'Music, Myth, and Literary Depth in the "Land ohne Musik"', Gregory Martin

[Faramir Jones]

Another favourite article of mine is Gregory Martin's 'Music, Myth, and Literary Depth in the "Land ohne Musik"'; because it deals with Tolkien's musical aescetics, and in particular his belief, made clear in his letters, in a parallel between music and language. I also found out from this article that Tolkien had made an address to the Lincoln Musical Society, which dealt with this parallel.

I loved the comparison the author made between Tolkien and the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, because

Both men were rooted in the pastoral idyll of late Victorian and Edwardian England and saw their vision of arcadia slowly overcome by industrialization, and then abruptly punctuated by the Great War, in which each served. (p. 132)

I had suspected this myself; but here the comparison between the two is explored in detail, (pp. 130-141, 144-146) and is a fascinating read. My particular favourite, however, has to be the author's look at the recording of Tolkien 'imitating' Sam singing 'The Stone Troll':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9wvDTv6fvI

When I listen to this recording, I always get a thrill; because it's the nearest I can get to hearing how an 'ordinary' hobbit singing was supposed to sound. Mr. Martin points out that this song shared ''many features' with 'the music Vaughan Williams encountered on his folksong-collecting exhibitions in mid- and south England'. (p. 145) The details he gives of this sharing I leave to readers to find out for themselves. (pp. 145-146)

I agree completely with the conclusion:

Middle-earth owes its existence, literally and mythically, to the impact of sound - in the languages Tolkien created, and in the music of Ilúvatar’s imagination... (p. 147)

This article is another one very worthy of the reader's attention, and one that answered a suspicion I had regarding Tolkien and Vaughan Williams.