Ingwë
Creeping Death
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2004
- Messages
- 930
The music of the Ainur or The power of the Music in the Works of Tolkien
The question in this thread is: what is the power of the music? It seems that it is something more than the music in the real life.
The first instance is the Music of the Ainur:
And he spoke to them, propounding to them themes of music; and they sang before him, and he was glad. (...) Then the voices of the Ainur, like unto harps and lutes, and pipes and trumpets, and viols and organs, and like unto countless choirs singing with words, began to fashion the theme of Iluvatar to a great music (...) wherefore , though the Music is over all (...)Therefore I say: ’Ea! Let these things Be! And I will set forth into the Void the Flame Imperishable, and it shall be at the heart of the World, and the World shall Be (Ainulindale, The Silmarillion)
Another notable time:
He chanted a song of wizardry,
of piercing, opening, of treachers,
revealing, uncovering, betraying.
Then sudden Felagund there swaying
sang in answer a song of staying,
resisting, battling against power
of secrets kept, strength like a tower,
and trust unbroken, freedom, escape;
of changing and of shifting shape,
of snares eluded, broken traps,
the prison opening, the chain that snaps.
Backwards and forwards swayed their song.
Reeling and foundering, as ever more strong
Thu’s chanting swelled, Felagund fought,
and all the magic and might he brought
of Elfinesse into his words.
(...)
Behold! they are in their own fair shape,
fairskinned, brighteyed
of piercing, opening, of treachers,
revealing, uncovering, betraying.
Then sudden Felagund there swaying
sang in answer a song of staying,
resisting, battling against power
of secrets kept, strength like a tower,
and trust unbroken, freedom, escape;
of changing and of shifting shape,
of snares eluded, broken traps,
the prison opening, the chain that snaps.
Backwards and forwards swayed their song.
Reeling and foundering, as ever more strong
Thu’s chanting swelled, Felagund fought,
and all the magic and might he brought
of Elfinesse into his words.
(...)
Behold! they are in their own fair shape,
fairskinned, brighteyed
(Canto VII, The Lay of Leithian, HOME III)
And another major and notable point in time:
And Luthien now was left along.
A magic song to Men unknown
she sang, and singing then the wine
with water mingled three times nine
and as in golden jar they lay
she sang a song of growth and day;
and as they lay in silver white
another song she sang, of night
and darkness without end, of height
uplifted to the stars, and flight
and freedom.
A magic song to Men unknown
she sang, and singing then the wine
with water mingled three times nine
and as in golden jar they lay
she sang a song of growth and day;
and as they lay in silver white
another song she sang, of night
and darkness without end, of height
uplifted to the stars, and flight
and freedom.
And all names of things
tallest and longest on earth she sings
(...)
Then did she lave her head and sing
a theme of sleep and slumbering,
profound and fathomless and dark
as Luthien’s shadowy hair was dark--
each thread was more slender and more fine
than threads of twilight that entwine
in filmy web the fading grass
and closing flowers as day doth pass.
Now long and longer grew her hair,
and fell to her feet, and wandered there
like pools of shadow on the ground.
tallest and longest on earth she sings
(...)
Then did she lave her head and sing
a theme of sleep and slumbering,
profound and fathomless and dark
as Luthien’s shadowy hair was dark--
each thread was more slender and more fine
than threads of twilight that entwine
in filmy web the fading grass
and closing flowers as day doth pass.
Now long and longer grew her hair,
and fell to her feet, and wandered there
like pools of shadow on the ground.
(Canto V, The Lay of Leithian)
And a final instance:
Then suddenly she eluded his sight, and out of the shadows began a song of such surpassing loveliness, and of such blinding power, that he listened perforce; and a blindness came upon him, as his eyes roamed to and fro, seeking her. (Of Beren and Luthien, The Silmarillion)
In the first quote, the Music sung by the Ainur becomes the history that all of Arda is bound by. In the second quote, song is actually used as an offensive and defensive force. On the third, music allows Luthien to grow her hair out in a matter of a few hours. And the fourth quote shows Luthien’s singing being able to overcome Morgoth, the greatest of all the Ainur.
I hope this hasn't been discussed before
Then suddenly she eluded his sight, and out of the shadows began a song of such surpassing loveliness, and of such blinding power, that he listened perforce; and a blindness came upon him, as his eyes roamed to and fro, seeking her. (Of Beren and Luthien, The Silmarillion)
In the first quote, the Music sung by the Ainur becomes the history that all of Arda is bound by. In the second quote, song is actually used as an offensive and defensive force. On the third, music allows Luthien to grow her hair out in a matter of a few hours. And the fourth quote shows Luthien’s singing being able to overcome Morgoth, the greatest of all the Ainur.
I hope this hasn't been discussed before
