The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring [ENHANCED] [SOUNDTRACK]

The Shore, Howard Shore, Enya  | See collection 

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 20, 2001)
• Original Release Date: December 19, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Soundtrack
• Label: Reprise / Wea
• ASIN: B00005QZWI
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (408 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,110 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

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

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A flawless effort, November 20, 2001

By	"tegilbor" (Irving, Texas, United States) - See all my reviews

Howard Shore was certainly a somewhat unconventional choice for the score of "The Lord of the Rings". However, it has become obvious now that he was an excellent choice and that he was definitely up to the task.

There are many unconventional tracks on this soundtrack. One of the most unconventional pieces is probably "The Bridge of Khazad-Dum" where Shore uses a male choir to great effect, building the proper tension for this scene, which is most likely going to be a centerpiece of the movie. Another very interesting cut is "Lothlorien", which has an "arabian" feel to it and which features haunting vocals in Quenya and Sindarin (two of Tolkien's invented languages) by Elizabeth Fraser. A favorite of mine is "A Knife in the Dark", which jumps from dark choir voices and pounding percussion directly to the beautiful and innocent voice of young Edward Ross, an amazing musical moment which can send shivers down the listener's spine. Edward Ross' vocals fit just as well into "The Breaking of the Fellowship", a mostly sad piece, setting the proper mood for the end of the movie.

Even with these somewhat uncommon tracks, the soundtrack is never overbearing, and there are many atmospheric pieces which are needed to set the proper tone for a movie without distracting from the actual movie events. There are several excellent re-occuring themes, which give the soundtrack a certain consistency without becoming boring.

Howard Shore also uses some celtic elements, especially on the light-hearted "Concerning Hobbits". In other places, he uses elvish lyrics or has the choir relentlessly chant verses in the Black Speech for the darker scenes, thus drawing upon the great reservoir of Tolkien's world.

This soundtrack is of course being heavily promoted through Enya's appearance on two songs. "May it Be" is perhaps not Enya's most catchy tune, but it certainly shouldn't be catchy, as it is intended to be played over the movie credits just after the Breaking of the Fellowship, one of the saddest moments of the whole story. An uptempo tune a la "Orinoco Flows" would be out of place here. Enya's "Aniron", which is weaved into "The Council of Elrond" is perhaps a bit more interesting and showcases Enya's otherworldly voice very well.

This is certainly a great score for anyone who likes good soundtracks which go a little bit beyond the usual "soundtrack mainstream". Of course, it is also a must for any Tolkien fan, as it is obvious that the music, even as a stand-alone effort without the movie, is inspired by Tolkien's writings and mirrors their mood very well.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a soundtrack fitting the movie, December 22, 2005

By	Sidney A. Meyer "treighnor" (Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Tolkien wrote a literary masterpiece. I read it more than 30 years ago and was impressed then. As a movie it was fantastic, one of the rare movies from a book that is faithful and true to the mind's eye. Every LOTR fan that I know felt that the movie was a masterpiece. The score is perfect for the movie. It is not trite. It was not a commercialized effort to write as many tunes as possible so that a soundtrack would be a best seller. The soundtrack was meant for the movie and it did an aweome job. As far as albums go, it may be repetitive. It may not have tunes that are easily whistled or hummed. It is unlikely to have a hit theme song that will be played on the radio. However, as a movie soundtrack, it was superb for the very reason that it enhanced the movie and was an integral part of the whole. That explains why it does not stand as well on its own. I enjoy the album, not because it has great songs, but because it exudes the sense of LOTR. It is a tone poem of sorts. It exudes a mood. There is darkness, but there is also hope. There is fear, but there is courage. If you liked the movie and enjoyed the score, you will like the album. If you are looking for a standard movie soundtrack written with record sales in mind, then this is not an album that listens well as a stand alone. It must be understood in the context of the story and the movie. Also, be aware that the same album came out with multiple covers. Mine has Arwen on the front, but there were also versions with Frodo, or Sam or others from the story. The album inside is the same.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - The Complete Recordings coming 11/22/05, October 3, 2005

By	enommaz (Grapevine, TX) - See all my reviews

According to a very reputable source..."The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - The Complete Recordings" 4 disc soundtrack set will street on November 22, 2005.

The first 3 discs of the set will contain composer Howard Shore's entire 180 minute score in stereo. The 4th disc will be a DVD containing the complete score in 5.1 surround sound. Other extras will include artwork and a booklet of liner notes entitled "The Music of The Lord of the Rings Films - Part I: The Fellowship of the Ring", written by Doug Adams.

It smells like Reprise Records is going to release Shore's COMPLETE scores of the other two "Rings" films in the near future as well...I'll be on the look out.