Grieg for Gimli, Schumann for Saruman

[mark12_30]

Name a character and the classical music piece that would be most appropriate, either generally, or for a particular event.

Keep it classical. Kudos if you Include a sample-link.

~~~

Gimli and all his stocky relatives: In The Hall of the Mountain King, by Grieg. track four

Hobbits tiptoeing from tree to tree through the forest: Tschaikovsky's Danse des cygnes. track three

Elrond perusing dwarf-maps: Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. also track four (...And I do think Elrond would be pleased with Vladimir Horowitz.)

[Mithalwen]

second movement of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 5 "Emperor" for the fellowship leaving Lorien ...... sorry I have not the skill to link ....

http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/cmp/beeth...iano_con5.html

unless this works ... oh it stops just as it gets going boo hiss

[Morsul the Dark]

Balrog "Obsession in D-" dont have a link sorry

[dancing spawn of ungoliant]

How nice to get a thread about classical music for once!
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.1 Allegro is young Faramir in Minas Tirith trying to embrace the idea of little "prince's" duties (and yes, I know that he wasn't a prince but I'm speaking allegorically here).
ps. As for the link, you have to scroll down to "Listen to Samples" and pick the first one. I tried, but couldn't make the link work properly

[Imladris]

The elves awaking the trees to become ents (that may be a crude statement of what actually happened but I'm sure you all know what I mean): Vivaldi's Spring Allegro Track one...

[Lalwendë]

I hope these work, as me and music and technology is not a good mix. Music is for vinyl (or CDs...)!

Ralph Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending not for any one character, but for The Shire.

More Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis which I think fits with Bilbo's leaving of The Shire.

Link to page with Vaughan Williams samples

Holst's Mars would go with any battle, but especially with the armies of Sauron marching for Helm's Deep. And Holst's Jupiter suits Tom Bombadil as Jupiter is the "bringer of jollity".

Link to page with Holst samples

Mozart's Dies Irae from Requiem is diabolical so I think might suit Saruman.

Link to page with Mozart samples

And Elgar's Nimrod would go with a solemn moment such as the fall of Theoden in battle - probably influenced by hearing it at so many Remembrance Sunday ceremonies.

Link to page with Elgar samples

[mark12_30]

Some of these are really lovely!

Immy, thanks for the 4 Seasons-- always a delight.

Lalwendë, your selctions sound intriguing. I don't know any of them and the links won't work (forme anyway. ) Maybe rather than linking the music itself, try linking the page the links to the music are on.

DSOU-- Brandenburg! Classy.

And Mithalwen: that Beethoven concerto intro got my interest going. Maybe after I buy Swan Lake (complete) and Sleeping Beauty (complete) I'll start looking at Beethoven concertos. I like his passion.

[mark12_30]

By the way, Aiwendil wrote a magnificent essay-- scroll to post 48 for essay link -- with lots of lovely samples. Highly interesting.

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

The "Lacrimosa" from Mozart's Requiem mass for the journey of Boromir's body to and then over the falls of Rauros.

[Kransha]

You people have good taste. As I've always been a bit of a classical afficionado, I'll just input my two sense, quite centsibly....or is that, my two cents, quite sensibly. Pity I can't provide any links. Just look 'em up, you'll find 'em. All of these are relatively well-known and widespread.

Molto Vivace, Symphony #9, Ludwig Von Beethoven
Very much Merry and Pippin for me. It's a bit minor, a bit major, and always switching if you notice. It's never sad, or too grand. Just right. Very jumpy, very spritely, somewhat comic at times, but with resonating seriousness and conscious undertones (does that make any sense whatsoever, hmm?).

Slavic March (March Slav), Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
This is, of course semi-patriotic, but only in a very dreary way. For most of the piece, it is simply dreary, but two sections are quite the opposite. Contrary to being uplifting, though, the two sections are more happy in a way associated with conquest, resonating the Russian's penchant for remaining in the minor key. This seems ideal for many baddies. I would vote for the theme of Mordor, or at least it's orcs. It has the grand scale of Sauron's wroth with the steady, resilient, and forceful beat of an orcish march.

Egmont Overture, Ludwig Von Beethoven
Gondor, or just Denethor. Hard to say. It's not really creepy or evil enough to be Denethor, so I vote for Minas Tirith. It has all the triumphant, resounding chords of a grand city, set in with the eerie minor of Mordor's shadow. Some parts of it are either too eerie or too tranquil, but Beethoven was writing before Tolkien, so I'll cut him the adequate amount of slack. He was quite a composer, and this is one of my favorites of his (overtures at least). If the 5th Symphony weren't already a stereotype on it's own, I'd nominate that too.

