Music heard in:

was intended for:

Scene Descriptions / Notes / Comments

CR 1-1 / Glamdring: 2:32 - 2:35

OST 1 / Foundations of Stone: 2:32 - 2:35

TE / EE1 : 2:32 - 2:35

Battle of the Maiar

In the film, the first choral outburst of "Mettana!" ("To the Death!") is dialed out. It would have gone between "Fly you fools!" and Gandalf's fall. Cut, almost certainly, so as not to overpower Frodo yelling "No!"

CR 1-2 / Elven Rope: 1:10 - 1:26

 EE1 : 6:05 - 6:21

Glimpse of Mordor

In the film, the scene following the Elven Rope sequence where Sam and Frodo come up a rise and into sight of Mordor is scored with a tracked rendition of the Evil Times motif (FOTR:CR:"The Nazgul", 5:10 - 5:26). Shore's original composition used a weary statement of the Shire theme.

Note: The unused section has to start a couple seconds before the tracked piece does in order to sync with the film...right after Frodo says "Real Elven rope."

CR 1-3 / Lost in Emyn Muil: 1:26 - 2:07

OST 2 / The Taming of Sméagol: 0:26 - 1:07

Lost on Emyn Muil

The unused choral piece is an excerpt from a cue written for an earlier cut of the scene. It's included here because Shore likes it a lot; the full piece will probably be included on the forthcoming "rarities disc".

CR 1-5 / Uglúk's Warriors: 1:26 - 1:41

EE1 : 16:50 - 17:05

Dropping the Elven Brooch

In the film, a choral passage intended to underscore the Uruks resuming their march was cut, though the instrumentals remain.

Magpie notes: this music is heard as Pippin is tearing at his brooch and spits it on the ground until the Uruk foot steps on it and the scene switches to our first glimpse of the Three Hunters.

CR 1-6 / The Three Hunters: 2:06 - 2:22

EE1 : 19:12 - 19:28

Establishing shot of Isengard

In the film, the establishing shots of Isengard are unscored, the music written for that section uses the Isengard Five-Beat.

CR 1-8 / Night Camp: 2:14 - 2:50

EE1 : 30:54 - 31:26

Raid on Orc Night Camp

In the film, the attack on the Orc camp uses music tracked from a couple other different places in the film, on the CR Shore's original cacophony of percussion, trumpets, and aleatoric French Horns is restored.

EE1 : 36:32 - 41:45

Tracking the footsteps of two little Hobbits

Fangorn meets Merry and Pippen

In this case, what was written as a single piece was edited quite a bit in the film, but in its original form can be played uninterrupted in conjunction with the visuals and still fit.

In the film, the opening 45 seconds that build as Aragorn begins to track the hobbits are cut.^[1] The short action piece as they run to the edge of Fangorn is intact. The marimba rendition of the Ent theme as the scene moves into the forest is cut,^[2] although the strings underneath remain in the film, as does the music for the subsequent chase sequence. Treebeard's awakening ("I am no tree!"), underscored by a reiteration of the same figure heard as they reached the edge of the forest, is replaced by music tracked in from Weathertop.^[3] The bassoon solo as Treebeard carries the Hobbits is not present;^[4] the final tense percussive phrases as he places them before the White Wizard are used in the film.

EE1 : 46:22 - 48:19

The Dead Marshes

In the film, the music leading up to the unused section has a different mix than the CR, but is still present. The unused music, starts at 3:11 with a blast of deep brass  -  -  familiar from the OST  -  -  as Frodo falls into the water. The half spoken, half sung choral passage is heard as he is surrounded by the ghosts.... another jolting explosion of brass is heard as Gollum pulls him out.^[5] The History of the Ring is partially stated as Frodo strokes the Ring later that night. More of the aleatoric device related to the Dead Marshes and partial brass hints at the Pity of Gollum are heard as Frodo hears Gollum lamenting the loss of his precious.^[6]

MORE INFO ON DEAD MARSHES MUSIC & SOUND

CR 1-12 / Wraiths on Wings: 0:31 - 2:07

EE1 : 49:04 - 50:39

Wraiths... Wraiths on Wings

The film version is the same length as the original composition, but is edited a bit; the Wraith theme isn't developed as fully, and some of the choir is toned down. I have no idea why it was edited, as the cue, as written and recorded, is scary as hell...or Mordor, rather.

