The music of the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy was composed, orchestrated, conducted and produced by Howard Shore. Shore wrote nearly 12 hours of music for The Lord of the Rings, 10 hours of which have been released in The Complete Recordings CD/DVD boxed sets. (The remaining 2 hours are comprised of alternate, unused compositions, and are set to be released in late 2008.) Shore composed the music in an emotional, operatic way, threading through the scores over 80 specific leitmotifs, which are categorized by the Middle-earth cultures to which they relate. Shore began his work on the music for The Fellowship of the Ring in late 2000 and recorded the first pieces of music (the Moria sequence) in spring of 2001. Additional music for the extended DVD version was recorded in March, 2002. A similar pattern was followed for The Two Towers and The Return of the King, with the final sessions taking place in London on March 20th, 2004.

The music was performed primarily by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Voices, with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra contributing some of the early Moria music. A wide variety of instrumental and vocal soloists contributed to the scores as well (see below).

The scores for The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King won Academy Awards in 2002 and 2004. The latter film also won an Oscar statuette for Best Song, as well as the Golden Globes for Best Original Score - Motion Picture and Best Original Song. Shore's music for The Lord of the Rings has become the most successful composition of its composer's career, and is one of the most popular orchestral film scores of all time.

Principal leitmotifs

Themes in The Fellowship of the Ring

The Ring Goes South

The famous theme of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, composed by Howard Shore.

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• The One Ring:
  • "The History of the Ring": If the scores can be said to have a central theme, then this is it. Although it is not heard often within the actual movie, it appears during all three title shots in some way, as well as often during scenes with Smèagol and whenever the Ring changes hands. The theme itself is minor-keyed, elusive, and consists mainly of half-steps. Often it's played by the entire violin section; at the beginning of The Return of the King, it is set in 3/4 and played on solo violin.
  • "The Seduction of the Ring": This theme, performed by a boys chorus (first hummed, then sung), represents the One Ring's overwhelming allure. The theme reappears when Boromir, Aragorn, and Faramir each contemplate taking it from Frodo, as well as when Sméagol tries to take it from Dèagol.
  • "The Evil of the Ring" (Mordor/Sauron): The third theme for the One Ring is limited to only four pitches, and unwavering in its focus. This material stands for the most villainous inclinations of the Ring and for Mordor and Sauron.
• The Shire and the Hobbits: (This theme has four settings.) The melody establishes the sense of home, a regular and safe way of life that is threatened by Sauron and the Ring. The Shire theme reminds the audience that for all its spectacle and flourish, The Lord of the Rings is primarily about simple themes: friendship, loyalty, and the sanctity of home. All four settings begin with the same three ascending notes (C-D-E if in C major scale).
  • "Pensive Setting": This theme is used in the hobbits' recollective moments and often appears as a solo whistle or pan flute, and is one of the most well-known themes. Once the hobbits leave their home, the theme settles into a sense of longing.
  • "Rural Setting": This setting plays as a jaunty, Celtic-influenced peasant melody on a solo violin.. It represents the hobbits' gently whimsical life in Hobbiton.
  • "Hymn Setting": This rendition grieves the hobbits' loss of innocence as it celebrates their resolve in the face of adversity.
  • "A Hobbit's Understanding": This setting presents the Shire theme in its most florid guise. Even though it represents the hobbits at their most profound and complex, it remains tender and affectionate.
• The Hobbit Accompaniments:
  • "The Hobbit Outline Figure": This simple figure, often heard in the celli and double basses, is used as an expectation of things to come. It is heard quite a bit in the early Shire scenes, portraying the hobbits' playful sides.
  • "The Hobbit Two-Step Figure": This short figure appears frequently during the introduction of the Shire, and it often concludes with the End Cap figure.
  • "The End Cap": A graceful rim-shot that plays to the good-humored hobbit lifestyle.
  • "The Hobbit Skip Beat": This ostinato figure is heard throughout the Shire material, usually as an accompaniment, but sometimes more prominently.
• Gollum:
  • "The Pity of Gollum" (Sméagol's Theme): This theme stands for Gollum's sad state of existence. It has a knobby, twisted character, and it remains tonally elusive. The Pity theme becomes a central element in film one, representing Gollum and his influence even as he remains off in the shadows.
• The Elves: The elven themes use chromatic harmonies, Eastern influences, and unique instruments. The choral passages utilize female voices only, and the orchestra uses higher voices and "clean" harmonies. There is a quality of timelessness in the music, as well as a sadness that speaks to the end of an age.
  • "Rivendell": An ethereal theme, usually sung by a female chorus and accompanied by waves of rising and falling string ostinati. Used for Rivendell and Elrond.
  • "Lothlorien": A very mysterious, minor-keyed theme representing Lòrien and Galadriel. It's the first theme we hear in the trilogy, being played during Galadriel's voice-over.
  • "Arwen Revealed":
  • "The Diminishment of the Elves" (Gilraen's Song):
• The Dwarves:
  • "Moria":
  • "The Dark Places of the World":
  • "Dwarrowdelf":
• The World of Men:
  • "Realm of Gondor":
  • "Minas Tirith":
• The Fellowship of the Ring
  • "The Fellowship of the Ring": Easily the most famous and most-used theme in the piece, it is used to represent the Fellowship of the Ring (and later, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas) and is broad and heroic in quality. Often, its first three chords (C, B flat, C when in C-major) are used to suggest the theme.
  • "The Heroics of Aragorn":
• The Monsters of Middle-earth:
  • "The Watcher in the Water":
  • "The Cave Troll":
  • "The Balrog":
• Isengard and the Orcs:
  • "Five Beat Pattern": One of the most easily recognizable themes in the movie for its pounding, relentless 5/4 beat, representing the fires and industry of Isengard and its master, Saruman.
• Mordor:
  • "Mordor/Sauron" (The Evil of the Ring): See "The Evil of the Ring" above.
  • "The Ringwraiths": A theme consisting of just two chords (Cm9 and Fm9 if in C minor) repeating, usually sung by a chorus. It's often accompanied by a quick ostinato, to accent the chase aspect of the Black Riders.
  • "The Mordor Accompaniments":
  • "Descending Third":
  • "Skip Beat":
  • "The Mordor Outline Figure":
  • "The Threat of Mordor":
• The Fourth Age of Middle-earth:
  • "The Power of Mordor":
• Nature:
  • "Nature's Reclamation":
• Middle-earth:
• The Ring Quest Themes:
  • "The Journey There":
  • "Dangerous Passes":
  • "Evil Times":
• All Shall Come To Darkness...:
  • "The Fall of Men":
  • "A Noble End":
  • "The Nameless Fear":
• Another Path:
  • "Gandalf's Farewells": A very sad, moving theme, sung by a soprano voice with chorus background. Heard as the Fellowship leaves Moria, and they grieve over Gandalf. Reprises at the very end of the trilogy during the Grey Havens scene.

