The Shore [EP]

Amazon.com
It's easy to be suspicious. How does a completely unknown band from Los Angeles arrive so fully formed, delivering a self-titled debut album that sounds uncannily like the great lost work of wild-eyed British rockers like the Verve or Oasis? How does said band conjure up both Bob Dylan and Neil Young in a song called "Different Ways" without setting off riots in the streets? It takes brass, no doubt. But it also takes massive pop tunes like "Everything We Are" and "It Ain't Right," which pair dreamy melodies with shuffling psychedelic grooves and just a touch of inoffensive noodling. -- Aidin Vaziri

Product Description
The Shore is a richly talented young quartet whose seamless ensemble sound welds a mix of influences, from Neil Young to Coldplay to the Verve to Britrock.Bringing it all together in a grand musical vision reminiscent of the best that rock can be while remaining utterly innovative and original, the L.A.band's self-titled debut album, produced by Rick Parker (Joe Firstman, Miranda Lee Richards ), claims a beachhead for The Shore.

The Shore,The Shore,Maverick,Alternative Pop/Rock,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop

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The Shore [EP]

Average customer rating: Awesome. Amazing! Excellent recording and two formats The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings A bit pricey but well worth the coin!

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings Howard Shore and The London Philharmonic Orchestra Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Box Sets at 30% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring - The Complete Recordings The Children of Húrin The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition) Pan's Labyrinth Casino Royale ASIN: B000IZJZIK Release Date: 2006-11-07

Tracks:

1. Glamdring
2. Elven Rope
3. Lost in Emyn Muil
4. My Precious
5. Ugluk's Warriors
6. Three Hunters
7. Banishment of mer
8. Night Camp
9. Plains of Rohan
10. Fangorn
11. Dead Marshes
12. "Wraiths on Wings"
13. Gandalf the White
14. Dreams of Trees
15. Heir of Numenor
16. Ent-Draught

Tracks:

1. Edoras
2. Court of Meduseld
3. Theoden King
4. King's Decision
5. Exodus from Edoras
6. Forests of Ithilian
7. One of the Dunedain
8. Wolves of Isengard
9. Refuge at Helm's Deep
10. Voice of Saruman
11. Arwen's Fate
12. Story Foretold
13. Sons of the Steward
14. Rock and Pool
15. Faramir's Good Council

Tracks:

1. Aragorn's Return
2. War Is Upon Us
3. "Where Is the Horse and the Rider?"
4. Host of the Eldar
5. Battle of the Hornburg
6. Breach of the Deeping Wall
7. Entmoot Decides
8. Retreat
9. Master Peregrin's Plan
10. Last March of the Ents
11. Nazgtack
12. Thon Rides Forth
13. Tales That Really Matter
14. "Long Ways to Go Yet"

Tracks:

1. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers [Complete Score][Multimedia Track]

Album Description

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers film's entire score composed, orchestrated, conducted, and produced by Howard Shore. The set encompasses three CDs plus a DVD-audio disc featuring the score in four superior sound configurations.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome........2007-07-12

I love Lord Of The Ring soundtracks and this one is as good as the others. If you like the soundtracks you'll love the complete recordings. Thank you mister Shore for such a great time listening to this music.
Now waiting for The Return Of The King's Complete Recordings.

Amazing!.......2007-07-07

This is a must have for any Lord of the Rings fan or even any fan of music in general. I fell in love with the score to this beautiful trilogy and this complete set is perfect. I can't wait for the third installment!

Excellent recording and two formats.......2007-06-12

As of recent, I have starting collecting again film music and the Lord of the Rings complete recordings was a natural.

The sound quality is very good and the packaging would make any collector of Lord of the Rings memorabilia quite happy. (I am not a collector but still appreciate the packaging.)

Contained in the package are cds with the tracks which I aptly moved to my computer in lossless format and also a DVD. The DVD turns out to be the entire collection of the CDS presented in DVD format with a menu. - Nice touch.

While I can't tell the difference of quality between the CDs and the DVD, I like the DVD set up when I want music in the background while I am working away.

Overall, a terrific collection and some my be disuaded by the price but I found this to be a particularly good set of recordings and well worth the cost.

Both "Two Towers" and "the Fellowship" are available and I'll wait for the 3rd to become available later (hopefully).

Let's be clear here - quality recordings, two formats provided, nice packaging for those that need it and a little costly. I can live with the latter and enjoy the music as anticipated.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings.......2007-05-09

onl for collector..

A bit pricey but well worth the coin!.......2007-04-26

Before viewing The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, I didn't think that anyone with great skill was composing music in the classical, romantic period style, anymore. I stand corrected! Howard Shore's music for the three LOTRs movies just blew me away. I rarely buy movie soundtracks because the soundtracks, divorced from the movie, don't stand up as well crafted pieces of music, on their own. If you have decent speakers, in your home theater set up, and a player that decodes 5.1 DVD-Audio soundtracks (I have a player that decodes both high end audio formats: SACD and DVD-A.) The sountrack on the DVD-A disk (5.1 channel, 3D sound!!), is phenominal! The use of the human voice as both a musical instrument and in songs to convey a message is something that I especially like in classical music and is iceing on the cake in Howard Shore's compositions. That he wrote music to take advantage of the vocal skills, of each individual vocalist, is one example of many where Howard Shore went the extra mile in composing his musical masterpieces for each movie.

Average customer rating: The Best Soundtrack Ever. Period. Modern Day Symphony for Middle Earth The stuff of legends! Bored of the Rings... If you like classical movie soundtracks...you NEED this!

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Howard Shore , and Annie Lennox Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl Gladiator: Music from the Motion Picture The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring - The Complete Recordings ASIN: B0000DZEA1 Release Date: 2003-11-25

Tracks:

1. A Storm Is Coming
2. Hope and Memory
3. Minas Tirith - Ben del Maestro
4. The White Tree
5. The Steward of Gondor - Billy Boyd
6. Minas Morgul
7. The Ride of the Rohirrim
8. Twilight and Shadow - Renee Fleming
9. Cirith Ungol
10. Anduril
11. Shelob's Lair
12. Ash and Smoke
13. The Fields of the Pelennor
14. Hope Fails
15. The Black Gate Opens - James Galway
16. The End of All Things - Renee Fleming
17. The Return of the King - Viggo Mortensen
18. The Grey Havens - James Galway
19. Into the West - Annie Lennox

Amazon.com

This final chapter of Peter Jackson's sprawling adaptation of Tolkien's "Ring" trilogy closes out one of the most accomplished cycles in cinema--and film music--history. As he's done for the saga's first two installments, composer Howard Shore has honed a mature, brooding orchestral masterpiece that's long on subtle shadings of mood and nuance, while eschewing the hollow bombast that's characterized all too many mainstream action and adventure films for three decades. If anything, he's pared this chapter of his music for Middle Earth even closer to the bone, the trilogy's familiar themes repeated with a sparing hand that only heightens their dramatic power. Like Herrmann before him, Shore has a preternatural understanding of orchestral timbres and their almost mystical connections with human emotions, and he's used it here to close out this remarkable trilogy with Wagnerian dramatic sweep, yet one with a distinctly modern, understated melodic sense that is Shore's alone. James Galway and Renee Fleming make key instrumental and vocal contributions, respectively, while Annie Lennox's soulful "Into the West" makes the expected, if unobtrusive, bow to the theatrical pop song conventions. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description

The regular jewel-case version will contain one of seven collectors' cards.