CR 1-13 / Gandalf the White: 0:00 - 1:35

EE1 : 51:59 - 52:50

The CR music tracks well with the TE scene. The EE adds a little section where Legolas says, "They have feelings, my friend...." and ends with Gimli speaking of "squirrel droppings" This is not scored in the movie and the CR ignores this section, as well. The two versions sync once more as Legolas warns Aragorn (in Elvish) that 'Something is out there.' and the Three Hunters prepare to face Saruman, the White Wizard but neither use the CR music until Aragorn draws his sword.

Fan Credits / EE2: 2:04:33 - 2:04:58

TE : 43:17 - 43:42

EE1 : 53:10 - 53:42

The unused cue for the Balrog fight is in the fan credits, and it has yet another alternate; the beginning of it is Shore's original concept for Gandalf stepping out of the light and revealing himself to the Three Hunters.^[9] It opens with a short horn call, then moves into a setting of "The Fight" . It's a bit on the heavy side, and was replaced after someone in the editing room experimented with using the choral triplets—that utilize both "The Fight" and "The Call"—Shore had already written for Gandalf's appearance at Helm's Deep. The more mystical feel of it apparently fit the scene, so Shore rewrote it, and incorporated the triplets, and by using the motive twice, created the Gandalf the White theme.

CR 1-13 / Gandalf the White: 2:31 - 3:50

EE1 : 53:41 - 55:00

In an additional EE scene, the four stride through Fangorn and discuss riding to Edoras, Merry and Pippin, and the 'falling of small stones.' The music's score is identical to the CR up to the end of the choral piece. At that moment, the CR goes directly to the Shadowfax music but the EE scene extends on a few more seconds with Treebeard-ish woodwinds before Gandalf calls Shadowfax.

OST 9 / The White Rider: 0:40 - 2:28

TE : 45:19 - 47:06

Shadowfax's arrival at Fangorn

The OST has an alternate version of the music for Shadowfax's appearance. This earlier draft opens with a horn passage when Gandalf whistles for his steed (in the final version, this brief section is left unscored), and the choral piece begins with a greater emphasis on the female voices, and has string arpeggios (that are reprised in "Forth Eorlingas") instead of horns.

Again, it syncs better with the TE, the cue starts at 0:40 on the track, and lines up with Gimli saying "Gandalf." The unused section of the track is 1:01 - 2:00.

OST 16 / Forth Eorlingas: 0:00 - 0:58

The White Wizard's Reveal (2)

Yet another alternate for Gandalf being revealed to the Three Hunters...this one is essentially a longer version of what appears in the film, recorded for a lengthier cut of the scene, where, according to Doug Adams, "Gandalf simply took a bit longer to say hello."

A Brace of Coneys

This short cue was intended to underscore Gollum bringing Frodo the rabbits. Contrabass clarinet and bassoon play pathetic variations on the Hobbit Outline figure as Sméagol tries very hard to please nice Master. It ends as Sam informs him that there's only one way to eat a brace of coneys.^[10] Cut from the film because it's a bit too much on the comedic side....

EE1 : 1:43:21 - 1:43:39

The Haradrim

In the film, the brief militaristic piece (heard on the CR) for Frodo's first view of the Haradrim is replaced by the Mûmakil music, which makes it's intended entrance a short time later, therefore appearing twice, when it was only meant to accompany the sight of the Oliphaunts.^[11]

Also of note, the entire sequence that ends Disc One of the EE can by synced with the CD by using these timestamps: CR  2-6: 2:54 / EE: 1:42:50

Evenstar

Isabel Bayrakdarian's beautiful solo, familiar from the OST track, is not in the film mix for the scene where Aragorn recalls his conversation with Arwen; instead just the female choir and strings are heard. The CR uses it, as does the OST.

