Superhero films continue to thrive in 2022, with The Batman, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder all finding success. However, the latter was released in May, which feels like a year ago, leaving audiences hungering for the next person with incredible powers. The Oct. 21 release of Black Adam has filled that void, finishing first at the box office in its first two weeks.

The film features music from Lorne Balfe, whom I had the chance to interview regarding his work on the year’s highest grossing film, Top Gun: Maverick, in May of this year. Following that interview, we discussed a future project where I would have the opportunity to perform some score study and analysis of his music. That project, having been granted unprecedented access to the score materials, has turned into a two-part feature for FSMO. In this first part, I present the primary themes that are used in Black Adam. Next month’s installment will feature highlights from the underscore of the film, which contains close to two hours of music.

Black Adam Theme
The film’s central character, the (anti-)hero Black Adam, has his own theme, as one would expect. The theme is in C minor, but uses both A-flat and A-natural and B-flat and B-natural, fluctuating between the various forms of the minor mode. The cue is marked at q=85, “With drive and swagger,” clearly referring to the power and arrogance of the character. The initial accompanimental gesture is syncopated, 3+3+2 in terms of eighth notes across a measure of 4/4, rather than the expected 4+4 or 2+2+2+2. The theme is also built around layers, gradually growing until all parts are present.

Following the syncopated bass line, the first thematic layer enters in the cellos and basses. It is a four-measure melody that repeats, easily crossing the bar line to begin again on tonic. Of these four measures, the first three end higher than where they began, while the fourth begins and ends on the same pitch. All the notes belong to C Aeolian except one: in the third measure, the melody leaps up from C to A-natural before returning to A-flat. Although Adam may have moments of heroism in him, he is still primarily an antagonist.

The second layer is played by 12 horns and a solo cello. Similar to the first layer, the opening three measures of the second layer all have something in common, while the fourth measure differs. In Layer 2, the rhythm is exactly the same in the first three measures, as well as the first three notes, but the end of each measure is different. The first measure ends E-flat-D-C, the second measure E-flat-F-D, and the third measure E-flat-D-E-flat. The fourth and final measure upsets the now-expected rhythm by beginning on the downbeat of the measure, and although the last note falls on beat 3, like the previous measures, it somehow feels different due to the syncopation specific to the measure.

When Layer 3 enters, Layers 1 and 2 drop out. Layer 3 contains two components: melody and text. The melody is a two-measure descending gesture, while the text repeats every four measures. The melody also contains two separate lines harmonizing it, breaking the first choir into three SATB mini-ensembles. The Latin text and translation are as follows:

Iratus est furor eius                                His fury is angry
Ejus cor verberat calidum                     His heart beats hot
Armis eius pierced                                   His arms pierced
Sarguis eius insanit                                 His coffin causes his insanity 

After one complete statement of the text, all three layers sound together, with the marking, “Huge,” at the top of the score. Following three four-measure statements of the layers, a musical “break” occurs featuring new harmony and new text in the second and third choirs. The harmonic progression is A-flat major/F major/C minor/G major-minor 7, or VI-IV-i-V⁷ in C minor. The text appears below. 

Est tranquillitas saevit                           There is a calmness raging
In per cruentam                                       Through the bloody palm
Palmam ferrum in manu                       Of the iron in his hand
Battali an eius regat                               His battalion rules
Onnes ad imperium                                All to the command
Iratum est furor eius                              His fury is angry
Eius cor verberat                                     His heart beats

The text in this “break” presents a slightly different side to Adam, one that reveals him to be calm and methodical, not always acting on rage and revenge, but certainly able to do so.

Following the break, Layers 1-3 all return with the marking,“Diabolically Huge,” and at a dynamic marking of fff, the loudest moment in the theme thus far. The choirs are wordless at this point, singing on a neutral syllable, and the theme ends with one final flourish to a downbeat, following the familiar four-measure pattern.

Balfe’s theme is far more complex than it may seem: a bass ostinato with multiple layers on top. The melodic and rhythmic components of the layers all have to interact with one another, even if they are separate. This is far more intricate than simple musical stratification, but not quite at the level of interaction of Baroque-era counterpoint. Factors such as harmonic dissonance, metric clarity and timbral separation also must be considered in order to create an effective theme, and Balfe treats all of those components appropriately, creating a strong and powerful theme for the character of Black Adam.

The Justice Society of America Theme
The group of heroes that battle Black Adam gather under the name The Justice Society of America (JSA). The iteration of the group that appears in the film consists of Atom Smasher, Cyclone, Doctor Fate and Hawkman. Hawkman and Doctor Fate provide the obvious links to Black Adam, as Hawkman is Egyptian royalty, continually resurrected throughout the centuries, and Doctor Fate earned his powers through his father opening the Egyptian tomb of Nabu the Wise. It should come as no surprise that the score is marked in places with “Ethnic Quality” to allude to the Egyptian backgrounds of the two characters. 

The JSA Theme features choir throughout its entirety, without any section breaks. The text and translation appear below.

Ego sum princeps animae meae               I am the ruler of my soul
Fatum meum dominus sum                       I am the master of my fate
Praesent non porta quam                          There is no gate 
Ultra locum irae et lachrymae                 Beyond the place of anger and tears
Horror umbrae quam pcenas volume    The horror of the shadows

This text is far more in control than Adam’s text, focusing on the fact that anger will not lead to the appropriate outcome, and that the members of the JSA control and are responsible for their own actions. The sentiment between the two texts could not be more different.

