Annie Lennox, Howard Shore - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
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Free Music Notes for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Free Music Review: Howard Shore is the Lord of music composers
Hit: 5 Stars
It's so sad that this is the end of the Trilogy. I sincerely enjoyed listening to the music of the 3 parts of the Lord of the Rings. Howard Shore spared no effort to make us feel the events of the story. His vision and enthusiasm were a great help to the making of this movie.- As usual, Shore brings some of the old music from the Fellowship of the Ring esp. in his first theme (A storm is coming). This time he lets us feel the moments when Smeagol was a hobbit enjoying his time in fishing with his friend Deagol, who found the One Ring, but was murdered by Smeagol. However, there're parts of the theme in the movie, but were not incorporated in the soundtrack CD.
- (Hope and memory) reminds us with the scene when Gandalf were heading toward Minas Tirith with Pippin. Then comes (Minas Tirith) into play when they reached the City of Men. This theme combines also the escape of Faramir from the orcs & Nazgul who took over the bridge, the West Bank, and Osgiliath.
- (The White Tree) is a combination of many themes such as the time when the Steward of Gondor was weeping for his dead son (Boromir), and also when the sign of help traveled from Gondor to Rohan.
- (The Steward of Gondor) is a good theme which makes us feel the moment when Faramir with his soldiers were going back to fight the orcs in Osgiliath. This theme stars Billy Boyd (Pippin) when he sings a sad song for the Steward who enjoys his meal while his soldiers are fighting & being killed !
- (Minas Morgul) is a theme full of darkness & evil esp when Frodo, Sam & Gollum were in Minas Morgul.
- (The Riders of Rohirrim) is self-descriptive, and a beautiful theme which shows courage of the Rohan soldiers.
- (Twilight and Shadow) is one of the most brilliant themes, performed by Rene Fleming. It's touching and so sad. When u listen to it, u will picture the sad Arwen Undomiel leaving to the Grey Haven according to her father's will. But later she changes her plan and goes back to Rivendell to convince her father to reforge the sword of Elendil (the King's sword) for Aragorn, her beloved man.
- (Cirith Ungol) is good music; part of it includes the moment when Frodo abandons Sam to continue the journey with him.
- (Anduril) is great one, since it lets u picture the reforging of the sword of Elendil (Anduril) by the elves.
- (Shelob's lair) is evil theme and lets u feel the fearful moments that Frodo had to go thru when he was escaping from that creepy creature. However, the theme misses the part where Lady Galadriel came into play after Frodo fell down.
- (Ash & smoke) describes the war against Gondor.
- (The field of Pelennor) is a great theme which describes the coming of the Rohirrim and their courage leaded by King Theoden against orcs.
- (Hope fails) music theme is good.
- (The black gate opens) forms the main theme of all the battles. Shore brings us to the scene where the black gate opens then back to Frodo & Sam remembering the Shire and how brave Sam is when he says the best words of friendship (I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you !).
The last 3 themes are the best of all the themes in addition to (Twilight & shadow):
- (The end of all things) is beautiful. It starts when Frodo claimed the ring to be his, then fights with Gollum for it until Gollum cuts Frodo's finger and takes the ring (performed by Rene Fleming), then Frodo fights again with him until he falls down in the lava of the volcano. As a consequence to the casting of the One Ring, Sauron's tower falls and Sauron dies & all the evil which used to charge the orcs force diminished. Frodo & Sam is now left on a large rock, then Gandalf rescues them by his eagles friends. However, there're parts of the music theme in the movie which were not included in the soundtrack, esp. the background when Frodo says (It's gone, it's done).
- (The return of the King) is a standout (and the longest) theme, when Aragorn became King of Gondor, and Arwen comes at last to be his Queen, but of course after she lost her immortality.
- (The Grey Haven) is so soft and touching, which is the last theme of the movie. It's so sad since the fellowship of the ring is broken after Gandalf & Frodo leave forever to the Grey Haven. It actually makes you cry along with Pippin, Merry, and Sam!
- (Into the West) is a lovely song with good lyrics performed by Annie Lennox. You will listen to it many many times.
I just wish there could be an Extended Soundtrack of the movie, since some themes were not included in the original soundtrack.
In my opinion, this is the best of all the 3 soundtracks of the Lord of the Rings. It's state-of-the-art, brilliant & full of emotions. It should be classic soundtrack.