 CR 2-8 / The Wolves of Isengard: 0:00 - 2:41

EE2 : 8:24 - 11:05

Warg Riders

The CR version is much the same as the film, but with a few significant edits. The first is when Legolas spots the approaching Warg riders; the original composition uses a brass phrase to lead into a crescendo as the camera narrows in on his face (1:22 on the CR), then cuts to percussion as the shot goes back to the Wargs, then introduces the fiddle as it moves to the refugees. In the film, a short section of Khazad-Dûm is tracked in, leading to a similar crescendo, but not until just before it cuts to the Rohirrim.

The other major edit is at 2:09, as we again cut to the Wargs, this time charging straight for the Théoden and the Rohirrim. The film abruptly cuts off the choir and uses a tracked rendition of the Isengard theme, with the chains on piano percussion, a brief reprise of the choir, then some tracked in harsh brass chords as the armies are about to clash. The original composition intertwines the Isengard theme—with heavy drums and the low horns—with an extended rendition of "The Call".

It's thrilling, all out action piece...one of the best in the score. And there's such a greater sense of desperation to it, Shore's glorious setting of the "Where is the Horse and the Rider?" poem for Old English choir, calling back and forth with the primal horns, and contending with the relentless pounding of the drums. I love it. The edited piece in the film really doesn't match up.

CR 2-8 / The Wolves of Isengard: 1:22 - 2:08

OST-12 / Helm's Deep: 0:53 - 1:41

EE2 : 9:47 - 10:33

Lead them to Helm's Deep

The OST has an alternate passage for the part of the sequence where Théoden tells Éowyn to lead the people to Helm's Deep. The film (and CR) use a different mix that has a prominent fiddle instead of choir. Changed, I'm guessing, to reflect more of the vulnerable and emotional side of the Rohirrim and to be more specific to Éowyn. And, so as to not drown out the dialogue. I do love the choir on the OST though.

Magpie notes: In the movie, the choir from the OST 0:56-1:23, is not heard but the singing from 1:23 - 1:38 is in the movie (starting at 10:11) and on the CR (at 1:51)

The Army of Isengard

The first fourteen seconds, some rising brass chords, are unused in the film; they wouldn't have mixed well with the Orc chants, and there's more dramatic power when the Isengard theme comes in at that point of Saruman's speech.

EE2 : 20:06 - 21:58

Breath of Life

In the film, the first half of this track has some juggling around, some vocal lines are cut, and the alto flute solo meant for later is used as Aragorn mounts Brego. To sync the original cue to the film, note that you have to start it when Merry and Pippin see Saruman's army, a few seconds before the DVD chapter "Breath of Life" begins.

[12]: EE2 : 22:12 - 24:16

[13]: EE2 : 21:53 - 23:53

Arwen's Fate

The solo woodwind passage already partially used, Elrond's conversation with Arwen is left unscored in the movie. Isabel Bayrakdarian's vocals are then tracked in as Arwen sees her vision of the future, and death, and then a section of "Gilraen's Song" from FOTR (performed by Hilary Summers) is tracked in as she weeps. The original composition for this scene, the aforementioned flute solo over a bed of strings, is one of the score's dramatic highlights...the film edit suffers both from the looping, and from the way it suddenly jumps from one vocalist to another.

The entire original composition is heard here, unaltered.

re: the text in bold italic, I think Doug misspoke. The music heard during Arwen's vision is a replay of Isabel Bayrakdarian's vocals heard when Aragorn recalls his conversation with Arwen back in Rivendell (This is a dream...) and as heard on the OST, track 8; Evenstar: 0:00 - 0:30

Both versions have their own charm. I'll let you decide for yourself what you think.

