Music Review-- "The Hidden Door" CD by Ted Nasmith

Sun, 25 Feb 2018 21:42:50 GMT

Music Review-- "The Hidden Door" CD by Ted Nasmith

For some reason the title isn't showing on this entry, so I've pasted it into the text. Anyway... Ted Nasmith is best known as one of the most famous Tolkien illustrators of all time, but it's not at all uncommon for artists to practice across disciplines. On his first CD he demonstrates an uncommon musical talent and gives us an intimate look into a beautiful soul. "The Hidden Door" is a collection of 11 songs, some Tolkien-related, some not, but most having to do with some aspect of Faerie. Nasmith skilfully plays the acoustic guitar as he sings his own delightful compositions!

1. "Leaving the Shire" is a piece that evokes Frodo and his friends on their autumn journey into adventure. Featuring guitars and recorders played by Ted's musical brother Bruce.

2. "Where Beauty Dwells" is a lovely reverie with a gorgeous floating melody played on guitar and harp, with chirping recorders mimicking the songs of birds. It's about walking in the woods and fields and finding beauty to refresh the spirit. This one feels quite personal, and could easily be Frodo on one of his long hikes. An incredibly beautiful composition, worth the entire price of the album.

3. "To the Sea" is a composition built to showcase the Professor's poem of the same name. Lovely and accompanied by the sounds of surf and sea-bells.

4. "A King There Was" is about the elf king Thingol and his daughter Luthien. This is a solid composition, but it is the only one on the disc which consistently fails to hold my attention. No doubt a failing of mine rather than the music's!

5. "River Daughter" is of course about Goldberry; it is Frodo's poem to her. I've always found Frodo's reaction to her rather endearing, as he himself is confused by it! This composition is lovely, very much a reverie in line with "Where Beauty Dwells," and the arrangement is quite sophisticated.

6. "When Evening in the Shire was Grey:" I am thrilled viscerally any time good actors or musicians manage to give Frodo and Sam a convincing voice, and this sweet and plaintive song is very convincing indeed. In this piece my two favorite hobbits are brought vividly to life as they sing their little songs about Gandalf in Lothlorien. It moved me and choked me up. The melody sounds a little amateurish in places, but it just adds to the charm as this is deliberate. Sam and Frodo are not musicians, after all. :) Another song worth the price of the whole album.

7. "Rainbows in the Sun" is a heartfelt tribute to a lovely "elf" Ted once met in Sedona, Arizona. A bright and cheerful song, skilfully arranged.

8. "To the Woody End" is a slightly darker reverie about "a musical journey into the imagination and bliss." A nice and somewhat unusual piece, but it does not captivate me the way his previous reveries do.

9. "Dying Embers" is the only piece on this disc I would call depressing. It is an authentic lament about losing one's faculties to age and time. It's still worth listening to.

10. "Beruthiel." Queen Beruthiel, as Tolkien aficionados know, is the ultimate 'crazy cat lady.' Queen of Osgiliath long ago, she is a dark, shadowy figure always accompanied by her cat collection-- 'nine black and one of white' which act as spies for her. This outstanding ballad with its rich chords and lyrics vividly recounts Tolkien's cautionary tale. A must-listen.

11. "The Hidden Door" is another one I love-- Nasmith calls it an 'inspirational song' and I agree. It uplifts the heart and acknowledges that not everyone has eyes to see enchantment, or the wisdom to appreciate it. It is gorgeous, and leaves me with a smile every time.

Overall, this is an outstanding first album from an already well-known artist, and a must-have for any Tolkien addict. May he record many, many more!

Currently available as a signed copy on eBay for 9.99 GBP (And no, I wasn't put up to this!)

