
   be	
  
found	
   in	
   the	
   trumpets	
   with	
   some	
  
support	
  of	
  the	
  strings.	
  
In	
   this	
   fragment	
   he	
   find	
   thematic-­‐alike	
  
elements,	
   but	
   none	
   of	
   them	
   is	
   directly	
  
related	
  with	
  any	
  of	
  the	
  stated	
  themes.	
  
	
  

EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  28:	
  It	
  Ends	
  Today	
  
(01:08:52	
  –	
  01:09:55)	
  The	
  Cue	
  ends	
  early,	
  when	
  we	
  comparing	
  the	
  movie	
  with	
  
the	
  soundtrack.	
  
	
  
When	
   comparing	
   the	
   soundtrack	
   and	
   the	
   movie,	
   we	
   find	
   that	
   there	
   is	
   some	
  
editing	
  done	
  at	
  01:09:40	
  (in	
  the	
  soundtrack	
  there	
  is	
  not	
  a	
  pause	
  at	
  this	
  point).21	
  	
  
The	
  pause	
  is	
  there	
  (once	
  more)	
  to	
  leave	
  room	
  for	
  the	
  sound	
  effects.	
  
	
  
-­‐01:09:25	
  at	
  the	
  point	
  in	
  which	
  Snotlout	
  smiles,	
  the	
  music	
  becomes	
  “friendlier”.	
  
-­‐01:09:40	
  the	
  music	
  starts	
  after	
  the	
  sound	
  effects,	
  following	
  the	
  cut.	
  
-­‐01:09:55	
  the	
  music	
  ends,	
  following	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  Stoick’s	
  hand.	
  
	
  
The	
  only	
  theme	
  that	
  we	
  find	
  in	
  the	
  Cue	
  is	
  WARRIORS	
  at	
  01:09:40.	
  The	
  beginning	
  
of	
  the	
  cue	
  has	
  many	
  elements	
  that	
  loosely	
  resemble	
  some	
  themes,	
  but	
  they	
  aren’t	
  
defined	
  enough	
  to	
  be	
  considered	
  as	
  part	
  of	
  any	
  theme.	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  29:	
  Battling	
  the	
  Green	
  Death	
  
(01:11:15	
  –	
  01:17:10)	
  
	
  
-­‐01:11:26	
  the	
  beginning	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  is	
  synced	
  with	
  the	
  cut	
  that	
  
shows	
  the	
  Green	
  Death.	
  
-­‐01:11:53	
  as	
  Stoick	
  shouts,	
  the	
  music	
  changes	
  abruptly	
  its	
  path	
  (modulates).	
  
-­‐01:12:44	
  the	
  music	
  stops	
  as	
  the	
  picture	
  shows	
  the	
  dumbfounded	
  face	
  of	
  Stoick.	
  
-­‐01:13:30	
  the	
  cymbals	
  and	
  the	
  beginning	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  HICCUP	
  are	
  synced	
  with	
  
the	
  cut.	
  
-­‐01:15:12	
   the	
   moment	
   in	
   which	
   Stoick	
   pulls	
   Hiccup	
   back	
   is	
   enhanced	
   by	
   the	
  
cymbal.	
  
-­‐01:15:33	
   the	
   beginning	
   of	
   the	
   theme	
   BERK	
   is	
   synced	
   with	
   the	
   movement	
   of	
  
Toothless.	
  
-­‐01:16:49	
   the	
   moment	
   where	
   the	
   came	
   shows	
   Astrid	
   is	
   synced	
   with	
   the	
  
beginning	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  TOOTHLESS.	
  
-­‐01:17:10	
   the	
   ending	
   of	
   the	
   Cue	
   is	
   synced	
   with	
   the	
   moment	
   when	
   the	
   Green	
  
Death	
  is	
  hit	
  by	
  Toothless’	
  flame.	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
21	
  Since	
  the	
  track	
  was	
  probably	
  recorded	
  in	
  slices,	
  we	
  are	
  going	
  to	
  assume	
  that	
  
both	
  are	
  edited,	
  but	
  we	
  will	
  take	
  as	
  “original”	
  the	
  movie	
  version.	
  
