Remembering Ramin Djawadi's best soundtrack in Game of Thrones

Ramin Djawadi is one of the most outstanding composers of the last two decades. His name may not be familiar to us, but we have all heard his compositions, since he is behind what they describe as the most relevant production in the history of television, Game of Thrones. An adventure that is already the history of our culture.

Image property of Andrés Jiménez (ramindjawadi.com)

Who is Ramin Djawadi?

Ramin Djawadi, also known as Ramin D, is a Iranian-German producer and composer of orchestral music for film and television. He achieved fame for having been nominated for a Grammy for the film's soundtrack. Hombre de Hierro, in addition to having composed the soundtrack of the series Game of Thrones and Westworld, both for HBO.

The composer has always cited the soundtrack of The seven magnificents (John Sturges, 1960), as one of the jobs that have most influenced him when dedicating himself to this profession. “For me, this film, in addition to Star Wars and the soundtrack by John Williams, was what made me realize how much dramatic music a film can support.”

After obtaining the qualification of summa cum laude at Berklee College of Music in 1998, earned recognition as Hans Zimmer, which hired him to work at Remote Control Productions. He later moved to Los Angeles where he was an assistant to Klaus Badelt and composed music for films such as Beat The Drum, The time Machine, BASIC, The Recruit and the box office success of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. In addition, he participated in the composition of the music of Batman Begins, signed by Zimmer himself and James Newton Howard.

Image property of Andrés Jiménez (ramindjawadi.com)

Ramin Awards and Nominations

The superhero movie Hombre de Hierro, the first installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and directed by Jon Favreau, with a script by Stan Lee, gave Ramin his first nomination for the Grammy Awards. With this work he elevated the music heavy to a new place, an orchestral atmosphere that connects in a peculiar way with the action plot of the film.

After it was announced on February 2, 2011 that Djawadi would be the composer for the series Game of Thrones, replacing Stephen Warbeck, obtained for this work the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Composition for a Series, in 2018. An award that would reward him again for the same series the following year. She was also nominated in 2014 and 2018 for the Emmys for the episodes The mountain and the viper (4×08) and The dragon and the wolf (7×07), respectively.

Likewise, he obtained the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Opening Title Theme Music for the series Prison Break in 2006 and the Grammy Award nomination for best soundtrack album for film, television or other visual medium, for the eighth season of Game of Thrones.

Ramin D's best hits

Ramin Djawadi will always be remembered for being the composer of the series Game of Thrones. Among the many factors that explain the success of this fiction in the popular culture of this century, apart from that mix of fantasy and political intrigue, supported by masterful performances and a rarely seen visual display, is its soundtrack.

Image owned by @Djawadi_Ramin

Performed mostly by Czech Film Orchestra of Prague, the music of game of Thrones It is based on several premises and basic elements that both Djawadi and the creators of the series agreed upon from the first moment. On the one hand, it had to be differentiated from other fantasy genre productions such as The Lord of the rings, avoiding excessive use of wind instruments and vocal parts, with the exception of songs like Jenny's Song either The Rains Of Castamere, the mythical theme of House Lannister that served as the backdrop for events such as the Red Wedding and whose lyrics are inspired by passages from George RR Martin's books.

On the other hand, there was the undisputed prominence given to the string instruments and, significantly, the cello, introduced as a key piece of the main theme of the intro or to accompany the darkest and most solemn parts of the series. And finally, very much in the style of John Williams, they would have to play throughout all the seasons, accompanying their characters, a series of leitmotifs. Thus, Djawadi has been varying and mixing them together, to create specific themes such as Mhysa, The Children, The Queen's Justice, Dance of Dragons, Reign or The Winds of Winter.

The other great success of his career has been the soundtrack of Westworld, also from HBO, to which Ramin Djawadi introduced elements influenced by groups like Radiohead, Soundgarden or The Rolling Stones, and which rose to heights that were difficult to surpass. This mix between orchestra and popular music is the most surprising and evocative thing about the soundtrack. The old player piano saloon It is one of the small details that attract the most attention in a surprising dichotomy. Sometimes Djawadi plays the main theme, while other times he surprises us with chords that sound very familiar to us. In its first episode you can hear a version of 'Paint it Black'.

Image property of Filmaffinity

Who created the Game of Thrones soundtrack?

Apart from those already mentioned, Djawadi has composed, over the years and seasons, countless great songs for the soundtrack of game of Thrones. The score took a qualitative leap at the end of the sixth season, when the destruction of the Sept of Baelor is accompanied by an unexpected and never-before-heard guest on the series' soundtrack: the piano.

The first sequence of the chapter, which became one of the most epic and unforgettable moments in history, saw how the images adapted to the rhythm imposed by light of the seven, a masterful 10-minute piece that, with the piano, an organ and several violins, consummates Cersei's revenge, through a in crescendo immemorial. Critics classified this proposal as musical poetry, and it was recognized by the International Film Critics Association as the best musical composition of the year for a television series.

Soundtrack of 'The House of the Dragon'

With an original soundtrack also composed by Ramin Djawadi, 'The House of the Dragon' will be the prequel that tells us the story of the Targaryens and will be released in Spain in August 2022. You can already hear a song from this House of the Dragon on some musical platforms, and in which the epic and the use of string instruments once again predominate, with great importance of percussion. 'Fire and Blood Targaryen' is already a legendary piece of almost 17 minutes long, which does not leave fans indifferent and which takes up some movements of the peculiar 'Main Theme' of the series, a song that refers to the same kingdom and about which will return in this expansion of the saga.

The 'Game of Thrones' soundtrack at the Film Symphony Orchestra

For years now, the Film Symphony Orchestra has been performing live the legendary 'Main Theme' by Game of Thrones composed by Djawadi, under the baton of Constantino Martínez-Orts. Its success has been absolute throughout numerous tours, and now, it takes on a special meaning.

About to start the new tour Krypton. Heroes and superheroes in concert, for which the dates will soon be published and, which arrives with interstellar force to captivate you with an impressive show, based on the soundtracks of the best films of heroes, superheroes and villains in the history of cinema, will have a place for Game of Thrones. You can relive the best music from Game of Thrones in concert in a show that represents the best live film music in Madrid.

Ramin D.'s path as a composer continues to be a path of success, as we say, due to his unsurpassed and successful work in the series with the Game of Thrones Soundtrack. Furthermore, the composer has opted, as the FSO does, to present his soundtrack on the concert tour Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience.

This live show about the series combines live music and impeccable visual effects, visiting the entire world including our country. The composer, Ramin Djawadi, conducts an orchestra of dozens of members who transport the viewer on an intense sensory journey. From HBO they explained what awaited and awaits viewers: “Embark on a musical adventure across the Kingdom, from King's Landing to Winterfell and beyond. Immerse yourself in this musical experience that brings the Seven Kingdoms to life. The Global Tour consists of the orchestra Game of Thrones directed by Ramin Djawadi, accompanied by a choir and musical soloists.”