A Musical Journey Through Enchanted Valleys

Behind the Music
Written By Leroy Roncken

A debut album is and always will be special. Years and years are poured into honing your craft and building something from nothing. To then reach that moment where you can finally say “I did it, my project is complete” is an exciting occasion. Even though my debut album may have been completed, and I got to experience that special milestone, many musical adventures yet await. But before diving into my next ventures, I want to pause for a moment and reflect on the adventure that is Enchanted Valleys. For an adventure it is, in more ways than one.

 
 

My debut album Enchanted Valleys portrays a journey through an imaginary world filled with unique and magical landscapes. The symphonic concept album explores these landscapes one by one. I will walk you through each of these and explain my ideas and inspirations behind the compositions. But my personal vision is not the only “correct” way to experience the music. By all means, think up your own story, or just listen to the music as is. Before delving into the individual compositions, I will explain my inspiration for the album as a whole (or you can skip ahead to your favourite track using the table of contents below).

 
 

As is touched upon in my “about” section, Enchanted Valleys originated from my academic research. During my time in university, I studied fantasy scores for video games and films to find out how music can create a sense of time and place — also known as “world building.” More specifically, I examined how music can help shape the virtual landscapes around gamers. I was playing around with these ideas well before they culminated in my two theses, and I was also working hard on my symphonic composition skills at that time. Incidentally, I was working on a composition that reminded me of lush, green valleys. The music had a magical atmosphere to it, so I decided to name the piece — you guessed it — “Enchanted Valleys.”

For clarification: the original “Enchanted Valleys” piece is not the same composition as the title track on the Enchanted Valleys album. I admit it’s a bit confusing. The orchestration of the original piece was a bit clumsy, so it didn’t make it to my debut album. (I have since reworked the orchestration, and released it as part of the cinematic EP Aurendel’s Travail under the name “Light Returns to the Kingdom.” You can read more about it here.)

In all honesty, I don’t remember whether my composition sparked the idea for my research or the other way around. They probably both inspired each other in different ways. Anyway, the combination of working on that original “Enchanted Valleys” piece, learning the ropes of composition and orchestration, and researching world building in soundtracks gave me another idea. I wanted to learn and thoroughly understand composition techniques suitable for all kinds of moods and situations. I thought a hands-down approach would be best (and a lot of fun), so I scribbled down ideas for interesting and varied fantasy landscapes to try to capture in music. This grew into a story of a magical journey about discovering new lands and meeting all sorts of creatures. The point was that each location in that adventure had its own distinct characteristics and atmosphere. That way I would need to learn and apply new composition and orchestration techniques to effectively embody the sceneries in the music.

Enchanted Valleys as an album therefore started as a personal research project with the intention of exploring musical identities of various landscapes, as well as my own. As I was busy with my studies — writing essays, reading articles, and analysing all sorts of compositions — I did not have much time for my personal practical research project. I spent most of my vacations working on Enchanted Valleys, but it still took years to finish the first few compositions. After I graduated, I got the chance to work on my project full time and seized the opportunity with both hands. It wasn’t until the album really began taking shape that I started to consider releasing it and turning music composition into my career.

I liked the sound of the title “Enchanted Valleys” a lot, and to honour the piece that led to the idea of the album, I chose to name the project after it. It was a feeling like none other to be able to hear my completed Enchanted Valleys project after years of work and development: as I was fantasising about it and working on it, I had abstract sounds in my head for how each piece would end up sounding. It’s a surreal experience to now be able to hear concrete music instead of those vague sonic ideas. And now I am no longer the only one who can experience Enchanted Valleys; now I get to share my musical adventure with you.

The musical journey through the magical world of Enchanted Valleys begins with the aptly named composition “Adventure Awaits (Exposition).”

 
 

The adventure begins by waking up in your camp on the summit of a mountain at the crack of dawn. As the sky changes its hue every minute, you take in the mesmerising sights of the vast and varied landscapes that stretch out before you. You wonder about all you may encounter during the coming days and nights. Pack up, put on your boots, and embark on a magical journey.