	
  

Theme	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  

Time	
  
01:11:26	
  

EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  

01:11:53	
  

FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
  

01:12:22	
  

HICCUP	
  

01:12:47	
  

STOICK	
  THE	
  VAST	
  

01:13:01	
  

HICCUP	
  

01:13:30	
  

TRAINING	
  WITH	
  DRAGONS	
   01:13:46	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
01:13:53	
  
+	
  
FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
  
FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
  
+	
  
TRAINING	
  WITH	
  DRAGONS	
  
FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  

01:14:03	
  

TOOTHLESS	
  

01:15:18	
  

01:14:14	
  
01:14:32	
  
01:15:00	
  

Description	
  
The	
   theme	
   appears	
   in	
   with	
   full	
  
orchestra	
   with	
   an	
   extremely	
   busy	
  
orchestration.	
  
The	
   theme	
   here	
   sounds	
   one	
   step	
  
higher	
  and	
  the	
  male	
  choir	
  sums	
  to	
  the	
  
sound	
  of	
  the	
  orchestra.	
  
The	
   melody	
   in	
   the	
   brass,	
   with	
   the	
  
rhythmic	
   accompaniment,	
   turns	
   the	
  
“sacrifice”	
  of	
  Stoick	
  and	
  Gobber	
  into	
  a	
  
Epic,	
   almost-­‐heroic,	
   rescue	
   of	
   their	
  
fellow	
  Vikings.	
  
The	
   theme	
   appears	
   orchestrated	
   and	
  
with	
  it’s	
  rhythm	
  changed	
  in	
  a	
  way	
  that	
  
resembles	
   the	
   music	
   of	
   the	
   action	
  
movies	
  of	
  the	
  80’s.	
  
The	
   theme	
   is	
   used	
   at	
   this	
   point	
   almost	
  
as	
  a	
  joke,	
  as	
  Gobber	
  points	
  out	
  the	
  fact	
  
that	
  Hiccup	
  is	
  as	
  stubborn	
  as	
  Stoick.22	
  
The	
  orchestration	
  is	
  similar	
  to	
  the	
  one	
  
used	
   the	
   first	
   time	
   the	
   theme	
   was	
  
presented	
   (in	
   the	
   1st	
   Cue),	
   but	
   it	
   is	
  
extended	
  to	
  follow	
  the	
  story.	
  
The	
   melody	
   and	
   the	
   harmony	
   is	
  
distorted	
   at	
   this	
   point,	
   but	
   the	
   mood	
  
of	
   the	
   music	
   still	
   sounds	
   as	
   in	
   the	
  
previous	
  appearance	
  of	
  the	
  theme	
  	
  
-­‐	
  
The	
   theme	
   TOOTHLESS	
   is	
   used	
   as	
   a	
  
secondary	
   melody	
   in	
   the	
   high	
  
woodwinds	
   while	
   the	
   theme	
  
FIGHTING	
   DRAGONS	
   sound	
   in	
   the	
  
horns.	
  
The	
  melody	
  of	
  both	
  themes	
  is	
  heavily	
  
distorted	
   (specially	
   the	
   melody	
   from	
  
FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS,	
  in	
  the	
  strings).	
  
-­‐	
  
-­‐	
  
The	
   melody	
   in	
   the	
   strings	
   create	
   the	
  
dramatic	
   feeling.	
   The	
   orchestration	
   is	
  
similar	
   to	
   the	
   one	
   used	
   in	
   the	
   first	
  
appearance	
  of	
  the	
  theme,	
  but	
  without	
  
the	
  timpani	
  roll.	
  
The	
   theme	
   in	
   the	
   voices	
   and	
   the	
  
changes	
   in	
   the	
   harmony	
   make	
   it	
   feel	
  

	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
22	
  Another	
  possible	
  interpretation	
  for	
  this	
  would	
  be	
  that	
  the	
  theme	
  STOICK	
  THE	
  
VAST	
  is	
  considered	
  as	
  an	
  “adulthood”	
  theme,	
  and	
  at	
  this	
  point	
  Stoick	
  finds	
  that	
  
his	
  son	
  is	
  a	
  worthy	
  son	
  and	
  not	
  just	
  a	
  crazy,	
  dreamy	
  guy.	
  

