Howard Shore – The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2xLP)

Howard Shore's The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King brings the final chapter of Peter Jackson's trilogy to record with the full dramatic scale that made the 2003 film such a cultural event. Composed, orchestrated and conducted by Shore, the score was performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, with London Voices and the London Oratory School Schola adding the choral force that helps define its sense of ceremony and loss.

This soundtrack is especially rewarding because it balances spectacle with character. Shore threads returning motifs through the album while giving key moments their own identity, from Billy Boyd's vocal turn on “The Steward Of Gondor” to Renée Fleming's contributions on “Twilight And Shadow” and “The End Of All Things.” Annie Lennox's “Into The West” closes the set with the song that helped carry the film beyond the cinema and into awards history.

The recognition here was unusually concrete: The Return Of The King soundtrack was certified Gold in both the U.S. and the U.K., and the film's music won Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song, plus Golden Globe and Grammy wins in the same categories. On vinyl, this 2xLP edition presents the original motion picture soundtrack in a format that suits Shore's long-form writing, from the dread of “Shelob's Lair” to the farewell mood of “The Grey Havens.”

Features

• 2xLP, Black Vinyl
• Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
• Alternate cover art

Reviews

• The Return of the King is the series' soul. - AllMusic.com