Aiwendil: to be blunt, I thought your essay was spot-on, brilliant, canonical, and over the heads of most of us. Thank God you included the musical glossary at the end. (Put it at the beginning!)
Seriously, for maximum impact, I'd add a set of links, with soundbyte-samples of each style of music you are referring to. Bach I know, but who is Palestrina, and what does his work sound like? It took me a moment to sort thru Polyphony, Homophony, and monophony; once I knew Poly- and Mono-, but Homo- threw me for a complete loop.
Anyway, more to the point: Tolkien's world DOES emphasize loss of grandeur and sophistication, leading to decay and simplification. I thought you supported your arguments brilliantly; a magnificent essay. Are you interested in producing a simpler version for the rest of us to grasp, while leaving the sophisticated original intact?
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...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.
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