The Starlit Jewel: Songs From J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" & The Hobbit

Broceliande | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 1, 2001)
• Original Release Date: January 1, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• ASIN: B00005U5SG
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #209,769 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Elvish Lullabye

2. Song of the Eldar in Exile

3. Hobbit Walking Song

4. Merry Old Inn

5. Children's Song From Dale

6. In Western Lands

7. Galadriel's Lament

8. Troll Song

9. Lament for Boromir

10. Bath Song

11. In Durin's Day

12. Lay of Nimrodel

13. When Spring Unfolds

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, melifluous, arrangements of Tolkien's songs, April 4, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Starlit Jewel: Songs From J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" & The Hobbit (Audio CD)

Unlike a lot of bands (Glass Hammer, Bo Hansson, Mostly Autumn, etc.) who have written songs *inspired* by Tolkien's fiction, Broceliande takes a different tactic-- they perform the songs that Tolkien actually wrote and included as part of _The Hobbit_, _Lord of the Rings_, and _Silmarillion_.

The music here is primarily acoustic-- lots of harp, flute, recorder, acoustic guitar, and folksy drums. There are also lots of male and female vocals, primarily by Margaret Davis and Kris Klover. Most of the tunes are performed in a manner that is soft, lilting, melodious, and beautiful... but without melodies that are particularly 'catchy'. I actually consider this quite appropriate given the supposedly Elven character of this music... it's something that you hear, you appreciate, but then it passes away, like a dream, unable to remember what exactly you heard or saw, other than that it was beautiful. The
one exception to is the haunting "Lay of Nimrodel", whose melody lingers in the mind, much like the Elf-maid's voice was said to linger in the Middle-Earth stream that bears her name.

A couple of tunes, like the playful "Troll Song" (with banjo) have an earthier "in the tavern" feel, while "Durin's Day" has a more grandiose, symphonic character, with a bit of electric guitar thrown in. But the dominant feel of this album is that of delicate, acoustic, Elven melifluousness..

One very minor caveat: if you have a high-end system, you will notice a slightly muddy-sound in the lower range, and some other mixing weaknesses. Such things are inevitable in privately released albums by small ensembles with limited resources, however, and they really don't distract me all that much from the music, so I'm still giving this 5 stars, in spite of those technical flaws. Harcore audiophiles, however, might find those a bit more frustrating...

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Colorful and enjoyable, April 4, 2002

By 

David Bratman (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Starlit Jewel: Songs From J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" & The Hobbit (Audio CD)

Half these songs are settings written many years ago by Marion Zimmer Bradley; the other half were composed by the band's principals, Margaret Davis and Kristoph Klover. It's hard to tell the difference between the composers: the songs are all well-written, and imaginatively arranged and performed in a colorful folk-song manner. The lively renditions of the bumptuous hobbit songs are as enjoyable as the beautiful "Lay of Nimrodel" and hymn to Elbereth. The re-recording of some songs for the CD has vastly improved some minor vocal and pronunciation problems of the original cassette release.

Along with the Tolkien Ensemble's "Evening at Rivendell", this is, in my opinion, one of the two finest musical settings of Tolkien's poems yet released. Though perhaps less atmospheric than "Evening", "Starlit Jewel" is equally colorful, livelier, and even more enjoyable to listen to. I also think it has worn better over the years, and Broceliande's other (non-Tolkien) albums are equally fine.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars East-West Books Hails Tolkien Music as 'Richly Rendered', April 4, 2002

By 

East-West Books Magazine (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Starlit Jewel: Songs From J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" & The Hobbit (Audio CD)

"Hobbits' songs of bath and food, gallant deeds of Men, Dwarfs'
mighty works, and sad and beautiful Elven tales are all given voice in this wonderful and timely, recording. The Renaissance Anglo-Celtic ensemble, Broceliande, performed and arranged these richly rendered songs. On several pieces, like the joyful Bath Song and the hauntingly beautiful Lay of Nimrodel, members of Broceliande also composed the melodies. The Starlit Jewel elicits a wonderful emotional connection to the inner sensibilities of the various folk, Little and Big, of beloved Middle Earth."--East/West Books CD
review, March/April 2002