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The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King - Complete Recordings
Composed by Howard Shore
Warner/Reprise (2007)
Rating: 10/10
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 Lighting
the Beacons (320 kb)
Allegiance
to Denethor
(353 kb)
"For
Frodo"
(356 kb)
Bilbo's
Song(352 kb)
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“HOWARD SHORE'S
score for THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, is the most significant
work of film music of the new millennium
(and, truth be told,
even longer than that)
and RETURN OF THE KING
is arguably the best
of the three.”
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When That Which is
Complete Has Come
Review by Christopher
Coleman
 Hard to believe that
it's been four years
since Peter Jackson's
climactic, part 3 of
his LORD OF THE
RINGS trilogy hit
movie screens. With
the subsequent release of
the extended edition
DVDs and then the
Complete Recording
releases of THE
FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
and then THE TWO
TOWERS, there has been
plenty to keep fans of
the film and its
score well occupied.
Although there are
plans for more LORD OF
THE RINGS/ HOWARD
SHORE musical-goodness
to come in the
not-too-distant-future,
THE RETURN OF THE
KING: COMPLETE
RECORDINGS, does wrap
up the epic set of
music from the
trilogy. As we know
the third
film, being the
longest, also featured
the most music.
Factor in that the
extended edition of
the film added almost
an hour of additional
footage - much of it
requiring additional
score, and there has
been a mumakil's worth
of score that has gone
unreleased until now -
including some of the
music from the RETURN
OF THE KING's
top moments. Now, just as
the two previous
Complete Recording
releases did, RETURN
OF THE KING delivers
just about every
second of music one
could hope for from
the film and does so
in impressive fashion.
Once again
Warner/Reprise Records
pulls out all the
stops with premium
packaging which not
only delivers the 3
hours and 50 minutes
of score on 4
compact discs, but
also a high resolution
audio version of the
entire score on a
fifth, DVD-Audio disc.
Doug Adams, again,
provides great insight
into the depth and
detail of HOWARD SHORE's masterwork.
As with the previous
two releases, Adams
breaks down every
thematic element of
the score with clips
of musical notation
alongside.
Shore's music has a
story all its own and
Adams tells it well.
The notes conclude
with references to the
instrumentation
employed for THE
RETURN OF THE KING as
well as performance
and production
credits.
The analysis and
insight contained in
the booklet again
proves to be a very
compelling experience...and
makes the writing of a
review of this
soundtrack seem more
than a little
redundant. Redundant
or not, HOWARD SHORE'S
score for THE LORD OF
THE RINGS trilogy, is
the most significant
work of film music of
the new millennium
(and, truth be told,
even longer than that)
and RETURN OF THE KING
is arguably the best
of the three. With
accolades like that, I
think a little
review-redundancy
should be acceptable.
In order to keep
this review digestible
for the masses (if not
keep it doable by its
author), while
covering the content
of each disc in
general, I am going to
highlight a handful of
inclusions that help
set this release apart
from the original
soundtrack from 2003.
Like THE FELLOWSHIP OF
THE RING and THE TWO
TOWERS Complete
Recordings, listening to the these
discs straight through
is very much like
watching the films
with the screen off.
When compared to the
original soundtrack
release, this
listening experience
is completely new.
Sans the dialogue and
sound effects, it
feels like a
brand new score. With
each successive
listen, I
find little moments
sprinkled throughout
that have gone
unnoticed before due
to the film's audio
mix or because my
attention is
completely focused
elsewhere when viewing
or even because the
music was edited out
of the film entirely!
Disc 1, contains some
57 minutes of music
which carries us from
the momentarily
tranquil beginnings of
the film through to
one of the highest
music moments of any
of the films- "The
Lighting of the
Beacons" (15).
As with so many of the pieces included
on this set, "The
Lighting of the
Beacons" is greatly
extended from the
original soundtrack
version. Beyond
what "The
White Tree" on
the o.s.t.
delivers, this
extended track goes
on to include a favorite musical
moment of mine - the
bold and determined
quote of the Rohan
theme as King Theoden
chooses to answer
Gondor's call.
An excellent choice to
end disc 1 as it begs
you to move on to the
next.
Disc 2, expands on the
running time of disc 1
by some almost 10
minutes, reaching 66.