BERK	
  
+	
  
Toothless	
  

01:15:33	
  

FORBIDDEN	
  FRIENDSHIP	
  

01:15:48	
  

BERK	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
FORBIDDEN	
  FRIENDSHIP	
  

01:16:08	
  
01:16:49	
  
01:16:53	
  

as	
   if	
   at	
   this	
   point	
   the	
   music	
   is	
   inside	
  
the	
   mind	
   of	
   Stoick:	
   he	
   notices	
   that	
   he	
  
was	
  wrong	
  about	
  Toothless	
  and,	
  even	
  
when	
   he	
   is	
   still	
   not	
   sure	
   about	
   it,	
   he	
  
helps	
  him.	
  
The	
   theme	
   TOOTHLESS	
   is	
   used	
   as	
   an	
  
accompaniment	
  
in	
  
the	
  
high	
  
woodwinds	
   while	
   the	
   rest	
   of	
   the	
  
orchestra	
  focuses	
  on	
  the	
  other	
  melody	
  
(which	
   appears	
   predominantly	
   in	
   the	
  
brass	
  section).	
  
The	
   theme	
   follows	
   BERK	
   seamlessly,	
  
creating	
   a	
   whole	
   new	
   entity	
   with	
   the	
  
fusion	
  of	
  both	
  themes	
  
The	
   end	
   of	
   the	
   cue	
   uses	
   all	
   three	
  
themes	
   in	
   such	
   a	
   way	
   that	
   they	
   all	
  
seem	
   to	
   be	
   part	
   of	
   the	
   same	
   melodic	
  
idea,	
  creating	
  a	
  “new”	
  longer	
  theme	
  as	
  
a	
  result.	
  

	
  
	
  
Cue	
  30:	
  That	
  Thing	
  Has	
  Wings	
  
(01:17:11	
  –	
  01:18:18)	
  
Even	
   when	
   this	
   Cue	
   is	
   completely	
   action-­‐oriented,	
   there	
   is	
   not	
   any	
   noticeable	
  
syncing	
  between	
  the	
  picture	
  and	
  the	
  music.	
  The	
  mc	
  follows	
  the	
  path	
  of	
  the	
  scene,	
  
but	
  there	
  is	
  nothing	
  openly	
  synced.	
  
	
  
The	
   orchestration,	
   as	
   mentioned,	
   is	
   action-­‐oriented,	
   with	
   a	
   lot	
   of	
   textural	
  
elements,	
   but	
   even	
   so,	
   there	
   are	
   some	
   easily-­‐noticeable	
   themes	
   that	
   are	
   being	
  
used:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  
01:17:15	
   The	
   theme	
   appears	
   in	
   the	
   low	
   section	
   of	
   the	
  
orchestra,	
   accompanied	
   with	
   “stabs”	
   made	
   by	
  
runs	
  in	
  the	
  woodwinds	
  and	
  violins.	
  
FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
   01:17:34	
   The	
   orchestration	
   makes	
   it	
   sound	
   epic	
   a	
  
triumphal,	
   while	
   not	
   lowering	
   the	
   tension	
  
level.	
  
WARRIORS	
  
01:17:47	
   The	
   theme	
   appears	
   slightly	
   distorted,	
   with	
   a	
  
lot	
   of	
   movement	
   in	
   the	
   different	
   layers	
   of	
  
instruments.	
  There	
  is	
  also	
  a	
  new	
  element,	
  the	
  
echo	
   of	
   fragments	
   between	
   different	
  
instruments,	
   which	
   helps	
   to	
   increase	
   the	
  
tension	
  even	
  more.	
  
FIGHTING	
  DRAGONS	
   01:18:00	
   The	
   theme	
   uses	
   even	
   more	
   repetitions	
   than	
  
the	
   previous	
   one	
   and	
   the	
   actual	
   melody	
   is	
  
compressed	
   (as	
   almost	
   runs)	
   between	
   these	
  
repetitions.	
  
