In Elven Lands: Fellowship

Jon Anderson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 31, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: United States Dist
• ASIN: B000BSZA9M
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,825 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Tîr Im

2. Dan Barliman's Jig

3. The Silver Bowl

4. The Man in the Moon

5. A Verse to Elbereth Gilthoníel

6. Eléchoi

7. Beware the Wolf

8. Oromë: Lord of the Hunt

9. Creation Hymn

10. When Dûrin Woke

11. Eala Earendel

12. The Sacred Stones

13. The Battle of Evermore

14. Blood of Kings

15. Verses to Elbereth Gilthoniel

16. Evening Star

Editorial Reviews

The long-expected album is now a reality…

In 1999, Yes-man Jon Anderson joined with a small fellowship of recording artists to create music inspired by the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. Wishing to make more than just a tribute album, they set out to record music that actually came from Tolkien’s mythical worlds. For years, fans have awaited its release.

The wait is over.

• Brand new studio album • Songs in Elvish, English and Anglo-Saxon that reflect details gleaned from Tolkien’s personal notes • Featuring a wide variety of ancient instruments and early-music performance practices • Collectable full-colour dig-pack art, based on designs from ancient manuscripts • Integrated booklet with lyrics and album notes • Exclusive ‘early-music’ cover version of the classic The Battle of Evermore

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars GENUINE, February 5, 2006

By 

Kerry Leimer (Makawao, Hawaii United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: In Elven Lands: Fellowship (Audio CD)

On the surface there are some worrisome aspects about this release. Might this be some synth-rock new-age gloss? Not to mention the possibility of yielding to an impulse to cash in on a resurgent interest in Tolkien's work, or trade on the popularity of Yes and Jon Anderson. And even more significant, there's the difficulty of grappling with two extremely demanding environments -- Tolkien's legendarium and the practice of early music. So, in what might be described as typically Tolkien fashion, the chances for failure far outweigh the chances for success.

Yet the music and performances succeed amazingly well, without any trace of marketing or rock star hubris. For anyone with an ear that favors early music and period instruments, your initial brush with these pieces and performances will be a good one. Remarkably unsentimental, the adherence to many aspects of early music practice fits extremely well with the notion that Tolkien's Three Ages are no less than a prehistory of our own times. And it is accomplished with a high degree of veracity, never bending to an admixture of contemporary instruments employed by bands like Gryphon or Dead Can Dance -- brilliant as they were. Like them, the work here feels and sounds like the real thing, offering a rewarding sense of relief and authenticity without the presence of more contemporary intrusions. A few other recordings come to mind, such as elements of Robin Williamson's work, The Chieftains and many others involved in the practice of Celtic, Scottish and Irish folk musics, as well as Early Music itself. But the clearest comparison would be with Philip Pickett's and Richard Thompson's remarkable collaboration, "The Bones of all Men".

So, a note for you Yes fans: Here the human voices as well as the instrumental voices are all used to great and balanced effect, just like Yes. But if you are interested in this recording only because of Jon Anderson's presence, know that he is just one part of the performance, not the lead singer on every piece. This is emphatically not "Olias of Sunhillow II". The whole approach is appropriately that of an ensemble, not a venue to feature a popular front man. In fact, as much as anything else, "In Elven Lands" makes a great case for just how effective and affecting a period-music approach is. Especially when you think of film and the tendency to indulge in the use of huge modern instruments and orchestras no matter what the time period, the direction set here could have resulted in a much more evocative soundtrack for Jackson's recent film version of "The Lord of the Rings".

So, set aside any prog-rock-pop preconceptions and enjoy what must be imagined as some extremely Early Music.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting album, music from the Renaissance period, March 9, 2006

By 

Garance A. Drosehn "ScatterbotsNY" (Troy, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In Elven Lands: Fellowship (Audio CD)

First off, many sites (including Amazon) seem to have the title mixed up. The title of the record is "In Elven Lands", as done by a *group* called "The Fellowship". The CD notes that the group *features* Jon Anderson, but it also features a few other artists. Jon sings on some of the songs, but less than half of them.

If you're expecting a solo album from Jon, or a collaboration like Jon and Vangelis, or another Yes album, well, you'll be wrong. This is music from an earlier day, and I don't mean 1975. This music harks back to the Middle ages in Europe, or maybe the Renaissance period. It much more like the recent albums from "Blackmore's Night", for instance.

There are 16 songs here, and that's more than I would want to describe in detail. I will admit that one of the reasons I bought this was to hear a rousing version of "The Battle of Evermore" (a remake of the Led Zeppelin classic). The version here is very different from Zep's. It is sung much slower and clearer, with the lines alternating between a solo male singer and a choir of female singers. The result is very effective. Jon is not the singer for that song, but I don't have the CD with me right now so I can't say who did it. (You can almost make out the name in the picture of the album cover). Some other songs include singing more like Gregorian chants.

I think this is an excellent album. I'd really prefer to rate it as a "4.5", but that isn't an option here...

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars inspired, March 12, 2006

By 

Devin K. Gregory (Low Cal.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In Elven Lands: Fellowship (Audio CD)

Jon Anderson and the rest of the Fellowship have grabbed hold of the essence of Professor J.R.R. Tolkein's mystical land. The haunting melodies and outstanding musicology add more color and richness to Middle Earth than I had ever imagined. Every time I listen to the CD I hear something new. I give my highest recommendation for this CD to any wishing to be musically transported to Elven lands .