Music of the Middle-earth film series

The Musical Score of the Middle Earth films was composed, orchestrated, conducted and produced by Howard Shore.

 The scores were written in a 19-century operatic idom, making full use of a large symphony orchestra, world-music instruments, full choir and vocal soloists.

 The music itself was created using a technique called  leitmotif, which are a series of inter-related but distinct musical phrases (or "themes") that are associated with a character, a place, an event or setting, and tell the listener how to feel about them. These motifs are repeated throughout the music and vary in their expression to create a sense of progression throughout the story. Shore wrote an immense amount of leitmotifs: between well over 160 motifs to over 200.

The musical scores of the series became highly succesfull, commercially and critically. The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King's 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 undone strictly 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. The book for "The Music of the Hobbit films" is due to be released in late 2017.

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 or The Shire pensive variant: One of the main themes of the series, this theme appears in all films. Doug Adams identifies this theme as having several variations which he labels as separate themes.
 * The Hobbiton theme or The Shire rural variant: For the Hobbiton scenes, Howard Shore sets the Shire music to a celtic "band" led by a solo fiddle. The fiddler is allowed to improvise upon the basic melody, turning it into a distinct theme for Hobbiton. This theme has a "second-age" variant - which may be considered a theme in it's own right - which is used over the scene of Smeagol and Deagol.
 * Frodo's theme or the Shire "hymn" variant: This theme differs not in melody, but in harmony. It is, essentially, a series of hymn-like chords that play underneath the Shire theme, which is usually slowed down during the occurances of this motif.
 * ​"In Dreams":  In the end of the Fellowship of the Ring, Shore develops the hymn setting into a song for boy choir and soloist "In Dreams". Adams labels this song as a separate theme, informed by the previous apperances of Frodo's theme.
 * The Shire "playful" variant or Merry and Pippin's theme: The playful variant is close to the rural variant. It is used mostly as a theme for Merry and Pippin, although it's used more generally in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, when Bilbo runs out of his door.
 * Samwise the Hero or The Shire "heroic" variant: As Sam roams Minas Morgul, Shore develops the Shire theme into heroic music, interjected with brass fanfares. Adams considers this a new theme.
 * The Shire "Lullaby" variant: As Merry and Pippin fall asleep in Fangorn, Shore twists the Shire theme into a Lullaby. Adams dubs this as a separate "Lullaby" setting.
 *  A Hobbit's Understanding: When the Hobbits learn about the hardships of the world and their place in it, Shore uses a more emotional variation on the B-section of the Shire theme. 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 Hobbit series. It is closely related to the main Shire theme, opening in the same manner and being often played on a solo tin whistle. It, too, has a heroic variant, which may or may not be classified as a separate theme.
 * Bilbo Baggins theme: Bilbo had another main theme, which went mostly unused in An Unexpected Journey and in subsequent soundtrack releases, being replaced by the Shire theme or Bilbo's Adventure.
 * Bilbo's "Tookish" side: Bilbo's theme ends in a phrase for recorder or horn which is more akin to the Dwarvish music. Throughout the soundtrack (especially in the film version) this phrase turns into a separate motif for Bilbo's "Tookish", more adventurous 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.
 * Sneaky Bilbo: In the Desolation of Smaug, as Bilbo asserts himself, he earns a new more suspensful theme that quickly replaces his fussy theme. This theme is used when he leads the Dwarves out of the Woodland Realm, and when he sneaks the Arkenstone to Bard.

Minor Motifs

 * Gandalf's Fireworks: This is one of several motifs which Howard Shore concieved first as "incidental" music during the Lord of the Rings, but than reprised in The Hobbit, turning them into themes after the fact. When Merry and Pippin set off a firework (fashioned after Smaug) in Bilbo's birthday Party, Shore spins the Hobbit accompaniment motifs into an orchestral crescendo. In An Unexpected Journey, he reprises the phrase several times in association with Bilbo's childhood memories of Gandalf's Fireworks. He also creates a darker variation in the opening credits of The Desolation of Smaug, linking the Firework to the titular Dragon.
 * 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 stacato finale figure, just as Bilbo's "Happy Birthday" sign is raised. In An Unexpected Journey, the same figure is used when Bilbo recieves the replies to the party invitations.