Customer Reviews:

The Best Soundtrack Ever. Period........2006-11-25

The entire "The Lord of the Rings" film trilogy is absolutely amazing and all are groundbreaking achievements in filmmaking but in my opinion they wouldn't be as good without the amazing master work of composer Howard Shore. 'The Return of the King', in particular, has the most expressive, emotional and dramatic music of the three films which perfectly complements the emotion and drama of the movie. The music alone is a work of genius. From the orchestral music to Annie Lennox's "Into the West", this soundtrack is truly astonishing.

Modern Day Symphony for Middle Earth.......2006-11-02

One session of listening to Howard Shore's breathtaking score for LOTR--RETURN OF THE KING and you instantly appreciate why he was repeatedly nominated for an Oscar.

Sweeping orchestral pieces transport you to the epic battles fought, while softer instrumentals summon the characters' pains suffered and quiet triumphs obtained.

If you own the other 2 CDs in the series, this is a no brainer. If you don't, ironically, starting here gives you a taste of all 3 as Shore weaves together a final tapestry of the trilogy in an expert fashion!

The stuff of legends!.......2006-10-02

What can I say that hasn't already been said about Howard Shore's magnificent score for the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy? A soundtrack can define the whole atmosphere of a film, and this fully orchestrated work certainly does that with sweep, splendor and wonder, alternately humanizing (hobbit-izing?) the characters, imbuing the landscape with magic and capturing the world-shaking impact of events of mythic proportions. And this was no easy task considering the iconoclastic status of the story and the superb quality of Peter Jackson's filmmaking. This is a truly a soundtrack for the ages--a fitting accompaniment to a film for the ages! Every aspect of life, from the extreme to the mundane, is captured in this music. Listening to it can make every remembered moment of the movie come alive again in your mind, from the most horrific battle to the smallest moment of humor or kindness. And the battle scenes in "Return of the King" are incredible visuals, blending live action and computer-generated imagery so seamlessly and densely that it boggles the mind. But what would they be with only screams and snorts and scuffles to give them voice? It's Shore's frenetic, string-laden, brass-filled, drum-spurred fury that truly gives them life, waxing, waning and cueing the audience as to when the greatest menace is about to threaten the war-weary heroes. The musical themes from the first two movies continue to be developed here, wending their way in and out of expanded interpretations whose dense complexity rivals that of Tolkien's story, not to mention Peter Jackson's filmmaking itself. The total effect is utterly convincing and utterly transporting. Peter Jackson chose well when he picked Shore as his score writer. Very, very well! Be sure to get the scores from the other two movies in the trilogy as well - "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Two Towers." They seem to be available in no end of different packagings, including ones with bonus DVDs about the creation of the score. Also, make sure to get the extended edition DVDs of the movie itself, with hours and hours of fascinating commentaries and behind-the-scenes documentaries about the making of the films. Truly a bargain at any price! And for authentic music from bygone ages, try the real thing! There are many fine groups out there. Here's just a sampling: Anonymous 4 (pure-voiced sacred chant by four women), The Baltimore Consort (jaunty popular music from the Renaissance), David Munrow's Early Music Consort of London (simply perfection), Christian Mendoze's Musica Antiqua (lively, percussive Renaissance dance music), The Toronto Consort (great variety), Ensemble Unicorn (worlds of fun!), Wolgemut (brash buzzies and bagpipes with attitude), and the magical early/folk fusion of Cantiga and Burlap Lute. Have some fun with them and live your own fantasy!

Bored of the Rings..........2006-09-13

First off, I'm fifteen.

I'd like to caution anyone considering buying this soundtrack. My sister has all three (Fellowship, Two Towers, Return), and I have to say that by what I know, this is not that great of a soundtrack. It's just overrated. To understand my point, listen to the music sample for song #16. At first, you may think "AWESOOMMME! This is so coooool!". But listen to it again, and you should find out that it's actually annoying. If you want to hear the "AAAAAAHHH"'s done right, listen to John Williams' Star Wars III, numbers 3 and 4. Now THAT is good music. Unlike ROTK (Return of the King), it's not just some mindless noise. I'm going to make a list of excellent soundtracks that you should consider waaaay over this one:

For a quiet, moving soundtrack, Get "A Beautiful Mind".

For action\adventure-type music, get one, several, or all the soundtracks below instead of LOTR:

~Jaws (don't think that you've "heard it all" from the movie already, because you haven't)

~Star Wars III

~Jurassic Park I

For War music, "The Patriot" is a very well done soundtrack. Based on reviews, "Band of Brothers" and "Saving Private Ryan" seem spectacular as well.

As far as horror music, "Signs" looks pretty good, as does "The Ring". But if you really want a horror soundtrack, Williams' "Close encounters of the Third Kind" is probably the best of horror. Check the reviews for this one.

There you have it, folks. Before you buy this overrated soundtrack, at least look into these that I've listed, based on your interests (Horror, Action, etc.)

If only Jackson had gotten Williams to make these soundtracks...things could have been so much better...

If you like classical movie soundtracks...you NEED this!.......2006-09-08

My brother and his wife to be walked down the aisle to selections from this soundtrack. With my being a lover of classical music especially that from movie scores...I was instantly hooked. Movie scores have always mystified me even in my own life...made me kind of look back differenly at the world moving around me. I cried at my brother's wedding when his bride to be came out to this music and cried even harder when I sat in the comfort of my office, and then my bedroom while listening to Annie Lennox pour passion and soul into the song "into the west". So beautifully written, anyone can find some meaning that touches their life in some personal way...through this beautiful song.

