The Sound of Middle-earth -> reading from LotR - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

The Might · 03-16-2010, 06:10 PM

I'm sick of having to learn tens of pages of chemistry stuff word by word, so I took a short break to haunt through the Downs.
As I clicked on the "Powerful Tolkien experiences" thread I immediately noticed a post by Estelyn remembering important Tolkien-related moments for her.

A quote:

Quote:

Oh, and that reminds me of another special reading experience that also was shared and audible, though I was sitting at my computer alone. Back in the early days of my membership here, chatting was very much a part of the fellowship of Downers. I had read about a previous voice chat which involved people reading characters and narration aloud, and we got enough of us together, despite time zone differences (in Germany, England, and the US, Canada too, IIRC), chose passages/chapters that worked for the number of people, and distributed the roles. It was amazing to put on my headphone, open my book, and hear the voices of people I'd never met personally, speaking the words I knew and loved so well. Hearing two Brits, Rimbaud and Squatter, reading the exchange between the two wizards at Orthanc with their great accents, was wonderful and memorable!

Anyone with me on this one?

I think it would be wonderful to have current members get together, choose passages, and read them aloud. Now, I for example, have a rather strange accent - could do a good Orc I guess - but others surely sound lovely, and even if not reading myself I would love to just listen.

Esty sums it up very well:

Quote:

I think that we often don't realize how powerful Tolkien's words are when spoken aloud. He wrote with a sense of rhythm and a poetic beauty that comes across strongest when we actually hear the story. Perhaps that's one of the reasons why audio books are so popular nowadays - but wouldn't it be even better to get people together and read to and/or with each other aloud?! I find it very interesting that the powerful experiences people have shared here take place in situations like that!

The tech party is easy, Skype allows conferences with more people for example. So... I guess if there are takers we could get this going! I'm counting on your support!

Inziladun · 03-16-2010, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Might

I think it would be wonderful to have current members get together, choose passages, and read them aloud. Now, I for example, have a rather strange accent - could do a good Orc I guess - but others surely sound lovely, and even if not reading myself I would love to just listen.

I would absolutely love to do this. I confess to being quite ignorant about the technical aspects, however. I've never used Skype, and I don't even have a mic on my computer at the moment.

The Might · 03-16-2010, 08:59 PM

Using Skype is very easy. I can post a tutorial once enough people are interested.
A mic is however necessary, but they are really cheap these days.

starofthedunedain · 03-16-2010, 11:21 PM

I'd love to do something like that. Would we go through the books or just choose selections? I think it'd be fun to go through the whole thing, although that might take a long time.

Estelyn Telcontar · 03-17-2010, 02:29 AM

Great minds, TM! Tolkien Reading Day is coming up soon, and I've posted a thread about possible ways to experience reading aloud together. Perhaps enough people can get together virtually to read next Thursday, or if that doesn't work well, the weekend right afterwards could be an opportunity.

A tutorial sounds like a great idea, but first it would be good to collect participants and find a time that will work for most of them despite time zones (including daylight time in North America). Go for it - and please share your experience afterwards!

(By the way, I'm moving this thread to the Novices and Newcomers forum, where it will reach a maximum of interested readers.)

Inziladun · 03-17-2010, 08:00 AM

I've now laid my hands on a mic.
It would be fun to do the whole book, but time constraints might indeed be an issue.

Hookbill the Goomba · 09-22-2010, 04:13 AM

Will possibly be around for this. I will just have to remember to sign into Skype.

Legate of Amon Lanc · 09-22-2010, 01:30 PM

I am basically online from now on, although trying to catch up with Werewolf and do about million other things I needed to get done... but once there are more of us, we can start doing something - there is always time to dedicate to Bilbo and Frodo's birthday!

Pitchwife · 09-22-2010, 01:40 PM

There's five of us gathered on Skype now, anybody about to join?

03-16-2010, 08:59 PM	#3
The Might Guard of the Citadel Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Oxon Posts: 2,205	Using Skype is very easy. I can post a tutorial once enough people are interested. A mic is however necessary, but they are really cheap these days. __________________ “The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike.” Delos B. McKown

03-16-2010, 11:21 PM	#4
starofthedunedain Newly Deceased Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: in a book Posts: 6	I'd love to do something like that. Would we go through the books or just choose selections? I think it'd be fun to go through the whole thing, although that might take a long time. __________________ Burn Baby!

03-17-2010, 02:29 AM	#5
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Great minds, TM! Tolkien Reading Day is coming up soon, and I've posted a thread about possible ways to experience reading aloud together. Perhaps enough people can get together virtually to read next Thursday, or if that doesn't work well, the weekend right afterwards could be an opportunity. A tutorial sounds like a great idea, but first it would be good to collect participants and find a time that will work for most of them despite time zones (including daylight time in North America). Go for it - and please share your experience afterwards! (By the way, I'm moving this thread to the Novices and Newcomers forum, where it will reach a maximum of interested readers.) __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...' Last edited by Estelyn Telcontar; 03-17-2010 at 02:32 AM.

03-17-2010, 08:00 AM	#6
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,037	I've now laid my hands on a mic. It would be fun to do the whole book, but time constraints might indeed be an issue. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

09-22-2010, 04:13 AM	#7
Hookbill the Goomba Alive without breath Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: On A Cold Wind To Valhalla Posts: 5,912	Will possibly be around for this. I will just have to remember to sign into Skype. __________________ I think that if you want facts, then The Downer Newspaper is probably the place to go. I know! I read it once. THE PHANTOM AND ALIEN: The Legend of the Golden Bus Ticket...

09-22-2010, 01:30 PM	#8
Legate of Amon Lanc A Voice That Gainsayeth Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In that far land beyond the Sea Posts: 7,431	I am basically online from now on, although trying to catch up with Werewolf and do about million other things I needed to get done... but once there are more of us, we can start doing something - there is always time to dedicate to Bilbo and Frodo's birthday! __________________ "Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories

09-22-2010, 01:40 PM	#9
Pitchwife Wight of the Old Forest Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Unattended on the railway station, in the litter at the dancehall Posts: 3,329	There's five of us gathered on Skype now, anybody about to join? __________________ Und aus dem Erebos kamen viele seelen herauf der abgeschiedenen toten.- Homer, Odyssey, Canto XI