ROTK Soundtrack Samples *SPOILERS*

[RyansRing]

On http://www.soundtrack.net/features/article/?id=110 there is now a review and samples from the upcoming ROTK soundtrack. What do you's think, i think its absolutely gorgeous, very emotional and sad...however the last track, Into The West, is quite different form the other theme songs of the trilogy.

But whats your take on it??

[RyansRing]

Update: Some dude just added the whole review for this on another thread...there's a link here though...:)

[downflow311]

its a great soundtrack. i cant wait to download it off kazaa. it should be on there any time now.

[adt100]

Tsk tsk, you should support NL and buy it Downflow!

Then again, we've poured enough money into their coffers really, so , what the hell. :p

[downflow311]

^ exactly. i've given them enough money with merchandise, dvds, etc.

[Lasgalen]

I'll be homeless and broke by the time the LOTR industry has had its way with me :(

[MagsXGill29]

the last song sounds like a good song, but I don't think it really fits with the movie.

[Glordreen]

I cant go to the page, its keeps saying page can not be displayed, anybody have any other link.

[Glordreen]

nevermind got it!

[Glordreen]

Okay, how do I get them to play?

[adt100]

Just keep right-clicking>'Save Target As' over the links and then if you PC has a media player that plays MP3's it should be fine.

[Glordreen]

Thanks, got it to work now. Man this soundtrck will be great!

[Queen Arwen]

I'm not sure I like Annie Lennox's song. I wish they got Enya back again. :(

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

The link dont open for me :-\

[ILOVEKATIE]

oh man, so the last song sucks? I 'm not at home right now so I can't listen to it at this moment:(

[Sloanie]

Agreed, not sure how Annie's song fits with the rest of the soundtracks. i suppose i'll have to wait until i hear the track in it's entirety / see the movie.

[Madskillz]

yup that last song sucks .

[bmp72178]

The only time you'll hear the last song is over the credits. By that time you'll have spent about 3:30 in the theater and will be running for the bathroom anyways.

[ILOVEKATIE]

lol, bmp
yeah, thats the good thing, that the song plays during the credits instead of in the actual film.
I finally heard the samples and I'm so glad that "The Grey Havens" is the last song the still plays during the film, it fits perfectly, imo.
The "Shelob" track is AWESOME! by the way.

[Macbane]

I agree on the Shelob's Layer track... it's gonna be an incredible scene in the movie. That's the only track I listened to... I wanna be surprised for the movie. :D

[Gandollum]

Doesnt anybody think that the track for Steward of Gondor sounds like something from a Sergio Leone film, sounds weird. Man, that last song really sucks.

[The Moose]

teh Shelob track in awesome, and i like a few of the ones with the gondorian themes in them. also, the slight adaptation of the Rohan theme is pretty cool.

but the only one i'm wondering about is Into The West- the annie lennox one. will have to hear the whole thing before delivering my thoughts on it

[RyansRing]

It just doesnt fit in, but i guess we have to see how it fits into the film, maybe its appopriate?? At first listen i hated Gollums Song but now i absolutely love it.

[LOTRfan]

Originally posted by Glordreen
I cant go to the page, its keeps saying page can not be displayed, anybody have any other link.
how did you get it to finally work? Mine's doing the same thing...

[Smeagol]

The War of the Ring has all of them in a zip file:

http://www.warofthering.net/downloadmanager/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=365

After a day of repeated listening, I think the following 5 snippets - in order - have left the strongest impression on me:

1. The White Tree
2. The End Of All Things
3. Shelob's Lair
4. The Fields of the Pelennor
5. Minas Morgul

I can't to hear the whole 5 minutes of The End Of All Things. Although, are we all agreed that the 40 seconds or so we do hear of that clip would be considered the biggest spoiler of the trilogy, if it were a still picture? :eek:

[Lasgalen]

Is it me or does "Minas Tirith" REALLY sound a lot like the music from Soul Blade for the Playstation :confused:

[tiff_t_t]

So whatever happened to the song that Liv Tyler was supposed to sing?? After just that little clip of Annie's Into the West, I'm a-thinkin that Liv couldv'e sung that better with a cockroach stuck in her throat!

[Macbane]

OK I just listened to the clip of Into The West for the first time...
I'm not sure what to think of it. The song sounds nice, but Annie Lennox's vocals...erm...I dunno yet. I guess I'll have to hear it all out first and then decide. But the soundtrack is AWESOME! I cannot wait for this movie!

[Kinjo]

Ughh.....I don't like Into the West at all.....It's too blatant. May it Be and Gollums Song were great....you knew they what they were referring to, but it wasn't blatant. The new song sounds like now the ships are coming for you and you're all going into the west blah blah blah. Sounds cheesy to me. Tho i suppose u cant judge a song by a 20 second preview

[JesterX1313]

Originally posted by RyansRing
It just doesnt fit in, but i guess we have to see how it fits into the film, maybe its appopriate?? At first listen i hated Gollums Song but now i absolutely love it.

That's exactly how I feel. I couldn't stand Gollums Song at first. I thought it was ruining that last seen. Now i love it. I think that's how this will be. (I hope that's how this will be)

[Macbane]

I liked Gollum's Song. It was dark and eerie, and fit well into that last scene. Hopefully Into The West will fit as well.

[Gandollum]

I just finished listining to pretty much every track of the sountrack except for Gray Havens cause i want to wait till i watch the movie but so far this soundtrack seems to be way better than Two Towers and seems a lot like the FOTR which is really good. It Sounds really heroic and sad. So far my favorites are Minas Tirith, White Tree, Fields of Pellanor, Ride of the Rohirrim and The Black Gates. Ill probably buy the sountrack, cant wait.

[MovieWes]

Not sure about the Annie Lennox song. Sounds too much like that Phil Collins song from "Tarzan" to me.

[Macbane]

Into The West sounds like it'd make a great instrumental piece, but Annie Lennox's voice gives me a headache :(

[LOTRfan]

sorry if this offends any of her fans but i agree with Macbane... her voice is irritating (well what I've heard of it in that clip). She sounds soo manly to me.

[Macbane]

Ya. She blew out my subwoofer and I'm considering a lawsuit.

[RebelwithaCause]

For me, it's hard. I love the entire soundtrack, but I listened to Into the West first. I'm not sure of my take on it. Originally, May it Be was kind of boring for me, and Gollum's song was too depressing. However, May It Be is now one of my favorite movies of all time, and Gollum's Song gives me goosebumps each time I hear it. As for this, after listening to it a few times, I'm really starting to love it. I think its really gonna work. I can't give my review on the soundtrack till I get it, but with these little samples to tease me, i know I'm gonna love it.

[RyansRing]

To me its a somewhat upbeat song, not very sad or depressing, but more bitter-sweet, maybe they are going to use this to counter the (supposively) extremely sad ending. They wouldnt want a sad song because people wouldnt be able to cope with it after a highly emotive finish.

It does sound good after the Grey Havens song though, it compliments it very well, a very sad emotional song followed by a bitter-sweet ballad to calm the sadness in the viewers and to tell us that the separation is only temporary. But thats my take on it....

[RyansRing]

what do yous think??

[jeti]

I think Annie Lenox's song won't appear until well after the "directed by Peter Jackson" part has emerged at the ending - like the other two. So I do not really fear it will ruin anything. I like it though, but I admit it struck me as a bit out-of-place at first. But it sounds like it has some similarities with The Black Gate Opens which is great I think.

