If you’re a regular reader here at TORn, you know by now about composer and sound engineer Jordan Rannells’ immersive audio soundscape of music and ambient sounds, bringing to life Middle-earth. His soundscape is designed to be listened to whilst reading The Lord of the Rings – and in fact, is timed perfectly to fit with Andy Serkis’ recording of the books.
The Hobbit and The Silmarillion
Following the success of his Long-Expected Soundscape, Rannells is at it again! This time he’s tackling two more of Tolkien’s works, in epic scale. Read on below to find out what Rannells told us about his latest projects.
A new kind of Middle-earth experience for Hobbit Day
Jordan Rannells composed an original score, designed sound FX and recorded nature ambience to match all 60+ hours of Andy Serkis’ The Lord of the Rings audiobooks. Each moment is timed exactly so that when you hear Serkis describe Grond tearing through the gates of Minas Tirith, you hear it happening; when the eucatastrophe happens, we hear its theme; when the water of Wellinghall rains down around us, we hear it come and go. It is so simple to put the Soundscape together with the audiobooks, but you can also listen without them and just escape to Middle-earth any time you need to. Listen to the wind in the grass on your way to Edoras; hear the turmoil in the score as Boromir confronts Frodo; duck as the wings of the fell beast fly over you.
Rannells uses Dolby Atmos to achieve the highest level of 3D immersion possible, using the latest technology and sound design tools used in big franchises like Marvel, Game of Thrones and more.
Now, after spending a year and a half designing his first soundscape experience, An Unexpected Soundscape and A Soundscape of Eä are on the way. The Hobbit and The Silmarillion are next on Rannells’ journey, as he seeks to complete the Legendarium in this new immersive adaptation.
Listeners will be able to hear the dwarves as their barrels crash by; catch whispers of Gollum and the spiders of Mirkwood; witness the Coming of Tuor to Ulmo, and even the creation of Arda itself. New challenges present themselves in bringing the up-close-and-personal world of The Hobbit to your ears, such as recording movement and footsteps for each of the dwarves. Then, in the opposite direction, large scale and epic abstract sound design are required for moments in The Silmarillion.
Jordan Rannells
Find out more about Rannells’ epic undertaking on his website. You can also experience the first chapter of the Long-Expected Soundscape on his YouTube channel. Celebrate those Baggins’ birthdays surrounded by the sounds of Middle-earth!
In February of this year, we saw performances at Radio City Music Hall of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, with live orchestral accompaniment. It has been announced today that February 2024 will see The Two Towers getting the same treatment – and having last time sold out their two dates, and added two more, this time they’re starting with four opportunities to attend. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow; but here at TORn we have an exclusive presale code for you, so you can claim your tickets today!
Get your tickets now
February 14 through 17, 2024, 8pm each night, fans can enjoy Peter Jackson’s The Two Towers back on the big screen, with 238 musicians playing and singing along. To claim your tickets before they go on general sale tomorrow, click here, and use the code TORTWO.
The Return of the King is the one movie of the trilogy which was not part of the original performances with orchestra at Radio City Music Hall; fingers crossed for 2025! Meanwhile, read the press release about the upcoming The Two Towers performances, below – and snap up those tickets while you can!
21st Anniversary Concert THE LORD OF THE RINGS: The Two Towers In Concert
Academy Award Winner HOWARD SHORE’S Score Performed Live to the Epic Motion Picture
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, CHORUS, SOLOISTS
Ludwig Wicki, Conductor
238 MUSICIANS ONSTAGE BENEATH A 60-FOOT SCREEN
Radio City Music Hall, New York FEBRUARY 14-17, 2024
NEW YORK, NY — Celebrating the 21st anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Academy award winner Howard Shore’s score will be presented live, in concert. Experience the epic motion picture and its legendary score at the historic Radio City Music Hall, beneath a 60-foot screen accompanied by 238 musicians, including symphony orchestra, chorus and soloists, this coming February 14, 15, 16 and 17, 2024.
After four nights of standing ovations at Radio City Music Hall in February 2023, and an ongoing international tour, The Lord of the Rings, In Concert, will be reuniting the Fellowship for the second installment – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The 2024 concerts will mark the return of The Two Towers, In Concert, to NYC for the first time since its sold out run in 2015. The live performances of Howard Shore’s score of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, In Concert, are unmatched in the movie-going experience – the iconic and ethereal score having been voted No .1 in the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame 2023.
The Two Towers, In Concert, is represented by CAMI Music, who is partnering with Bowery Presents to bring these performances to life at Radio City Music Hall.
