Howard Leslie Shore OC (born October 18, 1946) is a Canadian composer who i… Read Full Bio ↴Howard Leslie Shore OC (born October 18, 1946) is a Canadian composer who is notable for his film scores. He has composed the scores for over 80 films, most notably the scores for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. He won three Academy Awards for his work on the first trilogy, with one being for the original song "Into the West", an award he shared with Eurythmics lead vocalist Annie Lennox and writer/producer Fran Walsh, who wrote the lyrics. He is also a consistent collaborator with director David Cronenberg, having scored all but one of his films since 1979.

Shore has also composed a few concert works including one opera, The Fly, based on the plot of Cronenberg's 1986 film premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on July 2, 2008, a short piece Fanfare for the Wanamaker Organ and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and a short overture for the Swiss 21st Century Symphony Orchestra. In addition to his three Academy Awards, Shore has also won three Golden Globe Awards and four Grammy Awards.

Howard Shore was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the son of Bernice (née Ash) and Mac Shore. Shore is Jewish. He started studying music at the age of 8 or 9. He learned a multitude of instruments and began playing in bands at the ages of 13 and 14. When Shore was 13, he met and became good friends with a young Lorne Michaels in summer camp, and this friendship would later be influential in his career. By 17, he decided he wanted to pursue music in his adult life too. He studied music at Berklee College of Music in Boston after graduating from Forest Hill Collegiate Institute.

From 1969 to 1972, Shore was a member of the jazz fusion band Lighthouse. In 1970, he became the music director for Lorne Michaels and Hart Pomerantz's short-lived TV program The Hart & Lorne Terrific Hour. Shore wrote the music for Canadian magician Doug Henning's magic musical Spellbound in 1974 and, from 1975 to 1980, he was the musical director for Lorne Michaels' influential late-night NBC comedy show Saturday Night Live, appearing in many musical sketches, including Howard Shore and His All-Nurse Band, and dressed as a beekeeper for a John Belushi/Dan Aykroyd performance of the Slim Harpo classic "I'm a King Bee". Shore also suggested the name for The Blues Brothers to Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.

Since 2004, he has toured the world conducting local orchestras in the performance of his new symphonic arrangement of his highly acclaimed Lord of the Rings scores. The new work is entitled The Lord of the Rings: Symphony in Six Movements. There are two movements for each of the movies, and an intermission between the second and third (or first and second film titles) movements. The concert presentation of the symphony also includes projected still images of sketches by John Howe and Alan Lee relating the music being performed to scenes from the films. Recently, however, Shore has been busy with other projects, leaving other conductors including Markus Huber, Ludwig Wicki, Alexander Mickelthwaite, and John Mauceri to lead the orchestras.

April 24, 2008 marked the North American Live to Projection debut of Fellowship of the Ring, with the score performed live by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ludwig Wicki. Wicki also conducted the Filene Center Orchestra at the Wolf Trap Farm Park in Vienna, Virginia on May 21 and 22, 2008 in the U.S. premiere of the Fellowship of the Ring Live to Projection.

September 16, 2010 Shore conducted the RSO Vienna (Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra) which performed "In Dreams from The Fellowship of the Ring" at Hollywood in Vienna in Vienna, Austria. Shore was commissioned by Macy's to write a Fanfare for the Store's 150th anniversary featuring the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Wanamaker Organ, the world's largest playing pipe organ. The work was debuted in the Grand Court of Macy's Philadelphia Store on September 27, 2008 in a concert that drew reviews from most of the major East Coast newspapers.

Shore's opera The Fly had its world premiere performance at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on July 2, 2008 and its United States premiere at Los Angeles Opera on September 7, 2008. The production was directed by David Cronenberg and conducted by Plácido Domingo. The Fly had a new production mounted by Theatre Trier in Germany in 2014 staged by Sebastian Welker and conducted by Joongbae Jee.

Shore was commissioned by the Beijing Music Festival to write Ruin and Memory, a piano concerto, for renowned pianist Lang Lang. The world premiere was on October 11, 2010 performed by Lang Lang, The China Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Long Yu. His second concerto, Mythic Gardens, premiered April 27, 2012 with Sophie Shao on cello solo, The American Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Leon Botstein.

Shore's song cycle A Palace Upon the Ruins premiered in 2014 at the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival and at the La Jolla SummerFest featuring mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano. A Palace Upon the Ruins is a song cycle of six songs with words by Elizabeth Cotnoir.

Sea to Sea was commissioned by New Brunswick Youth Orchestra in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation and premiered on July 2, 2017 in Moncton, New Brunswick with soloist Measha Brueggergosman and Antonio Delgado conducting. Sea to Sea has lyrics by Elizabeth Cotnoir.

The song cycle L’Aube premiered October 19 & 20, 2017 in Toronto at Roy Thompson Hall conducted by Peter Oundjian and performed by soloist Susan Platts and commissioning orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. L’Aube consists of five songs with text by Elizabeth Cotnoir.

The Forest a guitar concerto composed for Miloš Karadaglić will premiere in Ottawa on May 1 & 2, 2019 with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Alexander Shelley conducting.

In addition to writing the original theme song for Saturday Night Live, as well as the closing theme, Shore also co-wrote the theme song for Late Night with Conan O'Brien with John Lurie. The theme was carried over to The Tonight Show when O'Brien succeeded Jay Leno as host.

Shore narrated a one-hour CBC Radio documentary/soundscape on music in thriller/suspense film genres also including references to radio dramas and other media. The episode was called "Unsettling Scores" and premiered on the program called Inside the Music.