[Macbane]

We'll probably here the instrumental part of the song during the prologue or something, and once the credits start rolling is when she'll start singing, like Gollum's Song and May It Be.

[RyansRing]

well in the case of those two songs, both had the instrumentals before the vocals in their prospective soundtracks. However Into The West has no such instrumental before the vocals on the ROTK soundtrack, which means theire might be no such luck, but we'll see.

[Necross]

I am so buying this soundtrack.

[RyansRing]

me too.

[PsYkOoOoO]

count me in..;)

[Smeagol]

WHSmith in the UK will probably be selling it 1 week early, like they did with TTT last year. :)

Why are there no complete ROTK tracks on the net yet? :mad: This time last year we had quite a few, Isengard Unleashed, Evenstar...etc..

[Necross]

It won't let me connect to the site anymore! NOOOOOOOOOOO!

[Smeagol]

I just looked at the 'properties' of my LOTR mp3s and Evenstar was downloaded on November 18, 2002, so that confirms that the complete versions of the ROTK tracks are due to make an online appearance any time soon. :applaud:

[Smeagol]

Classic FM have received the ROTK soundtrack. If you tune in next week, you may be able to hear some of the tracks. :)

[adt100]

I don't know If I could cope with listening to Classic FM continually next week!

[Necross]

I can't stop listening to Minas Tirith. I know its only like 30 seconds but I love it. Right now its my favorite one, but I will have to wait until I hear the full Soundtrack before I decide. All of the music is great though. I even like Annie Lennox, just wait til you hear the whole song I bet you will all like it.

[adt100]

The White Tree just edges it for my vote at the moment, and I really like A Storm is Coming too.

[SamCat]

hello

[Necross]

ummm hi

[pungolo reporte]

uhm........where......?

[The Moose]

i like ASIC too. just has that thing about it

[Smeagol]

The End Of All Things and The White Tree are my favourites, although The Black Gate Opens comes fairly close. Shelob's Lair and The Return of the King are other highlights, it would seem.

Incidentally, I think that the 40 second clip we hear of The End Of All Things plays almost in perfect harmony with what we know we are going to see in that scene. ;)

[Necross]

I know it makes me sad just listening too it. Oh well back to three hours of listening to the 30 second Minas Tirith clip.

[Gandollum]

I just got this from a site and seems pretty cool, theres some sort of limited edition with a dvd, and comes with some sort supertrailer of all 3 films, ill probably get it

Looks like Reprise/WEA is planning multiple releases of Howard Shore's The Return of The King. In addition to a single disc album (with one of seven alternate covers) on November 25th, the label will release a three disc "limited jewelcase" containing Fellowship Of The Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of The King. This 3-CD set won't contain extra music, but all 18 collector covers from the series will be included (MSRP is $54.98 U.S.).

Then on December 9th a "Limited Edition" The Return of The King CD+DVD set hit stores. The CD is the same contents as the regular issue, with the DVD containing a Lord of The Rings "Supertrailer" and a 20-minute docu, "Use Well The Days: A Behind The Scenes Portrait", on Howard Shore the making of the score. This set is expected to retail in the U.S. for $29.98.

[adt100]

I've just been listening to Classicfm in my car. I tuned in at 11:50, just in time to catch the number 1 track in their daily 'Most Wanted' chart.

The presenter started off by saying that after word had spread around the internet that Classicfm had the new ROTK soundtrack, it had received by far the largest single vote EVER for their most wanted chart!

I couldn't work out what the track was at first, it started slowly, a low rumbling theme, quite dark. This went on for a while, then in the middle came a male choir voice solo, and thought it could be from 'The End of All Things'. In the final minute though the Gondor theme suddenly belted out, and I realised that the track was - Minas Tirith.

The first 2/3 are certainly very different to the snippet we've heard, and not something you would listen to repeatedly. You really need to see it with the accompanying scenes in the film to appreciate it I think. I can only imagine it's maybe Gandalf riding with Pippin to MT, then when the Gondor theme kicks in at the end we see the shot of Gandalf riding up that mound to reveal Minas Tirith in all it's glory. :)

You can vote for the 'most wanted' tracks all this week on www.classicfm , and they play the top 10 every day 11.00-12.00pm on 102.5fm. Hopefully ROTK will get in the top 10 every day this week, and we'll get to hear different tracks. :applaud:

[Smeagol]

Did it sound like Passage of the Marshes? :confused:

[adt100]

Not sure what the POTM track sounds like as I don't have the TTT CD. :o

[Smeagol]

Oh well, hopefully it will make an appearance online in the very near future.

[Cipher Jo]

Here's to

[Smeagol]

Did I say very soon? :hehe:

http://alemaiden.tripod.com/MinasTirith.mp3

:eek:

[This link was nabbed from the TORn board]

[Elf]

Originally posted by Smeagol
Did I say very soon? :hehe:

http://alemaiden.tripod.com/MinasTirith.mp3

:eek:

[This link was nabbed from the TORn board]

wow thanks very much for the link! :)
this track really rules! :applaud: :

[adt100]

It's a good track, and I think of the 3 main LOTR themes, the Gondor theme is right up there with the Fellowship theme, if not better. I'm not quite as keen on the Rohan theme.

The only thing is, like many film tracks, it's far more effective when seen with the accompanying scenes on film, it's somehow not quite as fluid and easy to listen to just through the CD player.

I prefer The White Tree a bit more. :)

[pungolo reporte]

agh!! does anyone have a screener?!?! the ç@#§ link doesn't work!!!

ç___ç pleeeeeeeeazee...... :mad: :waa:

[adt100]

http://www.swindelllaw.com/index.html

[Smeagol]

It is a good track. I don't share adt100's earlier opinions, though. I thought you were telling me that much of Minas Tirith would have sounded like The Passage of the Marshes from TTT, with no real music or melody in it; just Shelob's Lair-esque strings. However, I am very happy with the way 'Minas Tirith' sounds.

I agree about the Gondor theme. It will form the mainstay of the ROTK score, IMO. The Fellowship has been sundered, The Shire, Rivendell and Rohan have been deserted and the Uruk-hai are no more, so many of our favourite themes probably won't be heard in ROTK, so the Gondor and Mordor themes will be prominent. :cool:

[king_of_hetzer]

Can any AOL user transfer Into The West onto there website so we can download it?

Or send it to me on aim: IAMirk

[adt100]

Into The West now also available at http://www.swindelllaw.com/index.html

I'm beginning to really like that track. A very fitting and emotional end to the film IMO.

[PsYkOoOoO]

i really like into the west...its beautiful....alongside may it be...wow....

[Elf Lady]

Hswindell has replaced the original "Into the West" MP3 with a clean one. Just magnificent.

[PsYkOoOoO]

im listening to minas tirith now...wah!!the beginning must be when pippin looks into the palantir...

[FrodoLover]

wow..i never thought id be saying this, but i actually REALLY like "Into the West". The short clip of it that we had heard before made the song sound terrible, but hearing it all together it sounds amazing!

[PsYkOoOoO]

haha..i liked it ever since i heard the clip...for some reason i thought annie will suck...but i think she did a great job...and is that guitar im hearing in the background of the track?or something that's close to guitar right?it sounds REALLY good..

[JEDI_THE_WHITE]

I had tears guys... I am not ashamed to admit it.

[PsYkOoOoO]

u serious?hahaaa...

[kylesmile]

Into the West is really good. Even though I liked the clip, the whole song is much, much better. It's very emotional, bittersweet, and haunting. I love it!

