Middle-Earth Music, after all these years - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

mark12_30 · 06-01-2008, 07:07 PM

SO it's been a while-- quite a while-- since the movies came out. There was a huge craze (during those lovely exciting early years) when everything Tolkien on ebay sold at high prices. Everything Tolkien on the store shelves sold out fast.

And some of us were looking, and looking hard, for Good LOTR Music. Good Tolkien Music.

Eight years later, what have you settled on? What are your favorites? Have you found anything new lately?

Do you have any favorite Bath Songs? Walking Songs? Drinking or dancing songs? Forest songs? Dwarf-heckling songs?

What Tolkien songs make you saddest? What Tolkien songs make you laugh the hardest?

Are there any songs of which you would say, "This is THE canonical version of this song?"

And what Tolkien songs are you still unsatisfied about, eight years later, still looking for That Ultimate Tune to fit the unbeatable lyrics?

Most here are familiar with:

Enya
Annie Lennox
Howard Shore

Have you heard these:
The Road Goes Ever On with Donald Swann
Starlit Jewel
The Hobbitons
The Tolkien Ensemble
Stephen Oliver

or lesser known projects such as

Alan Horvath's The Rings Project
Lingalad (Giuseppe Festa)
Andi Grimsditch (From Argentina)

...there are others... what are your favorites and why?

Nogrod · 06-01-2008, 08:08 PM

There is a great piece of work by a Finnish composer Toni Edelmann who composed a host of songs from the LotR to a Finnish theatre production of the book in 1989.

I've sent this link already somewhere else in the 'Downs but let it be re-linked. It is my version of "The Song of Boromir". The melody is the same as in the original but the arrangement is mine as well as the performance (the original was in Finnish and performed by a then leading actor of Finninsh theatre Taneli Mäkelä). It's a crippled one with only three stanzas of slowly growing instrumentation and the chorus coming only after them (unlike in the original where it comes after every stanza) but it will give you an insight into what the song is like.

I do think this is the most beautiful version of that song I've ever heard. The other compositions in Edelmann's work are at best almost as good as this is - and some are pretty bad. Sadly the record is no longer for sale as the Tolkien estate denied the reprinting of the record into a CD-format already during the early 21st century (the movie guys had clearly already bought the rights at that time?).

MatthewM · 06-01-2008, 10:15 PM

I still love and listen to Howard Shore's score...in specific, I love Aragorn's Coronation song, Pippin's song, The Council of Elrond, and The King of the Golden Hall. There are others, including the Enya and Annie Lennox songs.

There is also an amazing LotR inspired songwriter named Patrice Deceuninck that has created a score of LotR music...it is brilliant, in my opinion. I am not sure if Patrice still makes music or even when the music is from, for I found it when I was randomly searching the web some years ago. But I do know that songs like "Lost in Fangorn" and "A Night in Bree" are spectacular...

As far as canon like songs go...I would have to get back to you on that.

mark12_30 · 06-17-2008, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatthewM

I still love and listen to Howard Shore's score...in specific, I love Aragorn's Coronation song, Pippin's song, The Council of Elrond, and The King of the Golden Hall. There are others, including the Enya and Annie Lennox songs.

There is also an amazing LotR inspired songwriter named Patrice Deceuninck that has created a score of LotR music...it is brilliant, in my opinion. I am not sure if Patrice still makes music or even when the music is from, for I found it when I was randomly searching the web some years ago. But I do know that songs like "Lost in Fangorn" and "A Night in Bree" are spectacular...

As far as canon like songs go...I would have to get back to you on that.

I hadn't thought of Patrick D for a long time-- I ran across his stuff long ago. I don't remember whether I have it in anyof my archives.

If I had to list my favorite Shore tracks... the Rohan theme is high on the list. SO is the entering Rivendell section, and entering Lorien. "Hope is Kindled" (lighting of the beacons) and the rescue scene from Mt Doom is also a big favorite.

And of course, Enya and Lennox also rate high.

Lush · 06-18-2008, 02:30 AM

My definitive Tolkien song, other than, you know, the Howard Shore/Enya/etc. crew (whom I adore), is Led Zeppelin's "Battle of Evermore." t can be interpreted in many ways (it has a reference to "the angels of Avalon," for example), but overall it's a LotR song. "Queen of light" being Galadriel, for example ("took her bow and then she turned to go" - passed the test, and departs from Middle Earth), etc. And the sound, oh man, the sound - the mandolin is terrific. And the lyrics:

Quote:

The pain of war cannot exceed
The woe of aftermath,
The drums will shake the castle wall,
The Ringwraiths ride in black, ride on!