Even though “Adventure Awaits” functions as an introduction to the album, it was the penultimate composition I wrote for Enchanted Valleys. I did this so that I could present thematic material from each track of the album in the form of an exposition. Sometimes I used main themes, other times background material and orchestral textures, and I hid them in varying layers of the exposition. The thematic material is mostly reorchestrated or modified in other ways, such as slowed down, sped up, or moved to different layers (i.e., background or foreground). Besides the opening theme and some transitions, almost all material of “Adventure Awaits” is derived from material from the other tracks to foreshadow the album and the journey ahead.

A good example of a blend of themes and textures from different tracks is the music between 2:17 (minutes:seconds) and 2:30. Texturally, I combined music from “Dwarves Under the Mountain” and “Ponds and Pastures”: I used the oud (a centuries-old guitar-like instrument) and the dwarven choir that form the backbone of “Dwarves Under the Mountain,” and transitioned this to the string quartet from “Ponds and Pastures.” However, the melody that is played by the oud is a variation on one of the main themes from “Where Goblins Dwell” (starting around 0:52). Meanwhile, the dwarven choir sings the bass melody heard just after the one-minute mark in “Rambling Amidst Trees.” In this example, I’ve referenced four pieces in just a few seconds of music; finding all references in “Adventure Awaits” is an adventure all by itself.

As you descend the majestic mountain, the journey continues. You find yourself overlooking a fjord. Once you are down by the water, you board a boat to drift down the gently flowing river and admire the awe-inspiring mountains surrounding you.

 
 

For “Floating Down Winding Fjords,” I was inspired by the soundtrack underscoring the Skellige Isles in the video game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. That score excellently captures the majesty of the rugged landscapes dotted with rocky mountains, without compromising on the beauty and elegance of the calm mountain lakes. I challenged myself to create a composition that also merges these contrasting qualities: I wanted the music to express the hefty and unyielding grandeur of mountains, and convey the grace and mutability of lakes and rivers at the same time.

I wanted to capture a tranquil boat trip with all kinds of sights and events, including calmly rowing across a mountain-surrounded lake at the beginning of the composition, floating past waterfalls (between 1:28 and 1:39 in the track) and letting the gentle stream carry you further, and then rowing past dewy forests at the base of the mountains (starting around 2:34). As the composition comes to an end, the Fjord trip is over and it’s time to beach the boat near the edge of verdant woodlands.

You find yourself surrounded by trees, flowers, birds, and deer in a lush forest. Warm and magical sunrays break through the thicket as you dance your way through the woods.

 
 

“Rambling Amidst Trees” is a musical translation of an idealised forest stroll. When I visualise a relaxing walk through the woods, I see large deciduous trees gently rustling their leaves in the wind, warm sunlight cascading through them. I see colourful plants and flowers, and tall grass soft to the touch. I see critters, bees, and butterflies moving about and the occasional deer skipping by. The forest is filled with life and all is well. This is what I tried to convey with “Rambling Amidst Trees” — from the positive and carefree feelings to the capricious movements of the plants and animals. I even wrote some bird calls (around 0:39, for example,) to create the right atmosphere.

As the sun begins to set, you find a slightly misty lake hidden deep in the woods and walk towards it.

 
 

Standing at the edge of the water, you marvel at the view as the sun disappears behind the treeline, painting the sky with deep shades of purple and dark blue. In the twilight, you see a thin mist roll over the water and hear singing in the distance. Then you see faint shapes that look like people emerge from the mist... Suddenly, you are surrounded by the otherworldly sights and sounds of elves communing with water and forest spirits in the moonlight.

The idea behind “Elves Emerge as Dusk Settles Over the Lake” was to create a mystical and ethereal soundscape suitable for elves and magic. To do this, I studied John Williams’s music for mermaids in the film Hook and Howard Shore’s music for elves in The Lord of the Rings. “Elves Emerge as Dusk Settles Over the Lake” was the first composition in which I applied an orchestral gesture that I learnt from studying Maurice Ravel’s work; this gesture only lasts a few seconds, but it paved the way for incorporating more and more classical orchestration techniques in my music.

