Reprise Records Moves Heaven and Middle-Earth With Highly Anticipated Soundtrack for ``The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers''

Business Wire, Nov 22, 2002

Entertainment Editors

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 22, 2002

Soundtrack Features "Gollum's Song" Performed by Emiliana Torrini

Special Enhanced Audio CD Features Exclusive Multi-Media Content

Reprise Records and WMG Soundtracks have announced a December 10th release date for "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," the highly anticipated companion soundtrack to the upcoming New Line Cinema motion picture. The eagerly awaited film opens in theaters worldwide on December 18th.

Featuring music written, orchestrated and conducted by Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore, "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" brilliantly captures the adventure and excitement of the central film in director Peter Jackson's phenomenally popular epic trilogy. Like a filmmaker using varying shades of light and dark, Shore manipulates sound to create movie music rich with images. For his follow-up to last year's worldwide million plus selling "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," Shore brought back many of the magnificently resonant musical elements from the first film -- The London Philharmonic, The Voices of London, The Oratory School Schola Boys' Choir -- while adding beautiful new voices such as stunning soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian and Asian dance-pop sensation Sheila Chandra to sing the music of Middle-earth. Among the album's many highlights is "Gollum's Song," sung by pixie-ish chanteuse Emiliana Torrini. The critically acclaimed Italian/Icelandic singer lends grace and passion with a spellbinding voice that's been compared to the likes of Massive Attack and Bjork.

Recorded in the U.K. at the Colosseum at the Watford Town Hall and the world famous Abbey Road Studios, "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" also features the evocative vocals of former Cocteau Twins singer Elizabeth Fraser, and the bell-toned voice of boy soloist Ben Del Maestro. The disc's rapturous blend of lush textures, unique multi-cultural instrumentation and hauntingly sublime melodies creates a musical tapestry that matches and echoes J.R.R. Tolkien's otherworldly tale.

Of Shore's work, Jackson says, "No matter how many great performances or exciting visuals we have continued to put together for the second film in the Tolkien trilogy, we have found that it is all somewhat two dimensional until we add the emotional heart of Howard Shore's music. Then, and only then, does the whole film come to life."

Adds Paul Broucek, Executive Vice President of Music at New Line Cinema and the album's co-Executive Music Producer: "Listening to the breathtaking music Howard Shore has created for 'The Two Towers' is like seeing the movie time and time again. You just close your eyes, open your ears and the whole film unfolds before you. Howard's score is incredibly visual, evocative and narrative."

The initial run of the standard jewel case package for "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" features an insert of one of five exclusive collectable character cards from the movie. In addition, the disc features an enhanced CD with bonus multi-media content, one exclusive online trading card, Screensavers, and Buddy Icons. Fans can also watch a behind-the-scenes making of the score and a score music video.

Reprise are also offering a special limited edition version of "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers." It is beautifully packaged in a gold foil embossed, dark blue leatherette CD wallet containing a 20-page CD booklet. The package is also custom belly banded. Included on the disc is the audio exclusive of the "Farewell To Lorien (featuring Hilary Summers)" from "The Fellowship of the Ring" -- a five-minute-long previously unreleased score from the first film. This special limited edition package contains all the enhanced CD elements of the jewel case package plus the following enhanced exclusives: a Two Tower's image gallery, two exclusive online trading cards, as well as lyrics and poems.

For the ultimate "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" fan, Reprise will make available online an "Internet Limited Edition" version of "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers." Available only online, it is stunningly packaged in a gold foil embossed, rich brown leatherette CD wallet that also contains a 20-page CD booklet. This package is also custom belly banded and includes everything the above-mentioned dark blue special package has as well as all five of the exclusive character cards from the movie. The following additional enhanced CD exclusives are also included: Printed maps of Middle-earth, Rohan and Gondar, a print and color character set, an exclusive trailer to the film's next chapter, "The Return of the King" and more.

The sequel to last year's Oscar-winning film "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Two Towers" follows the continuing quest of Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship that has joined together to destroy the One Ring. The Fellowship has been divided and an ominous shadow is once more spreading across the lands of Middle-earth. An unholy alliance has been formed between Two Towers: Orthanc, the stronghold of the corrupted wizard Saruman and Barad-dur, the fortress of the Dark Lord Sauron. Now, even as Frodo continues his desperate quest to destroy the One Ring, his destiny and those of the remaining members of the Fellowship is held between the shadows cast by The Two Towers. One will affect the Ringbearer and his loyal companion; the other will seek to destroy the world of Men.