Lili of Phoenix, one of the guest musicians at the Phoenix LOTR concert, wrote her impressions of the event:
I would like to submit my review of the Phoenix concert on May 26. I had a unique perspective because I was one of the guest musicians on stage! What an experience. Nothing in my 33 years of musical experience could top those 2 days. One of the reviews mentioned that musicians received orchestra music 4 – 6 weeks in advance. The musicians in Phoenix got theirs 2 weeks ago. I got my music last Friday. Howard’s score is complex with many meter changes and unusual harmonies and chord progressions. Technically not too difficult, but a bear to put together.
I arrived for the orchestra’s first rehearsal on Tuesday morning to the strains of Gondor’s Theme and Hobbit music as the musicians warmed up. Our 3 hour rehearsal allowed us enough time to run the entire piece once and then fine tune a half dozen spots. I have listened to the LoTR’s CD’s so many times I knew what everything “should” sound like and the morning rehearsal was a bit rough. I know there were many musicians not familiar with the music and they were doing their talented best at it. The soprano soloist as well was having a hard time. The biggest difficulty I felt for everyone was coming in at the correct time, there are so many tempo changes that it was difficult to anticipate the next section of music. Tuesday evening brought another 3 hour rehearsal but this time with both choirs as well. This again was another run through and 6 or 7 finer points addressed by Mr. Mickelthwate. The orchestra had a little more confidence but some of the playing was still tentative.
We are all spoiled by listening to the movie Cd’s that probably entailed hundreds of hours or rehearsals and Howard Shore right there to clarify and conduct the London Symphony. What you saw Wednesday night was after 6 hours of rehearsals. Yes the orchestra and choir had much room for improvement and no doubt a few extra rehearsal were needed, but the symphony is already preparing for their next concert.
It was an absolute joy for me to have the opportunity to perform the music I love with gifted musicians that could take marks from a page and bring tears to your eyes. But the best part? The audience response at the end. The standing ovation and cheers made me feel like a part of a community. All of us were in this huge hall for one reason. To share the love of a piece of art; the music, the movies, the books.
These works of art are important pieces of our lives and help to keep us sane and grounded in these crazy times. Please continue to support the arts in our lives and our country by going to concerts and shows, insisting on arts education in schools (every musician on that stage started playing/singing as a youngster) and demanding funding for the arts from you local, state and federal government. Think of what the next generation of artists/musicians will create.
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Check out Sideshow/Weta for a sneak peek at the upcoming ‘Balrog of Moria’ polystone statue. While its just a teaser image, it sure looks as cool as the first Balrog, and that can only mean they could sell pretty fast! [Click Here]
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TORn Staffer Ostadan writes: Elvish linguists may be glad to learn that JRRT’s very early “Gnomish Lexicon”, which was published a few years ago in Parma Eldalamberon #11, but has been unavailable for some time, has gone back into print. Gnomish, or Noldorin, is the language which became the basis for the Grey-elven Sindarin tongue seen in Lord of the Rings. Official announcement: [More]
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Date: Thu May 27, 20046:16 pm
Subject: Reprint of Parma Eldalamberon #11
I Lam na Ngoldathon
The Grammar and Lexicon of the GNOMISH TONGUE.
By J. R. R. Tolkien.
Edited by Christopher Gilson, Carl F. Hostetter, Patrick Wynne, and
Arden R. Smith.
Parma Eldalamberon No.11 presents the Gnomish Lexicon (selections from which were published in the Appendices to The Book of Lost Tales) in its entirety. This is the dictionary of the language called Goldogrin, or I-Lam na-Ngoldathon, which Tolkien eventually transformed into the Noldorin of The Etymologies and later into the Sindarin of The Lord of the Rings. This issue also includes Tolkien’s own partial grammar of Gnomish, contemporary with the lexicon, which covers the inflections and syntax of the article, noun, and adjective. The lexicon itself also contains much grammatical information, frequently citing verbs in both their present and past tenses, and nouns in both singular and plural. Other parts of speech are also well-represented in what is a quite comprehensive dictionary, and there are a number of sample sentences in Gnomish.
The original lexicon fills a 150-page notebook and consists of about 3000 entries. Compiled in 1917, this remarkable document reveals the well-spring of Tolkien’s linguistic genius in its ‘Celtic’ mode. It also displays the basic phonological nature of the historical relation between Noldorin and Quenya at its inception, with numerous etymological annotations and the citation of many cognates, some of which are Quenya words that occur nowhere else.
A reprint of Parma Eldalamberon No. 11 is currently in preparation. We expect copies to be available for shipping on June 7, 2004.
Orders:
The cost is $20.00 per copy including postage and handling world-wide.
Please use the PayPal button at this link: this link, Or send check or money-order (U.S. funds only) to:
Christopher Gilson
10646-A Rosewood Road
Cupertino, CA 95014
U.S.A.
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Hard-working Ringer Patricia scrounged up news about getting tickets for the Boston Museum of Science’s LOTR Exhibit. She writes: “The exhibit runs from August 1 through October 24, 2004. Timed tickets are on sale now to museum members, and on sale to the public beginning at 10:00 a.m., June 1, 2004. Tickets can be purchased three ways: 1. Box office 2. Phone: (617) 723-2500. 3. Online 24/7 at the museums’ website: www.mos.org. There is a $2 handling fee for non-museum members per person for tickets. VISA, Master Card and American Express are accepted. While most museums are closed on Mondays, the Boston Museum of Science is opened on Mondays. It might be easier to get timed tickets for a weekday!” [More]
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Ringer Keith writes: I think a number of your viewers may also be members of SAG (Screen Actors Guild) — there are nearly 100,000 in the US! Sean has just opened a forum for SAG members only, to provide “open dialogue over time about issues important to our Union.” [More]
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