Average customer rating: The music is good but the movie is better A grand sountrack... Lord of the Rings Original Soundtracks, films 1 and 3 Awe inspiring! It is the best of the three CDs!!!

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Celtic New Age | New Age | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl Gladiator: Music from the Motion Picture Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ASIN: B00005QZWI Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

1. The Prophecy
2. Concerning Hobbits
3. The Shadow Of The Past
4. The Treason Of Isengard
5. The Black Rider
6. At The Sign Of The Prancing Pony
7. A Knife In The Dark
8. Flight To The Ford
9. Many Meetings
10. The Council Of Elrond [featuring the song "Aniron (Theme For Aragorn And Arwen)" composed & performed by Enya]
11. The Ring Goes South
12. A Journey In The Dark
13. The Bridge Of Khazad Dum
14. Lothlorien
15. The Great River
16. Amon Hen
17. The Breaking Of The Fellowship
18. May It Be [composed & performed by Enya]

Amazon.com

Score composer Howard Shore has informed this first installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy with his distinctly modern sensibilities. Revolving loosely around a brief, heroic brass theme, this epic is infused with a powerful rhythmic thrust and a musical range that encompasses centuries (from the Renaissance pastoralism of "Concerning Hobbits" to the fiery, Prokofiev-influenced drama of "A Knife in the Dark"). Key to the score's sense of mystery and magical place are the rich choral passages that are interspersed throughout, some so ominously gothic they make The Phantom Menace's "Duel of the Fates" sound almost sunny by comparison. Enya's contributions ("The Council of Elrond" and the song "May It Be") add a sense of organic tranquility, but it's Shore's Wagnerian-scaled orchestral score that should long be cherished by admirers of film music and hobbits alike. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

The music is good but the movie is better.......2007-04-10

I really enjoyed the 3 series of The Lord of the Rings movie so I wanted the music. The soundtracks are good but if you like the movie the soundtracks watch the movie. They remind you of certain parts in the movie like the song Concerning Hobbits. The song is whimsical. Enyna has a great voice, very haunting. The Ring Goes South is another favorite of mine. I can enjoy these soundtracks as classical or dramatic music. I bought them because I loved the Lord of the Rings which has many similarities to Braveheart. Bravery, courage, strength, honesty, selflessness, love and other good human qualities people try to attain and admire them in the people and movies they view.

A grand sountrack..........2007-01-10

One of Howard Shore's best soundtracks around. The music is strong enough to tell its own separate story apart from FOTR. You will never tire of the heart-pounding excitement from The Bridge of Kazaad-Dum track.

Lord of the Rings Original Soundtracks, films 1 and 3.......2006-11-08

Having made an earlier mistake of buying 2 C.D.'s which were not original soundtrack, I can truthfully say these are the best. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, look no further - no one does it better than The London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by the composer Howard Shore. You will be back in Middle Earth reliving all those wonderful scenes. I bought only The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King from Amazon.com because I already had the Two Towers from Amazon.co.uk and I would recommend all three - magical.

Awe inspiring!.......2006-10-02

What can I say that hasn't already been said about Howard Shore's magnificent score for the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy? A soundtrack can define the whole atmosphere of a film, and this fully orchestrated work certainly does that with sweep, splendor and wonder, alternately humanizing (hobbit-izing?) the characters, imbuing the landscape with magic and capturing the world-shaking impact of events of mythic proportions. And this was no easy task considering the iconoclastic status of the story and the superb quality of Peter Jackson's filmmaking. This is a truly a soundtrack for the ages--a fitting accompaniment to a film for the ages! Every aspect of life, from the extreme to the mundane, is captured in this music. Listening to it can make every remembered moment of the movie come alive again in your mind, from the most horrific battle to the smallest moment of humor or kindness. I think this first one is my favorite of the three "Lord of the Rings" soundtracks. I enjoy the juxtaposition of the lighter moments, like the sweet, simple hobbit theme, with the grander and more menacing sections of the music. (That despite the fact that said hobbit theme begins exactly like the first phrase of the Protestant hymn "This Is My Father's World," which prompts me to think of the hobbits trouping off to Sunday school every time I hear it. But now when I hear the hymn, I think of Lord of the Rings, so I suppose all's fair!) What impressed me most as I watched "The Fellowship of the Ring" was how scary the music was when the hobbits were being pursued. Those relentless drums and eerily screaming drums made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, even though I knew the story like the back of my hand and knew for a fact that the poor little heroes would manage to escape. But the music truly made me wonder otherwise ... Now that's good composition! And the fact that the filmmakers chose to include background music in so many of the scenes, almost continuously ... well, that's just good filmmaking! The other impressive thing about Howard Shore's score is how the voicing and repeating motifs tie the whole thing together, like the finest of symphonies. The total effect is utterly convincing and utterly transporting. Peter Jackson chose well when he picked Shore as his score writer. Very, very well! Be sure to get the scores from the other two movies in the trilogy as well - "The Two Towers" and "Return of the King." They seem to be available in no end of different packagings, including ones with bonus DVDs about the creation of the score. Also, make sure to get the extended edition DVDs of the movie itself, with hours and hours of fascinating commentaries and behind-the-scenes documentaries about the making of the films. Truly a bargain at any price! And for more seminal soundtracks, try John Williams' defining scores for the "Star Wars" series and Basil Poledouris's spectacular score for the original "Conan the Barbarian."

It is the best of the three CDs!!!.......2006-09-10

For me, the music of the first sequel is my favourite since this is also the sequel that I prefer in the trilogy (I remember being blown away by the quality of this movie, the actors, the setting, the action scenes, the special effects, the moving relationships between all the characters and of coourse the music)
I think that the other CDs are a bit repetitive once you've got this one, even if I still like the music of the second soundtrack 'The Two Towers'. As for the 3rd sequel, I seldom listen to it as there is only one track that I like, 'The Return of the King'.
Now, this first CD of the trilogy is actually very good. Thanks to Enya, it is haunting and the songs are beautiful. There are a few eery but melodious songs like 'The Council of Elrond', 'Lothlorien', 'May it Be'. I love the change of tempo, the balance between fast and slow movements in 'A Knife in the Dark', 'Flight to the ford', and 'Amon Hen' which is my favourite piece (the Death of Boromir) with the oboe sound mixed with the beat of the drums and finaly the haunting voice of the singer. Track 17 is also worth listening. I like this CD because you've got different tempos and melodies and Anya is a great singer to me. But I also enjoy listening to Emiliana Torrini's song 'Gollum's Song'in the second soundtrack...

