Flight to the FordThe following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on October 20:

  • Bilbo and the Dwarves think of what to do next at the Hidden Door (1341)
  • Escape across the Ford of Bruinen (1418)
  • Gandalf and Elrond perceive the Black Riders at the Ford of Bruinen (1418)
  • Frodo is brought to Rivendell (1418)
  • Return of the King is published (1955)
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Weathertop Nazgul attacks FrodoThe following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on October 6:

  • Thorin requests supplies (1341)
  • Gandalf heads for Rivendell after escaping Weathertop (1418)
  • The camp under Weathertop attacked at night. Frodo is wounded (1418)
  • They cross the Ford of Bruinen; Frodo feels the first return of pain (1419)
  • Frodo is again ill (1420)
  • Samwise returns to Bag End (1421)
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September 29 The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on September 29:

  • The company of Thorin recovers in Lake-town (1341)
  • Frodo reaches Bree at night (1418)
  • Gandalf visits the Gaffer (1418)
  • They come to the Grey Havens (1421)
  • Frodo and Bilbo depart over the Sea with the Three Keeper (1421)
  • The end of the Third age (1421)

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If you’re a regular reader here at TORn, you know by now about composer and sound engineer Jordan Rannells’ immersive audio soundscape of music and ambient sounds, bringing to life Middle-earth. His soundscape is designed to be listened to whilst reading The Lord of the Rings – and in fact, is timed perfectly to fit with Andy Serkis’ recording of the books.

The Hobbit and The Silmarillion

Following the success of his Long-Expected Soundscape, Rannells is at it again! This time he’s tackling two more of Tolkien’s works, in epic scale. Read on below to find out what Rannells told us about his latest projects.

A new kind of Middle-earth experience for Hobbit Day

Jordan Rannells composed an original score, designed sound FX and recorded nature ambience to match all 60+ hours of Andy Serkis’ The Lord of the Rings audiobooks. Each moment is timed exactly so that when you hear Serkis describe Grond tearing through the gates of Minas Tirith, you hear it happening; when the eucatastrophe happens, we hear its theme; when the water of Wellinghall rains down around us, we hear it come and go. It is so simple to put the Soundscape together with the audiobooks, but you can also listen without them and just escape to Middle-earth any time you need to. Listen to the wind in the grass on your way to Edoras; hear the turmoil in the score as Boromir confronts Frodo; duck as the wings of the fell beast fly over you.

Rannells uses Dolby Atmos to achieve the highest level of 3D immersion possible, using the latest technology and sound design tools used in big franchises like Marvel, Game of Thrones and more.

Now, after spending a year and a half designing his first soundscape experience, An Unexpected Soundscape and A Soundscape of Eä are on the way. The Hobbit and The Silmarillion are next on Rannells’ journey, as he seeks to complete the Legendarium in this new immersive adaptation.

Listeners will be able to hear the dwarves as their barrels crash by; catch whispers of Gollum and the spiders of Mirkwood; witness the Coming of Tuor to Ulmo, and even the creation of Arda itself. New challenges present themselves in bringing the up-close-and-personal world of The Hobbit to your ears, such as recording movement and footsteps for each of the dwarves. Then, in the opposite direction, large scale and epic abstract sound design are required for moments in The Silmarillion.

Jordan Rannells
Find out more about Rannells’ epic undertaking on his website. You can also experience the first chapter of the Long-Expected Soundscape on his YouTube channel. Celebrate those Baggins’ birthdays surrounded by the sounds of Middle-earth!

Baggins BirthdayThe following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on September 22:

  • Birth of Bilbo in the Shire (1290)
  • Bilbo and the barrels reach Lake-town just after sunset (S.R. 1341)
  • Birth of Frodo in the Shire (1368)
  • A long expected party!! (S.R. 1401)
  • Bilbo and Frodo’s birthdays (S.R. 1418)
  • The Black Riders reach Sarn Ford at evening (S.R. 1418)
  • Gandalf overtakes Shadowfax (S.R. 1418)
  • The hundred and twenty-ninth birthday of Bilbo and Frodo’s fifty-first birthday (S.R. 1419)
  • Sharkey in the Shire (S.R. 1419)
  • Bilbo’s hundred and thirtieth birthday. Frodo’s fifty-second birthday (S.R. 1420)
  • They meet the Last Riding of the Keepers of the Rings in Woody End (S.R. 1421)
  • Master Samwise rides out from Bag End (S.R. 1482) 

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Continue reading “Today in Middle-earth, September 23”