Dies Irae, Requiem, Wolfganf Amadeus Mozart
Though this was cast as having the diabolicability of Saruman, I think it is far more apt for the Nazgul. If you listen to Howard Shore's composition for the Nazgul ('The Revelation of the Ringwraiths') the undertones of this are more than a little apparent. As one of the three most famous requiem/durges in history, this has a 'special' place in my heart as a long time favorite. Even though Mozart has better works (operatic and symphonic), this has all the passion of his last months of life, a kind of passion that most are unable to understand. Also, at this time, Mozart, according to conspiracy theories, was on death's door and pouring the last ounce of his being into this (I dunno, but it's a theory). Just the thing for corrupted kings, fallen from grace.

Overture, Water Music Suite, George Friedrich Handel
Maybe too grandiose, but this really feels like Rivendell to me. Maybe Elrond. It's very epic, very sweeping, very big, but not pockmarked by too much staccato. It's just long and soothing enough to be Elven, just the right mix. Also, the semi-baroque style seems fitting for the House of Elrond. Also, when I hear this, I think of Gondolin, but that's more from the Silmarillion.

Morning Mood, Peer Gynt Suite, Edvard Grieg
This is, almost certainly, a Shire piece. It's more than a little catered to it. It seems like a generic hobbit theme, but might be particular. If anything, it might be Sam's or Bilbo's music, at least at the beginning of The Fellowship. It is calm, homely, and reeks of gardening and happy birdsongs, so it seems rather apt for Samwise Gamgee. It's not boisterous enough for Merry, Pippin, or the Gaffer.

[tar-ancalime]

My husband and I both noticed that Howard Shore's Shire music sounds more than a little like the second movement of Dvorak's 9th symphony. Kransha, the Grieg you mention is in much the same vein. Sounds like you and Howard Shore are of the same mind.

But for my own suggestions:

Gorecki's Third Symphony for the Paths of the Dead.

Bach's Cello Suites in Rivendell.

"Dido's Lament" ("when I am laid in earth") from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas for Eowyn riding into battle.

This may seem like an odd choice, but the opening of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring for the Old Forest.

Thumbs up to this thread! I'm glad there are other classical music lovers here.

[mark12_30]

I have ordered new copies of Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty (both complete.) As they were my main source of elvish and hobbitish imagery (the music, not the ballets) I expect to be re-inspired when they arrive. I shall post accordingly.

Arothir: 1812 for the Pyre of Denethor... His pyre inspires you to celebration?

Sorcerer's Apprentice...

[Arothir]

1812 overture reminds me of explosions and fire, so that's why I think it'd be cool to have that for the Pyre.

If the LOTR soundtrack had to have been filched from existing classical music, my top suggestions would be:

The Shire:
Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony (1st, 2nd or 5th movements), with Bilbo's party characterised by the 3rd movement 'Peasants' Merrymaking'

Another theme for the four hobbits early in the Fellowship :
The fourth movement of Prokofiev's Classical symphony, fast and carefree.

The Black Riders:
'Dies Irae' from Verdi's Requiem

Isengard:
'Mars' from The Planets, in the same 5/4 time as Howard Shore's theme

Fellowship's trek south (where Gandalf leads the way)
'Jupiter' from the Planets (Holst), the slow middle section

Gollum's theme:
The twisted and sly 'The Gnome' from Mussorgsky's Pictures From an Exhibition.

Frodo and Sam's journey in Mordor and the destruction of the One Ring:
The March to the Scaffold, from Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz. The music becomes violent towards the end (Frodo and Gollum ?), there is a piercing oboe theme (Gollum's last 'Precious!') and the whole ends in a drum roll (the Ring's destruction).

The battle of Helm's Deep, given its 'Nordic' character:
'Finlandia' by Sibelius would be perfect, with its triumphant finale.

The Battle of the Black Gate:
The third and fourth movements of Beethoven's 5th symphony would be good there, as Sauron's doubt could be marked by the switch from minor to major key, and the collapse of the Barad-Dur the magnificent finale.

The Hobbits' return to the Shire:
The second movement of Dvorak's New World symphony (the oboe solo), appropriately based on the folksong "Goin' Home"

[Gil-Galad]

I can just imagine 'The Flight of the Valkiryres' to the NAzgul's attack on Minas Tirith...

