Music of the Middle-earth film series

The music of the Middle-earth films was composed, orchestrated, conducted and produced by Howard Shore for Peter Jackson's two trilogies: and .
== Background ==
Jackson had had a concept for the music while writing the script, imagining music playing along that had "a Celtic feel without being Celtic" and wanting to add some of J.R.R. Tolkien's poetry back into the soundtrack. When he began previsualizing sequences to create an animatic, he started putting existing music to it. The track, compiled with the assistance of local musicians Plan 9 and David Longe, had included music from Braveheart and Last of the Mohicans for "the more epic moments" but was dominated by music from scores written by Howard Shore.
In later conversations with the studio, New Line suggested Doctor James Horner, who scored Braveheart and Titanic, but Jackson insisted on Howard Shore. Howard had read the books while on-tour in the seventies, and agreed to visit New Zealand where he met the filmmakers and a few other members of the creative team. He stayed in a local house in New Zealand, where he had a piano placed, and composed an early iteration of the Shire theme, Frodo's theme and the Fellowship, all before Jackson rolled cameras on the film.
Howard Shore worked on the films for four years, starting with a 26-minute section of score that went with the bulk of the Cannes presentation, made while the films were being shot, and then for each consecutive year for lengthy recording sessions, including more recording booked specifically for each extended edition. Shore also had ideas for The Hobbit around this time, and got to put them to use when he teamed with Jackson for the second trilogy.
Shore had contacted the London Philharmonic Orchestra (along with the London Voices and the London Oratory Boy Choir) to score the films, although the Moria segment of (recorded for Cannes) as well as and , were both recorded in New Zealand by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Gamelan Orchestra and the Maori Samoan Choir.
The scores utilize a large symphony orchestra, three large choirs (men, SATB and boys), stage bands comprised of various world instruments, and various soloists. The music itself was created using a technique called leitmotif (leading motives), where the bulk of the score is comprised of interconnected, recurring themes that represent various narrative elements, and develop as the narrative unfolds. In working on the scores, Shore had accrued an immense catalogue of around 160 leitmotivs.
== Release and reception ==
In release and publication, the musical scores of the series were manifested in the and the longer Complete Recordings. The original soundtracks became highly successful, commercially and critically. The Fellowship of the Ring and scores won Academy Awards in 2002 and 2004. The Return of the King also won an Academy Award for the Best Song. The Two Towers was banned from a nomination based on a rule of the Academy against nominating sequel scores - a rule that was abandoned to allow for the nomination of the The Return of the King score.
Composer, musicologist and music score journalist Doug Adams, worked with Howard Shore on documenting the scoring process. He subsequently released expansive liner notes, culminating in the release of a book, The Music of the Lord of the Rings films. This book was published in 2010.
== Principal Leitmotivs ==
Listed below are the leitmotifs that have been definitely identified, by or with the aid of Doug Adams, in all of the various forms of the soundtracks. These leitmotifs are divided into sets and subsets of related themes.
=== Themes for the Shire ===
The themes for the Shire are all stepwise melodies (with most of the them starting with the very same half-step figure) and are orchestrated for celtic instruments such as fiddle and tin whistle.
* The Shire Theme: Also called the "Pensive" Shire Theme, it is one of the main themes of the series, having featured prominently in all the films. It has several variants which use the same basic melodic line. It also has an expansive secondary phrase, which is not regarded as a separate theme. This theme accompanies the various Hobbit characters - Bilbo, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Sam - on their travels. At its most nostalgic, Shore plays what he calls a "bucolic setting" of the theme for solo tin whistle, whereas for Bilbo he tends to set the them in solo clarinet.
** The Hobbiton Theme: a "rural" or "folk" variant of the Shire melody, this theme is typically set for a Celtic "band" led by a solo fiddle. The melody is greatly elaborated upon and accompanied by the various Shire accompaniment figures, as well as rhythmic figures on Bodhran and various plucked instruments. It refers to Hobbiton and, more broadly, to the more folksy aspect of the Hobbits. Shore plays the theme in retrogrades (backwards) for the scenes of the unexpected party in Bag End, as well as derive a more antiquated version of the theme for the scene between Sméagol and Déagol.
** Frodo's Theme: Known more broadly as the "hymn" variant, this theme sets the Shire melody (typically slower and more orchestral than the "Pensive" setting) over a hymn-like chordal progression (which itself derives from the Shire accompaniment figures. It signifies somber maturation in Frodo, but is also applied to Sam and Bilbo very sparingly.
***"In Dreams":  In the end of the The Fellowship of the Ring, Shore sets Frodo's theme to a humming boy choir. He begins incorporation elements from all the other Shire variants he had established, and later returns to this figure, interspersed with The Fellowship theme, in the titular end-credits song.
**The Shire Playful Theme: A playful variant of the Shire theme, this is used for Bilbo running out of his door and, very frequently, for Merry and Pippin throughout The Lord of the Rings.
**The Shire Heroic Theme: As Sam roams Minas Morgul, Shore develops the Shire theme into a heroic theme, interjected with brass fanfares. This developed Shire material engenders the choral music that accompanies Sam carrying Frodo up Mount Doom and pulling him up from the edge of the volcano. Adams also recognises a "Lullaby" variant, but it is only used once, with Adams having admitted that "its technically not a new theme."
* A Hobbit's Understanding: When the Hobbits learn about the hardships of the world and their place in it, Shore develops the secondary phrase of the Shire theme into a more elaborate and affecting musical line. This theme appears in An Unexpected Journey when Bilbo spares Gollum, and then in The Fellowship of the Ring when Gandalf advises Frodo in Moria. It's first grand statement is during the Breaking of the Fellowship, when Frodo chooses to go alone to Mordor, and again when Samwise encourages him at the end of The Two Towers.
*Meriadoc the Warrior: As Merry turns into an Esquire of Rohan, he earns a new musical theme: a hybrid of the Shire theme, the Rohan theme and the B-phrase of the Fellowship theme.
==== Themes for Bilbo Baggins ====
*Bilbo's Adventure: One of the main themes of the The Hobbit series. It is closely related to the main Shire theme, opening in the same manner and being often scored for solo winds. When Bilbo saves Thorin from Azog, a particularly heroic variation of the theme appears. Also developing out of this theme is a "Dwarvish" variant that becomes a secondary theme for Thorin and Company.
*Bilbo Baggins theme: Bilbo had another main theme, which went mostly unused in and in subsequent soundtrack releases, being replaced by the Shire theme or Bilbo's Adventure. Nevertheless, it featured in pizzicato over the title-card of An Unexpected Journey, and finally as Bilbo says farewell to the surviving members of the company.
**Bilbo's "Tookish" side: Bilbo's theme ends in a bolder, more "Dwarven" phrase, often set for solo horn or recorder, which represents his more adventurous, "Tookish" side.