Themes in The Two Towers

• Sméagol/Gollum:
  • Returning - "The Pity of Gollum" (Sméagol's Theme):
  • Debuting - "Gollum's Menace" (Gollum's Theme):
  • Debuting - "Gollum's Song":
• The One Ring:
  • Returning - "The Seduction of the Ring":
  • Returning - "The Evil of the Ring":
  • Returning - "The History of the Ring":
• The Fourth Age of Middle-earth:
  • Debuting - "The Fate of the Ring":
• The Shire and the Hobbits:
  • Returning - "Pensive Setting":
  • Returning - "Hymn Setting":
  • Debuting - "Lullaby Setting":
  • Debuting - "Playful Setting":
  • Returning - "A Hobbit's Understanding":
• The Hobbit Accompaniments:
  • Returning - "The Hobbit Outline Figure":
  • Returning - "The End Cap":
  • Debuting - "The Hobbits' Antics":
• The Elves:
  • Returning - "Rivendell":
  • Debuting - "Evenstar" (Aragorn & Arwen):
  • Returning - "The Diminishment of the Elves" (Gilraen's Song):
  • Returning - "Lothlorien":
• The Dwarves:
  • Returning - "Moria":
  • Returning - "The Dark Places of the World":
  • Returning - "The Balrog":
• The World of Men: Gondor:
  • Returning - "Realm of Gondor":
• The World of Men: Rohan:
  • Debuting - "The Rohan Fanfare":
• Eowyn:
  • Debuting - "Eowyn Shieldmaiden of the Rohirrim":
  • Debuting - "Eowyn and Theoden":
  • Debuting - "Eowyn and Aragorn":
• The Fellowship of the Ring:
  • Returning - "The Fellowship of the Ring":
  • Debuting - "The Fellowship in Rohan":
  • Returning - "The Heroics of Aragorn":
  • Debuting - "The White Rider (In the Fellowship)":
• The Monsters of Middle-earth:
  • Debuting - "The Mumakil":
• Isengard and the Orcs:
  • Returning - "Five Beat Pattern":
  • Debuting - "Grima Wormtongue":
  • Returning - "Isengard" (Orc):
  • Debuting - "The Cruelty of the Orcs":
• Mordor:
  • Returning - "Mordor/Sauron" (The Evil of the Ring):
  • Returning - "The Ringwraiths":
  • Returning - "Descending Third":
  • Returning - "Skip Beat":
  • Returning - "The Threat of Mordor":
  • Debuting - "The Way to Mordor":
• The Ents:
  • Debuting - "The Ents":
• Nature:
  • Returning - "Nature's Reclamation":
  • Debuting - "The White Rider (In Nature)":
• Middle-earth:
• The Ring Quest Themes:
  • Returning - "Evil Times":
• All Shall Come to Darkness...:
  • Returning - "The Nameless Fear":

