Audio Drama

The Hobbit is written by J. R. R. Tolkien. The audio drama
is played by ThrobnWood.

What I can say about the sound design or the overall is that it has
a sense of what is going on with the drama. As you play and hear it,
you feel like you are part of the scene. Closing your eyes, imagining
that you are one with the drama.

This audio drama is more of a storytelling where there
is only one narrator. There are no other characters talking
or saying their lines but the narrator does everything.
He copies how the style or how the character
should talk and act.
The voice acting is very good but somehow not all of the characters in the
story are males. So for a strong male voice when played the part
of a female voice would be somehow annoying.
But then, his voice is still magical perfect for
a storyteller. :)

In the audio, sound effects and background
music are added up to also express the mood of the play and
emphasize the different plots of the story.
In the beginning as you have noticed, background music
is being played as a form of introduction.
And in the later part, the sound effects changes depending on the mood
or plot of the story.
As it changes, the storyteller also follows.