*Fussy Bilbo: When Bilbo is out of his element, particularly around the Dwarves, he is portrayed by a lilting tune that sounds more in the vein of music from the baroque or classical period, making it sound out-of-place within the more antique and romantic music of Middle-earth, just as Bilbo is out of place with the Dwarves. By the time Bilbo rescues the Dwarves from the Woodland Realm, it becomes more "Dwarven", which then engenders Bilbo's final theme:
*Assertive Bilbo: By the time Bilbo makes the decision to sneak out of Erebor and give the Arkenstone to Bard to bargain with Thorin, his fussy theme develops into an assertive theme, which also returns when he stops the auction of his own belongings as he returns to the Shire.
==== Minor Motifs ====
*Smoke Rings: In The Fellowship of the Ring, as Bilbo and Gandalf smoke pipe weed and blow smoke rings, Shore draws out of the opening phrase of the Shire theme on a solo whistle. In the Hobbit, he scores a similar scene with the same gesture, but the dissonance at the end of the phrase is in a higher key - a hint of the opening harmonies of the theme for the History of the One Ring.
*Birthday Preparations: In The Fellowship of the Ring, Shore ends a statement of the Hobbit theme with a unique staccato finale figure, just as Bilbo's "Happy Birthday" sign is raised. In An Unexpected Journey, the same figure is used when Bilbo receives the replies to the party invitations.
==== The Hobbit Accompaniment figures: ====
*The Hobbit Outline Figure: Much of the music of The Hobbit, particularly the Hobbiton theme, is backed up by a 4-note motif that illustrates the excitement of Hobbits and their "anticipation of the next thing." This figure develops along with the Shire theme as it nears the fourth age, losing its staccato character by the time the Shire theme transforms into The Shire Reborn.
**Bilbo's Odd Behaviour: To score Bilbo's eccentric behaviour, Shore develops a variant of the outline figure, which appears most prominently when Gandalf sees Thorin's Map in Bag End. The figure ends with a reference to Thorin's theme.
*The Hobbit Two-Step Figure: A more "playful" motif, this music also accompanies the more folksy or playful variations of the Hobbit music.
**Gandalf's Fireworks: elaborating on the two-step and skip-beat figures, this mounting orchestral figure represents Gandalf's fireworks, and more figuratively the Hobbits' image of Gandalf. It features when Bilbo recalls "Gandalf, the wandering wizard who made such excellent fireworks" but also, more ominously, over the prelude to The Desolation of Smaug, where it makes a connection between Smaug and Gandalf's dragon-shaped firework.
*The Hobbit Skip-Beat: Like the Two-Step figure (with which it is often paired), the Hobbit Skip-Beat is another, more kinetic motif for Hobbit playfulness, which is used as an accompaniment to the main melody.
**The Bree theme: The Hobbit Skip-beat evolves into darker variations throughout the story. For the imposing but partially Hobbit-populated town of Bree, Shore puts it into the minor. It appears both as Thorin and the four Hobbits tour the streets of Bree.
*The Hobbit End-Cap: The string of Hobbit Accompaniments used under the Hobbiton theme, usually concludes with a playful musical finale, which serves as it's own motif, usually for the bafflement of the Hobbits.
**Hobbit Antics: The end-cap figure is often spun into an ostinato figure which represents the antics of the Hobbits. This figure accompanies Bilbo, as well as Merry and Pippin beginning with The Two Towers.
==== Gollum ====
*The Pity of Sméagol theme: Sméagol's theme is strongly connected to the shire music, to the weakness motif and to the history of the One Ring.
**Gollum's song: Based on the harmonies of Sméagol's theme, Gollum's Song is the culmination of Sméagol's thematic material: after its appearance, the theme rarely returns, and mostly does so in fragmented and highly-varied guises.
*Gollum's Menace theme: For the Gollum side, Shore plays a tune on a Cimbalom, a relative of the Hammered Dulcimer used in the Hobbiton music.
==== Themes for the Fourth Age ====
*The Shire Reborn: Throughout The Return of the King, Shore develops the Shire theme. This process culminates in the music that closes the film, when he introduces a drastically changed variation on the main Shire theme.
*Bilbo's Song: For the Extended Edition, Howard Shore wrote a new piece for boy choir that closes the end-credits, the culmination of the Shire thematic material, called Bilbo's Song. He also composed a piece called Frodo's Song which ended-up unused but does figure in the underscore.
=== Themes for the Dwarves ===
Where the music for the Hobbits is based on a stepwise motion, the Dwarven material is rooted in parallel fifths, which evoke the geometric design aesthetic of the Dwarven culture in the films. It is antique and sturdy, often set for low brass or deep male voices. 
The basic Dwarven music is a series of parallel fifths set for a male choir, which can be heard in the journey through Moria as well in some passages relating to Erebor. Indeed, for the attack on Dale, this music is set to a mixed-choir, as both Dwarves and Men suffer by the hand of Smaug. Derived from this music is the theme of the Battle of Azanulbizar:
*Battle of Azanulbizar: For the flashback to the Battle of Moria (Azanulbizar), Shore writes a more belligerent variant of the Dwarf choir, labeled as a separate theme. This theme is about the war of Dwarves and Orcs, the animosity of the two races and the personal conflict of Thorin and Azog, and appears at every future encounter or fight between Azog and Thorin.
*The House of Durin: This theme applies to all the descendants of the House of Durin, including Thrór, Thráin II, Thorin, Fíli and Kíli, Balin, Dwalin, Glóin, Óin and Gimli. It is a close relative of Thorin's theme and is usually set for low men voices. It first appears as a hybrid that takes the shape of the theme and intersperses it with the History of the One Ring theme, opening the entire series. Another embryonic form occurs when Elrond talks of Thorin's lineage within earshot of Thorin, and another fragment at the end of the prelude to The Desolation of Smaug. This then matures when we flash-back to Thráin at Azanulbizar and finally when Bard uncovers Thorin's identity.
*Dwarvish Wanderers: As the Dwarves are forced out of Erebor, their music is bent into a rising and falling arpeggio form and is sung by a mixed choir of men and women voices. This figure denotes the exile and suffering of the Dwarves and their grudges (the arpeggio form being musically linked to weakness) but is also made to sound more "Elvish" in its rising and-falling nature and the use of female voices, indicating that the Dwarves blame the Elves for their misfortune.
*Dwarvish Suffering: Another figure related to this is the Dwarvish suffering motif, which also appears when the Dwarves have just reached the Hidden Door, potentially the end of the woes.
*The Dwarf End-Cap: This is a last nod to the Dwarvish music, used as a motif for Gimli and his antics in The Return of the King. It is a "Dwarvish" relative of the Hobbit End-cap.
*The Dwarf Lords: In his composition of the soundtracks for The Hobbit, Shore wrote a more heroic and optimistic theme for the Dwarves. This theme, presented as a concert suite called "The Dwarf Lords', was mostly replaced by other Dwarf themes in the movie, but in makes subtle appearances: Once in when Gandalf learns that Thorin is held back by a meeting with envoys from all seven Dwarf kingdoms, once in the sequel when the hidden door is found, and one in as an elegy during the battle's darkest hour.