Shore is married to Elizabeth Cotnoir, a writer, producer and documentary filmmaker. He has a daughter, Mae.[35] He is the uncle of film composer Ryan Shore.

As of 2004, Shore lives in Tuxedo Park, New York.

still
Howard Shore Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I am the harm that you inflict
I am your brilliance and frustration
I'm the nuclear bombs if theyÂ´re to hit
I am your immaturity and your indignance

I am your misfits and your praises
I am your doubt and your conviction
I am your charity and your rape

I am your grasping and expectation

I see you averting your glances
I see you cheering on the war
I see you ignoring your children

And I love you still
And I love you still

I am your joy and your regret
I am your fury and your elation
I am your yearning and your sweat
I am your faithless and your religion

I see you altering history
I see you abusing the land
I see you and your selective amnesia

And I love you still
And I love you still

I am your tragedy and your fortune
I am your crisis and delight
I am your profits and your prophets
I am your art I am your bytes

I am your death and your decisions
I am your passion and your plights
I am your sickness and convalescence
I am your weapons and your light

I see you holding your grudges
I see you gunning them down
I see you silencing your sisters

And I love you still
And I love you still

I see you lie to your country
I see you forcing them out
I see you blaming each other

And I love you still
And I love you still

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Howard Shore's "Still" are a complex and emotional exploration of human nature and the many contradictions and dualities that exist within us all. The singer of the song presents themselves as a kind of omnipresent force, embodying both the worst and best aspects of humanity: "I am the harm that you inflict...I am your charity and your rape...I am your joy and your regret...I am your profits and your prophets."

Throughout the song, the singer observes humanity engaging in both destructive and loving behaviors, from cheering on wars to ignoring their own children, from abusing the land to performing charitable acts. The singer sees humanity for all its flaws and contradictions, including selective memory, grudges, blame, and silencing of marginalized voices.

Despite all of this, though, the singer declares that they still love humanity: "And I love you still...And I love you still." This love is almost confounding and mysterious - even when confronted with the worst parts of humanity, the singer's love remains unwavering. Perhaps the singer represents something larger than humanity itself, something that sees beyond our individual actions and embraces us unconditionally.

Overall, "Still" is a powerful and thought-provoking meditation on the complexities of being human, and the capacity for love and compassion that exists within even the darkest corners of our hearts.

Line by Line Meaning

I am the harm that you inflict
I am the negative consequences of your actions

I am your brilliance and frustration
I am your creativity and your disappointments

I'm the nuclear bombs if theyÂ´re to hit
I am the destruction and fear caused by war

I am your immaturity and your indignance
I am your lack of experience and your rebellion against authority

I am your misfits and your praises
I am your outcasts and your moments of celebration

I am your doubt and your conviction
I am your uncertainties and your firm beliefs

I am your charity and your rape
I am your acts of kindness and your acts of violence

I am your grasping and expectation
I am your desires and your anticipation

I see you averting your glances
I see you avoiding eye contact

I see you cheering on the war
I see you encouraging and supporting war

I see you ignoring your children
I see you neglecting your responsibilities as a parent

And I love you still
Despite all of the negative things I am associated with, I still love you

I am your joy and your regret
I am your moments of happiness and your feelings of sorrow

I am your fury and your elation
I am your anger and your excitement

I am your yearning and your sweat
I am your desires and your hard work to achieve them

I am your faithless and your religion
I am your lack of belief and your spiritual practices

I see you altering history
I see you changing the course of events in the past

I see you abusing the land
I see you mistreating and damaging the environment

I see you and your selective amnesia
I see you forgetting certain things while remembering others

I am your tragedy and your fortune
I am your moments of sorrow and your strokes of luck

I am your crisis and delight
I am your difficult situations and your pleasures

I am your profits and your prophets
I am your financial gains and your spiritual leaders

I am your art I am your bytes
I am your creative works and your technological innovations

I am your death and your decisions
I am your mortality and your choices

I am your passion and your plights
I am your enthusiasm and your struggles

I am your sickness and convalescence
I am your illnesses and your recovery

I am your weapons and your light
I am your tools of violence and your sources of illumination

I see you holding your grudges
I see you harboring resentments

I see you gunning them down
I see you killing in cold blood

I see you silencing your sisters
I see you preventing women from having a voice

I see you lie to your country
I see you deceiving your nation

I see you forcing them out
I see you expelling people from their homes or countries

I see you blaming each other
I see you accusing others for faults or mistakes

And I love you still
Despite all of the negative things I am associated with, I still love you

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALANIS MORISSETTE, JOEL SHEARER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

The Kai Eros Experience

1y↑16

No matter what happens in my life… what an absolute blessing to be alive when this masterpiece was created.

All parties cared.

It shows.

To experience beauty this profound is worth living for.

Perfection in my opinion. All aspects of these films.

All comments from YouTube:

Listening In

3y↑675

Hi everyone - I really hope you enjoyed the video. If you did, do check out my other film score analyses (currently 20 of them, including ones on Interstellar and Star Wars): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIlrdv4_CLJrpRfyyFNBKAGTU7BwpWhj_

Danny Lyons

3y↑10

Keep up the good work! The LOTR Video Essays are excellent, as is everything else. You are incredibly talented!

Zarrow

3y↑3

The music makes me so emotional that I literally cannot watch this video. I'll save it in my watch later for now.

Clarissa Jordan

3y↑1

This was SO excellent! Would you consider making a video on the music of GoT? (Specifically how Dany’s theme changes throughout her storyline?)

Troy Ancona

3y↑2

The LOTR series was excellent, thank you for doing them! Have you thought about doing something on the elven culture in LOTR or maybe dwarves ?

