Music of the Eldar

Phillip Menzies

Moderator
Staff member
So where do we start with elf music for season 2?
In the music session in season 1 it was felt that voices should be Iluvatar's domain and therefore voices would not be used in the music until the arrival of the children of Iluvatar.
The other starting point is what elf music do we already have? LOTR and Hobbit movies music by Howard Shore have themes for Rivendell, Lothlorien, Mirkwood and the Grey Havens (although this last music is more associated with leaving and more with Valinor than the Grey Havens). Rivendell is the only truly Noldor settlement and Lothlorien and Mirkwood are Avari with a touch of Sindar and Noldor. Lothlorien music is very eastern and ethereal whereas Mirkwood is like faery and being enchanted (the prologue in the Hobbit An Unexpected Journey where Thranduil comes before Thror).
I would as usual suggest starting with Iluvatar's note (maybe an octave lower and men an octave lower again) and having a simple theme that can change with the influence of individual Valar, so the Noldor music would be influenced by Aule's rythms, the Vanyar by Manwe's lightness and regal feel, the Teleri would show some reluctance and be halting whereas the Avari would remain unchanged from the first theme.
 
Elf music should start with a cappella voices, I think. But even at Cuivienen, simple instruments can be played.

And at some point, we definitely need harps!


(I realize that's not what you were asking here, but, well....)
 
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