The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films: A Comprehensive Account of Howard Shore's Scores (Book & Rarities CD): 1 [Hardcover]

OK, first of all, full disclosure: the author of this book, Doug Adams, happens to be a colleague and friend, and I have thus enjoyed a unique view of the work as it came together over the better part of the last decade. That said, I don't benefit from its sales, nor have I been asked to write this review. I DO write this review because, irrespective of my association with the author, I am a film music journalist myself - and I firmly believe that THE MUSIC OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS FILMS is perhaps the most accomplished and significant analysis of a film score ever published.

Let's begin with an appreciation of the sheer magnitude of the film score under discussion. At the outset, we must note that there is very little in the history of music that can easily be compared to Howard Shore's score for Peter Jackson's film trilogy of THE LORD OF THE RINGS. When you consider that the films are most accurately viewed as one continuous story, with the similarly continuous score totaling more than TEN HOURS in length, you realize the true scope of Shore's opus. In the world of cinema, there is little to compare it to. One can draw some parallels with John Williams' work on the STAR WARS saga, although its entries are far more individualistic and spread out over a longer period of time. Certain composers for television have written more total hours related to a contiguous body of work; but the musical architecture of, for example, 200 episode scores from THE X-FILES is so vastly different as to defy direct comparison. Even in the world of classical music, it is likewise difficult to find points of reference. For sheer length, narrative scope, and leitmotivic complexity, we can turn to history's *other* great musical ring cycle, Wagner's DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN ... and that's about it.

Nor (as Adams ably demonstrates) is *length* all there is to it. No doubt any number of composers would have risen to that challenge, with varying degrees of showmanship and craft. But would any of them have entered into the same ambitious spirit of world-crafting as Tolkien himself? Shore did. His music goes beyond the traditional role of a film score to become a veritable musical representation of the peoples, languages, cultures, and histories of Middle-earth. Point by point, Adams reveals to the reader how Shore's choice of instruments, performance styles, method of orchestration, incorporation of texts, and even recording venues and techniques all contributed to express something deeply meaningful about the characters, races, locations, and events that comprise Tolkien and Jackson's stunning epic. To give just one example: Adams explains how Shore used a distinctive range-based style of orchestration, rather than relying on the traditional divisions of instrument families - creating a unique soundscape that would feel both cohesive and somehow ancient.

Adams further breaks down how instruments and thematic elements migrate between characters and cultures, constantly forging chains of interconnection. Take Gollum, for example. The primary instrument associated with the character - the cimbalom - is a relative of the dulcimer, one of the key instruments of the Shire; thus reinforcing the creature's twisted hobbit origins. Furthermore, the chords underpinning Gollum's pitiable theme have a surprising connection to the crucible of Mount Doom, where the character's destiny is bound. This sort of thing is largely invisible to the average filmgoer, but operates on a subconscious level to enhance the drama - and when considering the music on its own terms, it makes the listening experience infinitely more fascinating and enriching. Far from being a "cold" dissection, this sort of analysis will reward you with the ability to listen to the music with fresh ears ... it will come alive in ways you might never have imagined! This, to me, is the hallmark of good analytical writing.

At this point, you might say to yourself, "But I know nothing about the technical side of music! How on earth am I going to follow all this?" Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, "I crave hard-core analysis - how do I know this isn't dumbed-down for mass audiences?" It's hard to be completely objective here, but in my professional estimation as both a reader and writer, Adams has pulled off something of a minor miracle. By treating the ANALYSIS AS NARRATIVE, the author allows the musical theory on display to unfold with surprising clarity and lucidity. Certainly, basic musical literacy will only enhance your ability to understand and enjoy this text. But you don't have to worry about a lack of "conservatory" training - I'd venture to say that anyone who enjoys listening to music with an attentive ear will benefit much from this book, regardless of their educational background.

You might also say to yourself, "I read the liner notes Adams wrote for the Complete Recordings box sets, and I read the Annotated Scores that were posted online - what more is there?" In response, you should first know that the aforementioned texts were extracted and abridged from the larger book-in-progress. They were portions of the whole, serving a valid purpose in their own right ... but they are no substitution for the total package. Here, you will find a more flowing and expansive text, with more space to discuss the big ideas, and a wealth of detail that was necessarily left out of the more restrictive earlier formats. You also get significantly more context in terms of Shore's creative methodology. and the history surrounding the composition and recording of this monumental work. Shore himself contributed a special foreword for the book, and the introduction was penned by LOTR screenwriter and producer Fran Walsh.

And there's more! The number (and readability) of musical examples has been greatly increased throughout, and includes full-page manuscript pages as well as samples of Shore's original sketches. The complete choral texts and translations are here - a real treasure for Tolkien linguists. As an officially licensed project, the book also includes numerous full-color film stills, and - more impressively - an amazing selection of sketch artwork from Tolkien artists John Howe and Alan Lee (who also drew an original piece for the cover). Book designer Gary Day-Ellison (whose portfolio includes work for that *other* Douglas Adams) had full access to Howe and Lee's sketchbooks for this project, so much of their artwork appears in print here for the FIRST TIME, making it doubly essential for enthusiasts. And speaking of the book design, it's simply beautiful. There is a gorgeous aesthetic on display throughout, making the pages a delight to the eye as well as the mind.

