The music of The Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers, was composed, orchestrated and conducted by Howard Shore and performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It plays, for the most part, just below the surface of the screenplay, setting the emotional tone for the movie, and eliciting the intended responses from its audience. This was evident never more so than in the grand battle scene for "Helm's "Deep", where the Forces of Light, well out numbered, do battle with the Forces of Darkness.
By the constant repetition of its melody, the composition is a study in contrast, showing the stark balance between the protagonists and the antagonists with the exchange of soft, fluid violins and the ominous, building crescendo of the woodwinds. With each contrasting scene of the pending battle-from the women and children cowering deep within the Glittering Cave, to Aragorn's rag-tag troop of outnumbered volunteers to Isengard's horrible army of Orcs, the same melody, polyphonic in texture, carries through, only with stark variations in its accompaniment and rhythm.
Whereas, the music, for the most part was subtle, and I had to listen carefully for it in parts, it played an integral role in the movie. By muting the sound and watching only the visuals, the effect was lost. The organization of the patterns of the music, whether expressing melancholy and fear, or noble bravado, flowed easily, tied together by the rich tone color and dynamics of the score.