Sr. Nicole Cancel

You should do a collaboration with Sideways! He does similar content, but with a different style. I absolutely love this video <3

20 More Replies...

Shashwat

3y↑7.9K

JRR Tolkein cared. Peter Jackson Cared. Howard Shore Cared. Now, we all care. To the point that the generations to come will care through us. This film makes me believe in what sam said, "There's some good in the world, and it's worth fighting for." LOTR is one of them.

Blake

3y↑179

There is a reason I put that quote as my senior quote from my high school yearbook nearly 20 years ago. These stories resonate deeply with me. They speak to honor, dignity, love, sacrifice, and ultimately, purpose and meaning. The kinds of emotions that build within me when I hear Howard Shores' score are indescribable and completely consume me. The books were the beginning, and Peter Jackson's movies, accompanied by Howard Shores' score at the climax.

Shashwat

3y↑87

@Blake I didn't know if the films could do justice to the book but what a solid work has the team done. These films are hope.

Alison of the Shire

3y↑60

Your comment made me cry...and that is a very good thing. There is so much truth in what you say.

Shashwat

3y↑28

@Alison of the Shire that makes me feel very good. I am sure that you're a good and hopeful person. Thank you.

Alison of the Shire

3y↑26

@Shashwat Thank you for your kind words, they mean a lot. It has been a tough year for all of us on this planet, but hope and kindness are the two things that will see us through to the other side.

91 More Replies...

Automaton

2y↑1.2K

The only scene in any movie that consistently makes me cry is the boat scene right at the end of Fellowship, I can't explain why, it's just such a perfect moment with such a perfect score behind it.

Mordheyn

2y↑59

Friendship, loyalty and love

GimlitheBrave

2y↑21

Same man, pretty much the only one. It’s just sheer perfection, plain and simple.

brunskies92

2y↑7

Same here. Perfect scene with perfect music

Malenia, Elden lord

2y↑26

For me it’s the end of return of the king when Gandalf and Frodo leave 😢

brunskies92

2y↑17

@Malenia, Elden lord that's a close second for me. When Frodo and Sam have the final hug and the music swells up; Shore is such a master of translating and pairing emotion to music

25 More Replies...

shenaNickans

2y↑632

The version of "Grey Havens" behind Gandalf and Pippin's conversation about death never fails to make me cry. The actual dialogue, the slowness of it in the chaos of the Battle of Minas Tirith, and the music is absolutely perfect.

Jared

1y↑12

if you’re looking for the song name it’s called “A far green country”

Samuel Smith

1y↑7

I literally ball everytime I hear "A far green country"

JD

1y↑9

The little nod from gandalf to pippin, as if to say "ok, here we go, but I'm with you"

Jared Cooper

1y↑3

Literally just watched it yesterday and absolutely love the whole scene. Sir Ian's acting is on point there. The true kindness and love in his smile as he turns his head to share how death isn't the end but the beginning of the next journey

TheDionysiac

1y↑1

@Jared Cooper As a kid I laughed at this scene. Pippin seems like he's expecting a secret way out of there only to hear "Death is just another path..." But as Gandalf describes what it's like over that warm embrace of a score, I was welling up before I knew what was happening.

1 More Replies...

xslonk

3y↑1.9K

No one will ever convince me out of the idea, that this trilogy is the high water mark of cinema for all time.

Brennan Walden

2y↑85

Truth. I feel so grateful to have been among those who were able to experience this in theaters. At the time, there was no experience in cinema like this anywhere. It was truly groundbreaking; from a storytelling standpoint, to the acting and certainly the special effects, we’d just never seen anything like this. I don’t think future generations will ever truly understand what an impact these films had on all of us.

Darío Sánchez

2y↑6

Agreed

Doctor Reed

2y↑86

I believe that's lowballing. this trilogy, both book and film, is the high water mark for storytelling in human history.

FanaticShadow_

1y↑23

@Doctor Reed and the music. Do not forget that also the music alone does give us strong emotions

JakeSullyCM

1y↑26

actually most people agree the LOTR trilogy is the best thing cinema has offered us absent some whiny star war fans.

47 More Replies...

DaddyBlasphemy

1y↑118

“One does not simply listen to Howard Shore without drawing a tear or two”

Samuel Cohen

2y↑1.3K

I don't think I've ever cried as much watching a video on YouTube. You are an astounding essayist. Masterpiece.

Cyrus Fields

2y↑5

Seconded and thirded.

Frogyodel

2y↑4

Fourthed.

Davide De Francesco

2y↑4

Fifthed

The Last Homely House

1y↑4

Sixthed!

Jessica Jones

1y↑2

Precisely why I'm here to comment! A masterpiece indeed.

13 More Replies...

Dre Drexler

3y↑521

Thank you for creating such a touching video. 🙌 Very glad to have stumbled upon this.
This is my favorite trilogy & score of all time.

N

3y↑12

Amen

Listening In

3y↑28

Thank you so much Dre! It’s my pleasure. Glad you found the video.

cryhavoc38

1y↑60

8:22 still gives me the chills. The acting and that music! Sean Astin should have won a best supporting actor Oscar. No other character in the three films made the audience as emotional as Samwise did.

Juan Gonzales

2y↑218

i’m not crying, you’re crying. i love this trilogy so much!!! cant wait to let my kids watch this when they’re old enough.

Stalin of the internet

2y↑1

I started watching it when I was six. Pathetic.

MacDog

@Stalin of the internet whats pathetic?

jeneriss

1y↑4

My two older kids (16 and 14) watched it for the first time with me this year. I can't even describe how it felt to experience the movies for the first time again through them. They love it now, too.