And it's a song that's still being sung today. I'm pretty sure that Plant was singing it just this year with... uh... Alison Krauss, I believe.

Quote:

There is a great piece of work by a Finnish composer Toni Edelmann who composed a host of songs from the LotR to a Finnish theatre production of the book in 1989.

Yes! Yes! I'm pretty sure they used to have a few available streaming back when I was still in high school!

And, you know, coming back to the Shore thing - my mobile ringtone is "Concerning Hobbits."

Eönwë · 06-18-2008, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lush

Led Zeppelin's "Battle of Evermore." t can be interpreted in many ways (it has a reference to "the angels of Avalon," for example), but overall it's a LotR song. "Queen of light" being Galadriel, for example ("took her bow and then she turned to go" - passed the test, and departs from Middle Earth), etc. And the sound, oh man, the sound - the mandolin is terrific. And the lyrics

Yes, they did use LOTR stuff. This thread talks about it in more detail.

mark12_30 · 06-17-2008, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nogrod

There is a great piece of work by a Finnish composer Toni Edelmann who composed a host of songs from the LotR to a Finnish theatre production of the book in 1989.

I've sent this link already somewhere else in the 'Downs but let it be re-linked. It is my version of "The Song of Boromir". The melody is the same as in the original but the arrangement is mine as well as the performance (the original was in Finnish and performed by a then leading actor of Finninsh theatre Taneli Mäkelä). It's a crippled one with only three stanzas of slowly growing instrumentation and the chorus coming only after them (unlike in the original where it comes after every stanza) but it will give you an insight into what the song is like.

I do think this is the most beautiful version of that song I've ever heard. The other compositions in Edelmann's work are at best almost as good as this is - and some are pretty bad. Sadly the record is no longer for sale as the Tolkien estate denied the reprinting of the record into a CD-format already during the early 21st century (the movie guys had clearly already bought the rights at that time?).

Aye, sometimes physically finding the music is a hunt on a heroic scale... I find myself blocked from the site you link to-- anything un-family friendly there before I override??-- I do hope to give the music a listen. Boromir was a big early favorite for me. I'm fond of both Starlit Jewel's version of Lament, and, TOlkein Ensemble's; so I'm curious to add a third tune to the collection!

Obtaining Starlit Jewel was a long search. In the end I was very lucky (blessed?) to find an obscure dealer who had one copy sitting on a back shelf, who charged me a reasonable price. Ebayers wanted small fortunes for that CD....

mark12_30 · 07-01-2008, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nogrod

There is a great piece of work by a Finnish composer Toni Edelmann who composed a host of songs from the LotR to a Finnish theatre production of the book in 1989. I've sent this link already somewhere else in the 'Downs but let it be re-linked. It is my version of "The Song of Boromir". ...I do think this is the most beautiful version of that song I've ever heard.

FInally got through, and enjoyed it. Your voice has a strong, rich timbre; and very nice guitar work.

***Thenamir*** · 07-02-2008, 02:51 PM

Glass Hammer plays Progressive Rock in the style of bands such as Yes and ELP. The musicianship is outstanding, featuring lots of extended soloing and particularly distinctive organ and guitar work. The songs sung in a dramatic high tenor, have an epic sweep to them.

More particularly, they have two distinct Middle-Earth-themed albums, Journey of the Dunadan, and The Middle-Earth Album. The latter is a favorite of mine, since it was recorded as if the band had somehow taken all their acoustic instruments (and some ethereal elf-music sounds) to Bree and performed a set for the patrons of the Prancing Pony -- complete with live small-audience sounds. (A between-song background argument between two audience members over a plate of taters is quite amusing.) The cover art alone is is almost worth the price of the album.

These albums are for sale on the Glass Hammer store site, here about halfway down the page. They also have a couple of C. S. Lewis-themed albums.

Hilde Bracegirdle · 07-02-2008, 07:27 PM

Yes the above mentioned Middle Earth Album is a fun one. But I very much like the track "As I Walk", which one of the more serious pieces.

I'm wondering if anyone can give a review of Ainur?
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndid=124660391.
I am curious about this prog. group, and only recently learned about their Children of Hurin album.

