"Play Us a Song, You're the (Insert instrument here) Man!" Middle Earth Instruments? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

VanimaEdhel · 01-30-2003, 05:37 PM

I was wondering exactly what musical instruments they had in Middle Earth? I have read about flutes and the like, but I was wondering if they had pianos and other such more complicated instruments? In the recent movies, at the Eleventy-First Birthday Party of Bilbo Baggins, they also had fiddles and drums of sorts. And, if I was not mistaken, they also had an accordian as well.

I'm just wondering because I need to know for a fanfiction I'm writing (and more in the future as well). Any information you could give me would just make my day!

Rumil · 01-30-2003, 05:57 PM

The Dwarves at the Unexpected Party in the Hobbit had fiddles, flutes, a drum, clarinets, and Thorin had a harp. I wonder if they carried this lot all the way to Erebor or lost them with the ponies in the Misty Mountains? Perfect excuse for a goblin jazz band!

Trumpets were used in Gondor, drums in Moria, harps and flutes in Esgaroth and, of course the great horn of Boromir.

Thats all I can remember at the moment.

**The Saucepan Man** · 01-30-2003, 06:49 PM

I hear that Gandalf was pretty good on the Hammond Organ ... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Liriodendron · 01-30-2003, 09:26 PM

Yes, Gandalf was quite the chord man!

**The Saucepan Man** · 01-30-2003, 09:42 PM

... And as for the Mouth of Sauron on the Boogie Woogie Piano ...

[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Frodo Baggins · 01-31-2003, 07:40 AM

Remember that when Elrond showed up in the shire he had a silver (mithril?) harp.

Bad mental picture of the Mouth of Sauron on the Boogie Woogie Piano. I'm about to laugh myself into a stupor.

Anyway, most people of ME (with the possible exception of the Dwarves) seem to prefer the harp, Elves, Humans in Gondor (I duuno what they had in Rohan), now Hobbits seem to be more flutey (check the "orchestra" of the young Tooks and Brandybucks in "A Long Expected Party in FOTR.)

01-31-2003, 10:57 AM

Pianos were invented reletively recently in history, so I don't think Tolkien would have had them in a story with an ancient setting. I don't know about other instruments in LotR though...
But who needs instruments? Singing seems to be a common passtime in ME.

Liriodendron · 01-31-2003, 10:58 AM

Wasn't Gimli in a dwarvish Barber shop quartet? Or was that a doo wop group? Didn't Nob have a jug band going? Empty the jug, then play it? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Oh yes, those tra la la elves, I thought they were into skat singing at one time....I heard rumours of Denethor spending many late hours in the white tower of Ecthelion, freaking out with his harpsichord! [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img] [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img]

VanimaEdhel · 01-31-2003, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Singing seems to be a common passtime in ME.

But in one story I'm writing, about the Huin-en-Lhuig, they are basically a bunch of musicians. Some sing, but many play instruments, so that's what I wanted to know.

And thank you, guys! That's all I needed to know! Clarinets, eh? My friend plays the Clarinet...maybe she's secretly a 5'5", blonde, beautiful Dwarf...okay, maybe not.

And yes I know that the original song is "Sing Us A Song, You're the Piano Man", but if you are playing the flute you cannot very well sing can you? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Well, you could try (as I have done on countless occasions with my flute), but it's not too easily done.

Okay: I have my information! If you want to keep this open you can, or, Mr. Barrow-Wight, if you want to close it and make way for other threads, I am okay with that too!

Vardamar · 01-31-2003, 08:51 PM

My second cousin plays the harp. When she plays, its just like I was in Rivendell. For lack of a better word its angelic

02-01-2003, 09:37 AM

It's mentioned that the elves' voices were like the sound of bells chiming, so it's a safe guess that some sort of chimes or bells were also used.

Liriodendron and Saucepan Man-
Great - now I have a mental image of Denethor and Gandalf high up in a chamber in the White Tower, hunched over an organ keyboard and blasting out Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D-Minor", while the image of Sauron's Eye in the Palantir casts an eerie red glow over the scene... [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

VanimaEdhel · 02-02-2003, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Great - now I have a mental image of Denethor and Gandalf high up in a chamber in the White Tower, hunched over an organ keyboard and blasting out Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D-Minor", while the image of Sauron's Eye in the Palantir casts an eerie red glow over the scene...

