Royal Albert Hall, May 3, 2026

Gandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron’s army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring… accompanied by Howard Shore’s score.

Sir Peter Jackson’s 2003 epic The Return of the King completed his Lord of the Rings trilogy with a suitably fitting conclusion, scooping 11 Oscars, of which two were for Howard Shore’s score and original song Into the West. Both score and song are showcased to maximum effect by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, performing a popular returning fixture in the Films in Concert series, and as part of the Lord of the Rings Weekender.

In the summer of 2003, I was lucky enough to attend some of the recording sessions of The Return of the King at Watford Town Hall. Howard Shore was conducting the tracks for Shelob’s Attack, with Peter Jackson standing on the sidelines, and as you might expect, it was the ultimate privilege to be there. Arguably, for an experience of immersing myself in the score , it couldn’t be beaten. And yet, today’s performance of the entire score eclipsed it.

As with An Unexpected Journey and The Two Towers, the RPO (it was they who recorded the original soundtrack in Watford) were joined by the London Philharmonic Choir and Trinity Boys Choir with vocal soloist Grace Davidson, and conducted by Ludwig Wicki.

And just like a stuck record, here comes my huge compliment. I’ve said it before, and I really hope I get to say it again, but these Films in Concert productions are THE BEST way to experience a movie. Forget about your Dolby ATMOS soundbar, this is an all-encompassing aural experience that continually blasts you with goosebump moments. Building on motifs introduced and developed across the preceding movies, Shore presents us with a rich tapestry of themes, anthems, songs and moments.

Verdict: 200 minutes (plus interval) of Shore nirvana. I genuinely would have walked round the block and then sat down to watch it all over again that same night. 10/10

Nick Joy