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This past week I finally sat my butt down and watched Disney’s Moana. Charming movie, great heroine, gorgeous animation and art design … and of course, fantastic music. As dedicated fans of The Kingkiller Chronicles and Page of the Wind will already know, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who composed the music for Moana is also one of the architects of the forthcoming Kingkiller Chronicle media empire. So when I was watching Moana, I started to wonder … what will be the “sound” of the films and TV shows?
Lin-Manuel Miranda has already proven he can write in a range of different styles. The music in Moana draws from the musical traditions of the Polynesian islands as well as the classic Disney musical canon. And Hamilton is influenced by hip-hop as much as by its fellow Broadway shows. It’s worth noting that Miranda’s music has already drawn inspiration from The Name of the Wind. He’s admitted that one of the songs in Hamilton – “The Story of Tonight”, was partly influenced by The Name of the Wind – and in Moana, the plucky heroine uses her knowledge of a being’s true name to gain power over it. Sound familiar?
The music is one of the great joys of these books. And Rothfuss very cleverly never gives away too much about what the songs sound like or what the lyrics might be. He describes enough to set our imaginations afire, and keep them burning. For some it’s sacrilege they’re adapting the books at all, and some people aren’t going to be happy no matter what the music in the show sounds like. Even I am … cautious. And let’s face it – the musical sequences, such as when Kvothe plays the Lay of Sir Savien at the Eolian, are some of the linchpins of the story, and could make or break the adaptation. But, I think it’s good to remember that ultimately, this is just going to be Lin-Manuel’s interpretation of the music – the perfect platonic version in your head is still there. And Lin-Manuel is a fellow traveller on the road to Tinuë. I’m willing to bet he won’t get lost along the way.
And before you get lost along the way … we have exciting business-type news! We now have official Page of the Wind merch! So if you want to support our work and/or you need a nifty coffee mug, T-shirt or tote bag, fly your geek flag proudly with these designs from the mind of our own Jordana Heney! You can find them on her Threadless page at jordanaheney.threadless.com.
Do you have thoughts about the musical direction the show should take? Any bands you want to guest star at the Eolian? A favourite fan-made version of a song? Send us a message at [email protected] or find us on Twitter and Facebook @pageofthewind!