The Hobbit Accompaniment motifs

 * The Hobbit Outline Figure: Much of the Hobbit music, 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 as the story progresses and by the end of Return of the King it is transformed into what may be considered a new motif.
 * The Hobbit Two-Step Figure: A more "playful" motif, this music also accompanies the more folksy or playful variations of the Hobbit music.
 * The Hobbit Skip-Beat: Like the Two-Step figure (with which it is often paired), the Hobbit Skip-Beat is another motif for Hobbit playfullness, which is used as an accompaniment to the main melody.
 * The Bree theme: The Hobbit Skip-Beat evolves into darker variations throughout the story. When the four Hobbits first enter Bree, an imposing variation of it is played. In the Prologue to the Desolation of Smaug, this figure is revisted when Thorin walks down 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 bafflment of the Hobbits.
 * Hobbit Antics: Just like the Outline and Skip-Beat figures evolve, so too does the End-Cap figure. By the Two-Towers, it turns into a melody which is played over the most comical scenes with Merry and Pippin. a variation of it is also played when we see Smeagol and Deagol.

Gollum
Themes for ​the Forth Age
 * The Pity of Smeagol theme
 * Gollum's Menace theme
 * Gollum's Song
 * 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, played on a concert flute. The theme is accompanied by a "forth-age" variation of the Hobbit Outline motif.
 * Bilbo's Song: For the Extended Edition, Howard Shore wrote a new piece for boy choir that closes the end-credits, an amalgamation of the different shire themes, called "Bilbo's Song."

Themes for the Dwarves
The music of the Dwarves is antique and stoic, often orchestrated for brass or low, rough male voices (in times replete with grunting voices). In terms of melody, Shore made his music for the Dwarves consistent with the Art Department's depiction of the Dwarves, where their architecture is portrayed as angular. Accordingly, the Dwarf music rises straight up, rather than rise and fall like the music of the Elves.

Themes for ​Durin's Folk

Themes for ​the Seven Dwarf Kingdoms
 * Durin's Folk: The Journey in the Dark through Moria is depicted by a droning all male choir singing in perfect fifths. Howard Shore reprised that music in the Hobbit (namely, in the Prologue as Erebor is covered in darkness), turning it into a recurring motif for the Dwarves in general. As Dale is being sacked by Smaug, he introduces a more dire variation complete with female voices.
 * Old Enemies: For the flashback to the Battle of Moria (Azanulbizar), Shore writes a more belligerant variant of the Dwarf choir, labeled as a separate theme. This theme is about the war of Dwarves and Orcs, the enmiosity of the two races and the personal conflict of Thorin and Azog.
 * The House of Durin: This theme applies to all the descendents of the House of Durin, including Thror, Thrain, Thorin, Fili, Kili, Balin, Dwalin, Gloin, Oin and Gimli. It is a close relative of Thorin's theme and is usually set for low men voices.
 * There and Back Again: In the opening credits of An Unexpected Journey, Shore combines The History of the One Ring theme (which stands for the Lord of the Rings trilogy) and The House of Durin theme (which stands for The Hobbit trilogy) and renders the resulting them in a major mode, in the fashion of the Shire music. This theme is reprised (on the album) near the end of the film, and again in the Battle of the Five Armies.
 * Dwarves in-Exile: 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.
 * The Dwarf End-Cap: This is a last nod to the Dwarvish music, used as a motif for Gimli and his antics in Return of the King. It is a "Dwarvish" relative of the Hobbit End-cap.

Themes for the Khazad-Dum
 * The Dwarf Lords: In composing for the Hobbit, Shore wrote a more heroic and optimistic music 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 An Unexpected Journey 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 the Battle of the Five Armies as an elegy during the battle's darkest hour.
 * Dain Ironfoot: For Dain and the Iron Hill 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". It is backed up by a march-like figure, which could be considered as a motif for the Dwarf cavalry.

Themes for the Kingdom under the Mountain
 * Moria: Moria is represented by an ascending, threatening motif. This is played throughout the action scenes of Moria and again in the opening of the Two Towers.
 * Dwarrowdelf: As the Fellowship enter the 21st hall of Moria, 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 is used again in the battle of the chamber of the Mazarbul.
 * An Unexpected Party: As the Dwarves enter Bilbo's house, Shore plays the opening notes of the Dwarrowdelf theme in a major mode, adding instruments as more dwarves come in. The motif is also used when Gandalf first talks to Bilbo about "an adventure" and again when the Dwarves are graudally introduced to Beorn in a similar fashion.
 * The Dark Places of the World: Moria has another danger theme for blaring brass. This motif is associated with the dangers and deep chasms of Moria.


