Eä Tolkien Society Meeting Notes for December 16 2017

by Hawke — published Jan 20, 2018 11:52 AM, last modified Jan 20, 2018 11:52 AM

Many thanks to Brian, Smial Secretary for this month's meeting notes!

Ea Tolkien Society Meeting Notes
December 16, 2017

Attended: Hawke, Brian, Chris, Corey, Jeremiah online

1. Hawke started broadcast and introduced meeting.
2. Chris K read Notes from November.
3. Discussion of notes, including the new Amazon series in the works based on Middle Earth between the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Various thoughts about adaptations from books. We are hardcore zealots, but not all people agree.
4. Narnia connection. Podcast Talking Beasts (http://www.narniaweb.com/cat/podcast/) comments on some failed attempts to bring Narnia stories to big screen (I.e. Voyage of the Dawn Treader).
5. Good Things Peter Jackson did: Ent War, Gollum, etc.
6. So there is good potential for a series in Middle-Earth.
7. Comments from Jeremiah.
8. Weekly series. Risks/benefits. Our hopes for what it would be.
9. We watch “Howard Shore: How Music Elevates Story” on YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e7BkmF8CJpQ
10. @58 secs... minor keys/major keys. Evoking a mood. Music therapy... some don’t like music if manipulating emotions. Leitmotifs in Star Wars example (documentary before The Last Jedi).
11. @4 mins. 50 secs. Timing 3/4 time and 5/4 time. Interesting.
12. @6 mins 12 secs. The Fellowship theme... powerful in story as character/plot device as well as a musical focus. Community is hard. There’s something bigger that’s taking this fragmentation and turn it into salvation for the end. Beauty and loss and fellowship restored. Richard and Chris comments.
13. @End of YouTube... Other movies with leitmotifs. Amadeus, Gladiator, Star Wars. Howard Shore... Memorable, rich, powerful music, but not unique to Lord of the Rings.
14. Chris Seeman’s list www.tolkien-music.org<http://www.tolkien-music.org>
15. Corey: Metaphor has image associations. Music influences us in another way... like formless idea without image, something like a spiritual structure.
16. Brian: that’s a connection with the way the Valar are in the background, like Music.
17. Comments from Hawke about “Touch the Sound” and drum circles.
18. Read from Tolkien’s Middle-Earth origin story, Ainulindale.
19. Hawke played “Stars of Arda & Discord of Melkor” music from his Ea Album. Available on Synthetic Zen at https://www.amazon.com/Stars-Varda-Discord-Melkor/dp/B01MSK5J49
20. The four themes in the Song of the Ainur... 1) Creation of Arda, 2) Marring of Arda, 3) Rescue of Arda, and 4) the Judgment & Resolution of the Matter by Eru.
21. Discussion...
22. After the music, Illuvatar showed them the world which was the embodiment of the Ainur’s music.
23. Melkor’s rebellion “A Tributary of Eru’s glory”.
24. Brian: “Even angels long to look into these things.” 1 Peter 1:12, New Testament
25. Where we start next time: “Now the children of Illuvatar are Elves and Men”.
26. Hawke asks: Shall we add a Patreon account for TolkienScholars?
27. Wrapping it up. Final comments.
28. Next meeting January 20, 2018, from 1-3 pm.