The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers [Soundtrack]

Howard Shore | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 10, 2002)
• Original Release Date: December 18, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Reprise / Wea
• ASIN: B00007BH5C
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (196 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,555 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

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

Editorial Reviews

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

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

136 of 138 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps you thought Middle Earth couldn't sound any darker.., December 10, 2002

By 

franz conrad (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Audio CD)

Howard Shore's Fellowship of the Ring score was a revelation. Who knew that the composer of The Game and The Cell had such a mastery of the leitmotif approach to scoring? FOTR of the ring left us with fully fleshed out themes (the Ring theme, the Fellowship theme, the Hobbit theme, the Riders March, the Isengard march, the Lorien theme) and haunting motifs (Arwen's motif, Aniron, Gandalf's lament, the 'Moth' theme, the betrayal theme, Gollum's theme). The Two Towers offers both revised presentations of the old and a stunning collection of new material.

Of the old, the Ring theme opens the album in a bold statement, followed by Goldenthal-like strings that take us back into the percussion and male choir of the Moria episode of FOTR. In "The Forbidden Pool", the Ring theme is most deftly developed, intertwined with Gollum's motif for the moment in the film that corresponds to the Henneth Annun segment of the novel. Also of note is the renewed Fellowship theme, which opens "The Uruk Hai" in grand style and proclaims the peak of the Riddermark charge in "Forth Eorlingas". The Isengard March (Shore's answer to Williams' Empire March) is twisted and turned into a charge for Gandalf in "The White Rider" (hear the opening!) and in "Isengard Unleashed", the brass is amazingly low. There are many other reprises of the old material, my favourite being the reappearance of, of all things, the 'Moth' motif in "Isengard Unleashed".

Of the new, there is the theme of the Riddermark, stated frequently in a number of tracks ("The King of the Golden Hall", "Riders of Rohan", "Hornburg"), and memorably played for the Hardinger by Dermot Crehan. A lovely theme for woodwinds appears in the second half of "The White Rider", reappearing in "The Hornburg". And then there are the action motifs: a minute into "Forth Eorlingas" will have you out of your seat! Not to mention the action motifs unveiled in "Helms Deep", which are heavy on percussion.

It's a triumph for Shore and his collaborators. Darker in overall feel and denser in orchestration that its predecessor, if either were conceivably possible. Kudos to the role call of vocalists: Isabel Baykradian (on "Evenstar", my favourite track), Sheila Chandra ("Breath of Life"), Elizabeth Fraser (thankyou Ms Fraser for the opening of "Isengard Unleashed", it's good to have you back for another score), Hilary Summers ("Farewell to Lorien"), Ben Del Maestro ("Forth Eorlingas" and "Isengard Unleashed") and of course... Emilliana Torrini. Collectively they give Enya a run for her money (and collectively probably cost less as well).

"Gollum's Song" song is rich and duplicitous, as much a song for Gollum as for men in general and all who can be corrupted by the Ring. It's a perfect answer thematically to Enya's "May it be", which praised Frodo's incorruptability. I suspect, after "The Two Towers", that incorruptibility will be brought into question.

And here's to Howard Shore's incorruptibility. May it be The Return of the King completes the most powerful series of film scores since, well, you know what trilogy I was going to say.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yet Another Masterpiece, December 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Audio CD)

Howard Shore has indeed made another masterpiece. It is incredible that he can improve upon the highly acclaimed Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack. I was somewhat disappointed that Enya would not be making another contribution, but there are no complaints about the new artists. I did read a previous review expressing disappiontment that the music featured on the trailer was not on the soundtrack. This is becasue it is not from The Two Towers. That music actually is the score from the film Requiem for a Dream and is on that soundtrack. Just thought I would clear that up for anyone who was wondering because that is a powerful score as well. So, I would no doubt recommend adding this to your collection. It is just a taste of the highly anticipated theatrical experience that is on the way.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars darker, moving, emotional, November 24, 2003

By 

Deborah MacGillivray "Author," (US & UK) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Audio CD)

I loved the soundtrack for Fellowship of the Rings, and when the second movie came out, I was so impressed with Shore's continued work. The first film was whimsical and light in places, reflecting the Shire and it's Neverneverland perfection. It had to run to gauntlet of emotions from light and pure to powerful and pressing as they fellowship fought for their lives, to the sorrowful, the ethereal realm of the Elves to the final battle and redemption of Boromir.

Under Shore's hand, The Two Towers is darker, more intense. It does not have the range of Fellowship simply because we are past the Shire and it's tranquil beauty. But the score for the Two Towers is so moving. Think back on the brilliantly filmed scenes, and imagine them without the moving score of this film and you begin to understand just how brilliant conceived this score is. Howard Shore has firmly controlled the scores to make the sounds tracks as important as the film in creating the magic of the Rings.