Finally, there is the CD which accompanies the book: THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RARITIES ARCHIVE. This album of previously unheard material includes theme mock-ups, unreleased versions of cues from the films' theatrical cuts, and other alternate or unused compositions ... all capped by an intimate conversation between the author and the composer. It's a thoughtful musical program that is amazingly coherent as a disc-length listening experience - a testament to the long hours Adams spent poring through Shore's personal archives. Such glimpses into the creative journey are exceedingly rare; even more rarely are they so very rewarding. If "Sammath Naur," an alternate vision of the trilogy's climax, doesn't make your throat catch and your eyes mist up, you may want to check your pulse!

It should be clear by now that I am an unabashed fan of this music, which I think is some of the best ever written for film. Not everyone agrees, of course ... but if you are a devotee of the art of film music in any capacity, you owe it to yourself to at least investigate this book. No study of a film score has ever been published on this scale (in truth, only the rare score could hold up to this kind of rigorous scrutiny), by someone with Adams' musical background and credentials, and with his unprecedented access to resources - extending to the composer himself, who was generous and enthusiastic in his support of this project. If you, like me, celebrate the art form, you should rejoice that a book of this nature exists. It is masterful; a true milestone ... and, I devoutly hope, the harbinger of good things to come.

When JRR Tolkien created his fictional Middle Earth he created a world so rich in invention and detail that it seemed like a description of a real world, real events and real peoples. It explains why generations of readers have fallen in love with his works. In his Lord of the Rings trilogy (originally one book but split into three on the advice of his publisher) he created what has become one of the most popular and beloved works of modern literature.

Ten years ago an almost unheard of New Zealand film maker adapted Tolkien's great work for film and Tolkien lovers all over the world held their breath. They needn't have worried; Peter Jackson's film trilogy 'The Lord of the Rings' was every bit as epic in scope and detail as the world Tolkien had invented. They were hugely successful and taken together, one of the greatest films ever made. A large factor in its success was the magnificent score Canadian composer Howard Shore composed for the films - every bit as complex and rich in invention as the world it was describing and it went on, like the films, to win numerous awards. It was very recently voted the favourite film score by listeners to the UK's Classic FM radio station.

Shore created a score into which he put as much thought and detail as any great composer. For instance, he carefully crafted different types of music for each of the different races and develop these as the story does. So as the events of the story develop and events unfold, the themes in Shore's score interact in the same way - very much in the manner of the Leitmotif's Wagner invented for his great Ring Cycle.

Following Shore during the creation and recording of his score was a young Chicago based musicologist, Doug Adams and it was Adams who subsequently set about documenting the huge amount of material Shore had composed. It has been a monumental task, taking him the best part of the decade since to create his much anticipated book The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films, in its way every bit as epic and monumental in scope as Tolkien's great work, truly a case of There and Back Again!

Doug Adams' stated aim was to write a book which would appeal to anyone - from professional musicologists and musicians to people who just loved Howard Shore's score. A tall order, but one in which he has succeeded magnificently.

Over its more than 400 pages it dissects every theme Shore created - more than 90 of them - in great detail. He explores their development throughout the films and how they interact with each other. There are plenty of simple musical examples for those who can read music scores - but it is entirely unnecessary as Adams' goes on to describe them so well anyway.

After this thoroughly detailed exploration of Shore's themes the best part of the rest of the book is a chronological description of the three films and each piece of music as it occurs in the film. It highlights how the score enhances and reacts to what is going on, on screen. It's worth pointing out that all the tracks are referenced from the Complete Recordings of the scores as previously released on CD. Reading though this section - which is the biggest part of the book - is like watching the films and hearing the scores in your head as you follow the narrative style adopted for this purpose. It's breathtaking. It's as much of a page-turner as Tolkien's great work. At the end of it you really appreciate the incredible score which Shore composed to underpin the films, the amount of work and thought and detail put into it. I have subsequently watched one of the films again and quite definitely my greatly enhanced appreciation and understanding of the music underpinning the film as I watched it added yet another rich layer to an already superlative and magical experience.

As a tail-piece for the work, Adams includes a fascinating selection of his diary entries for some of the times he spent at the score's recording sessions.

The book has been beautifully laid out and designed by Gary Day-Ellison, and richly illustrated with stills from the films, reproductions of a few of Shore's manuscript pages of the score and has also been beautifully illustrated throughout by the acclaimed Tolkien illustrator Alan Lee.

Included with the book is a fascinating CD compiled by Adams and Shore of unused pieces from the films score, first versions and mock-ups. Surely an absolute 'must have' for this alone for anyone who loves these scores!

All in all then, a magnificent achievement for Doug Adams. He managed to create a book which could just a happily be used as a coffee table book for casual browsing as much as a detailed music treatise on the score Shore composed. It certainly will also enhance our appreciation of music for films in general, and how it can sit right up there alongside the greatest musical works and genres.

An absolute must for any lover of the Lord of the Rings films and probably also for anyone who loves Tolkien in general. I'd also suggest it's probably going to be seen as one of the most important books on film music theory written so far and therefore a must buy for anyone with an interest in music for films in general at whatever level. Warmly recommended!

We look forward to the book Doug Adams has talked about writing for the score which Shore is now composing for The Hobbit films...

This book is quite simply one of the greatest things I have ever brought off Amazon. Anyone who is a fan of Howard Shore's music to the motion picture trilogy should definitely be in possession of this book. It provides the reader with a fantastic theme by theme analysis of the films and is beautifully illustrated with sketches, photo stills from the films and score examples. An totally brilliant buy for the price!!