The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Music

Average Rating:

This wasn't, at first listening, the same Howard Shore I'd expected. Used to the "heroicism" of the Fellowship Theme, I was unprepared for the much darker tone of the TTT Soundtrack. It has a much more sombre, almost Eastern in some places, sound. However, it fits the tone of the story immensely well, and I have added it to my short-list of favourites!

The "Rohan Theme" (not actually the name of a track, but of a piece played throughout) is very enjoyable: heroic enough, with brass, but also with a very melancholy string section. It's beautiful, with an almost Celtic feel to it.

All in all, it's quite different from The Fellowship of the Ring Soundtrack, but that's as it should be. It's definitely gorgeous music, in the best form. Enjoy it!

This soundtrack was grand for all it's themes that it could possibly deliver into the movie. Everything from the climactic end to Foundations of Stone to The Hornburg, to fantastic work of Forth Eorlingas. The White Rider still sends chills down my spine at the beginning as it builds up tension. Beautiful vocals and instrumentals in even the battle themed Isengard Unleashed.

Definitally a soundtrack worth getting, specially if a fan of the movies. Makes me eager for RotK's release, movie and soundtrack.

The first track of "Two Towers" begins as "Fellowship" did, returning us to Middle-Earth with the foreboding strings that opened the first film. Then come the drums, and you know instantly that this part of the saga is different: now the stakes are high, and the urgency great. Time is running out. Chanting erupts in the same theme from Fellowship of the Ring's "The Bridge of Khazad Dum" but then transforms into new melodies, and suddenly ceases as if halted in the middle.

In "The Taming of Smeagol" we are reintroduced to the Hobbits with their theme, but don't get too comfortable: just when you think you know the territory, you are shaken from your complacency. Something entirely new emerges, and it is the most noble and glorious theme yet in the series: "The Riders of Rohan." This is our first encounter with the race of Men, and the music beautifully conveys their bravery, courage, and determination. In this track Shore employs the Norweigan fiddle, called the hardinger, to invoke images of the Vikings.

Now we take a glance at the Hobbits in "The Passage of the Marshes," and we are in dark territory indeed. But fear not, because from there our gaze lights upon Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli as they rush to rescue Merry and Pippin in "The Uruk-hai." This track makes most use of themes from "Fellowship" as you will recognize the triumphant Fellowship theme and the percussive, brassy tones of the Uruk-hai.

Shore quickly returns to his new material and elaborates on the Rohan theme in "The King of the Golden Hall," and though halfway in the track things get a bit shady, it concludes with a renewed--though more somber--heroism. "The Black Gate is Closed" conjures up exactly what the title implies: frustration and imminent failure; before your heart can break, though, the gorgeous "Evenstar" featuring the ethereal vocals of Isabel Bayrakdarian floats out to comfort you.

But what's this? Something approaches, and it is "The White Rider." Here Howard Shore takes my breath away, as arpeggiated harp and soft voices build into a full orchestra calling us back to the Quest. Onward!

Though "Treebeard" opens seriously, it turns eerily playful as wooden percussions give a forest effect. The woods are usually home to Elves, too, and they make their presence known in "The Leave Taking" with the "Rivendell" theme of the first movie.

With all the leave-taking done, everything is in place for the battle of battles: "Helm's Deep." I commend Howard Shore--and probably Peter Jackson as well, as the two collaborated heavily about the film's music--for the way this event was handled musically. Rather than being a loud and boisterous war party, the music instead portrays the sad but steadfast courage of a vastly outnumbered army making their last stand to defend their civilization. It is one of the most touching moments in the score.

"The Forbidden Pool" is five-and-a-half minutes of low, ominous notes ending with singing by the boy's choir, and the mystical "Breath of Life" concludes with a rhythmic, almost "Conan"-like march. Towards the end of "The Hornburg" we are treated to another new dark, brassy theme with an Arabian feel to it--and though it is oddly reminiscent of "The Godfather," it is enjoyable nonetheless.

Now we are winding towards the end of the movie, and the music takes off to soar to its exciting conclusion with "Forth Earlingas." As we fly off, however, we look anxiously over our shoulder and see "Isengard Unleashed." The troubles are only now coming to their head, and there is a long, bitter fight yet ahead. In spite of this impending doom, we turn one final look upon "Samwise the Brave," and are softly reminded of Galadriel's words in the first film: "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."

Overall "The Two Towers" soundtrack has immediately become one of my favorites and worthy of all five stars. If the movie is as good as Howard Shore's music, we should be in for one amazing experience!

P.S. On a technical note, the recording is crystal clear and the London Philharmonic sounds gorgeous. And what about the final track, "Gollum's Song"? You can download it from Amazon.com and see for yourself!