06-01-2008, 07:07 PM	#1
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Middle-Earth Music, after all these years SO it's been a while-- quite a while-- since the movies came out. There was a huge craze (during those lovely exciting early years) when everything Tolkien on ebay sold at high prices. Everything Tolkien on the store shelves sold out fast. And some of us were looking, and looking hard, for Good LOTR Music. Good Tolkien Music. Eight years later, what have you settled on? What are your favorites? Have you found anything new lately? Do you have any favorite Bath Songs? Walking Songs? Drinking or dancing songs? Forest songs? Dwarf-heckling songs? What Tolkien songs make you saddest? What Tolkien songs make you laugh the hardest? Are there any songs of which you would say, "This is THE canonical version of this song?" And what Tolkien songs are you still unsatisfied about, eight years later, still looking for That Ultimate Tune to fit the unbeatable lyrics? Most here are familiar with: Enya Annie Lennox Howard Shore Have you heard these: The Road Goes Ever On with Donald Swann Starlit Jewel The Hobbitons The Tolkien Ensemble Stephen Oliver or lesser known projects such as Alan Horvath's The Rings Project Lingalad (Giuseppe Festa) Andi Grimsditch (From Argentina) ...there are others... what are your favorites and why? __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve. Last edited by mark12_30; 06-01-2008 at 07:46 PM.

06-01-2008, 08:08 PM	#2
Nogrod Flame of the Ainulindalë Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wearing rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves in a field behaving as the wind behaves Posts: 9,308	There is a great piece of work by a Finnish composer Toni Edelmann who composed a host of songs from the LotR to a Finnish theatre production of the book in 1989. I've sent this link already somewhere else in the 'Downs but let it be re-linked. It is my version of "The Song of Boromir". The melody is the same as in the original but the arrangement is mine as well as the performance (the original was in Finnish and performed by a then leading actor of Finninsh theatre Taneli Mäkelä). It's a crippled one with only three stanzas of slowly growing instrumentation and the chorus coming only after them (unlike in the original where it comes after every stanza) but it will give you an insight into what the song is like. I do think this is the most beautiful version of that song I've ever heard. The other compositions in Edelmann's work are at best almost as good as this is - and some are pretty bad. Sadly the record is no longer for sale as the Tolkien estate denied the reprinting of the record into a CD-format already during the early 21st century (the movie guys had clearly already bought the rights at that time?). __________________ Upon the hearth the fire is red Beneath the roof there is a bed; But not yet weary are our feet...

06-01-2008, 10:15 PM	#3
MatthewM Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Posts: 628	I still love and listen to Howard Shore's score...in specific, I love Aragorn's Coronation song, Pippin's song, The Council of Elrond, and The King of the Golden Hall. There are others, including the Enya and Annie Lennox songs. There is also an amazing LotR inspired songwriter named Patrice Deceuninck that has created a score of LotR music...it is brilliant, in my opinion. I am not sure if Patrice still makes music or even when the music is from, for I found it when I was randomly searching the web some years ago. But I do know that songs like "Lost in Fangorn" and "A Night in Bree" are spectacular... As far as canon like songs go...I would have to get back to you on that. __________________ "Loud and clear it sounds in the valleys of the hills...and then let all the foes of Gondor flee!" -Boromir, The Fellowship of the Ring

07-02-2008, 02:51 PM	#9
*Thenamir* Spectre of Capitalism Join Date: May 2001 Location: Battling evil bureaucrats at Zeta Aquilae Posts: 987	Glass Hammer plays Progressive Rock in the style of bands such as Yes and ELP. The musicianship is outstanding, featuring lots of extended soloing and particularly distinctive organ and guitar work. The songs sung in a dramatic high tenor, have an epic sweep to them. More particularly, they have two distinct Middle-Earth-themed albums, Journey of the Dunadan, and The Middle-Earth Album. The latter is a favorite of mine, since it was recorded as if the band had somehow taken all their acoustic instruments (and some ethereal elf-music sounds) to Bree and performed a set for the patrons of the Prancing Pony -- complete with live small-audience sounds. (A between-song background argument between two audience members over a plate of taters is quite amusing.) The cover art alone is is almost worth the price of the album. These albums are for sale on the Glass Hammer store site, here about halfway down the page. They also have a couple of C. S. Lewis-themed albums. __________________ The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. ~~ Marcus Aurelius

07-02-2008, 07:27 PM	#10
Hilde Bracegirdle Relic of Wandering Days Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: You'll See Perpetual Change. Posts: 1,480	Yes the above mentioned Middle Earth Album is a fun one. But I very much like the track "As I Walk", which one of the more serious pieces. I'm wondering if anyone can give a review of Ainur? http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndid=124660391. I am curious about this prog. group, and only recently learned about their Children of Hurin album.