[The Moose]

i like it, but it's effect will be much greater when with the end of the film

[Turin Turambar]

The Black Gate Opens surprised me. I was expecting like final-apocalyptic-showdown type music, and it was very light. Could it be after the ring was destroyed, and the war is over?? or could it be just the ending of the song and the beginning is the war music??

[Turin Turambar]

I liked the End of All Things sample the most, but I really liked the Minas Tirith one as well.

But I just listened to the full Minas Tirith and it seemd like it was sort of meandering around... like it was trying to find the right notes then ended with that great finale from the sample. I'm so-so about it, but just like all these samples (and finished tracks) they're taken completely out of context from the movie.

And Jedi, isn't it a little bit early to turn on the warterworks buddy? ;) Just one more month to go, then we'll ALL be in tears!!!

[Nuke]

Originally posted by Turin Turambar
The Black Gate Opens surprised me. I was expecting like final-apocalyptic-showdown type music, and it was very light. Could it be after the ring was destroyed, and the war is over?? or could it be just the ending of the song and the beginning is the war music??

My guess is that it's from when the Eagles come...

[PsYkOoOoO]

there were nagative comments bout may it be..
there were negative comments bout Gollum's song
But i havent heard any of those for Into the West..a possible Best Song for Oscar?what do u guys think

[D-fence]

If anyone could put that amazing track 'the white Tree' online I will be your personal slave for the next 12 months!

[PsYkOoOoO]

wow...are u sure?hahahaa

[adt100]

I can't wait to hear the White Tree in full.

[PsYkOoOoO]

cant wait to hear the whole damn album

[Necross]

Thanks so much for that link, as of right now (prolly becuase they are the only ones I have heard in full) Into the West and Minas Tirith are turning out to be my favorites.

[adt100]

Just found out that Classic Fm played 'Twilight and Shadow' this lunchtime, and I missed it! :o

[PsYkOoOoO]

think about ME...i cant even tune in to that radio station...

[Turin Turambar]

Originally posted by Nuke
My guess is that it's from when the Eagles come...

Another good possibility!

Minas Tirith was one of my favs in the samples, but I don't care for it now that I've heard the whole thing. I'm anxious to hear the 10 minute track (is it Return of the King?) which is supposed to be a compilation of all songs in the entire trilogy (plus Aragorn's own little diddy).

[downflow311]

i think my favorite was Shelob's tunnell. is it available on kazaa yet anyone?

[D-fence]

Originally posted by PsYkOoOoO
wow...are u sure?hahahaa

If you do it within the next day and a half.. yeah! :) sure!

[AXLPendergast]

I was surprised by the end of "Into the West." I was expecting a big loud finale using the Gondor theme, like the endings of "May it Be"(Fellowship theme) and "Gollum's Song"(Rohan theme). But I think this suits the end of the film perfectly, since it doesn't exactly end on a triumphant note.

[The_Almighty]

Schwachkopf

[JEDI_THE_WHITE]

I am highly anticipating the release of the music video of INTO THE WEST.

It would be cool if the hobbits debut the music video on TRL tomorrow.

[Macbane]

Originally posted by Turin Turambar
Minas Tirith was one of my favs in the samples, but I don't care for it now that I've heard the whole thing. I'm anxious to hear the 10 minute track (is it Return of the King?) which is supposed to be a compilation of all songs in the entire trilogy (plus Aragorn's own little diddy).

I love the whole song for Minas Tirith. I can just picture it playing out in the film, and it's gonna be friggin awesome!:eek:

[PsYkOoOoO]

i can imagine myself crying when they play Into the West..

[Helmer]

Hmm, does anyone of you have the full tracks to listen to? I would be awesome to have..

[Smeagol]

In this interview, Howard Shore states that he composed 14-15 minutes worth of score for Shelob's Lair. :eek: I would love the scene to be that long, although I'm sure it won't be. :( No doubt Arwen will hog most of the available screentime as she tries on her new Elvish dress! :mad:

[PsYkOoOoO]

whats the matter with you and arwen!?!?!?!?!??!i think shes great...

[doc alex]

In the intreview he did, Howard Shore said that he will be doing the VoS sequence for the DVD... and that he hadn't worked on it at all! I think this proves once for all how this was NOT a late decision, since Shore has been scoring the movie since late summer.

[adt100]

I don't think anyone that's been following the films over the last few years really believed it was a last minute decision. PJ (and even New Line) just aren't that daft for a start!

As for the 15minutes of Shelob's Lair music, the reviews that posted the original soundtrack review said that those tracks on the CD were only really a taster of things to come. There is an awful lot of music left off the album. Particularly the battle/action scenes it seems from what he was saying.

[Smeagol]

The End Of All Things was played Classic FM today. Look for a link later on...

[Smeagol]

From Film Score Monthly:

The Lord of Rings: The Return of the King *****
HOWARD SHORE
19 tracks - 72:35

If the past decade of films and film music has taught fans anything, surely it's a stern reprimand about setting our expectations for sequels too high. How many times over the past few years have listeners and viewers tacked their hope for the medium to a project that failed to live up to expectations? How often has a rotten follow-up had that uniquely destructive ability to tarnish not only the picture at hand but also all previous entries? That's our lesson in fandom, but it reveals an even more potent aspect of creativity. Flash and dazzle is easy; structure demands far more from an artist. It's rare today that a sequel fails to offer more visual bang for your buck, but when FX gurus are busy reinventing the wheel, where is story, where is ambiance, gravity, ingenuity? Once again, where's the structure?

So is this the part where I break bad news about Return of the King? No. (Wicked, tricksy, false!) This is my way of laying bare the minefield Return of the King set before Howard Shore -- and explaining my pure joy at finding that he has rounded of his massive Lord of the Rings trilogy with a work of staggering emotion and uncompromised musical worth. This is obviously not the first successful sequel score in the history of film music. John Williams' oeuvre is overrun with improved second acts. But when most composers turn in a bettered sequel, it generally feels like a revisitation -- a second at bat where the enhancements are earned through reconsidering the first score. The composer may take score one from point A to point B, the sequel from point A to point C. In Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, Shore went from point A to B and B to C, respectively. Themes continued developments without a recap, drawing fresh connections while pushing the old in new directions; the palette widened incorporating a grander sense of scope and advanced realizations of the styles.

Return of the King takes us triumphantly to point D, which logically expands the compass even further. Shore has built his emotional arc through nearly eight hours of music before reaching this score, and now, as we reach the destination, everything is touched with a sense of gravity. We've earned this voyage; we've come to its conclusion naturally, and the effects are nearly overwhelming.

Today's scores are littered with huge moments. In fact, many scores are nothing more than constant strings of these moments, separated by what the composer obviously considers filler. This has long been one of my major complaints about modern scoring. It's built around a stream of screams, committee-designed to pump the audience at every possible moment. But it's musical steroids – a false shortcut that wears on the ears and numbs the mind. Every epic moment in Return of the King is merited – as are the more intimate.

This is another chapter, not another go at it. The primary theme this time is Shore's noble Gondor melody, which first cameoed behind Boromir's speech at Rivendell in Fellowship. This unique melody is one of a very few in the Rings collection to begin with an open leap -- here a perfect fifth -- creating a sense of stature among the thematic hierarchy. (Almost all other Rings themes begin in either stepwise motion or as triadic arpeggiations.) Although the tune itself is set in a minor key, Shore derives endless variations in the accompaniment to keep the harmonic and dramatic palette continually invigorated -- not unlike prior major harmonizations of the minor-keyed Fellowship Theme. This clever treatment of harmony goes a long way toward establishing the ancient/modern sound Shore has brought to the scores. Have diminished chords ever sounded as fresh as they do in Return of the King?

