Royal Albert Hall, 24 September 2023

The second of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Ring trilogy is projected to screen with a live orchestra and choir.

Was it a coincidence that the first of five performances of The Towers at the Royal Albert Hall took place on September 22… National Hobbit Day? I suspect not, as there was certainly celebration in the air. Last May’s performance of The Fellowship of the Rings set a very high bar, and this was equally excellent.

The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra performed Howard Shore’s ASCAP Award-winning score under the baton of conductor Ludwig Wicki, and they didn’t get a note wrong. This is big music, which swings from employing major percussion and brass fanfares to simple themes on the violin.

The Two Towers is the equivalent of The Empire Strikes Back in this trilogy, hitting the ground running without the need for a lengthy preamble or the need to wrap things up. Shore’s themes that were established in The Fellowship of the Ring soon make return appearances, from the Shire music to the Fellowship theme.

The orchestra is supported by some superb choral work from the Philharmonia Chorus with the Trinity Boys Choir, led by choir master Gavin Carr. Mezzo-soprano soloist Kaitlyn Lusk also gets the chance to shine in her beautiful reprise of the Evenstar theme and singing Gollum’s Song. There are also significant new themes introduced for this movie, the players really sinking their collective teeth into the Rohan anthem and the meaty battle music at Helm’s Deep.

Verdict: The lengthy standing ovation and whoops of appreciation from the packed auditorium said all you needed to know. This is the best way to experience Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy – it’s soundtrack nirvana. 10/10

Nick Joy

The Return of the King concludes the trilogy at the Royal Albert Hall 15-17 March 2024