The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey with composer Howard Shore

Howard Shore successfully adapted the words and themes of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings into a truly iconic score for one of the most successful film franchises of the decade. Now he's returned to the studio with the London Philharmonic Orchestra to record the latest soundtrack to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , released next month.

Tolkien's novel has a special place in many people's hearts. In an in-depth interview with Anne-Marie Minhall, Shore revealed how he is inspired to develop the words on the page into memorable musical motifs and themes.

"I spent a lot of time with the words, and with the book - there's a lot of reading involved," he said. "Even as I'm working on the films, I have the book continually there as a guide, and I'm reading it all the time when I'm writing and orchestrating."

Interview: Howard Shore