Average customer rating: Gollum's Song - Haunting and Brilliant Amazing! Wow. This is some powerful music indeed... Wonderfully beautiful moving Beauties which burn like cold iron

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Howard Shore , and Isabel Bayrakdarian (soprano) Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl Gladiator: Music from the Motion Picture Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ASIN: B00007BH5C Release Date: 2002-12-10

Tracks:

1. Foundations Of Stone
2. The Taming Of Smeagol
3. The Riders Of Rohan
4. The Passage Of The Marshes
5. The Uruk-hai
6. The King Of The Golden Hall
7. The Black Gate Is Closed
8. Evenstar - featuring Isabel Bayrakdarian
9. The White Rider
10. Treebeard
11. The Leave Taking
12. Helm's Deep
13. The Forbidden Pool
14. Breath Of Life - featuring Sheila Chandra
15. The Hornburg
16. Forth Eorlingas - featuring Ben Del Maestro
17. Isengard Unleashed - featuring Elizabeth Fraser & Ben Del Maestro
18. Samwise The Brave
19. Gollum's Song - performed by Emiliana Torrini

Amazon.com

Howard Shore's music for the massively successful first film chapter of Tolkien's Ring saga won him the Oscar ^® for Best Original Score, something of a surprise given the music's ambitious scale and determinedly dark overtones, factors that handily blurred the line between typical film fantasy music and accomplished concert work. Its sequel takes the same, often Wagnerian-scaled dramatic tack, following the film's story line into even more brooding and ominous dark corners. The previous film's Hobbit-inspired pastoralism is supplanted here by rich ethnic textures that expand the musical scope of Middle-earth and the World of Men; the Hardanger, a Norwegian fiddle, represents the Rohan and the North African rhaita colors the Mordor theme, while log drums, dilruba, wood xylophone, and cimbalon add intriguing textures elsewhere. The score's looming orchestral clouds are brightened by Shore's masterful choral writing, which infuses ancient liturgical influences with various solo turns by Isabel Bayrakdarian, indie-pop star Sheila Chandra, Ben Del Maestro, and Elizabeth Fraser. "Gollum's Song," the composer's concluding collaboration with lyricist Fran Walsh, is delivered with Björkish, postmodern angst by Emiliana Torrini, and helps punctuate the story's modern sense of allegory. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Gollum's Song - Haunting and Brilliant.......2007-07-06

Yes, this review is five years late, but frankly there's so much depth to the Lord of the Rings movies, that I consider them to be a prime source of entertainment, even now. I have always loved movie soundtracks, and recently acquired all three LOTR theatrical soundtrack CDs, which brings me to "Gollum's Song", the last track on the Two Towers CD.

I never paid much attention to the movies ending credit music until I got the Two Towers CD, which allowed me to really hear Gollum's Song for the first time. What a unique and haunting piece of music. It perfectly sums up Gollum's tragic history and future, but even more, is a metaphor for all who make terrible unreversable choices in their lives.

Fran Walsh wrote the bleak yet Tolkienesque lyrics, which were then scored in another sublime Howard Shore LOTR theme. But no words can aptly describe Emiliana Torinni's vocals. Her fearless interpretation of Gollum's descent into despair blows away the other two LOTR movie-ending songs. If Emiliana never finds material this good again, she can always be proud of this one searing performance, and we can be grateful for the world-class talents that came together in its creation.

Amazing!.......2006-10-02

What can I say that hasn't already been said about Howard Shore's magnificent score for the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy? A soundtrack can define the whole atmosphere of a film, and this fully orchestrated work certainly does that with sweep, splendor and wonder, alternately humanizing (hobbit-izing?) the characters, imbuing the landscape with magic and capturing the world-shaking impact of events of mythic proportions. And this was no easy task considering the iconoclastic status of the story and the superb quality of Peter Jackson's filmmaking. This is a truly a soundtrack for the ages--a fitting accompaniment to a film for the ages! Every aspect of life, from the extreme to the mundane, is captured in this music. Listening to it can make every remembered moment of the movie come alive again in your mind, from the most horrific battle to the smallest moment of humor or kindness. In "The Two Towers," all the familiar themes from the first sound track return, reinvented as need be to tie the films together while adapting to new developments in the action and the story. In this album, I particularly like the hardanger fiddle-infused theme for the Rohirrim, the Viking-like horse-riders of the steppes, and the ponderous, quirky music for Treebeard, the walking, talking tree. I would have enjoyed a bit more of these distinctive elements, which lend levity and diversity to a sometimes depressing and overwhelmingly intense body of work. Here, they make all-too-brief appearances, at least from a listener's point of view. But soundtracks are ultimately slaves to the script, and in conjunction with the film itself, the timing and phrasing of Shore's music is impeccable. Mysterious, menacing, folksy or heroic, the total effect is utterly convincing and utterly transporting. Peter Jackson chose well when he picked Shore as his score writer. Very, very well! Be sure to get the scores from the other two movies in the trilogy as well - "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "Return of the King." They seem to be available in no end of different packagings, including ones with bonus DVDs about the creation of the score. Also, make sure to get the extended edition DVDs of the movie itself, with hours and hours of fascinating commentaries and behind-the-scenes documentaries about the making of the films. Truly a bargain at any price! And for a more comprehensive taste of hardanger fiddle music from Scandinavia, try the work of Annbjorg Lien or many of the varied releases from the NorthSide label.

Wow. This is some powerful music indeed..........2006-09-22

Many of the other reviews here sum up how I feel about this music, so I'll be brief:

If you are a fan of these films but have never heard the music by itself, you're really missing out. After watching all 3 films probably 50 times now, I find that I enjoy the music from TTT the most so I finally bought the soundtrack. I knew it was great music but never really realized how powerful, emotional, and DARK it was until hearing this CD.

This is incredible music and I could kick myself for not buying the soundtracks sooner.

Wonderfully beautiful moving.......2006-04-30

This is beautiful music. But you should be able to listen to it as it's meant to be listened to. Unfortunately, I work in a small cubicle area and share an office with hip-hop, country, and christian music fans. They are great people and we respect each other's spaces by playing our personal music preferences so as not to disturb each other. I live less than 3 miles from where I work, so I don't get to listen much in the car either. I would love to take a long road trip and play the CD's in my car. In the meantime, I play them at home and find myself recalling the movie scenes in which the music played.

Beauties which burn like cold iron.......2006-01-21

In his review of the original publication of "The Two Towers", the great C.S. Lewis wrote: "Here are beauties which pierce like swords or burn like cold iron; here is a book that will break your heart."