Lizzy Joe

1y↑4

My parents had all me and all of my four siblings watch this trilogy before the age of three. I am so glad they did… it will always be my favourite film series ever. A lot of things that I got to experience before I probably should have now carry most of my early memories from when I was three or four. Things like playing halo 3 and reach with my family when I was four and watching the Lott when I was three. Even though I can’t remember a single moment from anything before the age of five besides ones like these. The emotions that the Lott has is just so powerful that it’s all I can remember from my early life. I’m really grateful that I was able to experience this early because most of the people it age only watched it when they were older like ten or eleven and they just don’t understand it. A lot of the people my age like most of the new movies coming out from Disney and marvel and stuff and they like the hobbit more than the Lotr and I think it is because they don’t have the emotional tie that I have to these things. Too bad I wont get the same feeling again because I won’t be three again and I really don’t think that there will be another masterpiece like this ever again because companies just want money. They don’t care about the final project or if it really is good. They just want to do the least amount of work for the most amount of money. Tolkien cared about his work, Jackson cared about keeping the emotions and awesomeness of it and Shore cared about having the most emotional music ever. I’m going to cry myself to sleep now…

ThatGuy_52

2y↑1.7K

"Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you. But I can carry you" tears every single time I watch it and hear it. Such a perfect score for a perfect moment in a near perfect story.

Aves

2y↑40

Samwise Gamgee, the truest of Chads

The Visitor

2y↑15

Samwise Gamgee, the true hero of lotr.

Aleyks_

2y↑11

"Near perfect" ? It is a perfect story !

Samuel

2y↑7

goosebumps shake my body everytime without fail

dauferm

2y↑8

The idea of a what a true friendship is, indeed. If only we were all so lucky to have a friend as loyal as Sam.

7 More Replies...

Jordan White

2y↑94

Excellent analysis. “But this music is also comforting, existing at the place between joy and sorrow.” Beautifully put. The term I would use for this is nostalgic.

Tichondrius1

3y↑132

This trilogy was not just a movie, it was art, every second of it.

sthiel126

38w↑6

*IS art...

Dylan Wolfram

3y↑2.9K

The Shire music is some of the most touching music I’ve ever heard or will ever hear in my life.

Jokerlord 97

3y↑13

Agreed!

Ulrike Steinhauser

3y↑46

Best Score ever! Still my favorite to this day. Howard Shore is a genius.

simmme

3y↑6

Totally agree!

Jason Windsor

3y↑25

It’s so simple & beautiful that it has somehow become interwoven with my own sense of bittersweet nostalgia associated with childhood years.

Connor Dickerson

3y↑13

To me it sounds like being at true peace with oneself.

8 More Replies...

Hi Hi

1y↑42

I'm sure someone already said this, but the "The Grey Havens" theme is used for "Into the West", the song on the end credits of The Return of the King. It's so beautiful and melancholy.

elmertjee

2y↑129

There are many unbelievably great scores, and I have listened to so many of them. But the score of the Lord of the Rings has always been the one for me. THE best out of them all. The complexity, emotion and plain world shaping music that came out of these three masterpieces I think will forever be my absolute favorite music albums of all time. Beyond epic.

Ranjeev Grewal

2y↑8

The One Score to rule them all

ZANGO

1y↑2

@Ranjeev GrewalI WAS LITERALLY JUST GOING TO WRITE THAT

PubicGore

2y↑463

I'm a grown man and I started bawling my eyes out watching this video. Crying with amazement, and memory of these movies. The soundtrack is so amazing, so fitting. So well put together. I doubt there will be another trilogy as good as this before a long time.

IronSoulElf

2y↑12

Nothing wrong with that, dude. I do it too, and probably others. These movies mean so much to me.

Tiph

2y↑8

It's really time to leave behind the idea that a grown man shedding tears is surprising or shocking. Aragorn cried when Boromir died. Having emotions does not make you less of a man. It makes you human.

Mr. GoodKat

@Tiph People are focused on making themselves less than human all the time by trying to align as much as possible with an additional identity "man" is just one of these usually just the most insecure and desperate but not the only identity which makes us less human, they pretty much all do, it's a psychological disorder really.

TheKazragore

43w↑1

I don't think we will see another film project like this in our lifetimes. It was a once-in-a-generation confluence of events which brought us it that I doubt will be replicated in a hot minute.

Claire Marie Spencer

1y↑36

The Grey Havens theme is a perfect example of simplicity in music being more powerful than complexity. It is truly an incredibly simple tune, both harmonically and melodically, and yet, it pulls my heart and soul. Music is awesome

Jon Flynn

2y↑145

As a lifelong Lord of the Rings fan that grew up in a house filled with music, this is the best video on YouTube.

Nicoline Johansson

3y↑3.6K

The lord of the rings is the only movies that leave me in tears no matter how many times I have seen them. I even cry from seeing an analytical youtube video of them..

Anoncast911

3y↑164

Ugh same here. When Sam said he could carry Frodo I was hit with a wave of emotion and I was like wtf why does this always happen

Vincenzo de Leon

3y↑120

I'm tearing up just reading your comment and the video isn't even playing yet

go-beyond_plus-ultra

3y↑10

Amen!

Ezekiel Bulloch

3y↑8

Amen indeed

ian page

3y↑7

I get shivers.

33 More Replies...

Fr. Patrick Behm

1y↑89

This is the most brilliant YouTube video I’ve ever seen. I’m using these films for a course I’m teaching to high school seniors. A key component of that course is the transcendental of beauty and what it can teach us. I plan on showing this video in my course. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. This captures everything I want to convey to my students, but can’t, since I’m not trained as a musician.

