What music do you think of when you think of LOTR?

[bacon]

I think of the blaring Fellowship Theme that is played in the opening of The Bridge of Khazad-dum.

This is not limited to the live-action movies.

[minyaliel]

I think of the music printed in the book "The Road Goes Ever On", which contains "Namárië, as it actually was composed by Tolkien himself. It's amazing. I've done a couple of recordings from that book, if people want to hear, just give me a shout and a host, preferrably lol

[bacon]

Hmmm... sounds interesting... what's it like?

[minyaliel]

Namárië is actually quite like a gregorian chant - I love it, it fits the words so well... In the collection, there are many more songs *goes to get book in shelf* and they're all composed by Donald Swann, a close friend of Tolkien, and all approved of him. The songs in the book are:
- The Road Goes Ever On (beautiful, moderate tempo, very singable)
- Upon the Hearth the Fire Is Red (merry hobbit song)
- In the Willow- meads of Tasarinan (slow, goes deep down and is extremely entish)
- In Western Lands (much more rich and beautiful than that in the movie, in my opinion)
- Namárië
- I Sit Beside the Fire (very thoughtful, lyrical. In the books, this is a song sung by Bilbo in Rivendell)
- Errantry (actually, this is not from LotR. It's from a small book of poems about Tom Bombadil. It's very fun to sing because it goes so fast that it knots your tongue)
- Bilbo's Last Song (this poem was given to DS right after Tolkien's funeral, and is not a part of LotR. It was written after LotR was finished, and is a moving farewell from Tolkien to his friends and family.)

In the appendixes you'll find notes and translations of the elvish texts made by Tolkien himself, very interesting for any elvish fan, and also a short song called "Luthien Tinúviel". As a bonus, you get a free CD with all the songs.

[bacon]

That's alot of stuff.

Is The Road Goes Ever On to the tune of how it was in the movies, or rather did Jackson set the tune of the song to what Tolkien had?

[minyaliel]

Swann's compositions (and Tolkien's) are as unlike the movie music as you can get without swapping the genres lol... dunno if this works, but if it does, click the link to hear me sing Namarië as composed by ole Tollers himself, you'll notice the diffrence, I think lol

[bacon]

That's a beautiful and melancholy piece.

[minyaliel]

Yes, it is. I love it.

[Sword the Valiant]

I think of the theme song as well! ;D