*Dáin Ironfoot: For Dáin II and the Iron Hills Dwarves, Shore composed another theme in the more triumphant vein of the Dwarf Lords, complete with a pair of Highland Bagpipes. The theme is only introduced half-way into The Battle of the Five Armies, a musical "breath of fresh air". 
**Tattoo Pattern: Dáin's theme is accompanied by a driving accompaniment figure which goes on to signify the Dwarven cavalry and chariots, including the one that Thorin and Co. commandeer for the attack on Ravenhill.
==== Themes for the Khazad-dum ====
*Moria: Moria is represented by an ascending, threatening motif. It appears, unassumingly as the Doors of Durin first crack open for the Fellowship, but takes on a much more menacing guise, usually set in low brass, as the company evade the Orcs and again as Gandalf and the Balrog struggle.
*The Dark Places of the World: Moria has another, more dissonant danger theme for brass. This motif is associated with Moria's dangers and vertiginous chasms.
*Dwarrowdelf: As the Fellowship enters the Twenty-first Hall of North end, Shore introduces a theme for the Dwarf Kingdom of Moria. It is a grand orchestral gesture, but very melancholic, just as the grandeur of the Dwarf kingdom has decayed. It also appears in the Chamber of Mazarbul. Thorin and Company merit an emyronic form of this theme, the opening four notes spun into a playful ostinato that introduces the Dwarves to Bilbo and, later, to Beorn.
==== Themes for the Kingdom under the Mountain ====
*Erebor: Like the jagged mountain-side, the Erebor motif is a series of three rising horn-calls, followed by a descending phrase. It is played diegetically in the film at least once on a blowing horn, as a dirge for Thorin. Slow and accompanied by an arpeggio figure in solo harp, it is applied to Thráin, whereas the Iron Hills army merits a more heroic version.
**Syncopated Pattern: the descending phrase that closes the Erebor theme gets used as a secondary theme for Erebor and its populace, and connects it with Thorin's theme.
**Moon Runes: As Elrond reveals the Moon Runes on Thrór's Map, the Erebor theme is played by violins and women voices (the high, "Elvish" sounds) while the Rivendell Arpeggios sound in the male voices and cellos (the low, "Dwarvish" sounds). As the hidden door is revealed, this hybrid theme is reprised.
*Thorin: This theme rises constantly, much like the Erebor theme, but does so in steps, more like the Hobbit music, linking Thorin to Bilbo. Also featured in the theme is the shape of the Death and Parting motive, signifying Thorin's ultimate, tragic fate. As the theme develops, the Death and Parting figure becomes more prominent.
*The Arkenstone: This theme is in Dwarvish fashion, but has musical colors that are more closely associated with the music of nature, such as cooing female voices.
**Dark Lands: The more mysterious side of the Arkenstone is represented by a figure for divided violas which also comes to represent the Map and the Key that will bring Thorin to the Arkenstone.
*Dwarvish Warriors: As the Dwarves are besieged in Erebor by Elves, Shore introduces a martial motif for the war preparations. The melody for this motif is a relative for a similar motif for the army of the Woodland Realm.
*The Company theme: For Thorin and Company, Shore takes the melody of the Old Walking Song (composed by Plan 9 and David Longe) and introduces it orchestrally. It appears in the trailer as well An Unexpected Journey in various guises, but was left out of the following entries to lend a more ambigious tone to the score. It utilizes the Plan 9 melody, but with fragments of Thorin's theme in counterpoint and with a rhythm not unlike the Fellowship theme. Another "take" on the song is used in the end-credits by Neil Finn in Song of the Lonely Mountain.
*The Secondary Company Theme: Shore originally wrote an original theme for the Company, but this went mostly unused in favor of the Plan 9 melody. Shore's original composition is nevertheless present in the first film, serving as a secondary theme for the company and their quest, often quoted after a reprise of the main company theme. It is a "Dwarvish" variation on Bilbo's Adventure theme, used in the beginning of the Trollshaws fight and again as the Dwarves defy Azog's band in the finale. It appears as a concert suite in the track "Erebor", complete with Uilleann Pipes, the musical instrument of the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains, sharing the Celtic flavor of the music of the nearby Shire.
*Mithril Vest: The oboe line used when Bilbo gives Frodo the Mithril vest, is the same as when Thorin gives it to Bilbo.
=== Themes for the Elves ===
The Elvish music is the opposite of the music of the Dwarves in that it is scored for women voices and high strings. In its more ancient and closed-off form (as with Lothlórien and the Woodland Realm) it is painted with exotic, Near-Eastern instrumentation to denote both the antiquity of the Elvish culture and their uniqueness.
*Elvish Pledge: This theme applies to Elves in general. It appears over the reveal of the Doors of Durin, standing for the alliance they had with the kingdom of Eregion, and appears again as the Elves come to the aid of Rohan at Helm's Deep.
*Themes for the Hidden Valley
*Rivendell: The theme for Rivendell is more sacrilegious, formal and soothing, and yet touched with sadness. It is a melody for female choir, accompanied by tolling chimes.
**The Rivendell Arpeggios: The Rivendell theme is mostly accompanied by String Arpeggios (a figure related to weaknesses) that relates to Elrond's internal conflict. The Arpeggios and melody are sometimes set apart.
*The Valley of Imladris: For An Unexpected Journey, Shore wrote a diegetic piece which the Elves play on lute and lyres. This serene piece is also played in the underscore in a more martial guise when Elrond's Riders approach the Company.
==== Themes for Arwen ====
*Arwen Revealed: Arwen's main theme is used only twice, first when she is revealed to Frodo in The Fellowship of the Ring, and then she is revealed to Aragorn in The Return of the King.
**Elvish Medicine: When Arwen prays for Frodo to survive his wound, the women choir sing a melody that begins like her theme but than descends into a different coda. This motif was also used in The Desolation of Smaug as Tauriel heals Kíli, thereby becoming a motif.
*The Diminishment of the Elves: The concept of the departure of the Elves to the west is connected to Arwen, who is named "Evenstar".
*Evenstar: In The Fellowship of the Ring, Arwen and Aragorn's love is represented by Enya's Aníron. In following instalments, Shore introduces a theme for solo Soprano, choir and alto flutes for their love. This theme is minor keyed as the notion of mortal life hovers above Arwen.
*Arwen's Song: In The Return of the King, Arwen's music is summed up in a song for Liv Tyler. There is also a mock-up of an alternate tune intended for that moment, called Gwenwin In-In (Shadows Lie Between Us), which can be considered as another theme. The original song intended for the scene in the Houses of Healing, Asea Aranion, is also linked to Arwen and the music of the Elves.
Themes for Lothlorien
*Galadriel's theme or Lothlórien theme: This theme is set an adapted Maqam-Hijaz, a Middle-eastern musical mode, and it features droning eastern instruments like Monochord. It is minor keyed and somewhat unsettling, contributing to the ambiguous air of the Lórien Elves when they are first introduced. Closely related to the Lothlórien theme are the Lament for Gandalf and the related Lament for Haldir, as well as the two alternate (but related) pieces of Farewell to Lórien.