Owen R

1y↑3

Also check out Like Stories of Old’s 2-part analysis of LOTR. Actually, check out everything that guy does…! Best of luck with your class

Hypnotic Tango

34w

Tolkien lifted the story from Wagner

Munchkin of Pern

1y↑29

The Grey Haven theme always makes me cry, now - “Into the West” was my childhood lullaby, and it brings such an intense feeling of comfort even when you’re surrounded by pain and hardship that I can’t help but weep with the sheer relief.

Robert Galster

3y↑85

I honestly believe there will never be a film as meaningful, pure and as important and timeless as the Lord of the rings. They are the greatest films ever made and may ever be made. I love movies.. but these have always and will always be may favourite films.

Hypnotic Tango

34w

Just wait until you find out that the story was lifted from Wagner

The Kai Eros Experience

1y↑16

Christian Amit

3y↑70

I think in these 15 minutes, you have so eloquently demystified the scenes wherein some ways, the Shire is mentioned during the Trilogy. It is the music that so powerfully moves us as we deeply care about the purity and simplicity of Shire.

I think, all of us, LOTR fans, in some ways, have a longing for a place like the Shire, through our own unique life experiences.

Thank you. (1000+ likes). You have encouraged me to watch the movies one more time to simply relish the background score of Howard Shore...

mr. ma'at

3y↑1.8K

What Shore did for Lord of the Rings was masterful and on the level of Bach, Mozart, Verdi and Wagner.

It’s nothing short of breathtaking.

The Hunter

3y↑37

You're damn right

Nicholas Vredenburg

3y↑106

The whole process of making these movies is really just wild if you sit back and think about it. I don't think it would happen today unless they had a whooooooole bunch of very dedicated people.

Elizabeth Sedai

3y↑36

Like, seriously. After Mozart's requiem, the LOTR soundtrack is one of my favorite pieces of music anywhere!

The Elden Lord

3y↑48

@Nicholas Vredenburg A lot of things came together at the right time to create a piece of utter perfection. Some might call it luck, others destiny.

Piano Dan

3y↑27

@Nicholas Vredenburg before LOTR, I don’t think it happened since Star Wars where every aspect of the movie was created by one-in-a-million genius visionaries. In both Star Wars and LOTR, every aspect is breathtaking and incredible. But LOTR is the greatest trilogy ever made, for me

20 More Replies...

Dynter

49w↑25

The Lord of the Rings is perfect cinema. There isn't anything as beautiful as the trilogy. It's simply breathtaking and amazing. The music is iconic.

Biondani Studios

2y↑25

Every single detail in that movie is a Masterpiece !

Details to the costumes,
Music
Landscape
Acting

Joshua Hill

2y↑71

This is sublime. A simply perfect video. If there arent TV stations or production companies banging down your door to create more of these, then the world truly has gone insane.

Justin Schwab

1y↑16

This made me bawl man. I've haven't cried so hard since I was a kid. This is way to many memories. I want to thank you and be mad at the same time. Thank you for bringing it back.

Kurtsiecolferite S

2y↑59

The Lord of The Rings score by Howard Shore is one of the most beautiful, emotional soundtracks of all time. The LOTR trilogy music is timeless and will live on for generations to come. I found this analysis fascinating. Thank you for this video! Howard Shore is truly a genius.

Also, Into The West is one of my favorite songs of all time.

Cristi Neagu

3y↑1.4K

"We don't cry because something is sad, we cry because something is more beautiful than we expected it to be."

BatNick

3y↑44

True beauty brings out the biggest tears. Its these things we keep in our hearts till the end.

ApplePie

2y↑12

-Sun Tzu, the Art of War

ohifonlyx33

2y↑33

That's why Gandalf says not all tears are an evil.

Goku17yen

2y↑11

@BatNick well said

Jan Marten Locher

Yes!

3 More Replies...

J Dillon

1y↑15

I've got tears running down my face. Understanding how the music brings a deeper layer of emotion to an already powerful story is eye opening. THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!

Maddy Harvey

1y↑16

Every time I hear any of the shire themes, this wave of comfort and joy washes over me. It just means so much to me.

JR

1y↑14

I was completely unprepared for this video. The emotional rollercoaster of the beautiful music and the memories that accompany it, and then narrated so vividly... thank you for this masterpiece of a video.

Felaróf

1y↑13

This Soundtrack is a masterpiece. Even after listening and watching the movie for over 20 years you can still expericence something new.

The Straight Road

3y↑8

You’ve created a small masterpiece here…and reopened the longing felt by those who truly love Tolkien’s works and the beauty that has come from them. It’s the yearning that lets me know that this world is not, ultimately, my true home.

TheNinkyN0nk

3y↑1.5K

That damned look the Hobbits have when they realize Frodo is leaving is the only thing in any film that constantly breaks me

Nicholas Vredenburg

3y↑105

They realized he was going to a place that they couldn't follow. Only Sam could. He wanted Rosie Cotton but wanted to help his bff more than his own interests. Samwise Gamgee is one of, if not, my most favorite character.

TheNinkyN0nk

3y↑67

@Nicholas Vredenburg same here, Sam is the pinacle of selflessness

Maya

3y↑66

Sam, Legolas, and Gimli all end up going Valinor. Merry and Pippin go to Minas Tirith to be with Aragorn, and Pippin's son and Faramir's grandson end up finishing the book.

Diane Wood

3y↑4

@Maya Did Sam give the book 📖 to his daughter

Nicholas Vredenburg

3y↑25

@TheNinkyN0nk exactly. It's all what , I feel, we should strive to be. It would make our world better if everyone was selfless. P.S. my other scenes that make me tear up or cry are boromirs death and my friends, you bow to no one.