The Two Towers, In Concert, will be conducted by Ludwig Wicki, who was the inaugural conductor of The Two Towers, In Concert, and specializes in bringing films and their scores to life. Orchestra, soloists, and chorus for the 2024 performances at Radio City Music Hall will be announced at a later date.
The epic film trilogy The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), The Return of the King (2003) – directed by Peter Jackson and based on the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien novel became an international phenomenon. Released by New Line Cinema, the trilogy is among the highest earning films of all time and won a total of 17 Academy Awards. Howard Shore was honored with Academy Awards for Original Score for The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and The Return of the King (2003), and for Original Song for Into the West, featured in The Return of the King (2003).
Howard Shore commented on the return of The Two Towers, In Concert to New York City: “The concerts on February 14th through 17th , 2024 will bring Maestro Ludwig Wicki back to NYC’s historic Radio City Music Hall leading a symphony orchestra, chorus, and soloists. Based in the city of Lucerne, Switzerland, where we first began performing the complete score to the theatrical version of the films in 2008, Maestro Wicki is the foremost conductor of this score-to-film concert. Over the years he has worked to perfect this music and his precision, detail and supreme musicianship will be on display at Radio City. I am so very happy to have The Two Towers return to New York.”
Tickets will be on sale from 10am tomorrow – but are available to TORn’s followers NOW, with the code TORTWO. Get yours here! Find out more about these upcoming performances by looking for LOTRConcerts on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook. Hope to see you there!
Artist and friend of TORn Jerry Vanderstelt had the amazing Salvation at Mount Doom Master Collection piece by Weta Workshop on display at his booth, during San Diego Comic-Con 2023. If you’re like me and were blown away by that statue, then I bet you were equally as blown away by Jerry’s Salvation at Mount Doom print, which takes that moment and renders it in an amazing art piece.
Jerry as usual knocked it out of the park with this print, and even though I won’t be owning the Master Collection piece from Weta Workshop, the art print will be taking a spot in my collection. You can get this print right now – but the amounts available are limited, so don’t delay! The price of this beautiful print is between $85-$530, depending on what size you get.
During San Diego Comic-Con 2023 this year our friends at Diamond Select Toys had several new collectibles for fans to contemplate getting when they are available for order. Two of those pieces were the awesome Gandalf the White Gallery Diorama, and the Aragorn Gallery Diorama. This is a new line of collectibles for the DST The Lord of the Rings line, with them both being around 9″ tall. You can order both right now via the DST site, with Gandalf coming in at $75 and shipping in quarter one of next year, and Aragorn coming in at $59, with him shipping in the back half of this year.
There are just 48 hours left for the pre-order window for the amazing Fountain Guard of the White Tree Premium Statue that our friends at Weta Workshop showed off during San Diego Comic-Con 2023. If you’re like me and didn’t think you’d ever be able to get this piece, don’t wait – because this one is going to be a hard one to track down later. This outstanding collectible comes in with a price of $899 and will be shipping during quarter one of next year. If you decide that the guard is all you want then you can go with the classic series Fountain Guard. Collectors can snag this version for $399, with it also shipping in quarter one of next year.
The annual TORn event in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park is slated to take place on Saturday, September 23, starting at 11:30 a.m. in the Mineral Wells location we’ve been using for years.
One note for those driving in from the Valley. The North entrance to the park from the 134 freeway, past Forest Lawn and the Travel Town Railroad has major closures, so make sure to drive around to the 5 freeway, head south, and follow the directions into the park. The FB event page has directions, just visit the event page https://www.facebook.com/events/795815945664608 Simply click on the About button, then See More at the bottom of the brief description to see the full description, and driving directions.
We don’t quite know what the weather will be like, but there is usually lots of sunshine, so a popup tent, sunscreen, a hat, etc. is always a good idea. The Potluck is back, so read through the description on the FB event page for more details. If everyone brings at least enough food and drink for their party, and maybe to share with at least 3-4 other people, we should have more than enough food. But it doesn’t stop at food and drink, we will also want a supply of paper plates and cups, ice chests with ice in them, trash bags, plastic utensils, and paper towels. Beverages should be in bottles, if possible, in the case of yellowjackets, cans just can’t keep your beverage safe. There will be fun and games, as usual, with trivia and possibly some Golfimbul fun to be had. Costumes are welcome, and we will be doing the Middle-earth-themed Cake and Cupcake contest, so start considering your epic design and yumminess factor. There will be prizes for many of the games, cakes, and costumes.
To RSVP and let us know what food or supply items you intend to bring, please post on the facebook event page linked above, or email Garfeimao@TheOneRing.net.
