Acclaimed organist Anna Lapwood returns with her new album, ‘Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost’, released Friday 13th November on Sony Masterworks, one that will whisk you away into a vividly realised world of fantastical characters, dark forests, looming mountains and tempestuous seas.
One of the most gifted artists of her generation, Lapwood is famed for introducing the organ to millions of new fans through her interpretations of both classical and contemporary works. On this new record – her most ambitious to date – she dives into two of the most iconic film soundtracks, Howard Shore’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and Hans Zimmer’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, reimagining them as major works for organ and using them to showcase the Steinmeyer organ of Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim.
Ahead of the album, the first two tracks – “Prologue: ‘One Ring to Rule Them All’” and “The Shire/Concerning Hobbits”, both taken from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Organ Symphony – arrive this Friday 11th September, and feature Anna singing in Elvish. Elsewhere on the album, Anna is joined on ‘Rivendell’ and ‘Song For Justice’ by the Nidaros Cathedral Girls’ Choir, conducted by Johanna Bjørkhaug.
The album grew out of a chance encounter in an NYC coffee shop, when a young girl called Katherine requested ‘Concerning Hobbits’ from The Lord of the Rings. That ignited a spark which would eventually become Anna’s largest transcription project yet: The Lord of the Rings Organ Symphony.
Transcribing everything by ear, Anna enlisted the help of fellow ‘The Lord of the Rings’ fans to choose which movements to include, exploring Howard Shore’s motivic development while maintaining a clear sense of the story’s narrative arc. She also had the opportunity to speak with Howard Shore himself, who offered suggestions along the way. “Howard and his team have been so kind and generous with their time and support during this whole process, and I’m incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to ask their advice!,” she says.
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