As you continue to explore, you spot a grotto and enter it.

 
 

It turns out that the grotto is in fact a labyrinth of deep tunnels. They contain the occasional skylight through which you can see the moon and the stars. A stream of glowing mushrooms illuminates a path. As you follow the path, you delve deeper and deeper, and stumble upon an underground goblin village. The cumbersome creatures that dwell here are cavorting and dancing clumsily in the moonlit caverns.

I wanted to write a quirky and playful piece that’s a bit clumsy and has a hint of humour. I got inspiration for “Where Goblins Dwell” from Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” John Williams’s theme for Harry and Marv in Home Alone, and “Old Town” from the video game Fable II.

You exit the tunnels, but can hardly see anything. It is dark and misty, and there’s no more sign of the stars or even the full moon.

 
 

As you step forward into the thick mist, you feel that the ground is soggy. You realise that a spooky trek across fuming bogs lies ahead. As sight is limited, the mysterious and haunting sounds around you seem amplified. Can you make it across?

Apart from the introductory and concluding pieces (“Adventure Awaits” and “Echoes of a Journey,” respectively,) “Bogs Shrouded In Mist” was the latest composition that I wrote for this album — even though it was among my first ideas for Enchanted Valleys. The reason for this delay was that I had a clear idea in my head of what I wanted for a marshland composition and how it needed to sound, but I did not know how to realise my ideas. I wanted an ominous, menacing soundscape without it being outright scary or violent. I also aspired to create sound effects through music, like mimicking the rustling of nearby hidden creatures. It took years to find the time to develop the necessary skills for this composition, but I’m quite proud of how it turned out.

Probably the most influential music for “Bogs Shrouded In Mist” was Bernard Herrmann’s work in Alfred Hitchcock’s thrillers; I analysed Vertigo’s soundtrack for a university project and listened to much more of Herrmann’s work during that period. Among other things, his music helped me gain a new appreciation for the aesthetic possibilities of dissonance, which I invoked in “Bogs Shrouded In Mist.”

The ground feels firm, the mist clears, and countless stars reveal themselves.

 
 

Before you lies a cool desert with the occasional lone tree. Progress is slow as you cross the desert, for the night sky keeps drawing your attention. You take your time and envelop yourself in the comfort and beauty of the ethereal night sky.

I drew inspiration for “A Night Under the Stars” primarily from video game soundtracks. The music for night-time exploration in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was an especially big source of inspiration for this composition. I also admired the atmospheres created by “Oldsong” from Pillars of Eternity and “Vergen by Night” from The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, which undoubtedly helped me with my conceptual ideas for the mood of “A Night Under the Stars.”

The day breaks as you see a large mountain range in the distance.

 
 

A glorious herd of horses comes running by. You follow the horses as they gallop across the prairie towards the majestic mountains.

The origins of this piece are rather complicated, as I switched back and forth between ideas and drafts. The main concept, however, stayed the same throughout: I wanted to write music for a mountain range. It had to portray an arid and monumental mountain range — the challenge being musically distinguishing them from the fjords and lush, green valleys in my other compositions. I was leaning towards Hollywood-style Western music for this and I was working on orchestral ideas with potential. However, I just wasn’t completely happy with these drafts for some reason.

I decided to put those ideas aside for perhaps another project and start from scratch. But then I remembered that I had written a Western-style rock tune several years earlier. It was an instrumental composition for two electric guitars, bass guitar, and a drumkit that carried the whole horses-running-by vibe. I thought it would be a valuable project for putting my orchestration skills to the test (and for working on my brass arranging skills, which I found difficult at the time due to a lack of experience with those instruments). And so I orchestrated the piece with an additional challenge of creating horse-galloping rhythms without relying on the drumkit or other percussion. The main goals of this orchestration exercise were to clear my head, hone my skills, and hopefully get some useful ideas for my mountain piece.

