Lord of the Rings: Complete Trilogy [Enhanced, Limited Edition, Soundtrack, Box set]

From the aforementioned Fellowship theme to the Celtic-infused Rohan music, to the 5-4 time of Isengard's war-like signature, Shore has reimagined Middle-Earth in musical form even as Peter Jackson did so on celluloid. The breadth of his composition allows for as much variety of tone and atmosphere as you find in the films themselves, and of course goes a long way to creating and anchoring those atmospheres when you watch the movies. From the dark pounding rhythms of Isengard and Mordor, there are the beautiful choral pieces; Gandalf and Boromirs' deaths have music which makes me want to cry every time I hear them (perhaps partly a consequence of connecting the music with the events in the film, but this is gorgeous, evocative music in its own right).

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of these three soundtracks is the development of themes or simple phrases as you progress onwards. The Fellowship theme is never complete again after the fall of Gandalf until the reunion in Frodo's room in the Houses of Healing in Gondor. The Shire theme gradually becomes sadder and sadder as the hobbits are exposed to the harsh realities of war across Middle-Earth. This evolution of the music transforms it from a mere accompaniment to a film into a living, emotional entity of its own, and is in a large part responsible for making this collection of all 3 so wonderful to listen to. When each is separated from the others it's "only" really good music, but when you have the full picture, the context, of all 3 together and can thus fully appreciate Shore's work as a whole, does it become astonishingly beautiful.

Ranging from the gentle yet harrowing 'Gollum's Song' (featured at the end credits of 'The Tow Towers'), to the grand excitement of the various battles throughout the movie, the scope of this music is immense. Performances throughout turn what could have been mere soundtracks into a genuinely outstanding collection of musical accomplishment. There are even vocal performances by Billy Boyd (Pippin) and Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) which prove that there is more to these performers than just acting!

The thing that surprised me about this package, however, was the price, which truly makes it value for money and a worthwhile investment, and as much a worthy addition to any music collection. But most of all, it is like owning another part of the movie trilogy itself, one that allows you to take the journey again, but in a much more personal way, as Howard Shore's brilliant compositions conjure a dazzling array of images in your mind.