*Galadriel's Powers or Nenya's theme: As Galadriel banishes Sauron, Shore quotes a phrase he used when she appears in a similar fashion before Frodo, creating in the process a theme for Galadriel's power or rather for the power of her Elven Ring.
==== Themes for the Woodland Elves ====
*The Woodland Realm theme: This theme is also exotic and something unsettling like the Lórien theme.
**The White Gems of Lasgalen: The White Gems are associated with Legolas' mother (who is deceased in the films), and are scored with a truncated form of the Woodland Realm theme, set for very ethereal voices.
**Legolas' theme: In The Hobbit, Legolas is represented by a variation of the Woodland Realm theme, where the A-phrrase is played uptempo and over major harmonies, stressing his swashbuckling character.Atn the end of the series, he is attached to the Fellowship theme instead.
***Legolas' Heroic Feats: As Legolas topples the Mûmak, he is scored with a piece of swirling string melody, interjected with the Fellowship theme. As he fights the Orcs in Bard's house in the Hobbit, that music is reprised, this time interjected with the Woodland Realm theme.
*Thranduil's theme: For the Elvenking, the Woodland Realm theme is reshaped into an Arpeggio, telling the listener of this Sindar's weaknesses.
*Silvan Warriors:  The army of the Woodland Realm is represented by a martial melody, first when they put the Dwarves into cells and again when they besiege the Lonely Mountain. This theme is a relative of the theme for the Dwarves' war preparations.
*Tauriel's theme: Tauriel is scored with a variant of the B-section of the Woodland Realm theme. Her theme is often played in a very brash and heroic form, but it also has a more pensive setting for choir or woodwinds, perhaps a motif in it's own right.
**Tauriel and Kili's theme: As Tauriel and Kíli bond, a theme develops out of Tauriel's music. First starting with a duet for flute and oboe and continuing in a solo soprano voice singing in alternating Sindarin and Khuzdûl phrases. Their theme, much like Evenstar, is touched with sadness - here in the embryonic form of the Evil Times or loss motif. Often, this theme is preceded by a short, more "Dwarvish" phrase, linked perhaps to the Runestone.
=== Themes for The World of Men ===
The Music for the world of men is more diverse than the other cultures, but it is generally brassy and heraldic and yet decayed and saddened.
*Battlefield Heroism theme: This theme was originally aligned strictly with Gondor and used for the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, but in The Battle of the Five Armies it is applied to the people of Lake-town at least twice.
Themes for Esgaroth
*The Lake-town theme: Lake-town is represented by a piece of Baroque-esque sea-shanty music for brass, recorders and tambourines.
*The Politicians of Lake-town: For the Master of Lake-town, Shore composed a piece for Clavichord and cellos, stressing the vein nobility of the character. Parts of the melody are also applied as a theme for Alfrid Lickspittle, the master's councilor.
==== Themes for Bard ====
*Girion's theme or the Black Arrow theme: Girion's theme is played on brass but is often painted in Dwarvish hues with a male choir. It, like Bard's other themes, shares an opening interval with the Erebor theme. His theme is later applied to the black arrow and also attached to the heroism of his descendants, Bard and Bain.
*Bard's main theme: Bard's theme starts off very moody and suspicious, as par his depiction in the film, but slowly gathers its nobility and becoming heroic, much like the theme of Girion.
*Bard's family theme: Bard's family is scored with a theme that combines the A-section of the Shire theme and the B-section of the Politicians' theme: It shares the warm, homely feeling of the Shire theme, as opposed to the greedy, exploitative sentiment behind the politicians' theme. 
*King Bard's theme: As Bard leads the people of Lake-town into the ruins of Dale, he earns a new theme that speaks to his leadership. Whereas his main theme is bold and heroic, this theme is burdened with suffering of his people.
*Bard and the People of Lake-town theme or Dale Reborn: As Bard becomes the leader of the Lake-men, his theme starts mingling with the Lake-town theme. The end of Bard's theme attaches itself to the Lake-town theme and his harmonies affect the theme, turning into either a heroic march (in "Mithril") or an elegy (in "The Darkest Hour").
Themes for Rohan
*The Rohan Fanfare: The theme of Rohan is played on brass, violas, and a Norse hardanger fiddle. It is meant to be heroic, but brittle. As with the Lake-town theme, it is very folksy and northern-sounding with the inclusion of the Hardanger.
*The Riders of Rohan: This is a small motif for Éomer and his riders heard in the early parts of The Two Towers.
==== Themes for Éowyn ====
*Éowyn's main theme: Éowyn's theme is heard as we first see her running up the stairs to see the wounded Théodred. It is used again in very moody settings before an outright heroic setting when she goes off to battle with Merry.
*Éowyn and Théoden: This theme shares the opening gestures and harmony as Éowyn's main theme, but is more developed. Its first use is when Théoden, revived, recognises her, but it is also heard triumphantly when she defeat the Witch-king.
*Éowyn and Aragorn: This theme is similar to the Éowyn and Théoden theme, but ends in a more emotional coda. It is only introduced when she asks to fight besides Aragorn at Helm's Deep, and returns several times in The Return of the King, before appearing brittle on a double fiddle as Aragorn departs for the Paths of the Dead. Eventually, Éowyn's themes are resolved into a tune for Éowyn and Faramir.
==== Themes for the Men of the West ====
==== Themes for the Second Age ====
*The Realm of Númenore: Heard only in an alternate version of the Prologue, this theme starts off like the other Gondor themes, but ends in a different coda to both the Decline and Ascension variations.
*Isildur's theme: As Isildur stands up to Sauron, a variation of Aragorn's theme is heard mixed with the Barad-dûr theme. This motif returns again as we see Isildur's company in train.
==== Themes for the Third Age ====
*The Realm of Gondor in Decline: This is the main Gondor theme. Whereas the Rohan and Lake-town music is very folksy, this theme is very stately and noble. Even it its most heroic, it ends with a descending phrase, signalling the decline of Gondor.
*The Realm of Gondor In Ascension: When Aragorn's theme attaches itself to Gondor, it replaces the decline figure with it's own ascending ending, creating the theme for Gondor in Ascension.
*Minas Tirith or The White Tree theme: This theme is the most noble in the Gondor collection. It, again, shares an opening with the main Gondor theme, but goes into a more emotional coda. It has only a couple of triumphant statements, where it is underlined by the Rivendell Arpeggios, perhaps an Andúril motif.
*The Stewards of Gondor: Faramir and Denethor have a theme that is related to the threat of Mordor. It is often played on Pan Flute.
==== Themes for the Fourth Age ====
*Gondor Reborn: The Minas Tirith theme develops into a more celebratory music used in Aragorn's coronation. It is also used in the fall of Barad-dûr, partially in a more general, "romantic" sense of "good triumphs over evil." The same can be said for it's application in the end of An Unexpected Journey.