 * 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. There is also a heroic variant used in the Forest River and in the Dwarves' assault out of Erebor.
 * Moon Runes: As Elrond reveals the Moon Runes on Thror'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.
 * Thrain: For Thrain, Shore composes a slow variant of the Erebor theme with a string arpeggio (a figure denoting weakness in the score), to mourn the fall of the Dwarvish king into madness in the dungeons of the Necromancer.
 * Thorin: This theme rises constantly, much like the Erebor theme, but does so in steps, more like the Hobbit music, linking Thorin to Bilbo. In the process of mixing this theme with the Erebor theme, several variations are created.
 * Thorin's Pride: In the closing tracks of the soundtrack to An Unexpected Journey, Howard Shore sets the harmony of Thorin's theme to a mixed choir, first humming it when he talks about the missing Bilbo, and later in force when he assaults Azog with abandon.
 * The Map of the Lonely Mountain: In the Fellowship of the Ring, Shore composed a little musical figure for Gandalf's glance at the map of the Lonely Mountain, a "portent of an adventure." In The Hobbit, the purpose of this gesture was revealed as it was not only reprised as a motif, but also served as the basis for Thorin's theme and for the theme of Gandalf the Grey.
 * Thorin's Fate: In Thorin's final stand against Azog, a solo soprano laments his ultimate fate. The melody for this solo is foreshadowed as the Dwarves first reach Ravenhill and before that as a maddened Thorin looks at the Elvish garrison of Dale.
 * 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 and violas. This theme is also used to represent the Map and the Key.
 * 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 Co. Shore takes the melody of the Old Walking Song (composed by Plan 9 and David Longe) and introduces it orchestrally. While based on this melody, Shore's setting utilizes Thorin's theme as a countermelody and is fashioned much like the Fellowship theme. This theme was left out of the sequels, where Shore and the filmmakers felt that removing it's heroic tune would reinforce the sequels' darker tone.
 * The Quest of Erebor 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:

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 it's more ancient and closed-off form (as with Lorien and the Woodland Realm) it is painted with exotic, Near-Eastern instrumentation to denote both the antiquity of the Elvish culture and their uniqueness. Themes for the Hidden Valley
 * 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 in Helm's Deep.


 * Rivendell: The theme for Rivendell is more sacriligious, 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 interal 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
Themes for Lothlorien
 * Arwen Revealed: Arwen's main theme is used only twice, first when she is revealed to Frodo in Fellowship, and than we she is revealed to Aragorn in 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 Kili, 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 Aniron. In following installments, 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.

Themes for the Woodland Elves
 * Galadriel's theme or Lothlorien 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 ans somewhat unsettling, contributing to the ambigious air of the Lorien Elves when they are first introduced.
 * Galadriel's Powers or Nenya's theme: As Galadriel banishes Sauron, Shore quotes a phrase he used when she apepars 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.


 * The Woodland Realm theme: This theme is also exotic and something unsettling like the Lorien 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 aethereal voices.
 * Legolas' theme: In The Hobbit, Legolas is represented by a variation of the Woodland Realm theme, where the A-phrase is played uptempo and over major harmonies, stressing his swashbuckling character. In the end of the series, he is attached to the Fellowship theme instead.
 * Legolas' Heroic Feats: As Legolas topples the Mumakil, 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 Kili 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 Khuzdul 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 Kili's 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.

Themes for Esgaroth
 * Battlfield Heroism theme.


 * The Laketown theme:
 * The Politicians of Laketown:

Themes for Bard
Themes for Rohan
 * Girion's theme or the Black Arrow theme.
 * Bard's main theme.
 * Bard's family theme.
 * King Bard's theme.
 * Bard and the People of Laketown theme or Dale Reborn:


 * The Rohan Fanfare.
 * The Riders of Rohan.

Themes for Eowyn
​'''Themes for the Men of the West
 * Eowyn's main theme.
 * Eowyn and Theoden
 * Eowyn and Aragorn

Themes for the second age

 * The Realm of Numenore
 * Isildur's theme

Themes for the third age

 * The Realm of Gondor in Decline.
 * The Realm of Gondor In Ascension
 * Minas Tirith
 * The Stewards of Gondor

Themes for the forth age
​
 * Gondor Reborn

Themes for the Fellowship of the Ring

 *  The Fellowship of the Ring. 
 *  The Drive of the Fellowship 
 *  The White Rider and the Fellowship 
 *  Strider's theme 
 *  ​Aragorn's theme 
 *  ​The Fellowship in Rohan   

Themes for the Forces of Evil
<p style="font-weight:normal;">The Music of 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). <p style="font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;border:0px;margin:0.4em0px0.5em;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Themes for the One Ring

Themes for the Hill of Sorcery
 * 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 Hobbits' 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 agressive theme for The Evil of the Ring, which is ostensibly Sauron's theme.
 * The Ring of Power.
 * 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:
 * 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.
 * 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.


