Who composed the score for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy?

Howard Shore composed the score for Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. The Canadian composer was hired in 2000 and wrote the music for The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.

Shore’s score is built around recurring leitmotifs—musical ideas associated with characters, cultures, places, and objects. The Shire, the Fellowship, Mordor, Rohan, Isengard, and the One Ring each receive distinctive musical identities. Shore began developing themes before filming was complete, using Tolkien’s story and the filmmakers’ plans to shape the sound of Middle-earth.

The music was recorded primarily with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Voices, and the London Oratory School Schola. It combines symphonic writing with choirs, solo voices, unusual instruments, and lyrics in Tolkien’s invented languages. Shore also composed, orchestrated, conducted, and produced the trilogy’s music. He won Academy Awards for the first and third films, while the complete trilogy earned three Oscars for its score.