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27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Superb and Sensitive..., February 15, 2002
...interpretation of Tolkien's Shire poetry, and his more serious lays and laments written in the Old English tradition. This isn't commercialised or romanticised; it's a bunch of conservatory-trained musicians who share a love of Tolkien putting their considerable talents to good use.Some of the songs (the folk-type Shire songs) were very much as I had imagined them -- one of them even uses the tune I had expected it to, although Tolkien does hint at it in the text (Sam's troll song). Others, like the a capella choral pieces (Lament for Theoden/Mounds of Mundburg) took me much further than my musical imagination could have taken me by myself. They sound very Brittenish to me, as in Benjamin, but I suspect they also hark back to traditional modes of music from northern Europe. They sound as if they're being sung from a great distance, which gives them just the right ethereal quality, and a sense of looking back to a distant and legendary past (Tolkien wrote them to show us what the bards sang long after the battle of the Pelennor Fields was fought -- he uses the theme of "how will we be remembered in song and story" throughout LoTR). The more serious pieces took a bit of getting used to, but now these unexpected tracks are among my favourites. The Lament for Boromir and the Lay of Luthien (Westron version) are beautiful, while the duet between the Ent and Entwife is poignant in the extreme! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. My musical tastes range from Bach to reggae, from ska to Mahler, and if yours are wide too, then you probably will.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Lord of the Rings: Tolkien Ensemble is wonderful!, January 13, 2002
This Music is wonderful! I came across it in Borders book store when I was looking for soundtracks and it was sitting there. It had been misplaced. So I picked it up and bought it. I didn't know what to expect when I first put "An Evening in Rivendell" into my portable cd player. I admit that when I first listened to the first few songs, I was mildly disappointed. But as I continued to listen to the cd, I realized that these wonderful artist had the perfect voices for these poems, rhymes and ballads. Some people may put in this cd and think that these were not how they thought that they would of put these lyrics to music. Keep in mind that these songs are these artists impressions of them and not yours. Then I put in "A Night in Rivendell" and had the same reaction. But now these are some of my favorite cds and I listen to them non-stop. My favorite song is "Lament for Theoden". As the choir sings, you feel of the great sorrow of Theoden and his people as he rides off to war not knowing his fate but not expecting to ever return. Then as they sing of his departing, you can hear the horses hoofbeats and the urgency to get to Gondor. This cd set is worth it only if you listen to this song. If you do not appreciate classical music, the this set is probably not for you. But if you do and you also enjoy the works of Tolkien, then the Tokien Ensemble is a must.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Striking and Thoughtful Interpretation of Tolkien's work, March 1, 2003
As a lover both of Tolkien and of vocal performance (ranging from madrigals to heavy metal) I was disposed to be interested in this two-CD set. But I feared a poorly considered, superficial treatment of Tolkien's work. There is nothing superficial about this collection. Composed and performed by a group of musicians in Denmark, these songs start with Tolkien's writing and expand on it. These works offer a new view of Tolkien's verse while preserving his stance and style. I find these songs endlessly fascinating, but please be aware -- you might not "get" them on first hearing. Don't expect pop music. As Aragorn said, they are "sad, as are all the tales of Middle-earth, and yet may lift up your hearts." All of them offer endless room for exploration. My friends and I find these deeply moving, and they're a great source of insight into verse writing and song writing. I expect both Tolkien fans and musicians with find a great deal to love. My compliments to the composers and performers - they were beautifully inspired!
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