Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Hwaet! Some music!

Hello all,

I'd like to share with you some more Tolkien-related music, as relevant to our class today.

First off, music that I think is better-suited to Melkor. Namely, "Might and Glory" by Summoning, about the War of Wrath. It's as discordant as the Blind Guardian piece that was played in class, but I think it has much more dignity--frankly, the image that came into my mind on hearing the Blind Guardian song was of Melkor in a ridiculous black leather outfit leaping around a stage and shredding on a skull-encrusted electric guitar. Not quite the terrifying Great Enemy one generally thinks about. The lyrics, though adapted from The Lays of Beleriand, are rather...difficult to make out, so I've copied them below.

Summoning: Might and Glory

Second, what is probably the best Tolkien-themed music I've ever heard, with the possible exception of the Howard Shore soundtrack. It's just this Colin Rudd guy and his guitar, but it's pretty much perfect.

Colin Rudd: Song of Durin

Colin Rudd: Lament for Boromir

Colin Rudd: Lament for Gandalf


You can find more on his channel, but those are probably the best.

--Luke Bretscher



Lyrics to Might and Glory:

Rivers of fire at dead of night
In winter lying cold and white
Upon the plain burst forth and high
The red was mirrored in the sky

From Hithlum's walls they saw the fire,
The steam and smoke in spire on spire
Leap up, till in confusions vast
The stars were choked, and so it passed

[Refrain:]

There trumpets sang both long and loud,
And challenge rang unto the cloud
That lay on Morgoth's northern tower,
While Morgoth redeemed for his hour

[Choir:]

Might and glory flowing for a changing dawn
Ancient power reveals from an iron crown
Clear and cold and shining so far and bright
Crush the world in one clash of your blinding light

1 comment:

Blair Thornburgh said...

Don't forget Nickel Creek's "House of Tom Bombadil" for some quality instrumental bluegrass. Pretty much any time TB comes up in class, this gets stuck in my head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ2p04GWGEk