Themes in The Return of the King

• The One Ring:
  • Returning - "The History of the Ring":
  • Returning - "The Evil of the Ring":
  • Returning - "The Seduction of the Ring":
• The Fourth Age of Middle-earth:
  • Returning - "The Fate of the Ring/The Destruction of the Ring":
• The Shire and the Hobbits:
  • Returning - "Pensive Setting":
  • Returning - "Hymn Setting":
  • Returning - "Rural Setting":
  • Debuting - "Heroic Setting":
  • Debuting - "Merry the Warrior":
  • Debuting - "Bilbo's Song":
• The Hobbit Accompaniments:
  • Returning - "The Hobbits' Antics":
  • Returning - "The Hobbit Outline Figure":
• The Fourth Age of Middle-earth:
  • Debuting - "The Shire Reborn":
• Sméagol/Gollum:
  • Returning - "The Pity of Gollum" (Sméagol's Theme):
  • Returning - "Gollum's Menace" (Gollum's Theme):
• The Elves:
  • Returning - "Rivendell":
  • Returning - "Arwen Revealed":
  • Returning - "Evenstar" (Aragorn & Arwen):
  • Debuting - "Arwen's Song":
  • Returning - "Lothlorien":
• The Dwarves:
  • Debuting - "Dwarf End Cap":
• The World of Men: Gondor:
  • Returning - "The Realm of Gondor":
  • Returning - "Minas Tirith":
  • Debuting - "Faramir and Denethor":
• The Fourth Age of Middle-earth:
  • Debuting - "Gondor Reborn":
• The World of Men: Rohan:
  • Returning - "The Rohan Fanfare":
• Eowyn:
  • Returning - "Eowyn Shieldmaiden of the Rohirrim":
  • Returning - "Eowyn and Theoden":
  • Returning - "Eowyn and Aragorn":
• The Fellowship of the Ring:
  • Returning - "The Fellowship of the Ring":
  • Returning - "The Heroics of Aragorn":
  • Returning - "The White Rider (In the Fellowship)":
• The Monsters of Middle-earth:
  • Debuting - "Shelob":
  • Returning - "The Mumakil":
• Isengard:
  • Returning - "Five Beat Pattern":
  • Returning - "Isengard":
• Mordor:
  • Returning - "Mordor/Sauron" (The Evil of the Ring):
  • Debuting - "Mount Doom":
  • Realigned - "Five Beat Pattern":
  • Realigned - "The Cruelty of the Orcs":
• The Mordor Accompaniments:
  • Returning - "Descending Third":
  • Returning - "Skip Beat":
  • Returning - "The Mordor Outline Figure":
  • Returning - "The Threat of Mordor":
  • Returning - "The Way to Mordor":
• The Fourth Age of Middle-earth:
  • Returning - "The Power of Mordor":
  • Debuting - "The Witch King/The Orcs of Mordor":
• Nature:
  • Returning - "Nature's Reclamation":
• Middle-earth:
• The Ring Quest Themes:
  • Returning - "The Journey There":
  • Returning - "Dangerous Passes":
  • Returning - "Evil Times":
• The Fourth Age of Middle-earth:
  • Debuting - "The Journey Back Again":
• All Shall Come to Darkness...:
  • Debuting - "The Army of the Dead":
  • Returning - "A Noble End":
• Another Path:
  • Returning - "Gandalf's Farewells":
  • Debuting - "The Grey Havens" ("Into the West"):

Other Motivic Ideas in The Lord of the Rings

• "There-and-Back-Again shape":
• "Nine-notes idea":
• "Weakness and Redemption in Middle-earth":
• "The Ring's Power 'motive'":

Songs

• "Aníron" (The Fellowship of the Ring) performed by Enya
• "May It Be" (The Fellowship of the Ring) performed by Enya: nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song in 2002.
• "In Dreams" ("The Fellowship of the Ring") performed by Edward Ross
• "Gollum's Song" (The Two Towers) performed by Emilíana Torrini
• "The Edge of Night" (The Return of the King) performed by Billy Boyd
• "Into the West" (The Return of the King) performed by Annie Lennox: won the Academy Award for Best Song in 2004.

Deleted tracks

There exist several pieces of music written by Howard Shore that never made it into the final cut of the film trilogy or any existing soundtrack. Among these are various pieces written for battles throughout the film. There was also a special musical arrangement written for the trailer for The Return of the King, which primarily consisted of principle leitmotifs along with movie trailer-like music. Additionally, there was a song entitled "Use Well the Days" sung by Annie Lennox. The song can be found on a supplementary DVD included with the Return of the King soundtrack in some packages released in 2003.