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LOTR Music Review #3: "The Quest: A Musical Journey" by Carlin

Sat, 13 Jan 2018 03:59:50 GMT

Performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

I didn't really appreciate what I had when I first won this on eBay last year, but once I received it things changed very quickly indeed. I'll tell you right up front that this exquisite recording belongs in every Tolkien fan's collection, but unfortunately it is exceedingly rare. Good luck finding a copy-- though as a rare book collector I feel that a determined search through the New Zealand secondhand stores would probably turn it up, as it went gold there. Still, I certainly can't locate it on Amazon, and a quick Google search did not turn up any copies for sale. The only article of substance I've found on it is this one:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=228888

With the dozens of Howard Shore covers adding to my confusion, this outstanding and completely original orchestral work from New Zealand had passed completely under my radar.

The CD consists of twelve tracks: Royal Fanfare, Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Dance of the Elves, Attack on Helm's Deep, The Quest, The Dark Lord, Flight, A Journey in the Dark, Suspense, Sorrow, The Shadow of the Past, and Farewell.

"Royal Fanfare" is what it says, the majestic, heraldic, fully orchestral beginning of the greatest Quest of them all.

"Battle of the Pelennor Fields" sounds more like its aftermath, with a foreboding beginning, a stately, heart-rending theme and lovely touches of tragic dialogue between the instruments. I can easily hear the final parting of Eowyn and Theoden in this monumental piece.

"Dance of the Elves" is unusual, in a good way. Most music inspired by the Professor's elves tends to be stately and ethereal. This short piece, however, is robust, using percussion and kettle drums, and it's full of energy and laughter, showing Tolkien's elves at play.

"Attack on Helm's Deep" is dark and distinctly Celtic, with percussion that reminded me of Saruman's forges under Isengard. Plaintive violins, harps and pennywhistles add a very human touch as the defenders stand watch upon the battlements.

"The Quest" is a marvelous composition, with a lovely and touching melody played on violins, horns and a lovely clear flute and oboe, which evokes a feeling of adventure, vast sweeping landscapes, and the open road. Yet it is also kind and intimate, as though we are experiencing the emotions deep in Frodo's heart as he sets forth once again upon his timeless journey.

"The Dark Lord" is dark indeed, and uses a full orchestra with an electric guitar on an FX pedal to evoke the harsh beauties of evil. Even this portrayal has great majesty.

"Flight" connects quite directly with "The Quest" and covers some of the most perilous moments of the story.

"A Journey in the Dark" is the perfect score and soundtrack to a scene which is strangely neglected in most Tolkien-inspired music: Frodo and Sam's first encounter with Shelob! The first time I listened to this I was on the edge of my seat, as the music is vivid and provides a crystal clear illustration of the scene just as it is written in the book. From their first fearful steps into the dark, to Shelob's chilling and venomous hiss, to Frodo wielding the Star-Glass-- it's all chronicled here in bright stereo detail. Beautiful, clear, and perfect!

"Suspense" begins with Sam's plaintive pennywhistle, crying Frodo's name over and over. Then come the orcs with their harrying horns and drums, and as they disappear again we are left with only poor Sam's heartbeat.

"Sorrow" is brief and not so clear, but following the Cirith Ungol action as it does, (and with its accompanying description-- "reflection over the loss of a friend") it feels to me that this is Sam in his worst despair. This work is too short, not really coming into its own, and therefore it is the weakest composition on the disc, but it's still of fine soundtrack quality.

"The Shadow of the Past" is a reprise of the beautiful melody of "The Quest." The feeling is that all is over now, but we are remembering some of the most marvelous moments of the adventure.

"Farewell" is, of course, the farewell at the end of the book, beginning tenderly with harps and wind instruments and proceeding onward to a majestic full-orchestral score which heralds the beginning of another journey, before finally ending peacefully with harp and violins as the sun sets in the west.

I wish you all luck finding this disc. As I previously indicated, a thorough search of New Zealand secondhand music dealers might turn one up. An eBay search might do the same thing-- it's how I found mine. If you do locate one, don't hesitate! This is a first-rate classical composition from beginning to end, by turns moving, exciting, vivid and deep, and its performance is flawless.

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The Heart of the Matter

Music Review-- "The Hidden Door" CD by Ted Nasmith

LOTR Music Review #3: "The Quest: A Musical Journey" by Carlin