Now Tolkien was a friend of his - so Lewis's objectivity is open to question. [And truth be told: for me, the books have never fully lived up to their reputation. Which meant that part of what made living through the release of the films so exciting was seeing how spectacularly this Tolkien geek (fat and bearded - like a good Tolkien geek should be) had managed to articulate the nobility and the beauty that the other Tolkien geeks had always seen in the books.] But to whatever extent those words are true of the novel, they are the best possible description of the music that Howard Shore wrote for its film adaptation.

In fact, I will claim that the scores are the single most important factor in the films being as great as they are. Consider the shot that introduces Shadowfax - a minor event in the narrative. [If you saw the movie, I am certain you have not forgotten it.] On paper, it would have verged on cheesy.

117. EXT - DAY

A majestic white horse gallops up to Gandalf.

LEGOLAS

That is one of the Mearas. Unless my
eyes are cheated by some spell.

As filmed by Jackson, with a subtle use of slow motion and an anamorphic lens, it is a striking visual - conveying more artfully than the expository dialogue that this is no run-of-the-mill inn pony. Still, if you view the shot without sound, it is not much more than picturesque. It is left to Shore to do the impossible - to create a sound as epic yet exquisite as Tolkien's description of this legendary animal: "And there was one among them that may have been foaled in the morning of the world."

And this is just the horse, folks. Can you imagine having to create sounds worthy of evoking such immortal events as the fall of Gandalf from the Bridge of Barad'dur? The lonely sadness of the Shieldmaiden of Rohan? The hopeless stand of Theodin King at Helm's Deep? Not merely to find emotions that great within yourself, mind you - but to articulate them in practice through the workday medium of 100 union musicians and a 48-track recording studio? And to *actually accomplish it*?

If I ever meet Mr. Shore, I will be hard pressed not to fall to my knees and chant "We're not worthy!" This seems to me the surest proof that one has achieved the summit of one's art - to elicit not mere enjoyment, but gratitude.

Average customer rating: Beautiful Awesome Excellent Music tracks from Movie Complete? Great Collection, Poor Packaging

The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring - The Complete Recordings Howard Shore Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Box Sets at 30% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Ringers - Lord of the Fans The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ASIN: B000BNI90O Release Date: 2005-12-13

Tracks:

1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Prologue: One Ring ...
2. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Shire
3. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Bag End (Featuring ...)
4. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Very Old Friends
5. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Flaming Red Hair
6. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Farewell Dear Bilbo
7. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Keep It Secret, Keep ...
8. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/A Conspiracy Unmasked
9. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Three Is Company
10. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Passing of the Elves
11. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Saruman the White
12. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/A Shortcut to Mushrooms
13. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Strider
14. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Nazgul ...

Tracks:

1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Weathertop
2. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Caverns of Isengard
3. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Give Up the Halfling
4. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Orthanc
5. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Rivendell
6. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Sword That Was ...
7. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Council of ...
8. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Great Eye
9. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Gilraen's Memorial
10. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Pass of Caradhras
11. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Doors of Durin
12. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Moria
13. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Gollum
14. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Balin's Tomb

Tracks:

1. Khazad-Dum
2. Caras Galadhon (featuring Lament for Gandalf, performed by Elizabeth Fraser)
3. The Mirror of Galadriel
4. The Fighting Uruk-hai
5. Parth Galen
6. The Departure of Boromir
7. The Road Goes Ever On (part 1)
8. May It Be (composed and performed by Enya)
9. The Road Goes Ever On (part 2. featuring In Dreams, perfomed by Edward Ross)
10. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Khazad-D
11. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Caras Galadhon ...
12. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Mirror of Galadriel
13. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Fighting Uruk-Hai
14. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Parth Galen
15. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Departure of Boromir
16. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Road Goes Ever ...
17. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/May It Be
18. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Road Goes Ever ...

Amazon.com

As fans of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy know, each film exists in two versions: the theatrical one and the extended one that appeared on DVD. This luxurious box set--which also comes with a detailed essay on the movie's musical themes--features the full extended score, so many cues not on the CDs of the individual movies are included. Granted, the majority of listeners will be perfectly happy with the shorter versions of the scores--it's a safe bet that most people can live without hearing, say, Ian McKellen's 35-second-long ditty "The Road Goes Ever On" at the beginning of "Bag End," or Viggo Mortensen's performance of his own composition, "The Song of Lúthien," within the track "The Nazgûl." But if you're a completist and/or a devotee of Howard Shore's pounding tympani and overwhelming choral compositions (featured particularly prominently on disc 3, a large chunk of which is devoted to a battle scene), then this set is a dream come true. Audiophiles should note that the fourth disc, a DVD, offers the score in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Fire up those speakers so the whole shire can hear. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

An epic film score receives epic treatment with The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring/Complete Recordings. Released for the first time on CD, the complete score for the first film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy contains more than 180 minutes of music on three CDs plus a DVD-Audio disc of the entire score in Surround Sound. Breathtaking and majestic, the 2001 Oscar and Grammy winning score compsted by Howard Shore also includes Enya's Oscar nominated "May It Be." For fans of any of The Lord of the Rings films, the Fellowship of the Ring/Complete Recordings is an essential experience.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-06-15

I picked up this set because I am both a LOTR fan, movies and books and I need music to help me work. There are some tracks that I skipped over, like the short little ditties in the bar, but many of the songs, such as the Elvish chants are easy to get lost in - its just too bad they don't last longer. The packaging really is well done, though the DVD disc was loose when I received it in the mail, but unharmed. I will have to wait until the price on the second set comes down a little more, but I can't wait for ROTK.

Awesome.......2007-06-12

This is by far the editon to get if you loved the lord of the rings soundtrack. It has every song on it from the extended edition. and the DVD-A version is very nice.

Excellent Music tracks from Movie.......2007-05-03

Brings the movie back as you listen to the full version of the track.

Complete?.......2007-04-07

This CD collection is wonderful; it has much of the material from the movie that was only included in the extended edition DVD, but it is far from complete. While it does have the complete version of "The Passing of the Elves" and two versions of "The Road Goes Ever On", many of the songs are highly incomplete and inferior to the originals. "Aniron," the theme for Aragorn and Arwen performed by Enya, is incomplete and the lyrics are hard to match to what is being sung. The sound quality for this song is even worse on the accompanying DVD, which is supposed to have all of the music in "superior sound". The song "Prophecy" is reduced to two barely-audible lines and "May It Be" is shortened and different than the original. $60 for this when there are more complete songs on the original soundtrack is ridiculous.