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Cosmic_Kid

2y↑10

You only know how much a good story has touched your soul when you find yourself reminiscing of its world and lore, and are overcome with a nostalgia that’s feels as real as anything you’ve ever experienced in your own life. Music only intensifies that nostalgia

Cosmic_Kid

30w

This is so true. LOTR, the Witcher series and games, and GoT (minus 7 and 8) all had this in their own way.

38MienaiKaze

2y↑32

"I can’t carry it for you… but I can carry you!"

BEST MOMENT IN LOTR

and with the best musical moment in the whole trilogy

SPC74

2y↑11

It's actually all rather mind-boggling. These scores are for me, the greatest. They turn an already staggering film (I count all three as one film) in to, in my opinion, the best film of all time. The sad realisation dawned on me in the years that followed, that we'll never see its like again. And I truly believe that. They are perfection, never to be equalled.

Nostalgia Served

2y↑27

On the behalf of humanity...

Howard Shore, THANKYOU!!!

Nick Hampton Music

3y↑17

I got goosebumps like 18 times watching this video. Such a beautiful interweaving of music, art, writing and acting. And well presented, once again! Thanks, mate.

Sarah Ogborn

4y↑1.1K

Absolutely incredible. Was tearing up in the beginning just hearing “the Breaking of the Fellowship”. This series you’ve done is so amazing and I so appreciate you putting the time and effort and talent into them!

Listening In

4y↑62

Thank you Sarah. That means a huge amount. They have been a lot of effort, but it’s worth it to receive comments like this.

Mark D

3y↑9

@Listening In 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

themoonformending

2y↑9

Speaking as someone raised on classical music and who absolutely loves film scores, this is my new favorite YouTube channel. Musical theory and compositional structure, told by the soul of a poet… you, sir have made my day.

Nathaniel Frias

2y↑21

Howard Shore understood the assignment 👏 absolute masterpieces of music can be found in the Lord of the Rings

BlackMethos

3y↑7

Howard Shore's music for this masterpiece is - in combination with the movies and their scenes themself - among the things that make me genuinely cry.
I love it.

EParKer 1211

1y↑6

I cried three times watching this video. That just goes to show how impactful Howard Shore's score for Lord of the Ring is

Æowyn

1y↑8

Well, l cried. Howard Shore is simply incredible, and this breaking down of his work was brilliant. I love how he so fully understands the timbre of the instruments and where to use them

Fergus Reid

3y↑477

In my mind, no films will ever top LOTR, and no one will ever top Howard Shore. An absolute master of his craft.

Reen Collett

3y↑2

Well said Fergus, and how wonderfully the music was explained by Listening In

Butterball3588

3y↑1

Thing is, you had a lot of producers actually care about the good story on which this movie was based. They were willing to spend the money to make a great film, not a senseless cash grab with cheap cgi, poor plot and character development.

CODINE80

3y↑8

@Butterball3588 And that is why all three movies received so many oscars..especially the last one. It was an unimaginable experience for me when i saw every one of the movies at cinema. In 2001 i tried with a friend to find tickets and we only found first row for the Fellowship.. the whole scene in Moria, having only 5-10 meters away from our face the bridge confrontation of Blarog with Gandalf and imagining scenes like this only while we were playing D&D and Hero Quest, was something words cant describe.

Butterball3588

3y↑2

@CODINE80 front row would have been crazy!

CODINE80

3y↑2

@Butterball3588 I have seen countless movies since then but the Lotr, Hobbit and Blade Runner where the only ones that gave me chills and goosebumps...they became unforgetable for me through the years. i am waiting to see if Dune will deliver that level of experience. Everyone says it will.

4 More Replies...

Monika Allia Hüttlová

1y↑6

After all those years, it's still close to impossible to hear the music and not become emotional. The films and the music have changed my life. The soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece! Thank you for this video 😊😊

Kyle

42w↑4

The fact that a bunch of us probably hear this music and tear up speaks volumes to the sheer magnificence of these films

Fried Chipmunk

2y↑12

Shame I’m discovering this two years after its publish! Why am I suddenly listening so intently? Why can’t my eyes stop swelling with tears? Because of Tolkien, Jackson, Shore, and now you, Listening In. You help keep the passionate flame of LOTR alive, and enlighten us with wonderful new stories in just 10-minute videos. Thank you for all that you do!

elck3

2y↑9

I honestly think Shore’s work is beyond genius, almost god-like and unreal, a work of universal expression, like the universe waited 13 billion years for Shore to make this for it to express itself through his music.

Josh Parry

2y↑4

Well that was beautiful stuff, incredible video, narrated and explained so well!

stairwaytoholiday

3y↑669

Easily the greatest score of any movies in history and will be forever. Goddamn it literally makes me cry at so many point purely from the music, let alone the context

ASOC

3y↑6

I cannot agree more!

Philip Malaby

3y↑3

There may be greater, but I can’t think of one.

Wade Wilson

3y↑8

Just hearing the music from the ride of the rohirim makes me tear up

Aggie Baggins

2y↑8

The Grey Havens moves me every time I hear it. Every note hits my heart.

Sophie Waghorn

1y↑10

I recently saw Lord of the Rings with a live orchestra at the royal Albert hall in London, and I could of just watched the orchestra I just wanted to cry. It’s an extraordinary score. A little bonus my friend was singing in the choir.

Robert Ewalt

28w↑1

And add in the beauty of the Royal Albert Hall..

