This Special Edition of the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey contains the full score from the film with seven extended score cues, six exclusive bonus tracks, and liner notes. The soundtrack features an original score by Academy Award winner Howard Shore recorded at Abbey Road Studios by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Additionally it includes an original song, 'Song of the Lonely Mountain', written and performed by Neil Finn (Crowded House)...

Howard Shore's score for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey contains 2 hr, 07 min, 26 sec of music spread over 32 tracks.

Like his work on The Lord of the Rings movies, Shore conjures up medieval sounding songs as well as sweeping, epic orchestral themes.

While I did enjoy this album, it did lean a little too much on Shore's previous music for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. In fact, in places there were so many repeated themes that I thought I was simply listening to an extended The Lord of the Rings compilation album. Still, if you enjoyed Shore's music for those movies, then you'll love his score for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

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Darren Rea