The Magic of Singing

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Singing so powerful that it creates the earth – isn’t the Ainulindale (in the Silmarillion) an awesome and beautiful story?! It moves and touches me. Interestingly, there’s a definite parallel in C. S. Lewis’ Narnia (Book 6 of the Chronicles of Narnia, The Magician’s Nephew) – it’s created by singing as well.

In LotR, Tom Bombadil’s singing has magical powers, though not quite as earthshaking (maybe because it’s so nonsensical?! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] ). Even the non-magical singing has the power to preserve and pass on memories – sung history. That’s magic we’ve all experienced – words are memorized and remembered so much more easily when they’re put to music.

What do you think about the magic of singing? Are there other examples in Tolkien’s books, or did he write about it in his letters? Do you know of myths that mention something similar? Has that concept shown up in other books you’ve read? I’d love to hear more about it!