Free Music Review: Epic Soundtrack for an Epic Film
Hit: 5 Stars
Soundtracks do not make or mar a film per se, but it cannot be denied that it is an important element. An irritating or faky soundtrack can make you laugh at what should be a serious part of the film, and would probably draw your attention away from the actual movie. But then sometimes there are those soundtracks that come along that the listener just really likes. It captures the emotion of the film, it can deliver a mighty punch when necessary, but also presents softer parts where they are required. In short, it fits. This is what Howard Shore has done with the Return of the King soundtrack.
Featuring the masterful voices of Ben del Maestro, who had previously worked on the Two Towers soundtrack, Annie Lennox, and Renee Flemming of opera fame, as well as the wonderful London Philharmonic, The London Voices, and The London Oratory School Sola, this soundtrack takes us on a third journey into Howard Shore's music of Middle Earth.
Beginning with a harmless, happy flashback depicting Deagol and Smeagol fishing on the Anduin River, the music is joyous, and somewhat reminiscent of the Shire tunes that featured in the other soundtracks. But before many minutes have passed, the music rapidly descends into a thunderous blend of the two Mordor themes, reminding everyone that the enemy is not defeated yet.
Soon after, we are introduced to a theme that was not in either of the other soundtracks: the motif of Gondor, the mightiest nation of men still extant in Middle Earth. The loud brass music here is sure to remind everyone of the theme for the Fellowship, but it still has its own sound to it, and it well depicts the honor and hope that still lives on in Gondor.
There is another new theme here, encapsulated in one long track, that has not been heard in previous soundtracks, simply because the loathsome creature it portrays has not showed herself before: the theme for Shelob. Starting off with slow, ominous brass depicting her dark lair, it soon kicks off with racing violins as she begins her quest for blood. This is not a track to skip-it doesn't let up much at all, once it gets going.
Just as choral music featured prominently in Two Towers and the Fellowship, it has a key role in the Return of the King as well. It marshalls itself chiefly into two incredible tracks-The Battle of the Pelennor Fields and The End of All Things. In Pelennor we have a variant of the Nazgul theme-a little less subtle than the one we're used to. The pounding chorus here may very well be my favorite part of the entire CD. Did I talk about no letup in Shelob's tune? Try this one.
The End of All Things is another great track-since it depicts the final climax of the film, it has to be pretty dramatic, and it certainly is. This features the excellent voice of Renee Flemming in the quieter parts, and shows that this lady does not need to stick to opera to sound good.
There is one track-only one, mind you-that I am not very enamored with in this CD, and I think it may simply be because the scene it accompanies is one I dislike. This track depicts one of the mercifully rare appearances of Arwen Evenstar in the film-and probably is not intrisically bad music. I think I'm just prejudiced. If you liked Arwen, you'll probably like this.
Shore does something unusual in this soundtrack-two separate actors in the film have small singing parts. One-Billy Boyd's song in track 5, the Steward of Gondor-is quite excellent. The other-Viggo Mortensen's solo in track 17, The Return of the King-is not. Mortensen should have kept just to speaking, but his part is only about thirty seconds to a minute out of a ten-minute, otherwise very good track, so it is not too bad.
And then there is always the final track: Into the West. Annie Lennox give us an emotional, very good song about the final destination of all the good guys in Middle Earth--the western land of Valinor, which seems to be Tolkien's allegory of Heaven. This is an excellent song, and Annie Lennox has a very good voice.
The Return of the King is a wonderful end to a wonderful soundtrack, with recaptions of many of the excellent themes that made appearances in the other two CDs-the Fellowship theme and the Rohan theme, chiefly. With its epic scope and wonderful performers, it is a great soundtrack for a great movie, and is nearly as good standing on its own as it is accompanying the movie. Don't pass it by.
Free Music Review: Saving the best for last.......! Howard Shore is brilliant.
