Music....

[Uinor]

In your view what music and or composers best capture the images and emotions conjured by the Tolkien sagas......

For me I would have to say Edvard Greig, Jean Sibelius, and Ralph Vaughn Williams (especially the Fantasy on a theme by Thomas Tallis) work best.

[Curubethion]

What about Howard Shore? After all, he did score LOTR :) .

[littleadanel]

What I love in Howard Shore's music is the Rohirrim theme. Sooo beautiful. :)

Maybe it had such an impression on me cuz I spent very much time with the TTT soundtrack. I got it before I have seen the movie, I didn't have any clue what it would be like, I have only seen pictures in magazines. I had the soundtrack on a tape, not a cd, and spent sooo much time figuring out where a track ends and another begins, and according to the title what scene it would belong to... I really enjoyed myself. Listening to The Riders of Rohan, there were Éomer and his men in front of my eyes, encircling the 3 hunters, getting closer and closer... aww. And, as I said, the theme (The King of the Golden Hall begins with it, for example) with that special instrument the name of which I forgot :o now that music really captured my images and emotions of Rohan. :)

[Lotesse]

Hi, littleadanel! Yes, I love the Rohirrim theme, too; so uplifting. I like how the music moves at that particular point when Gandalf takes off for Minas Tirith with Pippin, and Merry runs up the guard tower to watch him leaving - it's a real pretty swell of the music, right there.

I also like the end part of Fellowship, when Sam's trying to drown himself to make a point, and Frodo reaches into the Anduin and pulls him out of the water - there's a sweet turn of the music there, as well.

Yeah, Howard Shore definitely rocks.

[Curubethion]

Myself, I thought the Gondor theme was really good...it was just like Gondor, suggestive of ancient, past glory. A faded, once great musical theme.
Oh, and In Dreams was beautiful...still gives me shivers.

[rohirrim TR]

yeah the gondor theme is good, but what about the orthanc theme it totally rocked it is as good as the starwars vader theme :evil: :D

[Elanor]

I have to agree with you about Grieg and Sibelius. Especially "Hall of the Mountain King"-- that's straight from the Lonely Mountain! Or maybe it's the other way around...

But what about the Shire? I think some of Bach's work sounds like the Shire-- the more simple melodies, the little songs they hum. I do love Howard Shore's hobbit theme, but I wish there were more of those little songs.

And what about the epic poems, like the Lay of Luthien, or Bilbo's poem about Earendil?

[littleadanel]

Something came into my mind just today... music and Tolkien, or something... ;)

The Silmarillion and Mike Oldfield's The Milleneum Bell CD somehow got connected in my mind. Maybe because at the time I was first reading the Sil, I was listening to this CD day and night... and especially the first track, Peace on Earth seemed to represent the feelings I had, about ME's ancient history - starry skies and the awakening of the Elves... The reason must have been that the only line I could understand from the singing was "silent stars are shining". Later on, I found out that the whole lyrics went like this: "In a manger lying/Silent stars are shining/Rest in dreamless slumber/Eyes around all in wonder//Heaven and earth are turning/Round the hearth fire is burning/Sheltered from the cruel storm/Peace on earth is new born" - so, obviously referring to the birth of Jesus. ("in a manger lying".) But anyway, the association became so strong that this song immediately brings the Sil to my mind, no matter what it really means. :o ;)

And, IIRC, Enya has a song with the title Lothlórien... *goes rummaging among her mp3s*

[Earniel]

I have to agree with you about Grieg and Sibelius. Especially "Hall of the Mountain King"-- that's straight from the Lonely Mountain! Or maybe it's the other way around...
That was my first thought too when I heard it. I could immediately imagine the Dwarves walking through the candle-lit hallways of the Mountain. :D

For some reason Pachelbel's Canon is something that always reminds me of Rivendell.

[Elanor]

Really? I never thought of that. Maybe because I've known Pachelbel Canon longer than LotR.

[littleadanel]

Alright, I know I'm coming up with lyrics AGAIN...

7. Tha Mi Sgith

Tha mi sgith 's mi lean fhinn
Buain na rainich, buain na rainich
Tha mi sgith 's mi lean fhin
Buain na rainich daonnan

Cul an tomain braigh an tomain
Cul an tomain bhidhich
Cul an tomain braigh an tomain
'Huile latha a'm' onar

Why should l sit and sigh
Broo and bracken, broo and bracken
Why should l sit and sigh
All alone and weary

When l see the plover rising
Or the curlew wheeling
It's then l'll court my mortal lover
Back to me is stealing

When the moon begins her waning
I sit by the water
Where a man born of the sunlight
Loved the Faerie's daughter

...but that immediately brought the story of Beren and Lúthien into my mind. (esp. "a man born of the sunlight".) Even though I don't know what the non-English verses mean...

[ElvenLover]

nvmd

[gwilwileth]

i would have to say I love the piece of music by howard shore: Hope and memory, but my favorite is Fields of Pelennor. It shows the calm before the storm, the pride in fighting for the land they believed in. It is Truly amazing. The best Lotr song is Use well the Days. Now that song is amazing.