CR 2-13 / Sons of the Steward: 0:59 - 1:36

Faramir's Dream

The music written for Faramir's dream, a setting of "The Death of Boromir", was mostly replaced by high pitched sound effects. To sync the whole cue up, start at 30:10 on the DVD, it plays till 32:12....

The Seduction of Faramir

Only about the first ten seconds of this cue was used in the film; The Seduction of the Ring theme as Faramir comes looking for the Ring is cut off by the "Ring sound", and the subdued strings that would have ended the cue as Frodo pulls away go unheard, as well.

CR 3-2 / War is Upon Us: 0:00 - 1:30

EE2 : 46:33 - 48:03

War is Upon Us

Three forlorn trumpet calls are woven into this composition as Théoden and the Three Hunters make their rounds of the battlements. When playing the cue against the film, the first call on the CR sounds over the long shot of Helm's Deep and Théoden's line "They will break upon this fortress as water on rock." (47:35)  -  -  this is also where we first hear a trumpet in the film, but in the film it's the trumpet call from 1:15, which has been edited in early, along with the ending of the cue. The place where the cue fades out the film (47:50) is the same place as where the second trumpet call would have gone, as Théoden begins to say "Within these walls..." Originally the cue would have faded out as Théoden says "What would you have me do?" (48:03)

Magpie notes: The CR from 0:00 - 0:35 lines up well with the EE. At 0:35, there's a slight pause that comes in the movie as Théoden says, "I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf." From 0:35 - 1:30 After that, the first phrase of CR is in the film. The music from approximately 0:48 - 1:00 is not in the movie (one phrase being snipped out) and from 1:00 - 1:18 the remaining phrase matches the movie starting with "They will break upon this fortress..." until just after "Within these walls..." (and just before, "...we will outlast them." I'm not so convinced that the entire piece as heard on the CR was meant to continue playing in the movie past, "Within these walls..." It's just possible that the CR music is a little longer than the scene itself. My thinking is the music on the CR from 1:00 - 1:30 mostly matches the EE from 46:33 - 47:50.

Either way, the difference here between the CR and the EE is very small.

EE2 : 56:40 - 57:12

The Men say we will not last out the night

These low strings, intended to underscore Aragorn's conversation with Haleth, were not used in the film. ^[14]

EE2 : 59:47 - 59:53

Elven Archers

This brief reprise of the Fellowship theme as the Elven archers stand at attention was cut as part of a creative decision to have the melody be associated exclusively with members of the Fellowship.

CR 3-4 / The Host of the Eldar: 2:43 - 2:50

EE2 : 1:02:40 - 2:47

Should I get you a box?

These two chords were not used in the film, they would have been heard after Legolas asks Gimli if he wants a box....

CR 3-9 / Master Peregrine's Plan: 1:54 - 2:19

EE2 : 1:21:24 - 21:49

Treebeard finds the devastation

As intended, this dark brass and strings passage would have been heard as Treebeard looks over the destroyed forest. ^[15]

CR 3-10 / Last March... Ents: 1:42 - 2:09

EE2 : 1:24:16 - 1:24:44

Orcs have taken the eastern shore of Osgiliath

Replaced in the film by the "Ring noise", these droning strings that threaten to turn into the Seduction theme would have been heard as Sam tries encourage Frodo after they have been taken to Osgiliath.

Magpie notes: I read this a little differently. I think the 'droning strings' Doug Adams refers to in the AS-TTT is heard from 1:56 - 2:09. The music heard on the CR at 1:42  with the EE at 1:24:06 (Faramir, the Orcs have taken the Eastern Shore.) and lasts till we hear Sam say, "Hold on Mr. Frodo. It'll be alright." From that moment, we can't hear Sam's words and the music on the CR becomes a steady drone. The drone lasts until we hear a crescendo of rushing air. (Just before Faramir says, "Take them to my father." 1:24:35)

CR 3-10 / Last March... Ents: 2:09 - 2:31

EE2 : 1:24:53 - 1:25:15

Take them to my father

This solo clarinet variation on the hobbit material would have underscored Sam's indignant speech to Faramir about how his brother died.

