SCORES FROM THE SCREEN

THE LORD OF THE RINGS SOUNDTRACK ANALYSIS

Howard Shore's award-winning orchestral scores for Peter Jackson's 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy are just as tense, moving and epic as the films themselves. With memorable melodies and appropriate use of instrumentation, each piece perfectly suits the scene, adding to the fantastical atmosphere. Originally performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, this intricate collection of music continues to be performed by various artists around the world to this day.

With many characters, places and creatures within the film trilogy, the soundtrack helps the audience to navigate the plot. This is done through the use of leitmotifs (recurrent themes throughout a musical composition associated with particular people, ideas, or situations), of which there have been over 100 identified such as the theme from 'Concerning Hobbits'. This is arguably one of the most famous pieces in the soundtrack, sounding folk-like and airy due to instruments including the tin whistle and strings, which play jovial melodies. It is then developed into new variations like a slower version that acts as a theme for the character of Frodo Baggins. Other notable themes include the Rivendell theme and the Riders of Rohan theme, each signifying what will happen on screen.

Some of the most epic music in the soundtrack occurs during the battle scenes. These pieces typically include heavy brass that almost sound like a fanfare, an abundance of strings, and pounding percussion driving the music forward while simultaneously adding tension. An example of this is during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, where the King's speech and chants are accompanied by dramatic brass playing, and his army's charge on horseback is matched by a rhythm driving it forward.

My Top 3 From The Soundtrack:

1) Hope And Memory 2) Concerning Hobbits 3) Prologue: One Ring To Rule Them All