Hit: 5 Stars
As a composer for a trilogy of movies, Howard Shore could've taken the easy way out. With ROTK, he could've created a follow-up score that sounds very much like the score for TTT. And subsequently, have TTT sound much like FOTR. What Howard Shore has instead created could easily be considered his magnum opus - 3 splendidly layered and unique film scores that will be copied and admired for years to come. Like Peter Jackson, Mr. Shore has succeeded in bringing us the world of Middle Earth and introducing us to its wide and varied cultures and creatures.The soundtrack for ROTK is nothing short of magnificent. This is when our favorite characters finally face the ultimate test - to sacrifice life and limb to save Middle Earth from the clutches of the dark lord Sauron. The soundtrack reflects the prevalent moods and emotions of the book - it builds up a foreboding sense of doom (which climaxes with such powerful tracks as "Shelob's Lair," "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields" and "The End of All Things") and ends with a sense of calm, hope and melancholy (highlighted by the fabulous "The Return of the King," "The Grey Havens" and "Into the West"). The film itself (judging from the soundtrack) promises to be the most powerful - not only in terms of action sequences and visual grandeur but also in its emotional impact - of the 3 films. Many tracks in this soundtrack drove me to tears and I imagine that I, in turn, will be sobbing in the movie theater when I finally see ROTK on opening night.
With this trilogy, Howard Shore has created some fantastic and memorable themes. When you listen to a track, you become transported to a certain place - whether it is in the Shire, Rivendell, Moria, Rohan or Isengard. In this sountrack, there are sprinkles of the familiar themes from the first 2 films: the lightness of the Hobbiton theme ("Concerning Hobbits" from the Fellowship score), the grandeur of the Gondor theme (which brings to mind the fabulous Boromir/Faramir/Denethor flashback scene from the Two Towers extended cut dvd), the ethereal Rivendell theme, and the majestic Rohan theme (as in "The King of the Golden Hall" from Two Towers). However, Mr. Shore also introduces us to new themes depicting the menace and power of Mordor, Aragorn's new destiny, Shelob, the melancholy of the Grey Havens and Denethor's failing rule. This is then topped off by what I consider the best theme song of the trilogy (with apologies to Enya) - Annie Lennox's stunning "Into the West."
The highlights for me include: 2. Hope and Memory, 8. Twilight and Shadow, 10. Anduril, 13. The Fields of Pelennor, 15. The Black Gate Opens, 16. The End of All Things, 17. The Return of the King and 19. Into the West. My favorite has to be "The Return of the King" which so splendidly weaves together all of the themes that we have come to love - the Gondor theme, the Hobbit theme, the Fellowship theme, Aragorn's theme and the Breaking of the Fellowship theme. At over 10 mins, it is also the longest-running track. Shore shows pure genius by adding fantastic new contributors to this score - James Galway's flute, Renee Fleming's haunting soprano, Billy Boyd's melancholy hymn, Viggo Mortensen's elvish air and Annie Lennox's evocative voice and song-writing skills. Ben del Maestro's stunning tenor - a highlight in the Two Towers soundtrack - returns as well.
I am happy to report that the soundtrack for "The Return of the King" is just as good as - if not better than - that of the first two films. It is a rich, layered, powerful score and I cannot wait to finally take it all in when The Return of the King opens in cinemas. This is a must have for any The Lord of the Rings fan and is a fantastic addition to any music lovers collection.
Free Music Review: Return of the King VS. The Last Samurai
Hit: 5 Stars
Last year was the year of big budget epics for Hollywood. No expense was spared for lavish spectacle, elaborate costuming, awe-inspiring battle scenes, and more. And Hollywood knows that in spite of tremendous attention to visuals, it can all fall flat without the right soundtrack. George Lucas even admitted that Star Wars would have been nothing without John Williams' music. Certainly composer Howard Shore's soundtrack to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, complements the visual and dramatic elements of the film superbly. Listen, for example, to Minas Tirith and you can visualise the action in your head, without even having seen the film. The opening is haunting and mysterious, from which emerges a heroic theme played in the horns. I was interested to compare this track to Spectres in the Fog from The Last Samurai, by Hans Zimmer. The emergence occurs a bit later in Zimmer's score, because it is preceded with another introduction, but after about one minute the gesture is identical to Shore's. Both Zimmer and Shore's work are textbook examples of excellent film scoring and anyone interested in learning that art would do well to study them in detail. One significant difference between the two scores is the basic orchestration-naturally enough The Last Samurai includes Japanese instruments. Since Middle Earth doesn't actually exist, Shore had no authentic instruments to draw from, and relies instead on a large Western orchestra, but occasionally has the instrumentalists perform in unusual ways, creating unique tone colors. Listen to the unworldly treatment of the woodwinds at the beginning of Shore's Minas Morgul, a work heavily inspired not only by the music of Richard Wagner, but also Sergei Prokofiev-in particular his Scythian Suite. Shore also makes use of folk music styles of the British Islands, since Tolkien's book was meant as an English Mythology, as when Billy Boyd sings The Steward of Gondor, preceded by a long introduction featuring a traditional flute.
