Musical instruments in Middle-earth - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Rumil · 09-23-2007, 08:46 AM

I knew I'd seen a thread on this in the dim and distant past-

music thread

though I'm not entirely convinced by Saucie's claim of Gandalf's Hammond Organ proficiency!

Cheers,

Rumil

Legate of Amon Lanc · 09-23-2007, 02:45 PM

Interesting thread! I have maybe one or two more tokens to show.

Quote:

Then the voices of the Ainur, like unto harps and lutes, and pipes and trumpets, and viols and organs, and like unto countless choirs singing with words, began to fashion the theme of Ilúvatar to a great music;

In other words: How could you forget that?

Note the organs, mainly. Not that it proves that organs actually existed in Middle-Earth, but on the other hand... what would then be written in the original of Ainulindalë?
Just to make it complete, it was already spoken about trumpets; but to remind us, the trumpets are mentioned at the same place also in negative context:

Quote:

The other had now achieved a unity of its own; but it was loud, and vain, and endlessly repeated; and it had little harmony, but rather a clamorous unison as of many trumpets braying upon a few notes.

And now for a change, from the goblin song in the Hobbit:

Quote:

Hammer and tongs! Knocker and gongs!

I'm not sure if we can take "gongs" as given, but if not here, then surely at the very end of the Two Towers:

Quote:

Sam heard a burst of hoarse singing, blaring of horns and banging of gongs, a hideous clamour.

From both of these, it seems like gong is an Orc-instrument. Orcs are generally shown as liking percussions. And that's of course not speaking of the famous "drums in the deep".

Bêthberry · 09-23-2007, 06:00 PM

I seem to recall some people were entertained by the musical fruit in the movies, but somehow I doubt if Esty would include the movies in her definition of "Tolkien's works".

mark12_30 · 09-23-2007, 07:09 PM

Rusty here: the three greatest musicians were ... um... Maglor was it (? the one who went mad & sang by the seashore ever afterwards), and Daeron who played the flute, and likewise Tinfang Gelion (Flautist.) Seems plain that TOlkien favored flutes and vocals.

Have you checked out Aiwendil's essay on music in MIddle Earth? It is the best treatment I've seen yet.

Aiwendil's essay

Estelyn Telcontar · 09-24-2007, 02:37 AM

Thank you very much for the help so far! Aiwendil's essay is indeed very helpful, an excellent summary, and the two to which he links are very good as well. I'm encouraged to carry on now; I had been thinking about the topic for some time, but couldn't find enough material to use for the research. (I hope to present the topic as a lecture at next year's Tolkien Seminar here in Germany.)

Thanks, Rumil, Legate, and mark for the references; it does help a lot when I can narrow down the source material reading - combing through all of Tolkien's books, including HoME, is a daunting task and more than I can handle, what with "many duties that I did not neglect, and many other interests... that often absorbed me."

Bb, there's only one answer to your contribution:

Well, maybe two more:

Actually, I do plan to mention the movie usage of instruments as a brief sideline - how about the percussive use of a whip in the animated RotK's song "Where there's a whip, there's a way"?! (Sorry, no smiley allowance left to use here...)

William Cloud Hicklin · 09-25-2007, 10:24 AM

In the notes for the continuation of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin there is mention of a fanfare of silver trumpets from the city walls.

poison ivy · 09-27-2007, 07:17 AM

Not exactly musical instruments, but doesn`t JRR often write about his characters singing? The only ones who don`t sing are orcs and ring wraiths (ok and barrow -wights!).I remember that at the Grey Havens , Elrond had a silver harp in his hand ! although he didn`t play it,( and it must have been difficult for him to ride his horse !

09-23-2007, 08:46 AM	#1
Rumil Sage & Onions Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Britain Posts: 894	Do Do Do The Funky Hobbit I knew I'd seen a thread on this in the dim and distant past- music thread though I'm not entirely convinced by Saucie's claim of Gandalf's Hammond Organ proficiency! Cheers, Rumil __________________ Rumil of Coedhirion

09-23-2007, 06:00 PM	#3
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	I seem to recall some people were entertained by the musical fruit in the movies, but somehow I doubt if Esty would include the movies in her definition of "Tolkien's works". __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

09-23-2007, 07:09 PM	#4
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	Rusty here: the three greatest musicians were ... um... Maglor was it (? the one who went mad & sang by the seashore ever afterwards), and Daeron who played the flute, and likewise Tinfang Gelion (Flautist.) Seems plain that TOlkien favored flutes and vocals. Have you checked out Aiwendil's essay on music in MIddle Earth? It is the best treatment I've seen yet. Aiwendil's essay __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve. Last edited by mark12_30; 09-23-2007 at 07:14 PM.

09-24-2007, 02:37 AM	#5
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Thank you very much for the help so far! Aiwendil's essay is indeed very helpful, an excellent summary, and the two to which he links are very good as well. I'm encouraged to carry on now; I had been thinking about the topic for some time, but couldn't find enough material to use for the research. (I hope to present the topic as a lecture at next year's Tolkien Seminar here in Germany.) Thanks, Rumil, Legate, and mark for the references; it does help a lot when I can narrow down the source material reading - combing through all of Tolkien's books, including HoME, is a daunting task and more than I can handle, what with "many duties that I did not neglect, and many other interests... that often absorbed me." Bb, there's only one answer to your contribution: Well, maybe two more: Actually, I do plan to mention the movie usage of instruments as a brief sideline - how about the percussive use of a whip in the animated RotK's song "Where there's a whip, there's a way"?! (Sorry, no smiley allowance left to use here...) __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

09-25-2007, 10:24 AM	#6
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,330	In the notes for the continuation of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin there is mention of a fanfare of silver trumpets from the city walls. __________________ The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it.

09-27-2007, 07:17 AM	#7
poison ivy Newly Deceased Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: hampshire uk Posts: 2	voices in middle-earth ! Not exactly musical instruments, but doesn`t JRR often write about his characters singing? The only ones who don`t sing are orcs and ring wraiths (ok and barrow -wights!).I remember that at the Grey Havens , Elrond had a silver harp in his hand ! although he didn`t play it,( and it must have been difficult for him to ride his horse !