The Gondor theme and its stylistic insinuations immediately broaden the music of Middle-earth, informing the listener that even if the plot hasn't yet reached its resolution, the characters have arrived at the end of their journey. Whatever will happen will happen here.

Also returning after their brief Fellowship premiere are the shimmering brass figures heard behind Boromir and Aragorn's "White Tower" chat in Lothlorien, here used as a History of Gondor theme relating to the city's former glory and future potential, and put to welcome use in the lustrous "Anduril" track.

That other ruined nation, Rohan, rouses its theme again here, now stronger and more directed than in Two Towers, as the king and leagues of horseman set off to play their part in the war to come. Shore no longer treats this is a society in decline. "The Ride of the Rohirrim" begins with a stunning three-part dialogue for strings, solo fiddle and French horn, each vying for chest thumping snippets of theme's opening. After a particularly heroic flash of some Éoywn material, the track concludes with a steely Lydian setting of Rohan's melody where tutti brass builds into a rousing modal cluster -- a brilliant symphonic war whoop.

Although the three Ring themes don't figure into this album as heavily as they do the previous two, Shore begins the CD with an amazing set of variations on each. In "A Storm is Coming" the History of the Ring theme flows into a waltz-like mold, an elegant folksy variation related to the original Hobbit music, but slightly different. After the solo violin picks up the tune in a strongly European twist the music grows angrier…belligerent even. In a violent flourish the Evil of the Ring theme belts out its sustained tones in the winds as the Seduction theme saws away over it in violin octaves. Below all this, the Descending Third motive from the Mordor collection burrows lower and lower into the orchestra.

This cue (which, incidentally, plays amazingly in the film) is indicative of much of the Return of the King approach. Fellowship showed us the musical connections within Middle-earth. Two Towers broadened the world, allowing the interconnected music to wander of its own accord. Return of the King brings everything back together. As the story climbs to its dramatic peak, Shore runs the themes into one another to create the sense that Middle-earth is colliding – conflict is coming to a head. "Hope and Memory" combines the reedy Shire theme with the harmonies and melodic inflections of the Fellowship Theme. In "The Steward of Gondor," Pippin (Billy Boyd) performs a wistful Celtic melody that's essentially a crossbreeding of the open fifth leap of the Gondor melody and the up-and-down stepwise motion of the Shire material. (Boyd provides a lovely performance, appropriate both to his character and to the writing.) These hybrid themes litter the disc, even in the villains' music. "Minas Morgul" slices open the Mordor material so that the remnants of the Isengard percussion and octave low brass can tromp into the mix.

Thematically there's so much happening in this score, I honestly can't imagine ever sitting through it without finding something new. The listing above hasn't begun to detail what the music holds. Minor motifs from the first film, such as the sighing Caradhras theme, return now world-weary and bleak. Shore takes the Evenstar melody from Towers in new directions, exploring the possibilities inherent in the florid line. The furious choral lines behind Sauron's prologue meltdown in Fellowship seek new levels of excitement in the disc's final tracks. Thematic fragments no longer than a half a phrase subtly hint at the psychological overhaul the characters are enduring.

Even instrumental colors return in familiar combinations with new material -- especially those associated with Hobbiton. Dermot Crehan once again plays the fiddle solos, and Irish flautist James Gallway adds a new maturity to the whistle and flute parts. Gallway also lends some pan flute lines to the Gondor material, performed with equal class and commitment. Boy soprano and Two Towers veteran, Ben DelMaestro makes a handful of appearances on the album, but it's soprano Rene Fleming who makes the proudest contribution to the score's vocal music. Ignoring, for the moment, that the woman has a supremely radiant voice, her interpretations are outstandingly nuanced.

Annie Lenox provides the score's final vocal statement in Shore's song "Into the West." The melody here is drawn from the folk instrumentations in the Shire music and the newly penned Grey Havens theme. Don't let Lenox's past fool your ears. This tune is far more than a simple pop ditty. It's a logical and moving extrapolation of the material we've been hearing for three scores – a kind of Celtic lullaby that ebbs and flows in gentle waves. Shore's sense of structure and line is deceptively complex in this tune. The text is set to a natural cadence that highlights the language with an almost Schubert-like quality.

The only minor quibble I can offer here is that one disc is not nearly enough to display what Shore has created for this film. But the same can be said of the first two. The 72-minute running time passes in a blink. Shore wrote even more music for Return of the King than for the other two films, which means a few edit-heavy tracks on the disc have a suite feeling more than a direct story arc. This will only frustrate fans once they realize just how more music there is, but it bodes extraordinarily well for future releases. (The edits are finely executed and will only become noticeable once you've heard the uncut tracks.) Shortened form or no, make no mistakes, this is an Act Three score. The hour spent climbing towards this musical climax ratchets everything up to Shore's most expressive and electrifying music in the trilogy. Even the stops along the road bring new levels to the score. "Shelob" is as dense and lucid a bit of action writing as has been heard in film. In fact, I'm hard pressed to find parallels anywhere but the concert world. Shönberg's Five Pieces for Orchestra springs to mind most readily. And the juxtaposition of light to dark colors in the score -- heard most notably where soloists are pitted against massed orchestral forces -- reaches its zenith as the drama examines the plight of a few related to the plights of many.

The score ends on neither a happy nor sad note, but with a sense of noble resignation. Shore has always treated this music as an emotional examination first and as a spectacle second. That's never been truer than in the score's closing moments. There's no glorious celebration, no maudlin weepiness. There's stillness and introspection and an adult understanding that everything must end. It's a hard lesson for the film's characters, and a more difficult one for us listeners. We may never have another full Lord of the Rings score to await, but we'll always have these three stunning works that Shore has turned out. These works have not only improved the musical landscape of the past few years, they've improved the art of film music. These are landmark scores, not to be missed.

:applaud:

[pungolo reporte]

aieeee! this is the end of all things, a temporary link, from TORN (great SAM!!)

pungolo

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/hswindel/end.mp3

[Smeagol]

I'm listening to it now...wow...a lot of high pitch choral voices. :eek:

[pungolo reporte]

well, this is THE track...wow...i love it...

[Smeagol]

It is entirely made up with female choir pieces. Not everyone's cup of tea, I'm sure, but I love it - especially at 3.55 when a little theme can be heard...I can't make out which theme it is, though... :confused:

[adt100]

Originally posted by Smeagol
The End Of All Things was played Classic FM today. Look for a link later on...

Damn, missed it again.

I've had Classic fm on all this past week whenever I got the chance, and so far I've only caught Minas Tirith. According to a schedule I saw the other day though, The Return of the King' will be played on the 22nd I think.

[The Moose]

the link above works. EOAT is pretty cool

[downflow311]

cant wait until the soundtrack comes out. the music in LOTR is one of my favorite parts of the trilogy

[PsYkOoOoO]

Hmm..listening to it now...i like the part when the choir suddenly stops and the clip we heard starts at the beginning of the song...really neat..:)

[Smeagol]

Originally posted by PsYkOoOoO
Hmm..listening to it now...i like the part when the choir suddenly stops and the clip we heard starts at the beginning of the song...really neat..:)

It is an epic track for what will be an epic scene. :cool:

[Smeagol]

The ROTK soundtrack website is now live:

http://www.lordoftherings-soundtrack.com/

[adt100]

I finally managed to to remember to listen to Classic FM just now and recorded the first 2 minutes of a segment from the 'Return of the King' track. Another segment will be played at 7.30pm.