But perhaps the biggest difference between the two soundtrack CDs, other than the Oscar gathering dust on Howard Shore's mantle, is the overall tone. The Return of the King soundtrack is action-filled, exciting and even, for some, nerve-wracking. The example of he Steward of Gondor is telling-while it's a beautiful ballad, Shore adds growing string clusters behind the voice to create a sense of impending doom. Zimmer's score is more introspective. It concentrates for the most part on wistful melancholy and loss rather than the fury of battle. Those who prefer their music peaceful and meditative will love The Last Samurai and perhaps be driven mad by Return of the King. But I prefer Shore's work somewhat, although still admiring Zimmer's greatly. Perhaps Howard Shore was the Oscar winner because he works with a much broader palate-more themes and a wider range of techniques including some very contemporary ones that would surely alienate many audience members if heard in concert with no visual context. By contrast, The Last Samurai relies too much on a single theme. It's lovely beyond question, and noble when played by horns, and courageous when played by trumpets, but after a point, many of the tracks on the CD are indistinguishable. Not so with Shore's score, and I was also impressed with how well the tracks complemented one another as a single program. Given that Return of the Kings includes a bonus DVD, it's particularly good value, and a terrific way to recapture the experience of the film.
Free Music Review: A stupendous ending to a classic music trilogy
Hit: 5 Stars
I STRONGLY recommend sitting down, by yourself, with a copy of Tolkien's novel, and then listening to this soundtrack in full. I had some pretty high hopes for this soundtrack, and this music exceeds them. Some of my favourites include -
Track 1 - A Storm is Coming
A surprisingly upbeat and whimsical introduction to the film. Compared to the previous openings (especially the fantastic 'Foundations of Stone' from The Two Towers), it sounds surprisingly subdued. Still, it's an enjoyable listen, and does provide excellent musical accompaniment to seeing Smeagol sans' makeup.
Track 10 - Anduril
Finally, after three years of impatiently waiting, we at last see the forging of Anduril - the Sword of the West! And it's about time!!! Howard Shore makes sure that the payoff here is absolutely huge, with a liberal (and beautiful) use of choral arrangements, and the elven themes from both Rivendell and Lothlorien (just to emphasis exactly who is reforging the Sword of the West).
Track 11 - Shelob
This track sounds like it belongs more to an Aliens film than an epic fantasy - it is, however, mildly scary (at least to my ears). Howard Shore has often composed music for David Cronenberg (a famous horror film director), so it should be no surprise that he knows how to scare the pants of film audiences. After hearing this music, so goodness only knows what Shelob will actually look like. And I hate spiders!
Track 15 - The Black Gate Opens
Despite its bleak title, this is a surprisingly hopeful and optimistic tune. There are a few welcome reprises of tunes from FOTR and TTT, including the Fellowship tune, Hobbiton, and the 'Into the West'.
Track 16 - The End of All Things.
It's interesting to note that both 'The Matrix Revolutions' and `Return of the King' use choir music to great effect. I really enjoyed Don Davis excellent work on the Matrix soundtracks. The films may not have lived up to all my expectations, but the music definitely did.
Track 17 - Return of the King
It's 10 minutes of pure Howard Shore LOTR music - which is always a major plus in my book. It's the most uplifting and optimistic track in the entire album, and it has Viggo Mortensen in it singing vocals - which really knocked me for a loop! Not to mention an excellent reprise of the Fellowship and Hobbiton themes from FOTR. Oh, and did I mention that James Galway gets to play a solo on flute? At the moment, my number one favourite track from all three films. Mostly because I've been waiting for this emotional payoff for the last three years. Excellent, outstanding stuff!
Track 18 - The Grey Havens & Track 19 - Into the West
I know you have mixed feelings about the last track (sung by Annie Lennox). I'm really pleased with it - it reflects exactly how the reader should feel at the end of ROTK. There's a sense of elation, but also a deep sense of sadness when we realise that Frodo and Bilbo are taking the Grey Ships "beyond the circles of the world". The tunes used here are a radical departure from what we've heard before. There's a sense that the slate has been wiped clean, of new beginnings.
This is a stupendous soundtrack - required listening regardless of whether you enjoy the films or not. I wish I could've been part of the orchestra recording this wonderful music - being there for that would've been the experience of a lifetime!