	
  

Cue	
  31:	
  Counter	
  Attack	
  
(01:18:23	
  –	
  01:20:05)	
  
	
  
This	
   extremely	
   messy	
   Cue	
   is	
   made	
   by	
   combining	
   elements	
   from	
   the	
   themes	
  
TOOTHLESS,	
  EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
  and	
  HICCUP.	
  	
  The	
  majority	
  of	
  the	
  cue	
  is	
  based	
  on	
  
materials	
   from	
   EVIL	
   DRAGONS,	
   although	
   they	
   are	
   treated	
   freely	
   to	
   create	
   an	
  
“alive”	
  orchestra.23	
  
	
  
The	
  Cue	
  starts	
  with	
  a	
  sync	
  at	
  01:18:23,	
  following	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  Toothless:	
  
	
  
-­‐01:18:25	
  the	
  theme	
  TOOTHLESS	
  start	
  sounding	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  time	
  that	
  the	
  Green	
  
Death	
  receives	
  the	
  impact.	
  
-­‐01:18:27	
   the	
   movement	
   of	
   Toothless	
   is	
   followed	
   by	
   the	
   music.	
   This	
   happens	
  
again	
  at	
  01:18:31.	
  
-­‐01:18:32	
  the	
  movement	
  of	
  the	
  head	
  of	
  the	
  Green	
  Death	
  is	
  in	
  sync	
  with	
  the	
  music,	
  
although	
  since	
  it	
  is	
  a	
  relatively	
  slow	
  movement,	
  is	
  hard	
  to	
  tell.	
  
-­‐01:19:25	
  the	
  theme	
  HICCUP	
  starts	
  sounding	
  just	
  as	
  Toothless	
  turns	
  around.	
  
-­‐01:19:51	
  the	
  music	
  stops	
  as	
  Hiccup	
  gets	
  hit	
  by	
  the	
  tail	
  of	
  the	
  Green	
  Death.	
  
	
  
The	
  themes	
  that	
  appear	
  in	
  this	
  Cue	
  are	
  the	
  following:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
TOOTHLESS	
  
01:18:25	
   The	
  theme	
  appears	
  in	
  the	
  high-­‐pitched	
  instruments	
  
of	
   the	
   orchestra,	
   accompanied	
   with	
   a	
   counter-­‐
motive	
  that	
  is	
  the	
  equivalent	
  of	
  the	
  “stabs”	
  heard	
  in	
  
the	
   woodwinds	
   in	
   the	
   previous	
   Cue;	
   but	
   this	
   time	
  
around	
   they	
   appear	
   in	
   the	
   low-­‐pitched	
   instruments,	
  
feeling	
  more	
  like	
  impacts	
  from	
  a	
  huge	
  hammer.	
  
EVIL	
  DRAGONS	
   01:19:03	
   The	
  melody,	
  with	
  truncated	
  rhythms	
  and	
  harmony,	
  
is	
   suggested	
   split	
   among	
   different	
   instruments	
  
(some	
   of	
   them	
   completely	
   covered	
   by	
   the	
   sound	
  
effects).	
  
HICCUP	
  
01:19:25	
   The	
  theme	
  appears	
  briefly,	
  as	
  a	
  fanfare.	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  32:	
  Where’s	
  Hiccup	
  
(01:20:43	
  –	
  01:23:32)	
  
	
  
This	
   Cue	
   starts	
   as	
   a	
   slow	
   and	
   sad	
   choral	
   and	
   is	
   gets	
   progressively	
   happier	
   as	
  
Stoick	
  notices	
  that	
  his	
  son	
  is	
  alive.	
  Then	
  the	
  mood	
  keeps	
  evolving	
  following	
  the	
  
story:	
  
	
  
-­‐01:21:20	
   when	
   Toothless	
   opens	
   his	
   wings,	
   the	
   music	
   also	
   “opens”	
   changing	
  
from	
  a	
  sad	
  sustained	
  mattress	
  to	
  a	
  more	
  vivid	
  and	
  happy	
  accompaniment.	
  