=== Themes for the Fellowship of the Ring ===
 has its own distinct pool of themes. It is stately like the themes for the world of men (of which two of its members are a part), but also made to wed well with the Shire theme, which often plays before or after it. Its opening, a down and-up figure, is the exact opposite of the opening to the theme of the Ring, which is in its title.
*The Fellowship of the Ring: This theme is colloquially known as the main theme of the series, even though the Shire and History of the One Ring theme are more eligible for that title. It does however, have over ninety appearances in various guises. It is hinted at subtly in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies before an outright but brief quote at the end when Legolas goes to find Aragorn. It is the signature theme of the first The Lord of the Rings film, which carries the name of the Fellowship. Isildur's theme, a close relative of the Fellowship theme, appears twice in the prologue, prefiguring the fellowship theme. Its first full statement is with the corresponding title. It is used again when Frodo and Sam leave the Shire, with just one Horn for the pair. As Merry and Pippin and Aragorn join, the brass triples as well, leading up to three full statements as the Fellowship is formed and as it departs Rivendell. It reaches it's most heroic in the Mines of Moria, but than deconstructs after the fall of Gandalf, turning into a dirge at the death of Boromir. It spends the following two films recovering, before being unleashed in full chorus as Aragorn charges the Black Gate.
*The Drive of the Fellowship: The Fellowship also has a little action ostinato used twice in the Moria action scenes.
*The White Rider and the Fellowship: The most prominent theme for Gandalf the White is the theme for the White Rider. This theme usually appears in a lush, waltz-time variation.
*Strider's theme: Aragorn's theme starts off moody and suspicious when he is first encountered in Bree. It develops into more heroic as he saves the Hobbits and attempts to save Boromir, but maintains a perfect fourth interval that hampers it's true heroic glory.
**Aragorn's theme: Only in The Return of the King does Aragorn's theme lose its hesitant interval, turning into the outright Heroics of Aragorn theme.
**The Grace of the Valar: Based on Aragorn's theme but also related to Arwen's song and to one of the settings of "The Missing", this song appears when Aragorn is revived and reunites with Brego. It is reprised in Shore's composition to The Return of the King Trailer.
*The Fellowship in Rohan: Even as the members of the Fellowship bicker with Éomer, Shore starts to mingle the Fellowship theme and Rohan's theme. As the story progresses, this combination turns into a new theme, reaching it's definitive form when Gimli leaps into the lines of Uruk-hai to save Aragorn.
=== Themes for the Forces of Evil ===
The music for all of the forces of Evil is linked. Generally, this music is highly chromatic, full of half-steps and descending figures. In it's most antique forms, it can be very "ethnic" in intervals or instrumentation or very sacrilegious. In other times it is more clumsy (as with the Trolls) or very psychedelic (as with the Spiders) or moody (as with the One Ring).
==== Themes for the One Ring ====
*The History of the One Ring: This theme is the closest that The Lord of the Rings trilogy has to a "main theme". It forms the basis not only for the rest of the evil music, but also to The Hobbit's theme and the weakness arpeggio. It is used in frequently in The Hobbit, the music hinting at this theme as early as the opening credits and leading up to it's first revelation where the music starts in a major key. There is a related, more aggressive theme for The Evil of the Ring, which is ostensibly Sauron's theme.
**The Ring of Power: Throughout The Lord of the Rings, the different ring themes mingle: first, the History of the Ring mingles with the Evil of the Ring theme (Sauron's theme), The History and Seduction theme and finally the Evil and Seduction theme. In Mount Doom, all three themes are mixed as Frodo is tempted by the Ring for the last time.
*The Seduction of the Ring: The seduction theme is first suggested when Gandalf is reading the account of Isildur: the lyrics of the Seduction theme are sung by a mixed choir in rising pitch. The proper melody is first hummed by the boy choir when Gandalf warns Frodo not to put the Ring on, and than sung when it calls out to Boromir.
*The Prophecy: This melody is attached to a choral text used in the original take on the prologue (and one of it's alternate forms). A part of it survived it to the finished prologue and is also reprised when Galadriel talks to Elrond in the Two Towers. It is associated with the corrupting power of the Ting.
*The Fate of the Ring: This theme is introduced only once, in The Two Towers when Gandalf explains that Sauron fails to understand their plan to destroy the Ring.
==== Themes for the Fourth Age ====
*The Destruction of the Ring: As the Ring is destroyed, the Fate of the Ring transitions into a major key and the Destruction of the Ring theme is sung.
==== Themes for the Hill of Sorcery ====
*The Necromancer's theme: This is a version of Sauron's theme with a changed ending creating a sense of absence.
*The Dol Guldur theme: This theme is a pair of Descending Thirds in the low reach of the orchestra. As the might of Dol Guldur is fully revealed, the theme becomes more menacing.
*The Threat of Dol Guldur: This theme is more active and forms the basis to the Mordor Skip-Beat and the Threat of Mordor motives.
*The Nine: As Gandalf reveals the Resurrection of the nine Ringwraiths, a solo soprano sings a variation on the theme for the Istari, hinting at the theme of the Servants of Sauron.
==== Themes for the Orc Chieftains ====
*Azog's Theme: Hinting at Azog's connection with the Necromancer, his theme is also a pair of descending thirds, only more aggressive and ending in a "musical barb." In the third film, the barb evolves into an elongated trumpet call, serving as Azog's Army motif.
**Bolg's theme: Doug Adams identifies a variation of the Descending Thirds associated with Bolg as a separate theme.
*Gundabad: Gundabad and its forces (including the bats) are represented by a march tune based on the descending thirds, set to the off-beat Gundabad rhythm on percussion and Didgeridoos.
==== Themes for the Land of Shadows ====
*Sauron's theme: Sauron's theme is the developed form of the Necromancer theme. often played by a Moroccan Rhaita.
**Sauron Revealed: a far more aggressive variation, played when the Witch-king appears over Minas Morgul, is also used once in The Desolation of Smaug, and is repeated in the film, The Battle of the Five Armies.
*Minas Morgul theme: Another figure turned into a theme after the fact, this building music used before the gates of Minas Morgul was reused when Gandalf is scaling the High Fells.
*Mount Doom: The Mountain of Fire is sounded by two alternating chords, derived from the harmony to Gollum's theme.
*The Threat of Mordor: This motif is used as a danger motif on it's own, or as an accompaniment ostinato for the other Mordor themes.
**The Way to Mordor: a truncated variant of the Threat of Mordor.
*The Servants of Sauron: This theme is mostly associated with the Ringwraiths, but is also applied several times to Sauron, his Orc armies and - once - to Azog. Its secondary harmonies also underline the Goblin and Warg themes in The Hobbit. This theme is a combination of the different accompaniment motifs of Mordor and the Threat of Mordor ostinato, played under a chorus based on the notes of the ring theme stacked together. In the Lord of the Rings Symphony, Shore slaps the composition "The Black Rider" with the choral piece from "The Treason of Isengard", accentuating the connection of the piece for Saruman's Betrayal with the Servants' of Sauron theme.