Great Collection, Poor Packaging.......2007-04-03

I realy can't add to what others have said about this set, the music is simply the best LOTR soundtrack collection out there! It is all here, and the contents of this set will make any LOTR fan happy and the music DVD is a great one disc addition if you want to hear the entire score in one sitting (to which I have done a number of times already).
My only complaint is the somewhat flimsy cardboard box that houses the contents of this musical treasure. Mine came damaged, and considering the price, I expected better packaging. This is a minor quabble on my part and NO, I havent returned it due to the fact that the music itself Is what I truly treasure, It just would have been nicer to have recieved it undamaged.

Music-5
Packaging-3

*for the record I had rated this Item 5 stars not the 3 stars that is showing at the top of my review*

Average customer rating: Marvellous! The best violinist ever!

Itzhak Perlman's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Elgar | Elgar, Sir Edward | ( E ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Kreisler | Kreisler, Fritz | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sarasate | Sarasate, Pablo de | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Stravinsky | Stravinsky, Igor | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wieniawski | Wieniawski, Henri | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Perlman, Itzhak | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Elgar, Sir Edward | ( E ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Kreisler, Fritz | ( K ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Sarasate, Pablo de | ( S ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Stravinsky, Igor | ( S ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Wieniawski, Henri | ( W ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Kreisler, Fritz | ( K ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Perlman, Itzhak | ( P ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Itzhak Perlman's Greatest Hits Itzhak Perlman - Greatest Hits ~ "Carmen" Fantasy · Havanaise · Poème · and more Cinema Serenade Itzhak Perlman - A la carte / Lawrence Foster Cinema Serenade II: The Golden Age ASIN: B00004XST2 Release Date: 2000-09-12

Tracks:

1. Chanson Sans Paroles
2. Polonaise De Concert No.1, Op.4
3. It's Peaceful Here, Op.21 No.7
4. Chanson Russe
5. Liebesleid
6. Slavonic Dance In E Minor, Op.46, No.2
7. Tempo Di Minuetto (In The Style Of Pugnani)
8. Romanza Andaluza, Op.22
9. Melodie
10. Serenade Espagnole
11. Serenade (Frasquita)
12. La Capricieuse, Op.17
13. Sicilienne
14. Molly On The Shore
15. Andantino (In The Style Of Martini)
16. Marguerite (Daisies), Op.38, No.3
17. Melodie, Op.42 No.3
18. Estrellita
19. Spanish Dance No.5
20. Berceuse Sfaradite
21. Caprice In A Minor

Customer Reviews:

Marvellous!.......2005-11-26

I don't play violin, and I can't even read music, but as a classical music amateur I find this CD outstanding. Even an incompetent like myself can easily understand why Perlman is regarded as one of the greates violinists ever. This is a marvellous collection of pieces. The rendition of "Chanson Russe" by itself is, in my opinion, worth more than the price of the CD. If you listen to the audio samples on Amazon's pages and you like violin you will surely understand why I like this CD so much. I am grateful to People like Perlman, who make this world a better place to live in.

The best violinist ever!.......2001-01-26

All I can say to this CD is it's the best I've ever heard. In this CD, Itzhak Perlman truly demonstrates his best performances of the past years. I have always been a great admirer of Perlman, but since I own this CD, it's all I've listened to for the past three months. I myself play the violin and Perlman has become an inspiration to me, almost a musical idol. For any of those violinists out there, especially young musicians, who don't feel any excitement about playing the violin, listen to this CD and I promise you, you will strive to being able to play like this man does. He is truly the best musician I've ever known.

Average customer rating: ???

The Last Mimzy Manufacturer: New Line Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: Amazing Grace (Original Score) Meet the Robinsons The Astronaut Farmer Zodiac The Good German ASIN: B000MV8CRU Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

1. Mandala
2. Whidbey Island
3. Under the Bed
4. Cuddle
5. Beach
6. Scribbles
7. Blackout
8. Palm Readings
9. I Love the World
10. Help!
11. I Have to Look
12. Can I Talk?
13. Eyes
14. Tear
15. Through the Looking Glass
16. Hello (I Love You)

Album Description

Based on the acclaimed sci-fi short story by Lewis Padgett, The Last Mimzy, tells the story of two siblings who, after discovering a box of toys sent from the future, begin developing some remarkable talents - terrifying and wonderful. As their parents and teacher notice the kids' changed behavior, they all find themselves drawn into a unique world.

Customer Reviews:

???.......2007-06-22

i haven't heard this,so i gave it a 3.i read on howard shore's official site that he did the score with rogers waters of pink floyd fame;anybody know if there is truth to this claim(or if the music is decent?)

Average customer rating: great Amazing, awe inspiring and the stuff of legends! Surprise Stress Reliever BIGGER AND GREATER SOUNDTRACKS EVER! Midle-earth re-created...

The Lord of the Rings: Motion Picture Trilogy Soundtrack (3CD & 18 Trading Cards) Howard Shore Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: Star Wars Trilogy The Making of the Movie Trilogy (The Lord of the Rings) Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl ASIN: B0000TAZBK Release Date: 2003-12-09

Tracks:

1. The Prophecy - Howard Shore
2. Concerning Hobbits - Howard Shore
3. The Shadow of the Past - Howard Shore
4. The Treason of Isengard - Howard Shore
5. The Black Rider - Howard Shore
6. At the Sign of the Prancing Pony - Howard Shore
7. A Knife in the Dark - Howard Shore
8. Flight to the Ford - Howard Shore
9. Many Meetings - Howard Shore
10. The Council of Elrond-Anmron (Theme for Aragorn and Arwen) - Howard Shore
11. The Ring Goes South - Howard Shore
12. A Journey in the Dark - Howard Shore
13. The Bridge of Khazad Dum - Howard Shore
14. Lothlorien - Howard Shore
15. The Great River - Howard Shore
16. Amon Hen - Howard Shore
17. The Breaking of the Fellowship - Edward Ross
18. May It Be - Enya

Tracks:

1. Foundations of Stone - Howard Shore
2. The Taming of Smiagol - Howard Shore
3. The Riders of Rohan - Howard Shore
4. The Passage of the Marshes - Howard Shore
5. The Uruk-Hai - Howard Shore
6. The King of the Golden Hall - Howard Shore
7. The Black Gate Is Closed - Howard Shore
8. Evenstar - Isabel Bayrakdarian
9. The White Rider - Howard Shore
10. Treebeard - Howard Shore
11. The Leave Taking - Howard Shore
12. Helm's Deep - Howard Shore
13. The Forbidden Pool - Howard Shore
14. Breath of Life - Howard Shore
15. The Hornburg - Howard Shore
16. Forth Eorlingas - Howard Shore
17. Isengard Unleashed - Howard Shore
18. Samwise the Brave - Howard Shore
19. Gollum's Song - Emiliana Torrini