The orchestrated version of my Western rock tune turned out really well, and it hit all the right notes (pun intended) for my conception of prairies and mountain ranges. I therefore decided to use it as the basis for the mountain piece for Enchanted Valleys. As a nice surprise, I discovered that my original orchestral ideas for the piece worked seamlessly with my newly rearranged rock tune, so I integrated those themes as a contrasting section. Moreover, merging the two pieces improved the dramatic arc of the composition as a whole. You can hear the (slightly tweaked) original ideas between 1:21 and 2:20 — the rest is material from my rock tune.

My fascination for mountains continues to show in this next composition, although this time the adventure happens deep inside the mountains’ caves. I thought up an elaborate sequence of scenes to underscore, and it borders on a screenplay at times. You can read the outline below while listening to the music, with timestamps given between parentheses (minutes:seconds) right before the described events.

 
 

(0:00) Having arrived at the mountain range, you spot a dark cave. You enter the haunting darkness, which is occasionally filled with strange noises. Some of those sounds appear to come from gigantic boulders toppling over in the distance, their echoes bouncing off the walls. Others are harder to identify, but they sound metallic. Every now and then you feel a cold breeze flowing across your neck. (0:52) As you go deeper, you hear a mechanical sound and faint music in the distance. The sounds gradually swell as you continue. Is that chanting? (1:34) A flickering light is visible on the wall. The tunnel becomes narrower and lights up orange as dark shadows dance around. The mechanical and musical sounds become louder and more distinct. The tunnel makes a bend and you look around the corner.

(1:56) Your eyes are met with an enormous cave chamber, the floor of which is beyond your sight. In the distance, you see torches lighting up the walls, and upon further inspection you realise that you walked into a mine full of industrious dwarves. They are singing while mining stones and metals from the mountain’s caves. (2:30) Dozens of blacksmiths work the recently mined metals to create ingots and craft tools. (2:41) You keep walking and come across a small marketplace filled with dwarven master crafters and merchants offering their wares. (3:03) As the journey through the mountain continues, you come across more mines full of dwarves mining and singing. (3:48) Leaving the dwarves behind, you enter another dark and empty tunnel. The sounds slowly fade away, but they are replaced by a growing light. (4:33) Daylight briefly blinds you as it greets you from the end of the tunnel.

This composition was interesting to make and it took a bit of experimentation. One thing that I found during my studies and my time spent on fantasy games and films was that there are many different interpretations of Dwarvish music. This fascinates the scholar in me, and so it took a while for me to analyse them and figure out what resonates with me as a composer and my interpretation of dwarves. In the end, I decided upon a selection of special instruments, sound effects, and scales to use as the foundation for my Dwarvish composition, which became “Dwarves Under the Mountain.”

As you exit the mountains’ caves, you are met with the breath-taking sight of green, flowing valleys.

 
 

You descend the verdant mountainside and are surrounded by an array of colourful plants and animals. The occasional cloud breaks up the warm and golden sunlight and drizzles fine rain over the valleys, creating spectacular rainbows. The elegance and grandeur of these valleys makes for an enchanting spectacle straight from a fairy tale.

As I mentioned in the beginning of this blog post (under “Humble Beginnings and Ambitious Aspirations”), this “Enchanted Valleys” composition is not the one that sparked the idea for this album several years earlier, but it does share its name. I was feeling a bit insecure about the original composition that sparked the idea; even though I was proud of my accomplishment, I thought that the composition was rather crude and decided not to include it in the album. However, I still wanted a track about lush, green valleys, so I made a new one. At the time I thought I wouldn’t rework that original “prototype track,” if you will, for release. Instead, I tried to capture the same elements — the atmosphere, main instrumentation, and dramatic arc — in a new composition that would benefit from my improved technique.

