The Road Goes Ever On (Tolkien/Swann) - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

mark12_30 · 09-02-2004, 09:08 AM

Esty, you will link to this in Music Reviews, won't you?

I have three copies of this book. The earlier copies (ebay) don't have the last two songs you list, and once I discovered that I paid normal price for the volume you have. (Don't you love that it comes with a CD?)

The book(s) are lovely, even the older ones (with the rather tacky cover designs) but I wanted several copies in case I ever got to have a sing-along.

I think "THe Willow-Meads of Tasarinen" is the best in terms of interpretation. I admire you that you can handle the piano score for these songs!) The piano score for that one seems appropriately Entish to me-- rumbly, heavy, swaying a little.

Mithalwen · 09-02-2004, 11:11 AM

I ordered it the second I knew it was being reprinted ... having waited so long mainly for the elvish! Of course too late I realised THAT was on the net but I dont begrudge my £20 for it is a lovely book even though my piano playing is limited and I can't quite manage to sing baritone!!! I think I would settle for The willow meads... as a favourite..... but I am afraid I prefer the Stephen Oliver settings for the duplicates ...... but I do like the setting of Bilbo's Last Song, and while I would love to hear the full choral version, Donald Swann's rendition, clearly towards the end of his life, is moving because he clearly feels so much for it.

It is interesting to hear another side to his creativity having "grown up" with the hippopotamus song etc.... a friend did a sponsored 24 hour organ play and those of us keeping him company on the graveyard shift kept ourselves awake singing along to Flanders & Swann ....... very British sense of humour... lol.

All I need now is an elvish style coffee table to put it on!

davem · 09-02-2004, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

a friend did a sponsored 24 hour organ play and those of us keeping him company on the graveyard shift kept ourselves awake singing along to Flanders & Swann ....... very British sense of humour... lol.

All together now....'The English, the English, the English are best, I wouldn't give tuppence for all of the rest....'

Mithalwen · 09-02-2004, 12:30 PM

The English are moral, the English are good
And clever and modest and misunderstood...

For the English are all that a nation should be,
And the flower of the English are Tolkien, Davem and Me!

I sense another wrist slap heading my way...

Psychic.... well it is a Swann song

a mere illustration of the adaptability and range of the of the composer .......... not completely of topic

Estelyn Telcontar · 09-02-2004, 12:56 PM

*Estelyn looks around to see which forum this is*

Oh, it isn't Mirth after all, it's Books! I dare you Brits to edit your posts so they're on-topic...

Estelyn Telcontar · 09-04-2004, 04:30 AM

I'm encountering an interesting phenomenon that's similar to what Tolkien and Lewis experienced - they decided to write the stories they wanted to read, since no one else did. Well, I feel that the music to several hobbit songs in this book doesn't quite fit the feeling of the poems for me. However, I'm not normally inclined to composing, so have never tried my hand at setting them to melodies of my own.

Well, this morning a melody to "The road goes ever on" came to me! No one could have been more surprised than I was. It's simple, encompassing a range of only one octave, with easy intervals, and basic harmonies underlying it. It has passed the walking test, since I sang it under my breath while walking the dog, and it seems quite appropriate for a nice hobbit hike!

That's good enough for me - a hobbit melody doesn't have to be earth-shakingly original and novel. Now perhaps I'll find a melody to "I sit beside the fire", which could be more pensive, for my personal taste, than Swann's cheerful music.

mark12_30 · 09-04-2004, 04:39 AM

Soooo, Esty, when do we get to hera this new tune?

davem · 09-04-2004, 04:54 AM

Have to admit I find it really difficult to get Stephen Oliver's tunes (BBC Radio series) out of my head. Though some of the Tolkien Ensemble's music is perfect - their version of Bombadil's song is the best I've heard. None of Swann's tunes really work for me, but I can listen to them without flinching, as long as I can manage to shut out the experience of last year's Oxonmoot, when three generations of one family (grandmother, daughter & granddaughter) 'sang' a selection of them.

09-02-2004, 09:08 AM	#1
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Esty, you will link to this in Music Reviews, won't you? I have three copies of this book. The earlier copies (ebay) don't have the last two songs you list, and once I discovered that I paid normal price for the volume you have. (Don't you love that it comes with a CD?) The book(s) are lovely, even the older ones (with the rather tacky cover designs) but I wanted several copies in case I ever got to have a sing-along. I think "THe Willow-Meads of Tasarinen" is the best in terms of interpretation. I admire you that you can handle the piano score for these songs!) The piano score for that one seems appropriately Entish to me-- rumbly, heavy, swaying a little. __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.

09-02-2004, 11:11 AM	#2
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	I ordered it the second I knew it was being reprinted ... having waited so long mainly for the elvish! Of course too late I realised THAT was on the net but I dont begrudge my £20 for it is a lovely book even though my piano playing is limited and I can't quite manage to sing baritone!!! I think I would settle for The willow meads... as a favourite..... but I am afraid I prefer the Stephen Oliver settings for the duplicates ...... but I do like the setting of Bilbo's Last Song, and while I would love to hear the full choral version, Donald Swann's rendition, clearly towards the end of his life, is moving because he clearly feels so much for it. It is interesting to hear another side to his creativity having "grown up" with the hippopotamus song etc.... a friend did a sponsored 24 hour organ play and those of us keeping him company on the graveyard shift kept ourselves awake singing along to Flanders & Swann ....... very British sense of humour... lol. All I need now is an elvish style coffee table to put it on! __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

09-02-2004, 12:30 PM	#4
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	The English are moral, the English are good And clever and modest and misunderstood... For the English are all that a nation should be, And the flower of the English are Tolkien, Davem and Me! I sense another wrist slap heading my way... Psychic.... well it is a Swann song a mere illustration of the adaptability and range of the of the composer .......... not completely of topic __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace Last edited by Mithalwen; 09-03-2004 at 10:39 AM. Reason: Esty dared me....

09-02-2004, 12:56 PM	#5
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Estelyn looks around to see which forum this is Oh, it isn't Mirth after all, it's Books! I dare you Brits to edit your posts so they're on-topic... __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

09-04-2004, 04:30 AM	#6
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	I'm encountering an interesting phenomenon that's similar to what Tolkien and Lewis experienced - they decided to write the stories they wanted to read, since no one else did. Well, I feel that the music to several hobbit songs in this book doesn't quite fit the feeling of the poems for me. However, I'm not normally inclined to composing, so have never tried my hand at setting them to melodies of my own. Well, this morning a melody to "The road goes ever on" came to me! No one could have been more surprised than I was. It's simple, encompassing a range of only one octave, with easy intervals, and basic harmonies underlying it. It has passed the walking test, since I sang it under my breath while walking the dog, and it seems quite appropriate for a nice hobbit hike! That's good enough for me - a hobbit melody doesn't have to be earth-shakingly original and novel. Now perhaps I'll find a melody to "I sit beside the fire", which could be more pensive, for my personal taste, than Swann's cheerful music. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

09-04-2004, 04:39 AM	#7
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Soooo, Esty, when do we get to hera this new tune? __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.

09-04-2004, 04:54 AM	#8
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Have to admit I find it really difficult to get Stephen Oliver's tunes (BBC Radio series) out of my head. Though some of the Tolkien Ensemble's music is perfect - their version of Bombadil's song is the best I've heard. None of Swann's tunes really work for me, but I can listen to them without flinching, as long as I can manage to shut out the experience of last year's Oxonmoot, when three generations of one family (grandmother, daughter & granddaughter) 'sang' a selection of them. __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."

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