Magpie notes: Unless my DVD times stamps are reading differently from TTBK's, I'm lining this music up differently than he does, as well. 1:24:53 puts this 'hobbity music' starting when Sam says, "He tried to take the Ring" and 1:25:15 after the explosion and just before Sam says, "Mr. Frodo." I tried it by starting the music as soon as Sam begins speaking. This results in the dramatic peak at the end of the track happening in sync with Sam finishing his tirade against Faramir.

I've combined both of these two scenes ('Orcs have taken...' and 'Take them to my father') into one soundclip.  ^[16]

Ride out to meet them

The unused portion of the cue starts after Théoden says "What can men do against such reckless hate?". A militaristic drumbeat begins under the horn writing as Aragorn urges him to ride out. Then, as Gimli calls attention to the coming of dawn, and Gandalf's promise to return is recalled, the Gandalf the White theme returns. This time the rapid choral triplets are at the forefront, and they increase in intensity, leading to a crescendo that cuts out before Gimli blows the horn. (note: the choir fades under the horn call. If this had been used in the film, I imagine it would have been edited)

The film, of course, uses a tracked in rendition of The Reclamation of Nature from "The Last March of The Ents", which was the result of a decision by the filmmakers to emphasize the dramatic connection between Treebeard and Théoden's decisions to fight, as opposed to Shore's original composition  -  -  heard here  -  -  which highlights Gandalf's part in this, as the bringer of aid.

Magpie notes:

Again, I've lined this up slightly differently. There's a distinct 'note' at 1:28 (CR) that I matched with "Ride out with me". (1:27:17). This matches the last note of the choral crescendo on the CR (2:39) with Gimli's blow of the horn. Of course, the music on the CR track continues on for another 5 or 6 seconds, fading as the horn continues to blow and ends just before Théoden cries, "Forth Eorlingas" ^[17]

TTBK answered: Yes, actually. This isn't really an alternate piece of score....it's more like an unfinished version of what's heard in the CR and film. There's no indication that this version was ever what was going to be used in the film....I didn't think there was much to be gained from syncing it with the film...

The Destruction of Isengard

The music for the Ents destroying Isengard was apparently written for a version of the scene that was about 30 seconds longer than the final cut; this section of the cue, where the orchestral fury momentarily stills, with sustained string notes, would have been in the film right after the dam is broken and the water pours down into Isengard (the edit at 1:32:21 is very obvious if you know it's there). The quiet moment would have underscored the reaction shots from Saruman, Treebeard, and the Hobbits, then as the water filled the caverns, the brass would kick back in and then the choir.

Presumably, the edit was made either just because they wanted to trim the scene down a bit....or because it was preferred that the orchestra rage unabated.

Ringwraith at Osgiliath

This unused cue would have entered when the Nazgûl rises in front of Frodo at Osgiliath. The first several seconds of the encounter would still be punctuated only by the sound of the wings flapping, but after that, instead of going into the "Ring noise", droning strings similar to what is heard in "Last March of the Ents" would come in  -  -  again, evoking the "Seduction of the Ring". Harsh brass chords would come as Frodo nearly gives in and puts the Ring, but a string variation on the Fellowship theme would be heard as Sam knocks him down.

CR 3-13 / The Tales That Really Matter

OST-18 / Samwise The Brave

EE: 1:36:47 - 54

EE: 1:37:07 - 14

Sam's Speech

There are two edits for the album version of Sam's speech, both removing material used over reaction shots of Gollum: the first a held note, the other an extra downbeat chord. Both are necessary dramatically, but the music flows better in their absence.

The timestamps for the EE indicate music edited out of the CR and OST.

Huorns

The OST has the music for the TE transition from Osgiliath to Helm's Deep. This section was rescored for the EE, since the scene now moves to the Huorns, and that is what is heard on the CR.