Tracks:

1. A Storm Is Coming - Howard Shore
2. Hope and Memory - Howard Shore
3. Minas Tirith - Howard Shore
4. The White Tree - Howard Shore
5. The Steward of Gondor - Howard Shore
6. Minas Morgul - Howard Shore
7. The Ride of the Rohirrim - Howard Shore
8. Twilight and Shadow - Howard Shore
9. Cirith Ungol - Howard Shore
10. Andzril - Howard Shore
11. Shelob's Lair - Howard Shore
12. Ash and Smoke - Howard Shore
13. The Fields of the Pelennor - Howard Shore
14. Hope Falls - Howard Shore
15. The Black Gate Opens - Howard Shore
16. The End of All Things - Howard Shore
17. The Return of the King - Viggo Mortensen
18. The Grey Havens - Howard Shore
19. Into the West - Annie Lennox

Album Description

The Limited Edition 3-CD version includes the first two soundtracks (Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers) packaged in a special slipcase and comes with all 18 character cards from the trilogy.

Customer Reviews:

great .......2007-01-04

However, my favorite is the Fellowship of the Rings and if I had it to do over, I would just get the first one.

Amazing, awe inspiring and the stuff of legends!.......2006-10-02

What can I say that hasn't already been said about Howard Shore's magnificent score for the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy? A soundtrack can define the whole atmosphere of a film, and this fully orchestrated work certainly does that with sweep, splendor and wonder, alternately humanizing (hobbit-izing?) the characters, imbuing the landscape with magic and capturing the world-shaking impact of events of mythic proportions. And this was no easy task considering the iconoclastic status of the story and the superb quality of Peter Jackson's filmmaking. This is a truly a soundtrack for the ages--a fitting accompaniment to a film for the ages! Every aspect of life, from the extreme to the mundane, is captured in this music. Listening to it can make every remembered moment of the movie come alive again in your mind, from the most horrific battle to the smallest moment of humor or kindness. I think "The Fellowship of the Ring" is my favorite of the three "Lord of the Rings" soundtracks. I enjoy the juxtaposition of the lighter moments, like the sweet, simple hobbit theme, with the grander and more menacing sections of the music. What impressed me most as I watched "The Fellowship of the Ring" was how scary the music was when the hobbits were being pursued. Those relentless drums and eerily screaming drums made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, even though I knew the story like the back of my hand and knew for a fact that the poor little heroes would manage to escape. But the music truly made me wonder otherwise ... Now that's good composition! And the fact that the filmmakers chose to include background music in so many of the scenes, almost continuously ... well, that's just good filmmaking! The other impressive thing about Howard Shore's score is how the voicing and the repeating musical motifs tie the whole thing together, like the finest of symphonies. In "The Two Towers" all the familiar themes from the first sound track return, reinvented as need be to link the films together while adapting to new developments in the action and the story. In this album, I particularly like the hardanger fiddle-infused theme for the Rohirrim, the Viking-like horse-riders of the steppes, and the ponderous, quirky music for Treebeard, the walking, talking tree. I would have enjoyed a bit more of these distinctive elements, which lend levity and diversity to a sometimes depressing and overwhelmingly intense body of music. Here, they make all-too-brief appearances, at least from a listener's point of view. But soundtracks are ultimately slaves to the script, and in conjunction with the film itself, the timing and phrasing of Shore's music is impeccable. Mysterious, menacing, folksy or heroic, the total effect is utterly convincing and utterly transporting. The battle scenes in "Return of the King" are incredible visuals, blending live action and computer-generated imagery so seamlessly and densely that it boggles the mind. But what would they be with only screams and snorts and scuffles to give them voice? It's Shore's frenetic, string-laden, brass-filled, drum-spurred fury that truly gives them life, waxing, waning and cueing the audience as to when the greatest menace is about to threaten the war-weary heroes. The musical themes from the first two movies continue to be developed here, wending their way in and out of expanded interpretations whose dense complexity rivals that of Tolkien's story, not to mention Peter Jackson's filmmaking itself. Jackson chose well when he picked Shore as his score writer. Very, very well! Make sure to get the extended edition DVDs of the movies themselves, with hours and hours of fascinating commentaries and behind-the-scenes documentaries about the making of the films. Truly a bargain at any price! For more seminal soundtracks, try John William's defining scores for the "Star Wars" series and Basil Poledouris's spectacular score for the original "Conan the Barbarian." You can hear more hardanger fiddle music (the inspiration for the Rohan/Rohirrim themes) in the work of Scandinavian fiddler Annbjorg Lien or any of the varied releases from the NorthSide label. Finally, for authentic music from bygone ages, why not try the real thing? There are many fine early music groups out there. Here's just a sampling: Anonymous 4 (pure-voiced sacred chant by four women), The Baltimore Consort (jaunty popular music from the Renaissance), David Munrow's Early Music Consort of London (simply perfection), Christian Mendoze's Musica Antiqua (lively, percussive Renaissance dance music), The Toronto Consort (great variety), Ensemble Unicorn (worlds of fun!), Wolgemut (brash buzzies and bagpipes with attitude), and the magical early/folk fusion of Cantiga and Burlap Lute. Have some fun with them and live your own fantasy!

Surprise Stress Reliever.......2005-07-07

This soundtrack is absolutely awsome! I had heard pieces of it, but did not listen to all of it until this past May. I ended up with two of my best friends sitting on our high school stage about two hours before our musical listening to this soundtrack and eating Chinese food. By the time we were finished, we had listened to a ton of the soundtrack and were probably five times calmer than we had been when we started. We ended up doing the same thing the following night, and have decided to make it a tradition.

BIGGER AND GREATER SOUNDTRACKS EVER!.......2005-02-01

This box receives lots of music prizes, including 3 Oscars: one for LOTR, The Fellowship Of The Ring, another one for LOTR, The Return Of The King and an Oscar for Best Song for Into The West performed by Annie Lennox, featured in the late soundtrack movie! It deserves all of the prizes just because Howard Shore put ALL his heart and mind in doing such a magnificent soundtrack trilogy!
I hope - as announced in 2004 - they will release a super box set with 9 CDs with ALL the music recorded for the theatrical releases of The Lord Of The Rings movies - 2 CDs for The Fellowship Of The Ring + 3 CDs for The Two Towers + 3CDs for The Return Of The King + 1 CD with rarities with comments by Howard himself...

