Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Soundtrack Only)
The final film in Peter Jackson's stunning LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, THE RETURN OF THE KING concludes J.R.R. Tolkien's revered tale with the heroes of Middle-earth facing unspeakable evils and insurmountable odds. As with the previous two movies, Howard Shore's masterful score once again enhances the dire proceedings.
Orchestral themes from the first two films return like old friends, but with them arrive new elements, reflecting both the quieter moments and the many crucial action sequences. As with THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING and THE TWO TOWERS, Shore has created a remarkable musical backdrop.
"The Steward of Gondor" features an excellent vocal performance by actor Billy Boyd (who plays the hobbit Pippin) over a lush bed of strings. In contrast, the pieces that accompany the dark side of the film, such as "Minas Morgul" and "Shelob's Lair" are menacing and utterly chilling. And, of course, scenes that involve battle or royal matters, such as "The Ride of Rohirrim" and "The Black Gate Opens," are appropriately majestic. Finally, following in the footsteps of Enya, Elizabeth Fraser, and Sheila Chandra, Annie Lennox contributes a key vocal to the achingly beautiful "Into the West."
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