*The Footsteps of Doom: This motif is the first two beats of the Servants of Sauron theme played repeatedly. It often serves as an end-cap to that theme.
==== Mordor Accompaniment motifs ====
*The Mordor Skip Beat: This is the mature form of the Threat of Dol Guldur. It is the main danger or chase motif of Mordor and the basis for the Threat of Mordor theme. This theme has several guises, the most unique variation becoming almost a pulsating chase motif. This distinction is especially important given the use of the devolved Skip-Beat in The Hobbit, charting a progression from the Threat of Dol Guldur through to the Chase motif.
*The Mordor Outline or Sauron's Forces: This is a drum-beat that applies to Sauron's armies and to forces allied with him such as the Haradrim or Saruman.
*Barad Dur: The final form of the Descending Thirds.
===== Themes for the Fourth Age =====
*The Power of Mordor: This theme is both the second-age version of the Servants of Sauron theme (as used in the original take on the prologue) and the theme that represents the possibility of Sauron's victory coming into the fourth age.
*The Witch-king of Angmar: This theme is a hybrid of the threat of Saruman's theme and the inverted Threat of Mordor. It was originally going to be used in the High Fells sequence in The Hobbit but was replaced by "The Nine."
**The Orcs of Mordor: After the demise of the Witch-king, the Orc armies that assemble at the Morannon are scored with a devolved version of this motif, backed up by the Orcs' theme.
Themes for the Orcs
*The Goblin theme: In Goblin-town, Shore introduces a theme for shrill brass and metal percussion that changes meters constantly, but always revolves around the 5/4 time-signature. The theme has a more melodic form used when the Great Goblin is introduced, and later becomes more frenetic and backed up by a Dwarvish choir as they escape.
*Gundabad Wargs: The Gundabad Wargs have a 14-note theme which is related to the later Cruelty of the Orcs theme.
*The Orcs' theme: The Orcs' theme is most apparent with the Isengard Orcs. It is a 5/4 time figure for metal percussion such as anvils.
*The Cruelty of the Orcs: This theme applies to the Orcs' steeds and war machines.
==== Themes for Isengard ====
*Saruman's theme or The Isengard theme: This theme is usually played on ominous brass. When Saruman is revealed in An Unexpected Journey, it appears with him for a brief quote.
*Grima Wormtongue: Grima's theme is scored for low woodwinds and brass, alienating him from the themes of Rohan.
*The Orc Crawl: This melody is sung by the choir as Lurtz shows up and shoots Boromir. It is used in The Two Towers as the Uruk-hai company is chased by the Fellowship.
*The Uruk-hai in Battle: This motif is used for the Uruk-hai army that sets siege to Helm's Deep.
==== Themes for the Monsters of Middle-earth ====
*The Watcher in the Water: The Watcher's music is first hinted before the gates of Moria open. It makes room for some percussive music for the Moria Orcs, and than returns in force. It is related to the other monster music but is more in the vein of music used in film to score alien monsters.
*The Mûmakil: The Mûmakil theme is repeated in both The Two Towers and The Return of the King. It features a bowed Dilruba (without using the fingernails to stop the strings as per custom), and is the only thematic music made for the East of Middle-earth.
*Durin's Bane: The Balrog's theme underlines a lot of the Bridge of Khazad-dûm music in the percussion and choir. It returns to Gandalf's battle with the Balrog in the prologue to The Two Towers.
==== Themes for the Spawn of Ungoliant ====
*Mirkwood Spiders' theme: the spider music was conceived as an intentional departure from the sound of Middle-earth and into music more reminiscent of horror and monster films. The spiders' theme is an 8-note "stinger". They are also associated with other motifs in The Desolation of Smaug, like a 2-note figure on piccolos, perhaps a motif for the Spider's lair.
*Shelob's theme. Shelob's theme is the most horror-like music, feeling almost like a film within-a-film. There is also a bit of music for Shelob's cave.
==== Themes for the Trolls ====
*Hill Trolls: the three hill trolls, Tom, Bert, and William are associated with a Waltz-humoresque motif that represent their clumsiness and dull wits, but also their weight and strength. It mingles with the weakness arpeggio, becoming almost a motif for the troll-hoard.
*Cave Troll: The Moria Cave-troll is also scored with a motif that accents his weight, but one that makes him slightly sympathetic, since his depiction in the film is one of a chained beast rather than an outright villain.
*Ogres: The Battle of the Five Armies introduces Ogres, which are only peripherally mentioned in Tolkien's writings, as an offshoot of trolls. Shore applied an aggressive motif to them, in line with his weighty motifs for trolls in general, but also aligned with the descending thirds.
==== Themes for Smaug ====
*Dragon Breath: A series of alternating chords that simulate Smaug's breath play underneath his music. After his demise, this motif is applied to Thorin's dragon sickness.
*Smaug's main theme: 
*Smaug's Malice: an inversion of Smaug's theme, used for his more malicious demeanor. After his demise, a variation of that theme becomes Thorin's Dragon Sickness theme.
*Smaug's Fate: Smaug's themes are culminated when he is toppled by the gold statue and again when he is struck with the black arrow.
=== Themes for Middle-earth ===
*Weakness motif: this arpeggio is applied to various characters and forms the basis of various similar arpeggiated figures in various themes.
==== Themes for the Quest of Erebor ====
*Pine Glades of the Misty Mountains: This motif is used in the finale of An Unexpected Journey for the glade where the Dwarves take shelter on trees. The motif mimics the toppling of the trees by the wargs.
*Chasms of Goblin-Town: This motif is used when the Dwarves fall into Goblin-town, when they fall off of the ledge with the Goblin King and when they are about to fall off of the side of the Misty Mountains.
*Elvish Blades: this oboe line is used when Gandalf first draws out Glamdring. It is reprised when Bilbo picks up Sting in Gollum's cave and when Orcrist is revealed to the Goblins.
*The Forest River: there is distinct writing for strings that swirling underneath the Forest River sequence.
*Death Motif: this motif is a devolved form of the Evil Times motif from The Lord of the Rings, here applied to loss. It is played in full after Fíli's death, and again after Thorin has defeated Azog, but suffered a mortal wound in doing so.
==== Themes for the Quest of the Ring ====
*The Journey There: this theme appears when Frodo and Sam roam the Shire, and again when they are seen resuming their travels with Gollum in the beginning of The Return of the King. It is based heavily on the History of the Ring theme, giving a sombre feeling to the journey.
*Evil Times: This theme relates to the suffering inflicted through the quest to destroy the Ring and - eventually - through the War of the Ring in general.
*Dangerous Passes: Whenever the Ringbearer passes treacherous paths, like the pass of Caradhras, the way to Moria or the stairs of Cirith Ungol, this motif is used.
*The Argonath: Technically, this motif appears both in the film as the company pass the Argonath, but also in the Fan Credits where another take on it is presented.
===== Theme for the Fourth Age =====
*The Journey Back: Whereas the Journey there is based on the melancholy ring theme, the Journey Back is based on the comforting Shire theme. It is used in the start of An Unexpected Journey as a "book-end" to the series, seeing as how Bilbo's Adventure is related to it anyway.