This theme, slightly faster than the Black Adam Theme, opens at q=95, with a marking of “Militant Rock.” The JSA Theme also features a bass ostinato accompaniment that repeats every two measures. Here, the rhythm (in 4/4) appears as 1e&a 2, 3e&a 4, 1e&a 2, 3e& 4e&. Pitchwise, the ostinato remains on G until the final beat of the second measure, when it leaps up to B-flat, marking the home tonality as G minor/G Aeolian. The choir begins at the same time as the ostinato, repeating the line Ego sum princeps animae meae (“I am the ruler of my soul”) every two measures in a chant-like fashion.

The main part of the JSA Theme consists of four four-measure phrases, with each growing and becoming more harmonically interesting. The first phrase begins and ends on D4, sol in G. The harmonic rhythm, one chord per measure, is G major/C minor/C minor/G major. Phrase 2 begins on D4 and ends an octave higher on D5, with the third measure adding a B-flat major triad in its second half. Phrase 3 begins on B3 and ends on E4, working as two two-measure ideas (B3 to G4, A3 to E4), with the harmonic support of G major/E-flat major/F major/C minor, not returning to tonic as before. The fourth and final phrase begins and ends on G4, with E-flat major/D minor/C^sus4/C major providing harmonic support. Balfe is clearly avoiding the dominant harmony of D major in this theme.

The second section of the JSA Theme is organized in two-measure units, with two chords per measure. This part of the score is marked “Epic,” and contains the line Praesent non porta quam over and over. The chords here are repeated: GM (sometimes Gm)/E-flat major/B-flat major/FM. Each two-measure melodic idea is repeated and varied in order to maintain the momentum of the theme. When this section finally concludes, Balfe introduces the dominant chord, D major, for the first time in the theme.

The third and concluding portion of the theme, like the first, operates in four-measure phrases, with the chords G minor/D major/E-flat major/C major looped over and over. Marked “Grandioso,” the melody also repeats itself over the four measures, with the fourth sounding most prominently. Balfe does include one curious melodic idea: The opening pitches—G-D-F#-Eb—all belong to G harmonic minor, with the D and F# sounding above the D major triad, and the Eb sounding above the E-flat major triad. The dominant, D major, resolves deceptively to E-flat major rather than to the expected tonic, G minor. The leading tone, F#, should always resolve up to tonic, G, even in a deceptive resolution. By subverting that expectation, Balfe tells the audience that not everything will go according to plan, and the members of the JSA may not all be left standing at the end of the film. This is an extremely subtle detail, but one that contains a great deal of narrative significance.

Father and Son Theme
The Father and Son Theme is the gentlest of the motifs in the score, which might be expected given its title. It contains only two lines of Latin text, appearing below.

Ego eiin patrem et ipser it mihi            I am the father, and he himself goes 
In filium qui si inique aliquid                To my son, who if something unjust

I ran the Latin text through multiple translation applications, and received the same result from nearly all of them. The final clause, “who if something unjust,” is incomplete and unclear in this context, leaving the meaning uncertain.

Marked “Warm, with Mystery,” the theme, in C minor, is initially stated by solo cello over a pedal C in the rest of the cellos and basses. This melody groups into four four-measure units, like the other two themes, but there’s something about this line that feels familiar. It’s not derived from any portion of the other two themes, yet seems to be entirely in place here. Once the full accompaniment enters, this is the richest harmonic progression used in the film, as it defies the four-measure patterns that dominate the themes. The sparseness of this theme allows for potential development in the film.

Adam’s Journey
Like the Black Adam Theme, Adam’s Journey is also in C minor/C Aeolian. Additionally, the choir sings Latin text once again.

Battali an eius regat                                His battalion rules
Onnes ad imperium                                 All to the command
Iratum est furor eius                               His fury is angry
Eius cor verberat                                      His heart beats

The text concerns Adam’s “resurrection” or release from his entombment, with the words “his heart beats.” Adam’s fury, anger and willingness to fight are also mentioned here.

The bass ostinato from his theme returns, but at a much slower rate even though the tempo is marked at q=130, “Dramatic with Attitude.” The 3+3+2 figure feels slower because it is across two measures rather than within a single bar, making the syncopated bass line seem far slower than in the Black Adam Theme. Once again, four four-measure units are used here, but for the first time a true chromatic note (not one that oscillates between C major and minor) is used. No real harmonic support exists, as the unison melody is played over the ostinato bass line. The absence of harmony is a significant moment, perhaps signaling Adam’s nature as a singular ruler or force.

The theme opens at a dynamic of fff on an F#, with the first idea ending on G, the dominant. The second idea opens on Ab and ends on G. In the first two ideas, the overall melodic shape and goal is G, beginning a half-step below in the first idea and a half-step above in the second. The third idea begins on F# like the first, creating the feeling of a periodic structure, before concluding on Eb, nearly an octave higher. The final idea, which begins on D, arpeggiates through the dominant harmony before ending on C, the tonic.

Despite the absence of any true harmonic support, the melody strongly implies the presence of a half cadence at the end of the second idea and an authentic cadence at the end of the fourth idea, the only theme of the four to do that. The clear formal structure of the theme works with Adam’s character, as he is methodical and has had time to plan for his return. When combined with the absence of clear harmonic support, this theme shows that Adam has the capacity for both good and evil, to be part of a team to save the world, but also to be an arrogant and tyrannical ruler.

Final Thoughts
On the surface, Lorne Balfe’s themes for Black Adam may seem like the usual loud tentpole musical fare, but they are much more sophisticated than that. The composer’s creative use of modal melodic ideas and drawing on harmonies from both the parallel major and minor modes often imbues the music with a heroic feel, or at least allows the opportunity for the (anti-)hero to do something good for the world.

In traditional Theme and Variation collections, the theme is always given space to be varied and developed later in the work. So too are Balfe’s themes given the space to be transformed over the course of the film. In the December issue of FSMO, I’ll explore some highlights from the score, often focusing on thematic development and variation, but also moments that are particularly fascinating.

—FSMO