Contrasted with the
content of disc 1, the
tone of the music
becomes decidedly more
somber and dark -
mirroring the film, of
course. Within this
disc we experience the
Orc invasion and
defeat of the
Gondorians at
Osgiliath, the
rejection of Faramir
by Denethor, the
rejection of Sam by
Frodo, Aragorn and the
Army of the Dead, and
Gollum's trap within
the lair of Shelob.
Thankfully, we aren't
left to despair as we are
caught up in the
Shore's musical
perils. A bit of
hope is restored at
the conclusion of the
disc 2 with "Merry's
Simple Courage" (14).
The gutsy brass
prepares us for "the
plunge" into thick of
things found on the
next disc.
Disc 3 finds Shore
starting to bring THE
LORD OF THE RINGS
trilogy to its musical
peak. At about 59
minutes, disc 3
contains the
most intense music of
the film.
Each fracture of the
fellowship now faces
their own dilemmas,
thus affording Shore a
multitude of
opportunities to
really "let 'er rip."
Such moments include: Sam's duel
with Shelob, the
Battle of Pelennor
Fields, Theoden and
Denethor's deaths,
Cirith Ungol, and the
events leading up to
the final
confrontation between
the heroes and the
Dark Lord Sauron and
his minions.
Traveling through the
tracks of this disc is
a true roller coaster
as we feel the despair
of Denethor, then the
triumphant charge of
the Rohirrim, to the
darkness of Frodo and
Sam's travail through
the plains of
Gorgoroth. Once
again the producers do
not leave us alone and
defenseless before the
great hordes of Sauron,
but instead end the
disc with uncertain triumph
in "For Frodo."
By far, the exclusion
of this piece was my
greatest
disappointment with
the original
soundtrack, but now we
have that
blessed, choral
statement of the
fellowship theme!
I could die a happy
man with that brief
moment reverberating
in my ears and soul...but of course
the story does not end
there.
Disc 4 is only 45
minutes long.
Comparatively short,
but oh what a 45
minutes of music! Here
we have the final
defeat of Sauron and
the tale's conclusion
(some would say
"conclusions" due to
the films very long
denouement). From the
death of Gollum, the
fall of the dark
tower, Barad Dur, to
the departing of the ringbearers from the Grey
Havens - disc 4
delivers the most
emotional music of this
and perhaps the other
two films as well.
The zenith of
the film is heard in
"Mount Doom" (1) and
"The Crack of Doom"
(2). The choir
is let loose to belt
out the ring theme,
introduced so long ago,
in the prologue of THE
FELLOWSHIP OF THE
RING, but now it plays
over the final
struggle between Frodo
and Gollum. The
intensity turns to
innocent bliss as
Gollum finally obtains
his prize and the
massive choir gives
way to the sweet voice
of Renee Fleming.
One last choral charge
is taken as Frodo
makes one last
struggle for the ring
and finally Gollum
clutches his precious
in his death-fall.
From that moment, the
score takes its final
turn toward resolution
and Howard Shore
delivers a sort of
triumphant relief.
Victory is won.
A new peace is
restored, but at a
great cost to the
hero. From the "Crack
of Doom" (2) to "Days
of the Ring" (7) Shore
soulfully leads us on
Frodo's final
emotional journey and
we cannot help but
follow him.
The final track of
this release is
the stellar "Bilbo's
Song" (8). This
beautiful piece was
written by Howard
Shore specifically for
the end credits of the
RETURN OF THE KING:
EXTENDED EDITION DVD
and is warmly
performed by The
Oratory School Schola
Boys Choir. A
wonderful coincidence
- ending this series
with a song focused on
Bilbo. Bilbo is,
of course, the central
figure of THE HOBBIT,
and as I write this
review, there is much
ado over the
possibility of THE
HOBBIT finally
becoming a Peter
Jackson-reality.
If/when THE HOBBIT
happens, perhaps we
will hear this theme
again. (Recall
that last year HOWARD
SHORE did mention in
our
interview with
him, that he had
already starting
toying musical ideas
for THE HOBBIT.)
Now the Complete
Recordings series is
now, itself, complete
and, folks,
THE LORD OF THE RINGS:
RETURN OF THE KING -
COMPLETE RECORDINGS is
good as it gets.
Yet, even these
mammoth releases will satisfy Tolkien
and Shore fans
forever. Even
before there is any "hobbitizing,"
we will have Doug
Adam's book on the
trilogy's score and
yet another disc of
"rarities" from the
trilogy. In the
meantime,
Warner/Reprise have
given our ears
something to be
thankful for this
holiday season so
carve out 4 hours from
your busy schedule and
enjoy!
