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The Return of The Lord of the Rings

Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings is one of contemporary cinema's milestone moments. Matthew Sweet is joined by Doug Adams for a detailed look at Howard Shore's epic score.

Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings is one of contemporary cinema's milestone moments. Now, more than 20 years since it first appeared, Matthew Sweet devotes the whole of this week's programme to the series and to what is one of the most ambitious of all film scores - Howard Shore's remarkable ten-hour epic. Matthew is joined by the musicologist Doug Adams, who worked alongside the composer deconstructing some of the incredibly complex ingredients that constitute Shore's musical story-telling. Shore took as his basis Richard Wagner's leitmotif idea, where musical themes and statements are used to represent characters and ideas in the films. When these themes are combined and varied symphonically, they present a complete aural picture of the narrative to complement and enhance the story as it is unveiled on the screen. Together, Matthew and Doug unpick some of the main musical ideas in Shore's score and reveal just how far-reaching the music for LOTR is.

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29 minutes

Last on

Sat 12 Nov 2022 15:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Howard Shore

    Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring - The Shire

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: London Voices. Conductor: Howard Shore.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001) - Concerning Hobbits

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Terry Edwards. Choir: London Voices.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (Original Motion Picture Sound.
    • Reprise Records.
    • 2.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring "One Ring to Rule Them All"

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: London Voices. Conductor: Howard Shore.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring - The Complete Recordings.
    • Warner Records.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring "Rivendell"

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: London Voices. Conductor: Howard Shore.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring - The Complete Recordings.
    • Warner Records.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers "Evenstar"

    Singer: Isabel Bayrakdarian. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Howard Shore.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Warner Music.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring "The Great Eye"

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: London Voices. Conductor: Howard Shore.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring - The Complete Recordings.
    • Warner Records.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers "Gandalf The White"

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Howard Shore.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings.
    • WaterTower Music.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring "Khazad-dum"

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: London Voices. Conductor: Howard Shore.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring - The Complete Recordings.
    • Warner Records.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Shelob The Great

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: London Voices. Choir: The London Oratory School Schola. Conductor: Howard Shore.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King - The Complete Recordings.
    • New Line Records.
    • 12.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Eagles

    Singer: RenΓ©e Fleming. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: London Voices. Choir: London Oratory School Schola. Conductor: Howard Shore.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King - The Complete Recordings.
    • New Line Records.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers "The Dreams of Trees"

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Howard Shore.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings.
    • WaterTower Music.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers "Treebeard"

    Singer: Isabel Bayrakdarian. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Howard Shore.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Warner Music.

  • Howard Shore

    Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers "Gollum's Song"

    Singer: EmilΓ­ana Torrini. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Howard Shore.
    • The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings.
    • WaterTower Music.

Broadcasts

  • Sat 18 Dec 2021 15:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Sat 12 Nov 2022 15:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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