I don't suppose anyone has any available web-space on which they'd be able to host it for those interested?

[PsYkOoOoO]

how was the 2 minuteS?

[adt100]

Pretty good.

Do you have dial-up or broadband? I'm only on 56kbps dial-up but managed to get a decent connection to their live streaming of the station.

Tune in here at 7.29pm and click 'listen now', for the second extract - http://www.classicfm.com/index.cfm?nodeid=315

[PsYkOoOoO]

hmm...cable connection...so its pretty fast...

[adt100]

Tune into that link just before 7.29pm then and listen. They should be playing the next extract within 5 minutes of that time (the schedules aren't always 100% accurate.)

[PsYkOoOoO]

BUT..BUT..its 2.30am here in my country..which means that by the time they play it it will be 330am!!!!:(

[adt100]

Ah. I didn't know that. :o

Don't worry though. I know a few other folks on the internet are tuning in and recording the extracts like me, so there'll be a link to a download of the 2 extracts tomorrow. Rest assured you don't need to stay up until 3.30am. :)

[PsYkOoOoO]

haha..thats an encouraging thought..so i'll expect the track to be avaliable online when i wake up?hahaa..but oh well...if its not its ok...after all its only what..3 days?no...2 days away frm the release..

[adt100]

It will be.

[Smeagol]

Originally posted by adt100
Ah. I didn't know that. :o

Don't worry though. I know a few other folks on the internet are tuning in and recording the extracts like me, so there'll be a link to a download of the 2 extracts tomorrow. Rest assured you don't need to stay up until 3.30am. :)

Twilight And Shadow, The Grey Havens and Ride of the Rohirrim haven't been recorded. :mad:

[downflow311]

you uk guys are lucky. all we get on american radio stations is justin timberfag and christina im a hoe aquilera. :mad:

[adt100]

Anyone can tune into Classicfm live downflow. Just follow the link I set on the previous page.

I've been away from my PC for 30mins to have my dinner, and it seems that they already about 15 minutes behind their online schedule. :rolleyes:

Expect the second extract of ROTK in the next 10 minutes - http://www.classicfm.com/index.cfm?nodeid=315

[evenstar]

should be up next...

[adt100]

Yep, I don't know about you but my online connection is now about 2 minutes+ behind the actually radio version. Must be my slow connection.

[adt100]

Originally posted by Smeagol
... and Ride of the Rohirrim haven't been recorded. :mad:

http://alemaiden.tripod.com/Rohirrim.mp3

[evenstar]

Originally posted by adt100
Yep, I don't know about you but my online connection is now about 2 minutes+ behind the actually radio version. Must be my slow connection.

Ive got it on radio now- much clearer connection

[Smeagol]

TROTK definitely occurs during an epilogous voiceover. Much Hobbit music... :D

[evenstar]

Was that Viggo singing? I hear the end of Flight to the Ford along with a load of extracts from FOTR in there too- (Concerning hobbits!) Hell, that was fantastic.

Look out for next week when it will be CD of the week

[Smeagol]

That one went on forever! ;) I loved Viggo's signing, though! :applaud:

[adt100]

Just listened to the full 10 minute 10 track 'The Return of the King' track.

A gentle amalgamation of the main themes from throughout the films. Viggo's very brief Elvish verse in the middle is a little, unusual, but I imagine it will be very emotional when played over the accompanying scenes. Likley these will be the coronations, weddings, and preparation to the return to the Shire.

Just a remined, here is what Matt Barry oif soundtrack.net had to say about it -

"Tranquility returns to the world of Middle Earth with this cue, sounding like an upbeat cousin to "The Breaking of the Fellowship" from the first score. Several lengthy and unabbreviated reprisals of the major themes from the entire series begin to make this devoted listener misty-eyed. It's all here folks, most of the musical threads of the score tied up in one elegant ten minute stretch, dotted with Viggo Mortensen's own elven invocation of his kinghood and a soaring final reading of the Hobbit "Hymn". So it's with more than just a little wistfulness that we return to the folk-tinged bounce of "Concerning Hobbits" at the end of the piece. Musically, we are more than finishing a masterpiece. We are going home."

The clip I've got at the moment is a 12Mb .wav file.

[Smeagol]

I only heard the hobbit (hope/Shire) theme and the Gondor theme... :confused:

[adt100]

The Fellowship theme was there aswell. It seems that rather than a huge number of different themes joined together they have a smaller number, but they are repeated a couple of times using different instrumentation/styles etc.

BTW does anyone know how to convert .wav format into MP3? Is there any specific s/w I need?

[downflow311]

thanks for the rohirrim link adt!

[SamCat]

You can use this program ADT100


http://www.cdex.n3.net/

[adt100]

Thanks SamCat.

[adt100]

For all those of you unlucky enough to have not caught the 2min extract from 'The Ride of the Rohirrim' and, more importantly, the full version (10m 10s) of 'The Return of the King', it's now being hosted here -

http://www.revnet.us/rotk

[The Moose]

thanks for the links

[downflow311]

thanks adt

[downflow311]

i didnt really like the Return of the King track very much, i just felt like i had already heard it before. nothing special IMO

but damn that ride of the rohirrim and minas tirith track kick major ass.

does anybody know where to find a link to the Shelob's Lair track? thats the one im most looking forward to.

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

About the "Shelobs Lair" track Downflow.. I agree that track from the sample sounded amazing.. I thought it also sounded like it word of fit the Signs movie very well

[downflow311]

totally agreed. it sounds scary and spidery. perfect for the scene.

[Smeagol]

Originally posted by downflow311
i didnt really like the Return of the King track very much, i just felt like i had already heard it before. nothing special IMO

but damn that ride of the rohirrim and minas tirith track kick major ass.

does anybody know where to find a link to the Shelob's Lair track? thats the one im most looking forward to.

The Return of the King went on for a bit too long, although I prefer it to Ride of the Rohirrim: I think RotR is a bit boring, nothing special happens in that. :alien:

[adt100]

Originally posted by downflow311
but damn that ride of the rohirrim and minas tirith track kick major ass.

does anybody know where to find a link to the Shelob's Lair track? thats the one im most looking forward to.

For me Shelob's Lair and Ride of the Rohirrim were of the weaker tracks (not that any of them can be called 'weak'). Having heard them in full I think The White Tree is also a much better track than Minas Tirith.

[PsYkOoOoO]

haha..thanx for the links adt100...glad to wake up and hear ROTK on my com..thanx...

[Gandollum]

Is anyone picking up the soundtrack, it comes out this tuesday!!! Im still deciding, i want to get it but then again i want to wait til i hear the music during the movie.

[The Moose]

i'm gonna wait till i get it for christmas. i can survive on the bits that have been posted here

[PsYkOoOoO]

yes me me!!im getting it..!!

[Smeagol]

Originally posted by Gandollum
Is anyone picking up the soundtrack, it comes out this tuesday!!! Im still deciding, i want to get it but then again i want to wait til i hear the music during the movie.

Hopefully, it will be on sale in the shops today. ;)

[Smeagol]

At 10.40am (GMT), The Grey Havens will be played on classicfm.com

[pungolo reporte]

*WHEW* it was fantastic, but I didn't record it because I didn't know how to do it! however, it was so sad and emotional... ç_ç does anyone caught it on a mp3?

but...in USA do you have the soundrack out today? really? well..maybe in italy too...i hope...i'm going to see in the shop... X_X

[PsYkOoOoO]

hmmm...im still wondering if i want to listen to anymore samples..might spoil the soundtrack for me..