==== Themes for the Gloom of Middle-earth ====
*Shadow over Greenwood: When Radagast discovers the sickness of Greenwood, the boy choir sings an ominous line. The same line is used when Gandalf brings the Morgul blade, a further sign of growing shadow, to the White Council.
*The High Fells: Technically, this music appears twice, first in the track "Into the Wild" which is an early take on the High-Fells sequence when it was slated to appear in the first film, and again in the second film where it ended up being.
*Mirkwood: Mirkwood has a six-note tune for the Elven road, that is strangely reminiscent to Smaug's theme. The composer makes a strong connection between the deception of Smaug and the deception brought on by the air of the forest of Mirkwood: as the Dwarves are lost in the forest, the motif is swallowed up by the musical texture of Mirkwood, which again like Smaug's theme is full of bowed cymbals, Tibetan bowls and waterphones. The musical texture of Mirkwood recalls and informs the music of the Dead Marshes.
*The Fall of Men: this short motif is used when Elendil falls, and again when Boromir succumbs to the temptation of the Ring, book-ending The Fellowship of the Ring.
*A Noble End: This applies more to noble sacrifice, and is used predominantly at the death of Boromir and when various characters recall it. It is also used for Théoden's impending demise.
*Nameless Fear: Another close relative of the Ring theme, this motif is used in the Prologue as hear of a "nameless fear" and again when Frodo panics and offers the Ring to Gandalf. It is also used when Galadriel talks to Elrond in The Two Towers.
*Emyn Muil: This melancholy choir appears only once in the finished album, but three times in the original take, which appears in the Rarities.
*The Army of the Dead: The Dead Men of Dunharrow have a theme for a choir or deep or Russian bass singers.
==== Themes for "Another Path" ====
*Gandalf's Farewells: This motif is best known for it's appearance after Gandalf falls, but its used subtly in various scenes, including Gandalf's final farewell when he sails to the west, but also in places that don't have to do with Gandalf's demise. When Sam and Frodo are seemingly about to meet their demise outside of Mount Doom, this theme sounds continuously. The music either foretells Gandalf's impending rescue, scoring Frodo's memories of Gandalf's fireworks or rather tells us that the Hobbits are thinking they are about to rejoin Gandalf in death. It is also used in the very beginning of An Unexpected Journey when Bilbo is walking around Bag End, more as a "book-end" to the series than a reference to anything in the scene, but also as Bilbo is about to meet Gandalf again.
*The Grey Havens: This theme is also the tune of "Into the West". It is a close relative of Gandalf's Farewells and relates to Valinor just as much as to Lindon and the Grey Havens themselves. This theme doesn't appear in and of it's own before the second half of The Return of the King, offering a musical "breath of fresh air." It is used when Gandalf tells Pippin about Valinor, when Sam carries Frodo up Mount Doom, and in the final scenes in the Grey Havens.
**"Use Well the Days": An Alternate composition for the Grey Havens exists in the bonus track "Use Well the Days", also by Annie Lennox.
=== Themes for Nature ===
*Nature's Reclamation: One of the main themes of the series, this theme is the main theme of nature, a series of ever-rising chords, usually set to pure tones of boy soprano voice or violins. It is used for the Moth that Gandalf uses consistently to call on the Eagles, as well as for the Last March of the Ents. It is used to the sunrise behind the assault of the Rohirrim at Helm's Deep and at the Pelennor Fields, and in one statement leading up to the latter, as the Rohirrim leave Edoras to war.
*Shadowfax' theme: This theme is not listed by Doug Adams because it only appears in the Original Soundtrack Release and not in the Complete Recordings. It is used instead of the incidental choral piece that the finished film uses for the reveal of Shadowfax, and again when Gandalf leads the Rohirrim to Helm's Deep.
*Stone Giants: The Stone Giants have a motif that makes up most of the music in "A thunder Battle" in An Unexpected Journey: a series of brass clusters that resemble the rocks they through around.
*Eagle Rescue: In the film version of An Unexpected Journey, Howard Shore wrote a new solo piece for the Eagles' rescue. The same piece is quoted briefly when the Eagles arrive at the Battle of Five Armies.
*The Eagles: Also present in An Unexpected Journey (album version) is a subtle allusion to the melody of "The Eagles" from The Return of the King, turning it into a new theme for nature.
*Beorn: Beorn's theme is a slow, pondering theme that illustrates his size and strength, layered over a harmony derived from Nature's Reclamation. Doug Adams mentions that the harmony often appears on it's own, perhaps a motif for Wilderland.
==== Themes for the Ents ====
*Fangorn theme: This theme is a series of chords for wooden instruments in the percussion section, low strings and woodwind sections. It tells of the slow, careful nature of the Ents, and of their underlying strength.
*Treebeard's Stride
*"Small Stones" motif: This motif links the Ents to the Hobbit music and illustrates the effect of Merry and Pippin on the Ents.
==== Themes for the Wizards ====
*Gandalf the Grey: this theme appears in The Hobbit trilogy, where Gandalf the Grey is more fleshed out as a character. It disappears in The Lord of the Rings (although the music of the Map contains an allusion to it) as Gandalf becomes more of a mediator and is about to die.
**Gandalf Revealed: There is a short choral outburst ("Mettana!") used in conjunction with Gandalf twice in the opening of The Two Towers, and again when he is revealed before the possessed Théoden. It is possible that the choral outburst when he exposes the hill trolls to the sunlight is an allusion to that, as well.
**Duel of the Maiar: There is also a tune for Gandalf's fight with the Balrog that is played over the fan credits, which is similar to the melody of Gandalf's fight with Saruman over Théoden's mind.
*The Order of the Istari theme: The Five Wizards as a whole receive a theme, that ends up most of the time as another theme for Gandalf, as he is the only wizard we spend any real time with.
*Radagast the Brown: On the album, Radagast's music is full of table percussion and a lively solo fiddle. It's nervous and perpetually moving, like the slightly scatter brained wizard. His music is also closely related to Nature and also to the Weakness arpeggios.
*Radagast's secondary theme: In concocting a secondary theme for the Wizard, perhaps one that has to do with his home of Rhosgobel, Howard Shore seemingly took a hint from the east-European design of the Wizard's costume (prevalent in all the designs of the Wilderland to create a parallel to the east of our own world) in fashioning a very eastern-European, almost "gypsy" fiddle solo for him.
*Gandalf the White: a minor theme for Gandalf the White, besides the White Rider theme, is a series of rising triplets used when he is revealed in Fangorn Forest and again in the album version of "fourth Eorlingas".
=== Recurring music not by Howard Shore ===
*Hobbit Birthday Party: Written by Plan 9 and David Longe, this music shares the vaguely-celtic style with Shore's music. It was tracked into the of .
*The Road Goes Ever On: Melody by Fran Walsh, underscored by Shore's music, this tune recurs twice in The Fellowship of the Ring. There is also an instrumental version of the song in one of the production diaries.