It has been announced that alternate compositions, alternate takes, synth mock-ups, session footage, etc. will be presented on a bonus DVD(s) released with the book, The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films, by Doug Adams, due around November, 2008.^[1]

Soloists

For the three films Shore worked with many vocal as well as instrumental soloists.

Vocal

• Isabel Bayrakdarian
• Sheila Chandra
• Ben Del Maestro
• Renée Fleming
• Elizabeth Fraser
• Annie Lennox
• Enya
• Edward Ross
• Emilíana Torrini
• Mabel Faletolu
• Sissel Kyrkjebø
• Miriam Stockley
• Hilary Summers

Cast performers

• Billy Boyd
• Viggo Mortensen
• Miranda Otto
• Ian Holm
• Ian McKellen
• Liv Tyler
• Dominic Monaghan
• Elijah Wood

Instrumental

• Dermot Crehan – Hardanger fiddle
• Sir James Galway – flute, tin whistle
• Ulrich Herkenhoff – pan flute
• Edward Cervenka – cimbalom

Original soundtracks

Recordings of the score were originally issued on single-disc albums, that closely followed the theatrical release dates of the films. All soundtrack albums of the trilogy have been released through Reprise Records, Enya's label at that time of the first soundtrack's release.

The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Soundtrack by Howard Shore
Released	November 20, 2001
Length	71:24
Label	Reprise
Producer	Howard Shore, Suzana Peric

The original soundtrack for The Fellowship of the Ring was released on November 20, 2001. Unlike the subsequent single-disc albums, its opening track does not contain the "Power of the Ring" motif and the front cover does not share images from the theatrical poster and DVD cover of the film.

The Two Towers

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Soundtrack by Howard Shore
Released	December 10, 2002
Length	72:46 77:09 (limited edition)
Label	Reprise

The original soundtrack for The Two Towers was released on December 10, 2002. It comes in a regular and a limited edition, the latter containing the additional track "Farewell to Lórien".

The Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Soundtrack by Howard Shore
Released	November 25, 2003
Length	72:05
Label	Reprise

The original soundtrack for The Return of the King was released on November 25, 2003. Its closing track "Into the West" was performed by Annie Lennox and won the 2004 Academy Award for Best Original Song.

The Complete Recordings

Starting in 2005, a year after the theatrical release of The Return of the King, Reprise Records began to release one multi-disc set for each part of the trilogy. These annually published collections, titled The Complete Recordings, contain the entire score of the respective film on CD, along with an additional DVD-Audio disc that offers 5.1 and 2.0 surround mixes of the soundtrack. Each album also comes with extensive liner notes by music journalist Doug Adams which reviews all of the tracks and provides information about the process of composing and recording the score, as well as a detailed list of all musical instruments, people and organizations involved. These Annotated Scores have been made freely available by New Line on the promotional website for the soundtracks (see below).

The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: The Complete Recordings
Soundtrack by Howard Shore
Released	December 13, 2005
Length	180:35
Label	Reprise

The Complete Recordings for The Fellowship of the Ring span just over three hours of music on three CDs. The set was released on December 13, 2005.

Track listing

The Two Towers

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: The Complete Recordings
Soundtrack by Howard Shore
Released	November 7, 2006
Length	188:12
Label	Reprise

The Complete Recordings for The Two Towers span over three hours of music on three CDs. The set was released on November 7, 2006.

Track listing

The Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: The Complete Recordings
Soundtrack by Howard Shore
Released	November 20, 2007
Length	229:15
Label	Reprise

The Complete Recordings for The Return of the King span almost three hours and fifty minutes on four CDs. The set was released on November 20, 2007 and is currently the only of the three to be available for digital download via the iTunes Store.

Track listing

Awards

The scores and soundtrack albums of the film trilogy have won several awards:

Symphony

Following the theatrical release of all three films, Howard Shore reworked the film scores of the trilogy into a more structured six-movement work for orchestra and choir, loosely titled The Lord of the Rings Symphony. This has been performed in various concert halls around the world, accompanied by a light and visual art show by Alan Lee and John Howe. Recordings of the symphony have yet to be released.

See also

• The Lord of the Rings (soundtrack), the score of the 1978 Ralph Bakshi film
• Symphony No. 1 "The Lord of the Rings", a 1988 concert band composition by Johan de Meij

References

External links

• New Line's promotional website for the soundtracks
  • Annotated Score for The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Annotated Score for The Two Towers
  • Annotated Score for The Return of the King
• Official website of Howard Shore
• Doug Adams's blog on the scores and his upcoming book, The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films
• List of CD releases for Lord of the Rings on Soundtrackguide.net