[pungolo reporte]

deh! we are speaking about the soundtrack may be spoiling the movie...and you speak about the samples spoiling the soundtrack... hihi
so, samples spoiling soundtrack spoiling movie... (--->spoiling EE rotk?) ;-PPPPPPPPPP

hheheheheh (pungolo mad for the waiting...)

[pungolo reporte]

agh! follow the link and save...WOW
http://alemaiden.tripod.com/greyhavens.mp3

[pungolo reporte]

well, better this i think:
http://alemaiden.tripod.com/greyhavens.mp3

[ReActor]

Having finished reading LOTR's for the first time last night, the Grey Havens track is exactly how I imagined it would be. Incredibly slow and moving and very very emotional. Great Job again by Howard Shore.

Shame I have to wait until Christmas to get my CD.

[PsYkOoOoO]

the links are not working..

[pungolo reporte]

NEITHER THE SECOND ONE? it's similar to the first, but I found out it works...however, i'm going to school and I have no time to try another way...but in the forum - movie discussion on theonering there are some links...

[ReActor]

The link worked for me about 20 mins ago.

[PsYkOoOoO]

well it says this in the second link

This file is hosted by Tripod, a Lycos®Network Site, and is not available for download. Please check out Tripod's Help system for more information about Remote Loading and our Remote Loading policy.

[Smeagol]

I BOUGHT THE CD TODAY :)

[SamCat]

Originally posted by PsYkOoOoO
well it says this in the second link

This file is hosted by Tripod, a Lycos®Network Site, and is not available for download. Please check out Tripod's Help system for more information about Remote Loading and our Remote Loading policy.

you dont go there, you just right click and save target as...however looks like they have exceded their bandwidth

[MovieWes]

Originally posted by Smeagol
I BOUGHT THE CD TODAY :)

How did you get it? It doesn't come out till tomorrow.

I might go pick it up after work tonight. There's a 24-hour Wal-Mart on the way home from work, and I don't get off until 2:00 am, so they might have it then.

[Smeagol]

Originally posted by MovieWes
How did you get it? It doesn't come out till tomorrow.

I might go pick it up after work tonight. There's a 24-hour Wal-Mart on the way home from work, and I don't get off until 2:00 am, so they might have it then.

I'm from the UK, and WHSmith had it on sale. I got the CD with a Gimli cover card in it. :)

Shelob's Lair is the best track. :applaud: It sounds very, very scary. :eek:

[pungolo reporte]

I'm back from school...I'm trying to upload the file, pleaze wait ^-^

[PsYkOoOoO]

COOL...quick!!!

[pungolo reporte]

well...I can't do it! I don't know how! if anyone can host it, i'll send him, hoping it works! ...i'm looking for a link for you on the net...

sorry, i'm so ignorant of FTP and so... ç_ç

[PsYkOoOoO]

grrr...got msn?

[pungolo reporte]

msn? nope. i send you a private mess if you want to upload it ok?

[SamCat]

http://elvelynn.de/Forum/ROTK-Soundtrack/

[PsYkOoOoO]

hey thanx:)

[pungolo reporte]

well..I fell better now *whew* ^_^

good listening! it's fantastic! I'm giong to post it on our forum in italy!

I ADORE SHOREEEE!!!

[PsYkOoOoO]

its pretty amazing..listening to it now..:)

[adt100]

Very nice. I've not bothered buying any of the previous LOTR CD's, and I'm not sure whether I'll even by the 3-film CD release in December. Instead I may just wait for the bumper 9+ CD of all the LOTR music (including the Extended Editions).

Shore has said that they'll likely put this out next November/December. Hopefully to coincide with a final, worldwide Extended Edition Trilogy Day. :)

[Elf Lady]

Thank you so much, SamCat! :applaud:

[Mr. Frodo]

wow i just listened to the Gray Havens, its awesome! i like how the fellowship and shire themes snuck in there. I cant wait for the 17th!

[Smeagol]

Is that link above for the whole soundtrack? :eek: It had better not be: I've just paid £14.99 for my CD! :o

I love A Storm Is Coming, The White Tree, The Steward of Gondor ( Billy's poem! :applaud: ), Shelob's Lair and the final 5 tracks. I think Cirith Ungol and Hope Fails are the weakest tracks of the 19.

In The Steward of Gondor track, Billy Boyd's only singing occurs after about 3 minutes. His quiet poem is right at the end of the song, and no other music accompanies it.

[pungolo reporte]

....envy envy envy....ggggh I have to wait until dec.9 to have My Preciousssss.... before that day...well.. ;-PPPPPP

[adt100]

Is the whole of The White Tree track more like the preview clip we've already heard Smeagol, or is it different in the way that the Minas Tirith track was?

[Smeagol]

Originally posted by adt100
Is the whole of The White Tree track more like the preview clip we've already heard Smeagol, or is it different in the way that the Minas Tirith track was?

Well, it starts slowly, with a faint horn playing the Gondor theme and then after about 40 seconds there is some orchestral swirls (like a hyperactive version of those swirls we hear right at the end of Into The West, which is...interesting) and then there is a longer build up to the Gondorian fanfare, which is then played about 4 or 5 times in complete form (differing in intensity). I think we only heard 3 of them in the soundtrack.net clip.

I think The White Tree should be seen as a more upbeat version of Minas Tirith, although, as I said, it starts slowly then builds up [Gandalf and Pippin making their way to the top of Minas Tirith tower?) to the fanfare finale (reaching the summit of the tower/seeing The White Tree).

[Cipher Jo]

sweet

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

Is that theme from the trailer on the soundtrack, it sounds slightly like Minas Tirith but doesn't end the same way as it does on the trailer.

[adt100]

The theme played predominantly in the trailer is the Gondor theme as used from the Minas Tirith track.

[Shagrat]

Thanks so much for posting the tracks. Simply brilliant and so emotional. Even Into the West, which I initially was concerned about. With all the Hobbit music in 'Return of the King' and 'The Grey Havens' I reckon I'll be in tears near the end.

[The Moose]

damn good. but is there somewhere that has the songs individually, as i don't want to download the songs that i've already got?

[Maximus]

its kicks soo much ass just heard the whole thing

[downflow311]

great cd. shelob's lair is scary as hell!!

[PsYkOoOoO]

I HAVENT GOTTEN MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

Anyone know where I can download Shelobs Lair?

[PsYkOoOoO]

kazaa?

[Necross]

God damn it first I can't get EE because post office screws up my check which I still haven't got and now Newburycomics doesn't allow there gift certificates to be used on the online store! So now I have to wait for the soundtrack too!

[downflow311]

got mine:D

i decided to actually cough up the money and buy this one, and it was well worth it. it makes you even more excited to see the movie when you listen. alot of the tracks are just so freaking awesome and you know will fit great in the movie, especially Shelob's Lair!!

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

Downflow, you got MSN or anything? I really wanna hear Shelobs Lair!

I saved my money for next monday when my Trilogy Soundtrack Box Set arrives

[downflow311]

yes i do. but im at work right now so i cant even rip the cd at the moment. sorry man.

[pungolo reporte]

and this is twilight and shadow! WOW!!!!!!!!!

http://saruman1.free.fr/twilightandshadow.mp3

[downflow311]

the weakest tracks i think are Cirith Ungol, Anduril, and the Return of the King.

the best tracks i think are Minas Tirith, Ride of the Rohirrim, Shelob's Lair, Ash and Smoke, The Fields of the Pellenor, the Black Gate Opens, A Storm is Coming, and Into the West.

the rest i thought were just okay, but may grow on me. i've only listened to it once.