The “Enchanted Valleys” composition that appears on this album is very special to me besides its origins: quite a few things clicked for me while writing this piece — things that had been an enigmatic struggle for me since I first began composing music. The main challenges that I faced over and over were thematic development and variation. One night, while I was in the process of creating the new “Enchanted Valleys” piece, I put on my headphones, turned off all the lights, and listened deeply to Antonín Dvořák’s New World Symphony. The entire time, I focused on his way of developing and varying thematic material. Quite a few techniques for doing this stood out to me, and gave me a number of interesting ideas to try out. The next day, I immediately tried these ideas on “Enchanted Valleys” and they worked well. Since then, I no longer struggled nearly as much with thematic development and variation as I had before, and the level of my work has improved considerably.

“Enchanted Valleys” was another step forward in applying classical techniques and inspiration in addition to cinematic techniques. There is Dvořák’s important influence, for one, but I also applied orchestration techniques reminiscent of Maurice Ravel’s (particularly at 3:42), whom I greatly admire.

During the composition process I was having doubts about using the name “Enchanted Valleys” for this piece, because it holds a special connection to my first ever orchestral work. But the closer I got to finishing this piece, the more fitting it felt to carry over the name. Now, “Enchanted Valleys” not only marks the beginning of my orchestral journey, but also a pivotal moment in my development from student to professional composer.

After leaving the valleys behind, you find yourself standing before vast grasslands dotted with ponds, brooks, and shrubs.

 
 

On this pleasantly sunny and warm afternoon you hop across the fields, where cows greet you curiously and deer skip around merrily just a stonecast away. The sweet scents of hyacinths, roses, and lavender titillate your nostrils as the soft grass tickles your bare feet. You skip along gently winding streams, on which coots, ducks and swans glide gracefully.

With “Ponds and Pastures,” I wanted to take classical techniques and influences much further than I ever had before. I wanted a cheerful and pastoral composition incorporating stylistic elements from baroque and classical string quartets and chamber orchestras. Early sources of inspiration for the optimistic, pastoral mood included Edvard Grieg’s “Peasant Dance” (from 2 Nordic Songs) and Howard Shore’s “Concerning Hobbits” (The Lord of the Rings).

“Ponds and Pastures” is one of the later compositions that I completed for this album, but it’s built around one of my older melodies: the basis for the introduction of the string quartet dates back to when the first ideas of Enchanted Valleys as a symphonic suite began to form. At the time I knew that the melody had potential, but I had no idea what to do with it. Fast forward several years, and I was able to compose fully developed themes from it, complete with full-fledged variations and layered orchestrations. As these were the very techniques that I had struggled with for several years, I am reminded of my musical growth every time I hear this piece.

All adventures must come to an end. The time has come to reflect and reminisce, to savour the experiences enjoyed across these enchanted lands.

 
 

One by one, you remember the magical places that you visited. Those flowery fields, the moonlit lake, the summit of the mountain at daybreak, and all that lay in between. “Echoes of a Journey” walks you through each composition and location from the album in reverse order; one by one, characteristic themes and orchestral textures echo in subtle variations, until a variation on the melody that introduced the album now concludes it.

“Echoes of a Journey” inevitably was the final piece that I composed for this album, as I wanted to use themes from each track. As a result, it is a culmination of everything I learnt while working on Enchanted Valleys. Not only is it a reflection of the album, but also a testament to my musical development up until that point.

I think it’s safe to say that Enchanted Valleys is an adventure, in more ways than one. The very idea behind the album is to tell a story of one grand journey, filled with exploration and ventures. But Enchanted Valleys was a personal academic journey as well, providing me a hands down approach to understanding the world building powers of music. I had to do my research for each track, delving into other musical adventures, and then rework my new findings into an original work. This taught me about lots of compositional techniques and turned out to be a catalyst for refining my fundamental musical skills. Closely related is my journey from student to composer. I overcame challenges and discovered just how deep my passion for music runs. In this blog post, I have taken you with me on this personal adventure, and I hope that my music stirs your imagination as it does my own.

The completion of this album marks the end of my embarkation on the enchanting adventure of composition, but that adventure is only just beginning…

 

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Leroy Roncken
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