Erm...I didn't have a mental image before, but now I do...thanks a lot... [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

01-30-2003, 05:37 PM	#1
VanimaEdhel Etheral Enchantress Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wellesley College! Posts: 1,461	"Play Us a Song, You're the (Insert instrument here) Man!" Middle Earth Instruments? I was wondering exactly what musical instruments they had in Middle Earth? I have read about flutes and the like, but I was wondering if they had pianos and other such more complicated instruments? In the recent movies, at the Eleventy-First Birthday Party of Bilbo Baggins, they also had fiddles and drums of sorts. And, if I was not mistaken, they also had an accordian as well. I'm just wondering because I need to know for a fanfiction I'm writing (and more in the future as well). Any information you could give me would just make my day! __________________ "I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each others dreams, we can be together all the time." - Hobbes of Calvin and Hobbes

01-30-2003, 05:57 PM	#2
Rumil Sage & Onions Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Britain Posts: 894	The Dwarves at the Unexpected Party in the Hobbit had fiddles, flutes, a drum, clarinets, and Thorin had a harp. I wonder if they carried this lot all the way to Erebor or lost them with the ponies in the Misty Mountains? Perfect excuse for a goblin jazz band! Trumpets were used in Gondor, drums in Moria, harps and flutes in Esgaroth and, of course the great horn of Boromir. Thats all I can remember at the moment. __________________ Rumil of Coedhirion

01-30-2003, 06:49 PM	#3
The Saucepan Man Corpus Cacophonous Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: A green and pleasant land Posts: 8,390	I hear that Gandalf was pretty good on the Hammond Organ ... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] __________________ Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind!

01-30-2003, 09:26 PM	#4
Liriodendron Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 527	Yes, Gandalf was quite the chord man! __________________ http://www.lizmargason.com

01-30-2003, 09:42 PM	#5
The Saucepan Man Corpus Cacophonous Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: A green and pleasant land Posts: 8,390	... And as for the Mouth of Sauron on the Boogie Woogie Piano ... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] __________________ Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind!

01-31-2003, 07:40 AM	#6
Frodo Baggins Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Bag-End, Under-Hill, Hobbiton-across-the Water Posts: 606	Remember that when Elrond showed up in the shire he had a silver (mithril?) harp. Bad mental picture of the Mouth of Sauron on the Boogie Woogie Piano. I'm about to laugh myself into a stupor. Anyway, most people of ME (with the possible exception of the Dwarves) seem to prefer the harp, Elves, Humans in Gondor (I duuno what they had in Rohan), now Hobbits seem to be more flutey (check the "orchestra" of the young Tooks and Brandybucks in "A Long Expected Party in FOTR.) __________________ "I'm your huckleberry....that's just my game."

01-31-2003, 10:57 AM	#7
Pherdacilion the Elf Guest Posts: n/a	Pianos were invented reletively recently in history, so I don't think Tolkien would have had them in a story with an ancient setting. I don't know about other instruments in LotR though... But who needs instruments? Singing seems to be a common passtime in ME.

01-31-2003, 10:58 AM	#8
Liriodendron Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 527	Wasn't Gimli in a dwarvish Barber shop quartet? Or was that a doo wop group? Didn't Nob have a jug band going? Empty the jug, then play it? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Oh yes, those tra la la elves, I thought they were into skat singing at one time....I heard rumours of Denethor spending many late hours in the white tower of Ecthelion, freaking out with his harpsichord! [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img] [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img] __________________ http://www.lizmargason.com

01-31-2003, 08:51 PM	#10
Vardamar Haunting Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Right over Here!! No Here!! Yoohoo! Posts: 97	My second cousin plays the harp. When she plays, its just like I was in Rivendell. For lack of a better word its angelic __________________ Strength without wisdom falls by its own weight.

02-01-2003, 09:37 AM	#11
Krumbad The Slobberer Guest Posts: n/a	It's mentioned that the elves' voices were like the sound of bells chiming, so it's a safe guess that some sort of chimes or bells were also used. Liriodendron and Saucepan Man- Great - now I have a mental image of Denethor and Gandalf high up in a chamber in the White Tower, hunched over an organ keyboard and blasting out Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D-Minor", while the image of Sauron's Eye in the Palantir casts an eerie red glow over the scene... [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]