[The Moose]

thanks for Twilight And Shadow

[king_of_hetzer]

Everyone! Please! Help me get the Grey Havens! I need it!

(if anybody is wondering why, Hallow's Eve Reincarnated's premiere is tonight and I need music to the first hetzer preview, the grey havens is perfect. if not i guess i have to do with twilight and shadow or end of all things)

[The Moose]

there is a link to it on the page before this, or the one before that

[king_of_hetzer]

That wasnt helpful at all. Thanks.... <i>a lot</i>

[downflow311]

when are you helpful to anyone else? ....never.

[king_of_hetzer]

It does not matter. Don't talk to me.

[downflow311]

you get what you give.

[PsYkOoOoO]

Originally posted by downflow311
when are you helpful to anyone else? ....never.

:lol:Yr insults are always sooooo damn crude and funny...

[ILOVEKATIE]

what the hell just happen, I don't get this king_of_hetzer guy, hello...they just told you theres a link in one of the pages in this thread.

[PsYkOoOoO]

exactly..i think he was the dude with that weird video a few pages back..

[king_of_hetzer]

The reason i snapped was because those links don't work. I've tried them.

[PsYkOoOoO]

i just tried...it works...:rolleyes:Excuses...

[JEDI_THE_WHITE]

I noticed in the white tree track, there is a section at the begining that sounds alot like the music that was played during Boromir's last stand to protect Merry and Pippin in TFOTR. I think the piece starts around 30 seconds in when the choir starts to sing.

[PsYkOoOoO]

i called up my local record store..they dont even know when the soundtrack will be avaliable..grrR!!:mad:

[Smeagol]

Each of the LOTR soundtracks have their own zenithal moment. FOTR had 'The Bridge of Khazad Dum', TTT had 'Forth Eorlingas', and ROTK has 'Shelob's Lair'. :applaud:

I think the Mordor tracks are the weakest: Cirith Ungol (which strangely contains the Pass of Caradhras theme), Hope Fails and Minas Morgul.

I also think 'The Return of the King' goes on for way too long. ;) However, it's obvious that Howard Shore composed this piece to fit perfectly in a 'plot wrap-up' scene, so maybe it will sound better when we know what pictures accompany the music.

[king_of_hetzer]

*edit*

[Smeagol]

Reviews of the soundtrack are starting to appear:

http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/lord_rings03.html

[PsYkOoOoO]

Originally posted by king_of_hetzer
Psykooo, it does not work for me. Don't you understand? It does not work for me. Stop being an ass, I am just explaining how it doesn't work for me.

yea..ok...

[RyansRing]

A great album, to be honest I prefer it than the other two, it has the whole range of emotions, and it feels so HUGE! Its absolutely frickin HUGE!!! I love the bloody thing. What would we do without Howard Shore??

[PsYkOoOoO]

damn the soundtrack's coming out in my country only next week..gosh the wait!!!!!!!grr!!

[ReActor]

Apologies if this review has been posted already....

ROTK Soundtrack Review (http://www.scorereviews.com/title.asp?id=410)

[PsYkOoOoO]

i think its posted already...

[Smeagol]

As is to be expected, the third movie is tying together all of the plot lines and finishing up with the characters' roles. So few really distinctive themes are introduced. The only main character not already introduced musically in the theatrical release is Denethor, the father of Boromir and Faramir. And the only peoples not really visited in depth yet are the Gondorians of Minas Tirith, and the land of Mordor. But the music for these elements are not distinctly new. The album returns throughout to the earlier themes of Frodo's Shire, the duel between evil and good (most powerfully introduced during the wizard duel between Gandalf and Saruman in TFOTR), the White Rider, the grand Fellowship theme, Rohan's theme and Aragorn's and Arwen's love theme. All three albums, like the movies themselves, are really one continuous medley/story, and cannot be adequately appreciated taken alone.
Track One (2:51) "A Storm is Coming." In fact this is very peaceful, if a bit pensive. The opening strains are the LOTR (One Ring) theme which opened TFOTR - the bit about the Ring and the end of the Second Age. This is the main recurring theme of Track One. Then it gets boisterous, and we hear the theme music of the Tower of Barad-dur.

Track Two (1:45) "Hope and Memory." A little of the Shire, White Rider, Fellowship themes interwoven.

Track Three (3:37) "Minas Tirith." New music, but rather grinding and ploddy at first, swelling into a massed vocal that seems to recall the past glories of Gondor's chiefest city, now sunk into a semi-decayed state, though still strong enough to fight for survival. Renée Fleming's gorgeous soprano carries this music. (Is this the same voice which we have heard before - especially the Orthanc scene when Gandalf speaks to the moth ?)

Track Four (3:25) "The White Tree." Opens slowly and quietly. Vocals and swelling strings play out a theme not heard before, rather formless but evocative of tension. Then a Rohirric-like inclusion (booming brass) helps the theme climax grandly.

Track Five (3:53) "The Steward of Gondor." Pensive quality here, and new music again: high wordless vocals holding a long note while a reedy flute/whistle plays; then solo brass again with muted, measured cadence from the percussion; increasing tempo and volume to an abrupt fade. Then a solo male voice sings in English ("All is behind, the world's ahead. There are many paths to tread, through shadow, through the edge of night; until the stars are all alight. Distant shadow, cloud and shade. None shall save, from shadow..."; I don't have the words in front of me, and that is the closest I can get: I understand that this is Billy Boyd - Pipin - singing to Denethor). Dissonant strings counterpoint the sudden end of the solo piece.

Track Six (1:57) "Minas Morgul." Crashing opening with a variation of the Barad-dur theme. Repeats, and basement-brass finishes with a segue into strings again.

Track Seven (2:08) "The Ride of the Rohirrim." Naturally, we hear the sighing of that Swedish violin, though not in the foreground (Eowyn - Dernhelm - is riding with the Riders in disguise). Faintly we hear the Rohan theme repeated throughout.

Track Eight (3:28) "Twilight and Shadow." Harping and voices mingle, an ethereal strain. The stirring Renée Fleming again. Soaring strings take up center stage. Drop to cellos, then the voices resume. The soprano solo is reminiscent of the love theme of Aragorn and Arwen.

Track Nine (1:44) "Cirith Ungol." Very muted piece: opens with the Ring theme, low strings and solo brass (a snatch of the Shire), picking up into a finish with a loud single refrain of the Barad-dur theme.

Track Ten (2:35) "Anduril." The Rivendell theme opens this quietly, then suddenly soars into a full-bodied variation of the whole piece. Chords reminiscent of the Argonath - and prescient of "into the West" - tease into it.

Track Eleven (4:07) "Shelob's Lair." The scene everyone has been waiting for. It is new music and very tense; formless, discordants build with volume, suddenly cut-off. Plodding growling brass. Sawing cellos and jumping violins. Building into a chase sequence and battle (so we must suppose on first hearing it without the film under our belt). All of this music seems new, as it should be. (There is only ONE Shelob, and this is her dreadful moment.)

Track Twelve (3:25) "Ash and Smoke." Mordor, desolate and yet somehow with a terrible beauty of its own. There is a cadenced, inevitable forward quality to this theme, and it is mostly new music. Haunting high voices keen like a lost wind. Deep kettle drums mutter in the background all the while. The last bit signifies a change of focus; it sounds rather like an encounter of some kind - possibly with the orcs that scrag Sam and Frodo. Then a refrain of the White Rider theme.

