Critical popcorn

The Lord of the Rings trilogy has become hugely influential over the past twenty years, yet remain completely unique. One of the most defining aspects of films is the score by Howard Shore, which not only won two Oscars, three Grammy’s and a Golden Globe award but also regularly tops cinephiles’ favourite film soundtrack lists (it was first in Classic FM’s movie music hall of fame this year). Filmmaking is a collaborative artform, and Howard Shore’s contributions to the trilogy have only further increased its popularity over the past two decades. There was an electric atmosphere in the Royal Albert Hall as audiences sat down to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in concert on the 22nd September (Bilbo and Frodo Baggins’ birthday, appropriately).

For this performance, Howard Shore’s music was performed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, alongside adult’s choir Philharmonia Chorus, children’s choir Trinity Boys Choir, young soloist Oliver Barlow and soloist Kaitlyn Lusk (who also performed Gollum’s Song over the end credits), all conducted by Ludwig Wicki.

As the opening notes of the score began and the New Line Cinema logo appeared on screen, it felt like we were being transported into another world, and as the main title faded in and Shore’s ‘History of the Ring’ theme played, the Royal Albert Hall had become Middle-Earth. The overture across the titles and sweeping shots of snowy New Zealand mountains sets the mood, leading into Gandalf’s battle with the Balrog as they fall through the Mines of Moria. This sequence is one of my favourite musical moments in the entire trilogy, and to hear it performed live with a full orchestra and choir was magical.

The Two Towers is many peoples’ favourite Lord of the Rings film, introducing Frodo and Sam to Gollum (an extraordinary combination of a stellar performance from actor Andy Serkis and the immensely talented visual FX artists who managed to make the CGI character stand up all these years later), sending Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas to the kingdom of Rohan, and following Merry and Pippin’s adventures with the Ents. There’s a real sense of scope to this particular entry, allowing the story to go off into different directions before everything coalesces in the next film. The version screened for this concert was the Theatrical Edition, which may disappoint fans hoping for the Extended Edition, but I was pleasantly surprised how well the story worked even in a somewhat abbreviated form. It’s a much tighter edit of The Two Towers which manages to keep everything I love about the film, including the spectacular battle at Helm’s Deep.

Speaking of which, this was another incredible sequence to experience live with the orchestra. It would be easy for the battle to get repetitive or monotonous, but there’s a clear sense of geography and narrative structure to the action – not to mention Howard Shore’s music punctuating every key moment. Running parallel to this sequence is the last march of the Ents, brought to life by the full choir (the first time every member is used in the entire performance), which certainly gave me goosebumps. It would be easy to keep naming incredible sequences throughout the film (I’ve not even mentioned the use of the Hardanger, a Norwegian fiddle, in the musical leitmotif for Rohan), but suffice it to say that the entire film is an incredible experience to hear live.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in concert at the Royal Albert Hall is a must-see experience for cinephiles and fans of the Middle-Earth. The film – and the trilogy as a whole – is an all-time cinema classic which rewards multiple viewings. Having watched all three films more times than I can count over the years, it was great to experience The Two Towers in a new, unforgettable way. I’ve always been a huge fan of Howard Shore’s score for the trilogy, so to hear it played live was absolutely magical. One could almost call the memory…precious… (I’ll see myself out.)

The Royal Albert Hall regularly screen classic films with live orchestral accompaniment. The Lord of the Rings in concert continues with The Return of the King in March 2024.

See our previous reviews for events such as Black Panther, Casino Royale, Star Trek and Jurassic Park, plus keep an eye out for more special events and upcoming titles here!