Rating: 10/10
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Disc 1 |
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Track |
Track Title |
Track Time |
Rating |
|
1 |
Roots and
Beginnings |
6:31 |
**** |
|
2 |
Journey to
the
Crossroads |
2:17 |
*** |
|
3 |
The Road
to
Isengard |
2:18 |
**** |
|
4 |
The
Foot
of
Orthanc |
4:44 |
**** |
|
5 |
Return
to
Edoras |
1:51 |
*** |
| 6 |
The Chalice Passed |
1:50 |
**** |
| 7 |
The Green Dragon |
0:34 |
*** |
| 8 |
Gollum's Villany |
2:10 |
*** |
| 9 |
Eowyn's Dream |
1:24 |
**** |
| 10 |
The Palantir |
3:10 |
*** |
| 11 |
Flight from Edoras |
2:18 |
**** |
| 12 |
The Grace of Undomiel |
6:21 |
***** |
| 13 |
The Eyes of the White Tower |
4:33 |
**** |
| 14 |
A Coronel of Silver |
8:26 |
*** |
| 15 |
The Lighting of the Beacon |
9:03 |
***** |
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Total Running Time (approx) |
57 minutes |
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Disc 2 |
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Track |
Track Title |
Track Time |
Rating |
|
1 |
Osgiliath
Invaded |
8:47 |
**** |
|
2 |
The Stairs
of Cirith
Ungol |
2:40 |
*** |
|
3 |
Allegiance
to
Denethor |
3:19 |
*** |
|
4 |
The
Sacrifice
of
Farimir |
4:08 |
**** |
|
5 |
The
Parting
of
Sam
and
Frodo |
4:04 |
*** |
| 6 |
Marshalling at Dunharrow |
4:56 |
**** |
| 7 |
Anduril-Flame of the West |
3:27 |
**** |
| 8 |
The Passing of the Grey Company |
4:12 |
*** |
| 9 |
Dwimorberg- The Haunted Mountain |
2:26 |
*** |
| 10 |
Master Meriadoc, Swordthain |
1:39 |
**** |
| 11 |
The Paths of the Dead |
6:22 |
*** |
| 12 |
The Siege of Gondor |
9:01 |
**** |
| 13 |
Shelob's Lair |
8:53 |
*** |
| 14 |
Merry's Simple Courage |
2:08 |
*** |
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Total Running Time (approx) |
66 minutes |
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Disc 3 |
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Track |
Track Title |
Track Time |
Rating |
|
1 |
Grond - The
Hammer of the
Underworld |
1:32 |
**** |
|
2 |
Shelob the
Great |
5:12 |
**** |
|
3 |
The Tomb
of the
Stewards |
3:58 |
**** |
|
4 |
The
Battle
of
Pelennor
Fields |
4:10 |
**** |
|
5 |
The
Pyre
of
Denethor |
2:59 |
**** |
| 6 |
The Mumakil |
0:57 |
**** |
| 7 |
Dernhelm in Battle |
2:06 |
***** |
| 8 |
"A Far Green Country" |
1:27 |
**** |
| 9 |
Shieldmaiden of Rohan |
5:07 |
**** |
| 10 |
The Passing of Theoden |
2:16 |
**** |
| 11 |
The Houses of Healing |
2:58 |
*** |
| 12 |
The Tower of Cirith |
4:41 |
*** |
| 13 |
The Last Debate |
4:21 |
**** |
| 14 |
The Land of Shadow |
6:29 |
**** |
| 15 |
The Mouth of Sauron |
8:15 |
**** |
| 16 |
"For Frodo" |
3:16 |
***** |
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Total Running Time (approx) |
59 minutes |
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Disc 4 |
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|
Track |
Track Title |
Track Time |
Rating |
|
1 |
Mount Doom |
4:09 |
**** |
|
2 |
The Crack of
Doom |
4:01 |
***** |
|
3 |
The
Eagles |
2:23 |
***** |
|
4 |
The
Fellowship
Renunited |
12:18 |
***** |
|
5 |
Journey
to
the
Grey
Havens |
7:34 |
***** |
| 6 |
Elanor |
1:27 |
**** |
| 7 |
Days of the Ring |
11:09 |
***** |
| 8 |
Bilbo's Song |
2:57 |
***** |
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Total Running Time (approx) |
45 minutes |
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