Video: The music of Middle Earth

New Line Cinema has released a pair of fresh clips teasing Peter Jackson’s upcoming fantasy adaptation of The Hobbit.

The first somber clip depicts the thirteen dwarves of Oakenshield’s company singing a rather solemn song, showing the depth of their concern for their homeland, and making it clear that these dwarves are not just into drinking tunes.

Nearly a dirge, Misty Mountains, has become closely associated with the film, as it’s been used in many of the adverts and promos. Herein, it’s sung in its entirety while the dwarves are visiting Bilbo Baggins at his house in Bag End, brought by the wizard Gandalf to make Bilbo the fourteenth member of their party.

This song alone is enough to make me want the film’s sound track on my playlist already. I’m looking forward to hearing what other music that composer Howard Shore has prepared for us.

One of the major, important moments of the Hobbit story, as it ties into the rest of the Lord of the Rings tale, is Bilbo’s fateful meeting with Gollum, whom he outsmarts to escape from the caves and swipe the ring that later is revealed to be incredibly important.

This second clip shows us part of that first meeting, 60 years before the interactions with Gollum that we catch in The Lord of the Rings:

The official synopsis for the film is as follows:

The Hobbit follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever… Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theaters Dec 14 , 2012. The follow up film, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, follows on Dec 13, 2013. The third and final Hobbit film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again arrives on July 18, 2014.