This comment could also be valid for the Hobbit 3 review, but seeing as this one annoyed me the most...

Intellectual as this score may be, it's just simply and utterly abnormal and stupid to drop the Misty Mountains theme. It was a perfect theme symbolising the entire noble quest. The argument that it's no longer used because they passed the MMs doesn't hold up either because if that was the theme's purpose, it wouldn't be playing during Gandalf's 'the world is ahead' speech. Not only is it a good theme, it's also superior to the childish 'tada, tada, tada!' Erebor theme, which, to be honest, might just drive me suicidal if I have to hear it one more time. If I'd want to change history, I'd prefer doing that accompanied by the MM theme.

Also, there's something so fundamentally... different and problematic about this score. It doesn't feel like a Middle Earth score anymore. The Laketown and Tauriel cues are among its highlights, but overall the score doesn't work for me when it's separated from the film.

I don't really understand why you point out all its problems so accurately and then move on to say that today's composers are useless so we might as well give this score a five-star rating. It's not because today's music is supposed to be less complex and intellectual that we suddenly have to expect less of superior composers.