Out Now: LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS

There's probably never been as ambitious a film score as Howard Shore's 10-hour epic for the "Lord of the Rings" series... the music is rich and complex, drawing on a vast range of styles and exotic instruments to evoke J.R.R. Tolkien's world of elves, hobbits and warlocks. But it's more than just background music: Shore uses an elaborate leitmotif technique (where musical themes are associated with specific characters or ideas, and are developed across the entire series) to hold the sprawling tale together. Lush, beautiful and full of intriguing surprises, it's no wonder that it's become one of the most popular film scores ever written.

- Stephen Brookes for the Washington Post, May, 2008

Hey, Tolkien fans and Howard Shore aficionados! Remember back in April when we released THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING – THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS? Sure you do! (If you don’t, then click here.) And remember how we promised you that the complete recordings of the other two chapters of the trilogy would be forthcoming at some future juncture? Well, if you don’t, then please see that parenthetical comment we made a couple of seconds ago. Anyway, we bring this up because – surprise! – today marks the release date of the next chapter in the series.

That’s right: even as you read this sentence, you can pick up your very own copy of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS - THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS on vinyl as a 5-LP boxed set, on compact disc as a 3-CD set with an additional Blu-ray, and – last but not least – in digital form.

The aforementioned vinyl set is housed in a collector's box with a blue leather-style spine, it’s pressed on blue vinyl, and you will not be surprised to discover that it’s a limited-edition set, so there will be 8,000 individually numbered copies and that’s it. As for the CD version, that bonus Blu-ray is actually an audio disc, and it includes high-resolution 5.1 and stereo mixes of the entire score. Oh, and for those of you with a thirst for knowledge, you’ll be pleased to know that both vinyl and CD versions feature extensive liner notes from author Doug Adams.

Here’s the full track listing, but let’s not kid ourselves by pretending that you don’t already know every title by heart:
 
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS - THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS
Track Listing:

Side A
1. Glamdring
2. Elven Rope
3. Lost in Emyn Muil       
4. My Precious
5. Uglúk's Warriors
6. The Three Hunters

Side B
1. The Banishment of Éomer
2. Night Camp
3. The Plains of Rohan
4. Fangorn
5. The Dead Marshes

Side C
1. "Wraiths On Wings"
2. Gandalf the White
3. The Dreams of Trees
4. The Heir of Númenor

Side D
1. Ent-draught
2. Edoras
3. The Court of Meduseld
4. Théoden King (Featuring "The Funeral of Théodred" Performed by Miranda Otto)
5. The King's Decision

Side E
1. Exodus From Edoras
2. The Forests of Ithilien
3. One of the Dúnedain (Featuring "Evenstar" Performed by Isabel Bayrakdarian)

Side F
1. The Wolves of Isengard
2. Refuge at Helm's Deep
3. The Voice of Saruman
4. Arwen's Fate (Featuring "The Grace of the Valar" Performed by Sheila Chandra)
5. The Story Foretold

Side G
1. Sons of the Steward
2. Rock and Pool
3. Faramir's Good Council
4. Aragorn's Return
5. War Is Upon Us

Side H
1. "Where Is the Horse and the Rider?"
2. The Host of the Eldar
3. The Battle of the Hornburg
4. The Breach of the Deeping Wall
5. The Entmoot Decides

Side I
1. Retreat (Featuring "Haldir's Lament" Performed by Elizabeth Fraser)
2. Master Peregrin's Plan
3. The Last March of the Ents (Featuring Ben Del Maestro)
4. The Nazgûl Attack
5. Théoden Rides Forth (Featuring Ben Del Maestro)

Side J
1. The Tales That Really Matter
2. "Long Ways to Go Yet" (Featuring "Gollum's Song" Performed by Emiliana Torrini)