Tolkien Tunes

[Galadriel55]

This Russian song reminds me of the gathering of all the hosts before the Nirnaeth, and the Nirnaeth itself. The music of this version fits particularly well, but the words also kind of fit. The song is about men leaving to join the army, and saying goodbye to the girls. But, contrary to the Nirnaeth, it ends with encouraging words, suggesting that the battle has been won: "Maidens, look! Wipe away your tears! Let the song grow louder, our song"... well, not exactly, but I'm not good at translating.

Also, this song, that I think deserves a full (if poor) translation, sounds like Haudh-en-Ndengin. It goes somewhat like:

Grasses swaying above the earth,
Clouds [those white puffy ones, not rainclouds] floating like graceful birds;
See that one, on the right?
This is me, this is me, this is me.
And I do not need glory/fame.

We need nothing,
Me and those floating beside.
We would that we lived - that is all the reward,
We would live, we would live, we would live...
But we are floating on the skies...

The [chimeny] smoke above my home's roof
Is getting yet whiter and higher.
"Mother! Mother!" And you will hear
My voice, my voice, my voice;
It is still farther and fainter...

Away from tears, and away from smiles,
The clouds are floating above the world,
Their host is not diminished!
Clouds, clouds, clouds,
And there is no end to them.

This pain does not quiet down,
Where are you, life-water?
O why does war happen?
O why, o why, o why,
O why are we dying?

I'm sorry for taking up so much space and time, and for posting non-English songs in the first place, but these two were nagging at me for a while now.

[Inziladun]

There's another Beatles song I think is perfect for Aldarion. I can picture him on the prow of his ship singing to Erendis.

[Inziladun]

The anthem of the Númenóreans.

Maybe I just wanna fly / Wanna live, don't wanna die
Maybe I just wanna breathe / Maybe I just don't believe
I think you're the same as me / We see things they'll never see
You and I are gonna live forever.

[Galadriel55]

These are great, Inzil! I'm sure Pharazon would have approved.

And I can totally see Aldarion thinking along the lines of those lyrics... It's funny how much I learned here on the Downs: I haven't read UT yet, but I already know half the stories....

[Morthoron]

I've always considered Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull prime candidates for scoring a Tolkien film project. "Dun Ringill", a very eerie and netherworldy tune, would be appropriate for a Numenorean or Elven mariner's theme, as a storm tossed ship traverses the troubled Belegaer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqVl_ZLbL5I

The weather's on the change...
Lines join in faint discord
And the stormwatch brews
A concert of kings as the white sea snaps
At the heels of a soft prayer, whispered

Clear light on a slick palm
As I misdeal the day
Slip the night from a shaved pack
Make a marked card play
Call twilight hours down
From a heaven home
High above the highest bidder
For the good Lord's throne

In the wee hours I'll meet you
Down by Dun Ringill ---
Oh, and we'll watch the old gods play
By Dun Ringill

We'll wait in stone circles
`Til the force comes through ---
Lines joint in faint discord
And the stormwatch brews
A concert of kings
As the white sea snaps
At the heels of a soft prayer, whispered

In the wee hours I'll meet you
Down by Dun Ringill ---
Oh, and I'll take you quickly
By Dun Ringill

[Legolas]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

The anthem of the Númenóreans.

Maybe I just wanna fly / Wanna live, don't wanna die
Maybe I just wanna breathe / Maybe I just don't believe
I think you're the same as me / We see things they'll never see
You and I are gonna live forever.

Late to the game on this, but in line with that...

Tom Bombadil's ode to all those trying to classify him, with his typical bit of rhymey nonsense.

I'm free to be whatever I
Whatever I choose
And I'll sing the blues if I want

I'm free to say whatever I
Whatever I like
If it's wrong or right it's alright

Always seems to me
You always see what people want you to see
How long's it gonna be
Before we get on the bus
And cause no fuss
Get a grip on yourself
It don't cost much

Free to be whatever you
Whatever you say
If it comes my way it's alright

You're free to be wherever you
Wherever you please
You can shoot the breeze if you want

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Legolas

Tom Bombadil's ode to all those trying to classify him, with his typical bit of rhymey nonsense.

And yet more from one of the greatest bands of all time. This one's for Aragorn.

Underneath a sky of red, there's a storyteller sleeping alone.
He has no face and he has no name and his whereabouts are sort of unknown.

[Boo Radley]

Not necessarily tunes that I might find "Tolkienesque", but (and I feel a roight gormless berk in saying this) I've only just heard about The Tolkien Ensemble.
Why was I never informed about this group? Did I miss a memo, perhaps?

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

Why was I never informed about this group? Did I miss a memo, perhaps?

I only found it through Youtube

[skip spence]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

There's another Beatles song I think is perfect for Aldarion. I can picture him on the prow of his ship singing to Erendis.

Somehow I feel that Aldarion, if he was honest, would rather hum along to this tune from the same album.

if I needed someone to love
you're the one that I'd be thinking of
if I needed someone

if I had some more time to spend
then I guess I'd be with you my friend
if I needed someone

[Boo Radley]

Estelyn, we're a wee bit backwards here, in this part of the midwest.

[Eönwë]

I've finally got round to listening to the Tolkien Ensemble, and I have to see that they're really good.

Of course, since I saw the films first, I can't shake that music off (but since it's as good as it is, that's not really a bad thing), but I still really like it. I also find the diference in their treatment of "Upon the hearth" quite interesting...

[Boo Radley]

The first music I heard that was related to LOTR was the Donald Swann compositions, back in the 70's. So I had a tough time wrapping my head around the music in the films.

[Galadriel55]

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

The theme song from a movie. Reminds me of Earendil. Don's ask why; it's just the kind of "feel" it has - soaring, heroic, all that. And if not Earendil, I still think it is Tolkienesque sounding music that's worthy of mention.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVUADDz3JLU

This lovely piece (Fantasia on Dargason by Gustav Holst) also deserves mention here in my eyes. From a purely technical perspective I find it awesome that it overlaps the 3/4 time Greensleeves melody with the main 4/4 (2/2? 2/4? not sure) theme. From a more general view, it sounds nice. From a Tolkien perspective, it reminds me of Rosie Cotton.