Howard Shore, Isabel Bayrakdarian (soprano) - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

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 Amazon.com

How could you not love this?

This is a great work by Howard Shore. Its the darkest movie in the trilogy and this soundtrack portrays that. The Rohan pieces are inspiring because you can sense the themes of 'hope in hopelessness' and helps you to remember that God can and will help you when all seems lost; He is the Savior. August 10, 2008

Great Music, Annoying Presentation

Orchestral music enthusiasts who enjoy cinematic scores will, predictably, enjoy Howard Shore's composition for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and the other scores in this series as well. Of the three CDs, The Two Towers does I think show us the greatest range of Shore's thematic elements used in the eponymous movies. This CD is comprised of music incidental to scenes set in Rohan, Fangorn's Forest, and the approaches to Mordor, but it is the Meduseld/Theoden themes that "stay with you" well after the soundtrack ends.

The CD does, however, have a major presentation flaw. When played in a computer, there is an autostart web-link that impedes listening. You have to work around the web link in order to merely play the music. The link is nothing other than a garden variety in your face advertisement, and a solicitiation to join their website and otherwise provide them with information that will presumedly be used as an excuse to annoy you with MORE advertising. April 24, 2008

Gorgeous!

I love how this soundtrack is different from the first film's, yet, you can definietely tell that they are part of the same film. It flows so well. The music ranges from soothing to dark and powerful. Its a wonderful CD to listen to. I love 'Gollum's Song'. Its so dark and spooky sounding. Its a great way to end the CD. If you love the movie, you must get the CD. February 14, 2008

great series of soundtracks for the classical geek

I personally loved the movies, and they job they did in compiling a soundtrack was surprisingly good. They edited the aspects of the tracks to make a 3 series soundtrack that you can enjoy from start to finish. thats right, just pop it in, hit play, and let it go. A+ for me November 5, 2007

Movie CD Sountrack

Movie Soundtrack to the first The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. If you like instrumental scores you will enjoy this CD. September 6, 2007

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