Howard Shore’s work on Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy provided some of the richest musical accompaniment ever committed to film. And like an old friend returning for a visit, Empire Online is currently streaming the entirety of Shore’s contributions to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Familiar yet new, I can’t wait to hear it alongside Jackson’s film.

Both the Standard and Deluxe editions of the score are currently available for presale at Amazon. The soundtrack arrives on December 11th while the film hits theatres three days later on the 14th. More than anything I’ve seen of The Hobbit, it’s what I’m hearing right here that gives me hope: