Howard Shore carefully brought the text of The Lord of the Rings to life in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy, choosing instruments and melodies that the people of Middle-Earth could have created for themselves. No theme shows this better than the one that speaks for the people of Rohan, from the clever selection of a Hardanger Fiddle to the rhythmic elements that evoke the beloved horses of the Rohirrim.
Just two episodes to go before our 150th Episode celebration! This time you’ll hear:
– A tribute to James Earl Jones, who had a bigger impact on children’s literacy than you might realize!
– What we are reading now. Chloë is enjoying The Misadventures of Max Crumbly and T.Q. is cracking open a comic book for the first time in years with The Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1: Married with Children.
– How composer Howard Shore adapted the text of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, carefully choosing instruments and crafting a melody to create a musical voice for the Hobbits and The Shire in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy.
There are videos for two show segments:
Activity: Explore Musical Storytelling
This activity could be done in a music class or a literature class. Have students select a piece of music composed for a film which they feel effectively interprets the plot or characters of a piece of literature. Students should research the instrumentation of the piece and form theories about why the composer selected certain instruments to do certain jobs in the song. Encourage students to consider as many elements as possible. Is the song accurate to the setting of the story? Does the rhythm match anything that is happening with the plot or characters? Are there any diagetic elements to the music? Have students share their findings with one another through essays, discussion, or presentations.
This is the first episode in a series about how Howard Shore’s film score for the Lord of the Rings film trilogy drew directly on the text of the book, supporting the story at all times.
There’s also a bit of show business to attend to, including some great conversations I’ve been having with listeners, our upcoming 150th episode, and whether or not listeners prefer a regular release schedule on a certain day or a looser schedule that puts out episodes when they feel relevant.
There’s a video version of the section of the show about Tolkien that you can watch here:
In this episode, I reference some musical experiments that I did based on Tolkien’s lyrics. I carefully reading the text of The Hobbit and tried to come up with musical arrangements that matched the text as closely as possible. You can listen to these experiments and download free sheet music here:
What does the world’s biggest pop star have to do with Lord Byron? Quite a lot actually, at least in terms of her poetry. Taylor Swift writes catchy songs about dramatic, volatile relationships — the kind that aren’t a good idea in real life but are awfully fun to sing about. And her song “Blank Space” is a great way to introduce poetic analysis to children.
By starting out with pop songs instead of unfamiliar classics of poetry, kids will be to understand that people in the past felt the same way about trendy poetry as modern kids feel about popular music. Children will also be much more eager to analyze rhyme, meter, and imagery when they are studying the lyrics of a song they already love. Having learned how to do poetic analysis in a fun, familiar setting, students will later be more able and willing to analyze great works of poetry from the past.
Rhyming in “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift
Overall, these lyrics feature very few traditional or perfect rhymes. Meters and sounds only occasionally match up. Thematically, this reflects the story being told in the song: that the man and woman are an imperfect match. They will link up perfectly only for a short time, and then quickly fall out of step with one another.
Perfect Rhymes
There are perfect rhymes sprinkled through the song, such as “friends” and “ends”, “far” and “scar”, and “who is she” and “jealousy”. But these pairings are only occasional and don’t follow a real structure, just like the personal relationships being described.
The first and third lines of the song match in rhythm and rhyme and are organized into three iambs (a poetic unit with two syllables) and a single rhyming syllable at the end. The rhyme only works if it is presented in a standard American dialect. For many other dialects of English “been” and “sin” will not rhyme:
Nice to / meet you, / where you / been?
Magic / madness / heaven / sin
This pattern is repeated a few lines later with a similar pairing, although the syllables don’t match perfectly. The word “new” has only one syllable, where “ain’t it” has two, but the internal words “money” and “funny” rhyme perfectly, as well as the words “tie” and “fly” at the end of the lines:
New / money / suit and / tie
Ain’t it / funny / rumors / fly
The pattern is repeated one more time, again with one syllable mismatch, although the lines are bound together twice; once with the thematic linking of “lips and kisses” as well as the perfect rhyme “skies” and “lies.”
This rhythmic pattern is repeated one more time, but with a slant rhyme.
Slant Rhymes
The percussive pattern from earlier verses is used one last time, but instead of a perfect rhyme it uses a slant rhyme, where the general sound of the rhyming words is similar, but in this case the nasal sound M is followed by the nasal sound N:
Screaming / crying / perfect / storms
Rose / garden / filled with / thorns
Flipping back and forth between N and M sounds happens again in the chorus, along with the use of a long A sound for a bit of assonance. These words don’t rhyme perfectly, but their sounds are similar enough to tie the chorus together:
flames
pain
insane
game
insane
name
These rhymes aren’t perfect but they are good enough, which reflects the song’s theme of an unstable relationship. This is seen in pairings such as “my hand” and “weekend,” which also pairs the opposite words “bad” and “good” to describe the same people:
Grab your passport and my hand
I can make the bad guys good for a weekend
Activity: Analyze the Lyrics of Your Favorite Song
Ask students to select a song lyrics for analysis. Print or write out the lyrics line by line, then use a highlighter to identify rhyming words. Identify different sorts of rhymes as well as the ways opposite ideas are tied together in the the lyrics to heighten the volatile and extreme relationship that forms the subject of the song.
Lucy Maud Montgomery carefully reconstructed the pop culture of the 1880’s when she wrote Anne of Green Gables including the music that teenagers were wild about. While singing is referenced dozens of times in the book, just three songs are actually named, and they were all real songs!
Activity: Learn one of Anne’s Favorite Songs
Three songs are named in Anne of Green Gables, and they were all popular sentimental ballads. You can find the sheet music for these songs online in the following archives:
Learn one or more of these songs and have a performance! You could try to re-create the song as it is performed in Anne of Green Gables, or you could reinterpret it in your own style.
This is the last of a three part series on the songs in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, covering the Hobbit, Human, and Goblin songs in the book. Tolkien wrote many wonderful lyrics in his books, but left behind no official melodies. However, it’s possible to examine the text to get an idea of the instrumentation, rhythm, performance style, and setting for a song.
By following clues in the text, I have come up with tunes for the two songs Bilbo sings when trying to distract giant spiders away from his dwarf friends. I have also written a fuller piece as a musical experiment to reproduce the sounds described in Chapter 10, where the people of Lake-town sing “The King Beneath the Mountains” to celebrate the return of the dwarves to the Lonely Mountain. I gave myself the following rules to follow:
The song is sung by a large group of people, with more joining in as the song goes on
The only instruments used are fiddles and harps
The song is spontaneous and sung with great excitement in a group that is spread out in a large space, so the rhythm will not always be exact and the harmonies will not always lock perfectly
There is shouting during the song
People of all ages sing the song
The mood should be joyful and excited
The meter is 4/4 as the lyrics are written with iambic feet.
Here are the results in an audio track. I have also put the song on YouTube to make it easy for parents, teachers, and readers of The Hobbit to find it.
This is just one possible interpretation of the music. Parents, teachers, and young readers can all have fun writing melodies for Tolkien’s lyrics in The Hobbit, and I would love to hear what you come up with!
Mentioned in the episode is the music of From Wilderland to Western Shore, which is a very well done album of Tolkien’s songs performed in a modern bluegrass style. Check them out!
Here is free sheet music for this arrangement. You can find more songs from The Hobbit and other books on my music page.
Tolkien’s lyrics in The Hobbit usually have smooth rhythm and excellent use of alliteration and rhyme. But Goblin lyrics change patterns frequently and are intentionally harsh sounding.
Have students examine one of the three Goblin songs in The Hobbit, and as a group come up with a performance of the lyrics. Find unusual percussion items that make sharp, clashing noises to use. Try growling, shouting, croaking, or using other sounds that usually aren’t used in music. Share the results of your musical experiment with an audience if you can!
Dwarven songs in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien feature 4/4 time signatures, rich instrumentation, and deep male voices singing in harmony. Although Tolkien never wrote any music for his song lyrics, it’s possible to imagine possible melodies based on his descriptions of the music.
Unlike the happy, lilting jigs and waltzes of the Elves, Dwarven songs are richly ornamented, develop slowly, and describe real world events in intricate detail. Their songs can be silly, hopeful, or sad, revealing that Dwarves feel deeply and are more sensitive than one might at first think. The songs sung by the Dwarves tell of their love of lavishly beautiful things, their long memories, and their quest to reclaim the homeland and treasure that was stolen from them.
I have written some music to go with the lyrics of “Under the Mountain Dark and Tall,” trying to create something that matched what Tolkien described. These were the musical requirements based on what I read in Chapter 15 of The Hobbit:
Maximum of 12 musicians
4/4 time signature as this matches the rhythm of Tolkien’s chosen poetic meter
I can only be sure that the musicians know how to play fiddles, harps, drums, clarinets, flutes, and viols and so should choose from among these instruments
The song is “warlike”
All singers are male with deep voices
Tolkien says the song is much like “Far Over the Misty Mountains” in Chapter 1, which is slow in pace, adds instruments and voices gradually, and evokes the imagination
The music should take advantage of the acoustics of a large, cavernous space
I was limited to using mainly software-generated instruments and my soprano voice, so the result isn’t ideal but I think it at least gives listeners one possible interpretation of Tolkien’s words. If any male singers wished to perform this song I would be happy to hear that as it would make for a better musical experiment.
Here is the audio for “Under the Mountain Dark and Tall” as well as a link to a video on YouTube:
Sheet Music for “Under the Mountain Dark and Tall” words by J.R.R. Tolkien and music by T.Q. Townsend
Choose one of the four dwarven songs written out in The Hobbit. The traits of each song as described in the book are written below. Songwriters may choose to follow these traits closely or follow their inspiration in a different direction. This activity would work well as a songwriting exercise in a music class but should only be offered for extra credit in a literature class. New songwriters may find it useful to recite the lyrics out loud with the desired rhythm, then begin singing out notes that seem to fit.
Chapter 1: “Chip the glasses and crack the plates”
Group singing: Thorin Oakenshield, Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur
Poetic meter: trochaic tetrameter
Musical time signature: 4/4
Instrumentation: Medium sized male choir, possibly dishes or hand and foot movements used as percussion
Chapter 1: “Far Over the Misty Mountains Old”
Group singing: Thorin Oakenshield, Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur
Poetic meter: iambic tetrameter
Musical time signature: 4/4
Instrumentation: Small male choir with fiddles, flutes, drum, clarinets, viols, and harp
Chapter 1: “Far Over the Misty Mountains Old” (Reprise)
Group singing: Thorin Oakenshield
Poetic meter: iambic tetrameter
Musical time signature: 4/4
Instrumentation: Male solo a capella
Chapter 7: “The Wind Was on the Withered Heath”
Group singing: Thorin Oakenshield, Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur
Poetic meter: iambic tetrameter
Musical time signature: 4/4
Instrumentation: Small male choir singing a capella
Chapter 15: “Under the Mountain Dark and Tall”
Group singing: Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur
Poetic meter: iambic tetrameter
Musical time signature: 4/4
Instrumentation: Small male choir with harps and other instruments
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien has the lyrics for many songs, but no official melodies. What might these songs sound like if we follow clues in the text? In the first of three episodes about the music in The Hobbit, we explore the rhythmic structure, instrumentation, and performance style of the book’s five elven songs. The elves of Rivendell sing lilting jigs and waltzes, and dockworkers from Mirkwood sing sturdier songs with a 4/4 beat. Most songs are performed a capella, and the only instrument mentioned is the harp.
Tolkien once wrote a letter to a composer saying that he was “honoured” when a musician was inspired by his writing, as he was very fond of music although did not know how to create it himself. Readers of all musical abilities can have fun writing their own melodies to sing to go along with the elven lyrics in The Hobbit.
Because music is so professionalized these days, amateur artists can often feel that they shouldn’t even try writing a song. But this shouldn’t be the case! Anyone can sing, and anyone can come up with a simple melody. To prove it, I submit my own little composition. I gave myself just one evening to write and record the melody, although I did come back later to arrange the sheet music. I’d be honored if you gave my version a try, and I would love to hear what you come up with! These arrangements may be freely used for non-profit enjoyment.
Here is the audio of my arrangement of “Sing All Ye Joyful” lifted out from the episode, as well as a link to the song on YouTube.