*"Rock and Pool"
*The Horn Call of the Noldor: Since Shore used the diegetic horn calls at least once to announce Thorin's theme, it is possible to consider the horn sound-effects as thematic, especially considering that the horns were chosen according to the pitch of the score. Heard in two separate scenes of The Hobbit is the horn-call of the Ñoldor, which had also been used at Helm's Deep.
*The Horns of Hell: Azog's Horn call, on a Tibetan dungchen, is heard in several scenes in .
*The Horn of Mordor: The Horn call of Mordor is heard twice over the Black Gate in , and again as the Orcs march towards the Black Gate in .
*The Horn Call of the Rohirrim: Used in at least three scenes in The Return of the King.
*Bilbo's Doorbell: ...
*Drums in the Deep: A diegetic drumbeat used both in Moria and when Azog captures Fíli. 
*Orc Drums: There is another diegetic Orc beat, based directly on the Five-beat pattern, which appears in several scenes: First, in a devolved form when the army of Gundabad marches out, then at the Pelennor Fields and ultimately when the Armies of Mordor march to the Morannon.
*Orc Chant: Timed to Shore's five beat pattern, this diegetic chant, along with drumbeats, was used in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and at the Battle of Five Armies. It was recorded by a full stadium of Rugby fans.
*The Voice of the Ring: Plan 9 created a series of musical sound effects, from siren calls and crooning to sounds of bowed instruments (potentially the Dan Bau and Hasapi that Plan 9 own). These are used repeatedly in the films, much in the way that Shore uses his Ring themes.
*Wagner Tribute: All of Shore's music is original, except for one passage over the closing credits of The Return of the King, which is a tribute to Wagner, who was an inspiration for Shore. The tribute is not an outright quote of any specific passage in Wagner's Ring cycle, but does allude to several of his themes, including the Secret Fire and Rhein motifs.
*Requiem for a Tower: Shore wrote original trailer music for The Return of the King and An Unexpected Journey, and other trailers mostly reused his existing music. However, the main trailer for The Two Towers, as well as the TV Spots, also used a melody from Clint Mansell's Lux Aeternae from Requiem for a Dream, but rearranged to sound in the vein of Shore's music.
*Age of Dragons: Another piece of music used over most of the trailer for and various TV Spots, by Audiomachine. This theme in particular calls for twice the brass as Shore's usual complement.
*Return of the King: The trailer for The Return of the King is an original Howard Shore composition, based heavily around the Gondor in Ascension theme. However, it includes a unique melody leading up the climax, which again is reused in TV Spots and the Supertrailer.
*"The Edge of Night": This song was composed by Billy Boyd (Pippin) but is accompanied by Shore's underscore. It accidentally but fittingly opens on the same interval as the theme of Gondor, where it is sung. The song was reprised for the trailer for The Battle of the Five Armies, and Boyd wrote a new song for the End-Credits of that film, "The Last Goodbye", which informs "The Edge of Night".
== Orchestration ==
Shore Orchestrated four of the films himself. For the last two The Hobbit films, Orchestrations were done by Conrad Pope and James Sizemore. Victoria Kelly orchestrated and arranged the end-credit songs. All orchestrations were done under Shore's supervision and in accordance to his sketches.
The music was performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Parts of The Fellowship of the Ring and the last two Hobbit scores were performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. The Lord of the Rings Symphony was performed (on album) by the 21st Century Orchestra and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. The ensemble required for the performance requires a core of 96 to 120 musicians (although reductions can be made for live performances), fifty more in the different "bands" (about twenty of which may play simultaneously to the full orchestra), and over 200 vocalists. 
*Strings: 2 harps, 1 fiddle (doubling on Hardanger, Double Fiddle, bowed Banjolele), 16 first violins, 16 second violins, 12 violas, 10 cellos, 8 contrabasses;
**1 Celtic harp, 1 monochord (doubling on zither), 1 sarangi (doubling on dilruba), 3 guitars (doubling on acoustic guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, banjo, hasapi and lute), 1 rebab, 1 hammered Dulcimer (doubling on Cimbalom), hurdy-gurdy, theorbo, tamboura.
*Woodwinds: 1 Tin Whistle (doubling on low whistle, recorder and wood flute), 4 flutes (doubling on alto flute, piccolo), 4 oboes (two doubling on cor anglais, one doubling on heckelphone), 4 clarinets (one doubling on bass and contrabass clarients), 3 bassoons (two doubling on contrabassoons). 
**2 Highland bagpipes (one doubling on drones, Uilleann Pipes), 2 nay flute (doubling on dizi, shakuhachi), 1 pan flute, 1 rhaita.
*Brass: 8 horns (doubling on Tuben), 8 trumpets (doubling on rotary-valve trumpets), 3 trombones, 4 bass trombone, 2 tubas (doubling on Euphonium). 
**20 Yidaki (didgeridoos), dungcheng, birch trumpets, shofars.
*Keyboard: 1 Grand Piano (doubling on upright piano, electric piano, celesta), 1 Grand Pipe Organ, 1 musette (doubling on accordion, harmonium), 1 concertina, 1 synthesizer.
*Percussion: 
**Two timpanists on sets of 5-7 timpani heads.
**seven percussionists: one on bass drum; one on 4 taiko drums; one on two tamtams; one on two snare drums and a side drum; one on distressed piano; one on bell-plates and one second taiko and bass drum. 
***doubling on tubular bells, wind chimes, mark tree, bell tree, suspended cymbals (large and antique), piatti, clash cymbals, crash/ride cymbals, hi-hat cymbals, sizzle cymbals, china cymbals, spiral trash cymbals, dunun drums, anvil (or tuned brake drum or railway track), two log drums, bass marimba, xylophone, Transceleste, glockenspiel, chime bar, tabla, 2 bodhrain, framedrum, tambourines, sistrums, eggshaker, gourds, caxixi, shaker (or shekere), ratchet, cabassa, clappers, tomtoms, 5 tibetan hanging drums, thai gongs, thunder sheet, tuned artillery shells, five Tibetan singing bowls, two waterphones, body percussion, rommelpot, goblet drum, jaw-harp, castanets.
**14 Gamelan players: one on Kendhang, one on Kempli and Gong, five on Saron, three on Slenthem, one on Kenong, Kethuk and Kempyang, two on Bonang, one on Gambang, one on Finger Cymbals. Doubling on Angklung, Gangsa, Ceng-Ceng cymbals, Genders, Tibetan Bells.
*Choir: 100-piece SATB choir, 60-piece TTBB choir and 55-piece boy choir.
*Soloists: treble, boy soprano, altos, mezzo-sopranos, lyrical sopranos, soprano coloratura, bass-baritone.
== References ==
== Sources ==
*Adams, Doug, The Music of the Lord of the Rings films
== External links ==
*Miller, Marilyn, A Magpie's Nest
*Music of the Hobbit Film Series at Wikipedia
Category:Original Motion Picture Soundtracks