[Ainaserkewen]

Chorale from Jupiter - Holst
Jupiter has already been mentioned above, but the Chorale is quite different. I you're in a concert band and you've played it then you understand what a special song it is and how it just seems to throb. I'm matching this song as Frodo's theme song. Not because of any references to Jupiter, only that the chords reflect Hope and movement. Here's a link and if you can imagine this song played live in a huge theater, then you can almost feel the 3/4 heartbeat of it.
St. Amant High band concert 2004

EDIT: Actually, I kind of like this year better:
2001

This posting has also been sent to 'Song Parodies', but as it is a classical number, I will include it here too, complete with MIDI link so as to follow the text:

Midi link:

http://www.aria-database.com/sounds/...09_non_piu.mid

SCENE: RIVENDELL
The Fellowship are about to depart and send the ring south.
Elrond wishes them farewell with this rousing aria, with the melody taken from 'The Marriage of Figaro' by Mozart.


ELROND

(addressing ARAGORN)

Sheathe your sword, hit the road, go on, leave us!
Say goodbye to the Elves and Imladris.
Though I know that your hurting is grievous,
March away anyway without fear!
Though I know that your hurting is grievous,
March away anyway without fear!

(addressing LEGOLAS, GIMLI and BOROMIR)

No more rancour between your races

Put your weapons through their paces

Have your bows and axes tempered
Have your daggers for the Orcs
Have your daggers for the Orcs

(Sheathe your sword... you must leave us ...
sheathe your sword .. you must leave us ...,
march away)

(addressing the HOBBITS)
Say goodbye to the inns in the Shire now,
No more gardens or Cider with Rosie,
All your hearts must be full of new fire now,
as the Ring makes its way to Mount Doom.
All your hearts must be full of new fire now,
as the Ring makes its way to Mount Doom.

(addressing GIMLI and LEGOLAS)
You, a Dwarf, all drunk and swearing,
hew down Uruks, prove your daring,

You, an Elf-prince,
keep on firing
with your arrows,
never tiring.
It's an honour-
defend the West now,
but alas, no hope of rest now!
(no hope of rest now, no hope of rest now)

(addressing the HOBBITS)
'Stead of pints at the Green Dragon,
You'll be marching without flagging!

(addressing the FELLOWSHIP)
Gaining courage, with that training,
When it's sunny, when it's raining,
You'll have many perils pressing,
Though I know you'll brook no messing
I will give my final blessing,
Speed ye on towards Mordor !

(Sheathe your sword ... you must leave us ...
sheathe your sword ... you must leave us ...
sheathe your sword ... you must leave us ...
sheathe your sword, march away)

(Addressing ARAGORN)
Act the King, play the role you were born for
Say goodbye to your days as a Ranger.
For the sake of the memory of Gondor,
For the future of all Middle-Earth !
For the sake of the memory of Gondor,
For the future of all Middle-Earth !

Elessar, go on to glory,
as the monarch of Gondor !

Elessar, go on to glory,
as the monarch of Gondor !
as the monarch of Gondor !
as the monarch of Gondor !

[Celuien]

The Adagio from Schubert's Quintet in C makes me think of Boromir drifting down the Anduin. The first image that occurred to me for this piece was Elaine's barge going to Camelot, but I think it works pretty well for Boromit too.

Track number 2

I don't really like the tempo from this recording. It's a bit slow for my taste, but I couldn't find a clip from the Heifetz version.

[Encaitare]

Mussorgsky's Great Gate of Kiev reminds me of Gondor; it's very majestic. Our school's wind ensemble played this and another piece from Pictures at an Exhibition at our last concert, and it's quite nice although we were all gasping for air by the end.

The music begins when the page opens.

The Maestoso (6th Movement) of the 'Organ' Symphony No 3 by Saint-Saens would provide a magnificent climax to the fall of Barad-Dur.

Try synchronising the opening organ chord to the movement with the beginning of the 'Sauron Defeated' scene in ROTK, just as the Eye begins to strain but before the tower collapses.


http://www.allegro.philharmonic.me.u...-sample.mp3Syn

[Lalaith]

Found this thread and thought it deserved a bump. I do so agree about the compatibility of the Shire and Vaughan Williams...I don't know, something to do with the essential decency....
My hap'orth to the discussion: Sibelius' Swan of Tuonela sounds to me like an elvish lament for Arda...perhaps it could be set to Galadriel's song of farewell in Lorien...