Sheet Music for “Sing All Ye Joyful” words by J.R.R. Tolkien and music by T.Q. Townsend
Choose one of the five elven songs written out in The Hobbit. The traits of each song as described in the book are written below. Songwriters may choose to follow these traits closely or follow their inspiration in a different direction. This activity would work well as a songwriting exercise in a music class but should only be offered for extra credit in a literature class. New songwriters may find it useful to recite the lyrics out loud with the desired rhythm, then begin singing out notes that seem to fit.
Chapter 3: “O! What Are You Doing?”
Group singing: Elves of Rivendell
Poetic meter: dactylic dimeter
Musical time signature: 6/8 Jig
Instrumentation: Many male and female voices singing a capella
Chapter 9: “Roll, Roll!”
Group singing: Worker elves of Mirkwood
Poetic meter: spondaic dimeter
Musical time signature: 4/4 March
Instrumentation: Small male choir singing a capella
Chapter 9: “Down the Swift Dark Stream You Go”
Group singing: Worker elves of Mirkwood
Poetic meter: trochaic dimeter
Musical time signature: 4/4 March
Instrumentation: Small male choir singing a capella
Chapter 19: “The Dragon is Withered”
Group singing: Elves of Rivendell
Poetic meter: dactylic dimeter
Musical time signature: 6/8 Jig
Instrumentation: Many male and female voices singing a capella
Chapter 19: “Sing All Ye Joyful”
Group singing: Elves of Rivendell
Poetic meter: dactylic tetrameter
Musical time signature: 3/4 Waltz
Instrumentation: Many male and female voices singing a capella
Louis the Swan from The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White is a character whose disability (he can’t speak) is just part of his life instead of what defines it. It can seem very tricky for a writer to portray a character with a disability in a way that is empathetic but not patronizing, but it’s actually quite simple. So long as the character is treated like a person first rather than just a disability, it will all work out just fine.
For Louis, his inability to speak was absolutely a problem, making it very difficult for him to communicate with other swans. But once his father came up with a creative workaround – stealing a trumpet from a music shop in Billings, Montana to serve as a prosthetic voice – Louis was able to have everything he could have hoped for and more.
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Have students research a famous musician who has a disability. Students may present their findings as a written report or presentation. Tell the students to remember that the disability is just one part of a person’s life, and that there are many other things that define him or her. Students should find out whether the disability was congenital or due to illness or injury. They should also find out how the disability affected the musician’s ability to learn and perform music. Sometimes the modifications a musician makes to technique because of a disability results in creative new ways of playing music. If this happened, students should explain what happened.
Some examples of famous musicians with disabilities:
Rick Allen
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ray Charles
Tony Iommi
Turlough O’Carolan
Django Reinhardt
Hank Williams
Stevie Wonder
The Trumpet of the Swan is an extremely musical book, though it’s not until about halfway through that the soundtrack kicks in. Every song or composer mentioned in the story is real, and this provides subtle encouragement to young readers to go and discover great music. There’s one exception: a melody written by E.B. White called “Oh, Ever in the Greening Spring” which in the book is a love song written by Louis the Swan for his sweetheart Serena.
Learn a bit more about the songs mentioned in The Trumpet of the Swan, including the several numbers that were recorded by Louis Armstrong, the after whom the trumpet-playing Trumpeter Swan in the story is named.
Recordings of some of the songs played by Louis in the book as well as sheet music can be found at childrensliteraturepodcast.com/music. These recordings can be played while reading the book so children can hear the tunes, or the sheet music can be used for a live performance.
Activity: Louis’ Repertoire
Have students research one or more of the songs or composers mentioned in The Trumpet of the Swan. Students could produce a written report, give a presentation, or give a musical performance.
Composers mentioned:
Johann Sebastian Bach
Ludwig van Beethoven
Irving Berlin
Johannes Brahms
Stephen Foster
George Gershwin
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Jean Sibelius
Songs mentioned:
“Beautiful Dreamer” by Stephen Foster
“Cradle Song” by Johannes Brahms
“Gentle on My Mind” by John Hartford
“Mess Call”
“Now the Day is Over” by Sabine Baring-Gould and Joseph Barnby
“Oh, Ever In the Greening Spring” by E.B. White
“Ol’ Man River” by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II
“Reveille”
“Summertime” by George Gershwin
“Taps”
“The U.S. Air Force” by Robert MacArthur Crawford
“There’s a Small Hotel” by Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart
“Row, Row, Row Your Boat”