Till then let's listen to The Aviator Soundtrack and dream with The King Kong soundtrack that Howard is working on since 2004!

Just to remember how good and great and magnificent this trilogy soundtrack (and movies) are... here, some of the names that sing and play in it:
Howard Shore with The London Symphony Orchestra, Enya (almost an Oscar for May It Be), Elizabeth fraser of The Cocteau Twins, Hillary Summers, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Sheila Chandra, Emiliana Torrini, Ben Del Maestro, Renée Fleming, Sir James Galway, Billy Boyd, Viggo Mortensen, Annie Lennox, and lots of other musicians and choirs from England and New Zealand!

Thank you very much Howard Shore for this memorable, universal and unforgettable music!

Midle-earth re-created..........2004-12-23

Music of The Lord of the Rings is another great success along with the film and the book. Howard Shore re-created the Middle-earth with his music by composing different themes for each different race as Tolkien intended in the book. For example, for Hobbits we have cheerful, peaceful emotions; for Elves we hear women voices with higher learning, timelessness and mystical features; for Dwarves we have dominant male voices with aggressiveness; for Isengard and Orcs we hear metallic instruments which represent the Industrial Age of Middle-earth; for Rohan and Gondor we have heroic sound with Celtic and Welsh touches and for Ents, it is mainly dominated by wooden instruments with slow-movements.

For the songs, all of the Middle-earth languages have been used in themes namely Quenya, Sindarin, Andunaic, Dwarvish, Old English and Black Speech. The other and the most successful thing about The Lord of the Rings music is, we always get the sense of historic aspect of it rather than seeing it a production of 21st century. The movements exactly belongs to the Middle-earth itself from the history, it is "the music" of people of Middle-earth...

Will there any re-makes of the films in the future? Well, why not? But there is one thing which won't happen again; there will be "one" and "only" The Lord of the Rings Symphony...

Average customer rating: Can't beat MoTab

Showtime! Music of Broadway and Hollywood Manufacturer: Mormon Tabernacle Choir ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Mormon Tabernacle Choir | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Greatest Hits: 22 Best-Loved Favorites More Greatest Hits: 18 Best Loved Favorites Love Is Spoken Here Peace Like a River God Bless America ASIN: B000LV639A Release Date: 2007-02-01

Tracks:

1. When You Wish Upon A Star
2. Who Will Buy?
3. Where Is Love?
4. Not While I'm Around
5. Sunrise, Sunset
6. Bring Him Home
7. Hymn To The Fallen
8. You'll Never Walk Alone
9. Never Never Land
10. Come To My Garden
11. Over The Rainbow
12. Fill The World With Love
13. The Impossible Dream
14. In Dreams
15. Circle Of Life

Customer Reviews:

Can't beat MoTab.......2007-03-26

When I looked through the song list on the CD I knew that I had to have it. The songs on the album are classics and anything done by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is great. The music is so peaceful. If you like The mormon Tabernacle Choir or just the songs on the CD I would highly recomend it.

Average customer rating: Terrible. Elegant lyricism Garden Party Stranger on the Shores ---CD Stranger on the Shore

Stranger on the Shore: The Best of Acker Bilk Acker Bilk Manufacturer: Castle Pulse ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Traditional Jazz | Jazz | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Traditional Jazz | Jazz | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Pop | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: In a Mellow Mood On the Sentimental Side Fabulous Mr Acker Bilk Reflections The Magic Clarinet of Acker Bilk ASIN: B00000854S Release Date: 1998-02-05

Tracks:

1. Stranger on the Shore
2. Windmills of Your Mind
3. Cavatina
4. Magnificent Mog
5. If
6. Bilitis
7. Amazing Grace
8. For the Good Times
9. Lazy Serenade
10. Shepherd's Song
11. When I Need You
12. Pescadores
13. Aria
14. As Time Goes By
15. Love Letters
16. Pachelbel's Canon in D Major
17. Skylark
18. Autumn Leaves
19. Love Said Goodbye [From "The Godfather, Pt. 2"]
20. First of Spring
21. Colours of My Life
22. Clair
23. She's Leaving Home

Album Details

Tracks Include: Stranger in the Shore, the Windmills of Your Mind, Amazing Grace, for the Good Times, Love Letters, When I Need You, Autumn Leaves, the First of Spring and More.

Customer Reviews:

Terrible........2007-02-25

Acker Bilk is great but this is a terrible CD and should not reflect upon him. These are reworked cuts that were probably never meant to see the light of day. The best thing about this CD was the case it came in which I can use again because the CD will go missing!

Elegant lyricism .......2006-12-30

For all those who really love the pleasant and unmistakable tunes of the sixties, the emblematic figure and warm charisma of Mr. Acker Bilk will stand for many years.

In this album he displays captivating lyricism and fascinating mood. Ideal for those special moments.

Garden Party.......2006-04-04

Although the songs are done well, "Stranger on the Shore" is not the song that was the number one song of the year in 1963. It reminds me of Rick[y] Nelson's performance at Madison Square Garden; it was not the same! Stranger on the Shore has been made "new and improved [?]" and does not have the Leon Young Corale nor the distictive ending. Ending,what ending! This is not the song that was my closing theme song as a disc jockey.

Stranger on the Shores ---CD.......2005-08-15

Perfect music for any occasion. I play it at my garage sales and the visitors remark how good it is and ask me how they might buy a copy for themselves.

Stranger on the Shore.......2004-07-12

This is a masterpiece. Actually, Stranger on the Shore was always considered "our song" by my ex-husband and myself. Unfortunately, we are now divorced, but the song brings back so many wonderful memories and brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it played.

Rap Music:

1. Third Annual Pipe Dream/Rock and Roll Alternative [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered]
2. Time of the Last Persecution [Original recording remastered]
3. To Let [Import]
4. Transformed Man [Original recording remastered]
5. Tres Cosas
6. Uncle Meat [Original recording remastered]
7. Under These Rocks and Stones
8. Underdog Victorious
9. Use Your Voice
10. Very Best of Chris Rea [Import]

Rap Music

rap music

Recommended Music:

Tarmcenter Club Mix, Vol. 2 [Import]

Bach: Cantatas, BWV 97-99

Blow Up Extra-Sessions

Music: Rakhmaninov: Symphony No. 3; The Isle of the Dead

As Safe As Yesterday Is [Import]

Best of Da Millennium

Drop

Body Love [Import] [Soundtrack]

Anywhere but here

30 Bachatas Pegaditas

Bound

Back to the Noise: the Rise & Fall of the Stooges [Import]

Belly Dance with Naima

Songs of Rainbow Ranch

Emit