Track Thirteen (3:25) "The Fields of the Pelennor." Tentatively Rohan's theme opens and builds into battle music: punctuated with marching drums: then building brass and sudden massed vocals - the confrontation theme again (Saruman versus Gandalf/Sauron at battle of Mount Doom varient), discordant. Then a triumphant entrance of brass and we end abruptly.

Track Fourteen (2:20) "Hope Fails." Growling basso in the brass, picked up by lovely woodwinds and strings, a melancholy procession which limps, and drops slowly down - then brassy dissonant chords and crescendo of pounded gongs, etc. Abrupt cut-off.

Track Fifteen (4:01) "The Black Gate." Sounds like Gondor and Rohan approaching the Black Gate, then a refrain of the Fellowship theme, taken over by a faint fluting that almost wants to become Frodo's Shire theme. Brass and strings increase in pitch, joined by massed voices ascending. The flute/whistle resumes and climbs, but still doesn't quite pick up the Shire theme. Then a new theme comes in, ("Into the West"), played briefly by the brass. Abrupt cut-off.

Track Sixteen (5:12) "The End of All Things." Massed vocals and crashing percussion, groaning strings: the voices climb in a confrontation theme variation again. Suddenly cut off, replaced by that haunting soprano solo again, backed by low vocals and muted strings. A brief refrain of the One Ring theme; then the massed vocals take over again - much like the theme of the trashing of Isenguard. The voices descend in volume and cadence to a lower level, then a resolved chord drawn out finishes with a sudden crescendo and resuming brass. Renée Fleming enters again, with the vocals backing and a cello section underscore. End.

Track Seventeen (10:14) "The Return of the King." Opens on a long drawn high violin note, then harp, cellos, lower violins build, woodwinds enter: the effect is like release. Woodwinds pick up more emphasis, strings are the foundation, then a chorus of brass and strings refrain the Fellowship theme, which segues into Frodo's Shire theme (a flute solo). A lengthy piece of "formless" mood music for the tying up of plot ends (reunions and the like). Then we hear another strange, very muted, male solo, evidently Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) singing/chanting (in elvish ?): we're not going to know what the application is until we see the movie; it is brief. The female solo voice we know so well brings us a varient of Arwen's theme (as she aided Frodo when he was wounded in TFOTR). Frodo's Shire theme takes over, full-bodied and measured; followed by the flute/whistle solo of the same. Then we hear a variation of the theme that introduced us to the Shire when Gandalf first came there in TFOTR (the "on location" theme, not Frodo's Shire); a fade....to the Grey Havens.

Track Eighteen (5:59) "Grey Havens." A haunting whistle solo introduces this new theme; naturally the Shire and Fellowship themes figure prominently as friends part forever in Middle-earth: the breaking of the Fellowship theme has a variation here. Muted massed vocals underscore the finale, which is the whistle/flute solo again playing a variation (along with violins) of Frodo's Shire theme. The Grey Havens theme sounds briefly; then strains from the chorus of the "into the West" theme fade (forming an intro for the last track).

Track Nineteen (5:50) "Into the West." Annie Lennox renders a melancholy and liberated ending solo.

[PsYkOoOoO]

hmmm...alright...cant wait to hear Pelennor fields..:)

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

I just downloaded the full soundtrack from KaZaA

And I'm wondering;

In the "Steward of Gondor" track, when we hear Billy Boyd singing will that be the scene where he is singing for Denethor as Faramir rides on that "suicide mission" to reclaim Osgiliath we we're told about a while ago.

[downflow311]

yes it is SOS.

[downflow311]

"fields of the pellenor" is by far my favorite track. i love how they do the chanting. its so in your face and intense. gives me goosebumps.

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

I thought "Fields of the Pelennor" was awesome too

[Smeagol]

Originally posted by Spy-Of-Saruman
I thought "Fields of the Pelennor" was awesome too

I wanted that track to be a bit longer. It fades away far too quickly. :(

[PsYkOoOoO]

im trying hard to control myself..not do download anything...its coming out in my country only next week..gosh this sux

[kylesmile]

My favorites are:

A Storm is Coming
The Steward of Gondor
Twilight and Shadow
Shelob's Lair
The End of All Things
The Return of the King
The Grey Havens
Into the West

I know that's almost half of the tracks, but they're all so good I can't choose!

[RyansRing]

Originally posted by Smeagol
I wanted that track to be a bit longer. It fades away far too quickly. :(
I really liked the way it ended in the trailer rather than how it ended on the actual track, but no doubt it will actually have the trailer version in the ovie somewhere.

[adt100]

Originally posted by PsYkOoOoO
im trying hard to control myself..not do download anything

Me too!

[PsYkOoOoO]

hahaa..just bought the soundtrack..listening to track1 now.:)

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

Psykoooo i've come to the conclusion, that you laugh ALOT.. lol.. at the start and end of most posts its "hahaha" ;)

[Smeagol]

As far as soundtracks go:

FOTR>ROTK>TTT :)

[Smeagol]

My top 5 from each soundtrack are as follows:

FOTR

1. The Breaking of the Fellowship
2. The Bridge of Khazad Dum
3. The Prologue
4. A Journey In The Dark
5. Concerning Hobbits

TTT

1. Forth Eorlingas
2. Isengard Unleashed
3. The Riders of Rohan
4. Samwise The Brave
5. Evenstar

ROTK

1. Shelob's Lair
2. The End Of All Things
3. A Storm Is Coming
4. Minas Tirith
5. The Fields of the Pelennor

I really, honestly believe the ROTK soundtrack is better than that of TTT, although in my mind nothing can top the thematic beauty of FOTR. :)

[PsYkOoOoO]

SHELOB'S LAIR IS FREAKY!!!!!!!!!AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

[Smeagol]

Originally posted by PsYkOoOoO
SHELOB'S LAIR IS FREAKY!!!!!!!!!AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

It's my favourite track from all 3 soundtracks CDs. :applaud:

[PsYkOoOoO]

Originally posted by Spy-Of-Saruman
Psykoooo i've come to the conclusion, that you laugh ALOT.. lol.. at the start and end of most posts its "hahaha" ;)
thats a good thing eh??hahahahaha

[pungolo reporte]

my favourite? well:

1- The White tree (woha! that initial theme! and the finale!!!)
2- Shelob's Lair (Woha! Strawinskij!!)
3- The End of All Things
4- The Steward of Gondor (Woha! That celtic canone sang by Pippin!!)

.........this is absolutely the best soundtrack of all!! O_O Why the Academy is so stupid! It wont be nominated only because of that @°é]* ruleeee!! ç_ç

[PsYkOoOoO]

Billy Boyd and Viggo REALLY can sing!!amazing...

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

I was REALLY suprised to hear how good a singer Billy Boyd was.. fantastic

[PsYkOoOoO]

I love tracks:
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,11,12,13,15,16,17,18,19

[PsYkOoOoO]

For those who are interested..i figured out the chords for the fellowship theme...on guitar that is...

A G A (4 beats for this A)

F C D F G (F and G 1 beat each)

A G A (4 beats for this A)

F G A (4 beats for this A)

2 beats for the rest

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

My friends been playing on your chords and it doesnt sound anything like the Fellowship theme :|... could you elaborate a bit on it, like if its played in Major or Minor etc..

Thanks

[PsYkOoOoO]

In major....ermm...it sounds like the fellowship theme to me really...

[Gandollum]

does anyone have a link to the track of the white tree , i really want to listen to it.