Sophie Waghorn

28w

@Robert Ewalt perfect venue, roll onto see Return of the King next year.

jc135276

1y↑3

God-tier piece of work.
So much planning and thought went into this.
Highlights just how little Disney and Amazon cared about SW sequels and RoP.

my stupid fantasies and theories

1y↑2

You broke my heart with this video. I am so glad that I live at the same time with this wonderful film adaptation of Tolkien's work. I appreciate that I saw these films and heard the amazing music of Howard Shore. I'm crying. Thank you. Thanks to the universe for Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Spiderwick and Terabithia. Thanks to all the people who are in any way connected with these films.

Wake up the Dawn

1y↑5

This has to be one of the most emotional, deeply thought-provoking, and well-made videos on YouTube

R M

3y↑225

The Grey Havens theme has such a melancholic effect, a sense of deep sadness and hollownes but irresistible at the same time. A journey complete

Olli Compolli

3y↑15

And Ian Mckellens face at that moment with pippin. Oh man… it’s literally enough to make a grown man weep.

Tattycakes

3y↑10

Into the west: my funeral song of choice. If people aren’t crying by then, they will be afterwards! 😂😭

MrsGamgee977

@Olli Compolli Pippin's face in that scene is all of us.

Rinesmyth

2y↑1

Somber is more like it, it is sad but fulfilling, when it does end there is peace in its conclusion. There is comfort in that.

Elizabeth Ford

49w↑4

There are no words that can convey Shore's themes in my life. From births to deaths and onward to new journeys.

OkieAllDay

1y↑8

The scores in this trilogy are truly the best in cinematic history

Steffany Schwartz

1y↑10

The end of fellowship and the entire multiple endings part of ROTK always make me cry. Howard Shore is an excellent cinema song writer only rivaled by John Williams

James Crixell

43w↑2

The Grey Havens theme gets me every time no matter the context. I could be in a thrash metal mosh pit and still cry if I heard the Grey Havens, it’s that special.

Cullen Vance

4y↑389

Unbelievable. Barnaby, you have created an incredible collection here. I am so moved, I think I cried through the entire last half. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the work you do. Not only is it of incredible production quality- but the just how beautifully and thoughtfully they are put together puts them on the grounds of high art. As a creator myself, I recognize the uncountable amount of hours this must have took. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I wish I had the money to be able to pay you a salary so you could do this full time.

Erik Payton

4y↑4

Couldn't have said it better myself!

Listening In

4y↑61

Cullen. This has made my day. It means a huge amount to me to have the support of such a lovely and dedicated little community of followers. In all honesty, I think I might have to take a small break after these because they were weeks and weeks of work, but it's made all worth it to receive comments like this. I hope you are keeping well in these difficult times. Thank you.

F.L Ferreira

3y↑1

Dude, I cried too, you're not alone

Reen Collett

3y↑1

@Listening In If Barnaby is you, then Dear Barnaby my utmost thanks

Doug D

2y↑2

Dude you are an amazing storyteller and Howard Shore even more so.
Teared up several times watching this analysis.

Chinmay Sangoram

1y↑6

The source material itself is so pure and noble that anyone and everyone seeking to realise it on screen is effortlessly motivated to pour their heart and soul into it.. Right from the VFX team to the musicians and the actors.. All the artists.. That's what makes this trilogy a benchmark so high, it would seldom be bested!!

Sarmed Alwan

1y↑8

All of these scenes give me chills, these have gotta be the best movies ever made

THEremiXFACTOR

2y↑8

Takes me back to seeing these films at the cinema. I remember seeing Return of the King, not knowing how the story was going to end (having not read the books). It was a really emotional experience actually and there were a few moments during the film when you had to hold back the lump in your throat.
Really amazing journey seeing the three films across three years, one released each December.

Anatolia Golden-Hall

1y↑2

You delivered such a beautiful analysis of Howard Shore’s scores in these movies. Saving this video to watch again and again. 😊

Thean Kotze

3y↑297

Howard Shore should be honored as one of the greats alongside the likes of John Williams. His music is almost divine feeling

Zaid

3y↑9

I agree, but Howard Shore is a cut above

Olli Compolli

3y↑1

@Zaid Howard Shore is a genius. He made The Fly, a body horror movie into a tragedy with just a few notes at the right time.

Cyanimation

3y↑2

I'm a very casual fan of LOTR and a massive SW fan. but aside from Empire Strikes Back's romance theme, nothing else Williams has done even comes close

Lux In Tenebris

3y↑1

@Cyanimation Duel of the Fates?!

Josh

3y↑2

@Lux In Tenebris Battle of the Heroes, Binary Suns, to name a couple more

5 More Replies...

Victoria Rose

2y↑5

😭 Thank you so much for this. I was utterly moved not only by this music compilation of a masterpiece of work, but by your detailed, sensitive, and powerful narration. I just lost my dear brother a few days ago, and this popped up on my feed, he would’ve loved this. 🌅

Stu McLellan

1y↑4

I can't remember if I've already commented, but I'm watching this again, and I'm blown away by your tender appraisal of this incredible music for these incredible films. It's rare for an analysis to embody such heart - it normally turns into just an intellectual exercise. But what you've done here is quite, quite beautiful.

J2theT

2y↑6

First of all, fantastic video. Extremely well put together.
Second- I must say, I completely agree with the comparison between shore and prior famous composers (wagner, bach etc). I honestly think the music in this film is some of the most beautiful music ever composed on Earth. It's the only music I know where you can turn off the TV and listen solely to the soundtrack and still follow the entire film. It literally RECREATES the beauty of this heroic story in musical form. Pure masterpiece, nothing less.

_

2y↑12

I was just a child, when first saw this film. Heard the music.
Many years have passed, but I still feel how these sounds raise something bright, immense, infinitely tender in my soul. And it will always be so.
There is something that exists outside of time. And I will always be grateful for knowing this.

