There are many opening themes out there that have been classed as iconic, however, in recent years, the one that most certainly takes the cake is the Game of Thrones. But why is the theme so important and what makes the one composed by Ramin Djawadi so appealing?
The Power of Music in Fantasy
When it comes to fantasy, a genre depicting worlds that seem so far removed from our own reality, immersivity is incredibly important. Allowing other genres like historical and drama to bleed into it is one way to achieve this; another is using music as a tool for capturing the very essence of what viewers should expect, whilst setting the right tone and pace from the get-go.
We can see the successful implementation of this across other kinds of mediums when it comes to this genre, such as movies and games. For instance, there are popular Slingo casino titles that fall under the fantasy category. In Slingo Journey to Asgard, the background soundtrack works to replicate the feeling that you’re in a realm filled with gods. For those who haven’t played Slingo games before, they’re a combination of bingo with slots, a game type that is renowned for innovative approaches to applying a theme.
The creatives behind all these media types know that music can help elicit a reaction from viewers, such as when hearing haunting melodies paired with darker scenes. In a way, music is a main character, one that we can’t see but we can most certainly feel and hear. Even the lack of music or background soundtracks can evoke feelings such as that of unease. Ultimately, we can’t imagine any fantasy show, movie, or game being able to be quite as successful without the perfect musical pairing.
Exploring What Makes the Game of Thrones Opening Score Iconic
When the series was still ongoing, there were few things that fans cherished more than finally getting to hear the opening score of the series, signalling a new episode. The sweeping music perfectly depicted the vastness of The Known World of Game of Thrones, from Westeros to Essos. The powerful sound managed to prepare viewers fully to dive into the epic fantasy tale before them. But what went behind making it as iconic as it was?
Let’s start with the main instrument used, which was the cello. This was specifically chosen due to its seemingly inherent darker tones, as per Djawadi, perfectly addressing the fact that the series followed some pretty gritty themes. While the music was chiefly instrumental, it did include a choir of female voices melodically following the music.
This is a step away from the typical fantasy opening theme, where instruments such as flutes and solo vocals are typically used. And this decision has certainly been rewarded with it being one of the most recognisable scores in fiction, earning accolades and winning several Emmy awards.
Even though the final episode of the series ended in 2019, anyone who hears the opening score will instantly be transported back in time to when the series was an ongoing phenomenon. The power of music should never be underestimated, even when it seemingly only plays a small role, such as introducing a series to viewers. Regardless if you’re a fan of the series or someone who simply watched it for the sake of doing something everyone else was, you can’t deny that the theme of Game of Thrones is as memorable and iconic as they come.