-­‐01:21:32	
   the	
   beginning	
   of	
   the	
   theme	
   TOOTHLESS	
   is	
   synced	
   with	
   a	
   subtle	
   nod	
   of	
  
the	
  dragon’s	
  head.	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
23	
  It	
  feels	
  almost	
  like	
  a	
  hive	
  or	
  a	
  swarm	
  of	
  instruments.	
  

-­‐01:21:59	
   the	
   theme	
   BERK	
   starts	
   sounding	
   at	
   the	
   point	
   in	
   which	
   Toothless’	
  
nostrils	
  dilate	
  as	
  he	
  breath	
  in	
  Hiccup’s	
  face.	
  
There	
  are	
  two	
  themes24	
  that	
  can	
  be	
  heard	
  in	
  this	
  Cue:	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
TOOTHLESS	
   01:21:32	
   The	
   orchestration	
   is	
   similar	
   to	
   the	
   one	
  
used	
  in	
  Romantic	
   Flight,	
  but	
  the	
  rhythm	
  
is	
  slightly	
  different.	
  
BERK	
  
01:21:59	
   This	
   is	
   the	
   only	
   time	
   in	
   the	
   whole	
  
	
  
soundtrack	
  where	
  we	
  can	
  clearly	
  listen	
  to	
  
an	
   isolated	
   piano.	
   The	
   composer	
   was	
  
probably	
   saving	
   it	
   for	
   this	
   sad-­‐intimate	
  
moment	
   where	
   both	
   friends	
   are	
  
peacefully	
  together	
  again.	
  
The	
   theme	
   is	
   followed	
   seamlessly	
   by	
  
FORBIDDEN	
   FRIENDSHIP	
   (both	
   being	
  
already	
  fused	
  as	
  a	
  single	
  theme).	
  
	
  
	
  
Cue	
  33:	
  Coming	
  Back	
  Around	
  
(01:23:25	
  –01:25:22)	
  
	
  
-­‐01:24:31	
   the	
   theme	
   TOOTHLESS	
   starts	
   as	
   Hiccup	
   adjusts	
   his	
   peg	
   leg	
   to	
   the	
  
saddle.	
  
-­‐01:25:07	
  the	
  moment	
  when	
  Fishlegs’	
  hit	
  the	
  wall	
  with	
  his	
  dragon	
  in	
  synced	
  with	
  
the	
  music.	
  This	
  happens	
  again	
  at	
  01:25:08.	
  
-­‐01:25:16	
  the	
  credits	
  hit	
  by	
  the	
  music	
  (of	
  course).	
  
	
  
Theme	
  
Time	
  
Description	
  
LOVE	
  THEME	
   01:23:30	
   The	
   instrumentation	
   is	
   almost	
   the	
   same	
   that	
   was	
  
TOOTHLESS	
   01:23:50	
   used	
   in	
   the	
   Cue	
   Romantic	
   Flight,	
   but	
   the	
   rhythm	
   is	
  
slightly	
  different.	
  The	
  main	
  difference	
  is	
  
LOVE	
  THEME	
   01:24:03	
   The	
   orchestration	
   gets	
   progressively	
   smaller	
   until	
  
reaching	
   a	
   solo	
   violin	
   at	
   01:24:12.	
   It	
   is	
   interesting	
  
how,	
   to	
   follow	
   the	
   path	
   of	
   the	
   picture,	
   two	
   sections	
   of	
  
the	
  theme	
  are	
  overlapped	
  at	
  01:24:10.	
  
TOOTHLESS	
   01:24:31	
   All	
  these	
  three	
  themes	
  are	
  used	
  as	
  a	
  steady	
  melody	
  at	
  
BERK	
  
01:24:39	
   this	
   point	
   of	
   the	
   movie.	
   The	
   orchestration	
   recreates	
  
FORBIDDEN	
   01:24:55	
   perfectly	
  a	
  feeling	
  of	
  happy,	
  “almost-­‐perfect”,	
  ending.	
  
FRIENDSHIP	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
24	
  Although	
  FORBIDDEN	
  FRIENDSHIP	
  would	
  make	
  the	
  third,	
  it	
  is	
  already	
  fussed	
  
with	
  BERK,	
  making	
  them	
  both	
  the	
  same	
  theme	
  at	
  this	
  point.