 * 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 ressurection 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
Themes for the Land of Shadows
 * Azog's Theme: Hinting at Azog's connection with the Necromancer, his theme is also a pair of descending thirds, only more agressive and ending in a "musical barb." In the third film, the barb evolves into an elongated trumpet call.
 * 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 represnted by a march tune based on the descending thirds, set to an off-beat rhythm on percussion and Didgeridoos.


 * Sauron's theme: Sauron's theme is the developed form of the Necromancer theme. often played by a morrocan Rhaita.
 * Minas Morgul theme:
 * 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. It's secundal 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.
 * The Footsteps of Doom: This motif is the first two beats of the Servants of Sauron theme played repeadetly. 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.
 * 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 forth age Themes for the Orcs
 * 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 forth 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.

<span style="border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-size:12px;">Themes for Isengard
 * The Goblin theme: In Goblin-Town, Shore introduces a theme for shril 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 appearant 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 the Monsters of Middle Earth
 * 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.

<span style="border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-size:12px;">Themes for the Spawn of Ungoliant
 * The Watcher in the Water
 * The Mumakil

<span style="border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-size:12px;">Themes for the Trolls
 * Mirkwood Spiders' theme
 * Shelob's theme

<span style="border:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;font-size:12px;">Themes for Smaug
 * Hill Trolls
 * Cave Troll
 * Ogres

<p style="border:0px;margin:0.4em0px0.5em;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">
 * Dragon Breath
 * Smaug's main theme
 * Smaug's Malice
 * Smaug's Fate

Themes for Middle Earth

 * Weakness motif

Themes for the Quest of Erebor

 * Pine Glades of the Misty Mountains
 * Chasms of Goblin-Town
 * Elvish Blades
 * Mirkwood
 * The Forest River
 * Death Motif

Themes for the Quest of the Ring

 * The Journey There
 * Evil Times
 * Dangeorus Passes

Theme for the forth age

 * The Journey Back

Themes for the Gloom of Middle Earth

 * Shadow over Greenwood
 * The Fall of Men
 * A Noble End
 * Nameless Fear
 * The Army of the Dead

Themes for "Another Path"

 * Gandalf's Farewells
 * The Grey Havens

Themes for Nature

 * Nature's Reclamation
 * Shadowfax' theme
 * Eagle Rescue
 * The Eagles

Themes for the Ents

 * Fangorn theme
 * Treebeard's Stride
 * "Small Stones" motif

Themes for the Wizards

 * Gandalf the Grey
 * The Order of the Istari theme
 * Radagast the Brown
 * Radagast's secondary theme
 * Gandalf the White

Orchestration

 * Strings: 2 harps, 1 Celtic harp, 1 fiddler, 16 first violins, 14 second violins, 12 violas, 10 cellos, 8 contrabasses, 1 monochord, 1 sarangi, 3 guitars, 1 rebab, one lute, one tamboura.
 * Woodwinds: 1 Tin Whistle, 4 flutes, 1 pan flute, 3 oboes, 4 clarinets, 3 bassoons, 1 drone, 1 highland Bagpipe, 2 nay flute, 1 rhaita, 1 dizi, 1 shakuhachi.
 * Brass: 7 horns, 8 trumpets, 4 trombones, 1 tuba, at least four Didgeridoos.
 * Keyboard: 1 Grand Piano, 1 Grand Pipe Organ, 1 Musette, 1 Concertina.
 * Percussion: 2 sets (5-7) of Timpani. One percussionist on bass drum, one on 3 taiko drums, one on two tamtams, one on two snares and a side (or field) drum. extra three players: one on distressed piano, one on bell plates, one on second taiko or bass drum. 14 added Gamelan players: one on Kendhang, one on Kempli and Gong, five on Saron, three on Slenthem, one on Kenong, two on Bonang, one on Gambang, one on Finger Cymbals.
 * choir: 85-piece SATB choir, 55-piece boy choir, 60-piece all-male choir. Added players for all-male, all-women and all-bass choral sections.
 * Soloists: treble, boy soprano, altos, mezzo-sopranos, lyrical sopranos, soprano coloratura, bass-baritone.