Czervo

3y↑2

Can you imagine the pressure?! Howard Shore was tasked with writing music about a world that, and I want to stress this, is literally made by the harmonic chorus of otherworldly beings. The songs were so beautiful, they created life. The discordant tones so sour they became the substance of evil. The score makes us not only hear, but feel the immense weight of the events of Middle-Earth. The intrigue, the calm, the pride, the fear.

With music, Howard Shore channeled Iluvatar. He created a world, filled it with life, and then told a story. With each note, we all took one step farther from the Shire, and back again.

Ben

3y↑2.2K

Let me give you a visual:
I'm a 6'6 grown man eating Wendy's and crying at his desk at work.

h mejia

3y↑6

Haha 😛

Ricklifts

3y↑47

Lotr gets us all 😂😭❤️ cheers mate

Stacey A

3y↑69

That's quite a visual 😂

(In all seriousness, there's nothing unmanly about a man crying over LotR. Just shows that you understand and appreciate the themes and truths that the story touches on).

h mejia

3y↑15

CrazyMiles wait what’s this new fuckery?

...er, I mean devilry.

Ben

3y↑4

CrazyMiles word fam

32 More Replies...

Dylan & Delia Chatwin

1y↑2

Truly, the best music in any movie ever made. But I was deeply impressed at your breakdown, diction and narration. In itself it told its own story very. Very well done.

Bradley Winkler

32w↑1

Thank you for this! I’ve read the trilogy somewhere around 25 times and seen the films probably as many. I even share Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday. Most of ROTK from Gandalf’s speech to Pippin on has me a blubbering mess of tears every single time, and Howard Shore’s masterpiece score is huge part of it. But I’d like to say, the eloquence of your analysis in this video moved me as much as the music. Well done.

Mark

2y↑7

And yet another reason to consider this cinematic work a true masterpiece…

Sara^^

36w↑2

These films are unparalleled in quality and masterpiece. They are hands down the best films ever made no question. The reason is that it shows the quality of how us humans should be, life lessons, not giving up even when you want to quit. These movies and the books I read saved my life. I'll never forget them.

Victor Neistrup

2y↑5

Underrated video. I Always knew there was something special about the way LOTR music sounded. Not only is it beautiful on it's own, but the various ways the same melody changes throughout the movie tells a story on it's own. This is a brilliant analysis, bravo :)

Ranting Culinarian Curate

3y↑151

I can’t overemphasise how underrated these videos are. Amidst so much garbage, this is a gem.

aionrahm

42w↑1

7:23 has one of the most emotional and impactful sound I've ever heard in a movie. It always sends shivers down my spine.

Gabrielle

41w

Me too!! 😭😭 it’s so tragic and defeated almost

Giorgio Graffino

36w↑1

10:40 To me, here is when Howard Shore went into God-mode and achieved immortality. The most beautiful sequence of notes I've ever heard. It never fails to move me and make me feel emotional. I'll be forever grateful to him, and to you for this video ❤

BitShark

3y↑5

LOTR is able to communicate all these complex emotions with it's music by itself. Not many movies can compare.

Your analysis got me in tears! Love your videos and channel!

Sanchayan Sarkar

2y↑8

Even shore himself cannot outdo this score. He gave all his life's knowledge to this one epic.

jennshine

2y↑1

I’m going to be watching the ROP today and I just was browsing YouTube and not even a few minutes in I cried. Thank you for your lovely video and appreciation of Howard shore. 💕LOTR means a lot to me and many others and the music is so perfect and you described it perfectly as well.

Guilherme Magalhães

ROP is not Tolkien.

DAT

3y↑139

I actually almost started crying when Sam began to carry Frodo. The music perfectly complements that scene and Sam's raw willpower to carry forward. Both Frodo and Sam were incredibly brave.
This video was amazing. Thank you.

Austin Smith

1y↑1

The music from this trilogy is the only that makes me tear up just from imagining it. I can’t really cry for anything, but this music is just so powerful.

KateKWOKmusic

2y↑5

Wait... I never noticed the narrative significance of the grey havens theme changing from c to d major has on the whole story...now it makes so much more sense. Thank you, this is so well written, well analyzed, so poignant and beautiful.

Djentinga

3y↑2

This has me sobbing uncontrollably. Thank you for your work!

god jihyo's apostle

1y↑4

the grey havens scene and when the music swells up right before sam and frodo share their one last hug along with the the scene of breaking of the fellowship in FoTR with the aftermath of boromir's death hanging over the company, never fails to make me tear up. the acting, the atmosphere and the music makes the perfect moment for the feelings to wash over me

Mona

2y↑2

What an amazing video!!!... The music that Howard Shore created for The Lord of the Rings is truly masterful and magical. Hands down the best soundtrack i have ever heard, and some of the best music ever created! And the trilogy is the best i have ever watched and my absolute favorite!... This made me want to go re-watch and re-listen to that masterpiece of an art. 💖

Andrew Rodgers

3y↑163

That moment Frodo collapsed, he had given everything, Sam picks him up, giving everything for Frodo, followed by "For Frodo" by Aragorn in the next scene, as he and all the free peoples of Middle Earth, give everything for Frodo... such a beautiful moment with such phenomenal music

J M Anderson

3y↑11

I cry so hard every time 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Alyssa Botelho

1y↑1

The absolute chokehold that Howard Shore has on me… I would be lying if I said I didn’t tear up during this video. Very well done.

Roxy MIDNA15

1y↑4

10:11 is so beautiful it plays a part of the fellowships theme with elements of the shire showing the transition back knowing that Frodo is leaving the fellowship