LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 3: A Short Rest

[Lennidhren]

Rivendell! "[Elrond's] house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all. Evil things did not come into that valley." Which is lovely but it does make for a brief and uneventful chapter. However, thanks to Elrond, that prince among Lore-masters, we do learn some useful details while the dwarves and their burglar are getting rested up a bit before moving on to greater perils...

For reference in the Silmarillion, have a look at ch. 23 "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin" to learn more about the famous Elvish stronghold in which Glamdring, Orcrist, and Sting were made. And we can learn more about Elrond Half-elven's background in ch. 24 "Of the Voyage of Earendil and the War of Wrath". You'll find a bit on Elrond and Elros, his brother, also in the beginning of the "Akallabeth" section of The Silmarillion, as Elros became the first king of Numenor and thus far ancestor of Aragorn. Elrond plays a part also in "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age".

Now here are some topics to discuss in this chapter:

(1) Gandalf tells the company that they "have come to the edge of the Wild" - the land east of Bruinen is Wilderland, making Rivendell the Last Homely House they will see for a long time. What kind of effect does this milestone have on the reader - or on Bilbo, for that matter? What does this lead you to expect?

(2) At last, Elves! I love Bilbo's remark upon entering Rivendell: "Hmmm! It smells like elves!" Seriously, how does he know what elves smell like? But here again we have racial profiling to discuss. :-) Dwarves love things made by hands; Hobbits love many square meals yet move in utter silence; and Elves are...well, rather silly based upon this first impression of them with their merry songs under the trees. What do we learn about elves from this chapter?

(3) Tolkien's love of language shows through again, this time with the runes and moon-letters of the dwarven map. What do you think of those secret letters?

(4) What are the odds? Elrond happens to be looking over the map on the one and only day - with just the right phase of the moon - that the moon-letters could be visible. And the moon-letters speak of a sign they must look for on Durin's Day, a day that Thorin says is beyond modern dwarves' skill to identify, yet Gandalf is optimistic about that. How important is fate/destiny/providence to this tale?

And finally...Music! Perhaps somewhere out there someone has set the elves' merry song to music and made an abc of it so the Book Club Band might have another piece to play?

...Or how about this song? The tale mentions "another song as ridiculous as the one I have written down in full"; in The Annotated Hobbit a note supplies this poem, from an unpublished manuscript, which seems to fit. Maybe we can find music for it?

ELVISH SONG IN RIVENDELL
Come home, come home, ye merry folk!
The sun is sinking, and the oak
In gloom has wrapped his feet.
Come home! The shades of evening loom
Beneath the hills, and palely bloom
Night-flowers white and sweet.

Come home! The birds have fled the dark,
And in the sky with silver spark
The early stars now spring.
Come home! The bats begin to flit,
And by the hearth 'tis time to sit.
Come home, come home and sing!

Sing merrily, sing merrily, sing all together!
Let the song go! Let the sound ring!
The moon with his light, the bird with his feather:
Let the moon sail, let the bird wing!
The flower with her honey, the tree with his weather:
Let the flower blow, let the tree swing!
Sing merrily, sing merrily, sing all together!



And finally, vote in the poll for meeting time as usual. I'm leaving Sunday out since we have kin meeting that night and I don't want to conflict with that or with Sunday Night Sieges...and earlier Sunday I have a faculty Christmas party to go to. :-) Comment in this thread if more than one time works for you...

[Lindorieh]

I'll still be at work Friday at 6PM EST (that's 5 my time) and I have to work Saturday morning. I may not be able to make Saturday afternoon either, but I know I can't come at the other times. Later on Friday evening I could make it though....

[gaiagil]

On Friday evening, Lennidhren and I will be in far Nimrodel caroling. I voted for Saturday Evening in hopes you can make it then, Laerlenn.

Gaiagil

[gaiagil]

Aiya Book Clubbers,
I think I've found a tune for the tra-la-la-la lally song. It's a duet, so I'll post it here for a partner tomorrow. Laerlenn's usually my mate for these, but in case she can't come, I'll post it so others may help out.

I also came across an interesting link in my search of a renaissance type band that did a number of songs from The Hobbit. Their renditions are interesting, to say the least.

http://www.canopymusic.net/canopy/hobbit.html

Enjoy,
Gaiagil

[Lennidhren]

Looks like Saturday 5 p.m. it is! Hopefully that'll work out for you, Lindorieh...And for many others too! We may have some more joining us after the Book Club Band's performance at Ales and Tales. I did get a couple of /tells expressing interest.

[gaiagil]

Aiya,
Here's the tune I'm thinking about for the Tra-la-la-la-lally song. I looked at the poem and as most lines with the exception of the first are 6 syllables and I wanted a light and happy song, I picked a jig for playing with it. This one is on Fat Lute, and is called Jig and Song Air. I would not want to try to sing this song this fast, but it is good for what I wanted for today. It takes flute and harp. We could substitute lute and clarinet or try doubling instruments if everyone wants to play.

FLUTE:

Code: Select all


X:1
T:Tra-la-la-lally (flute)
C:Arraged by Meldowen
Q:1/4=160
M:3/4
L:1/8
K:D

z4 z A |d^f de ^cA |d^c BA ^FD |GB GE A^F |GE E E2 A |d^f de ^cA |d^c BA ^FD |D^F AG EA |^FD D D2 A |d^f de ^cA |d^c BA ^FD |GB GE A^F |GE E E2 A |d^f de ^cA |d^c BA ^FD |D^F AG EA |^FD D D2 A |A^F Ad ^cd |
^fd fe ^cA |A^F Ae AF |GE E E2 G |A^F Ad ^cd |^fd fg fe |d^f Ag fe |^fd d d2 A |A^F Ad ^cd |^fd fe ^cA |A^F Ae AF |GE E E2 G |A^F Ad ^cd |^fd fg fe |d^f Ag fe |^fd d d2 d |BE EE ^FA |BA B d2 B |A^F DD ED |
^FA A A2 d |BE EE ^FA |BA B d2 B |A^F dA FD |E^F E E2 d |BE EE ^FA |BA B d2 B |A^F DD ED |^FA A A2 d |BE EE ^FA |BA B d2 B |A^F dA FD |E^F E E2 d |e^f ee dB |e^f g f2 e |de dd A^F |AB AA Bd |e^f ee dB |
e^f gf af |ed BA ^FD |E^F E E2 d |e^f ee dB |e^f g f2 e |de dd A^F |AB AA Bd |e^f ee dB |e^f gf af |ed BA ^FD |E^F E E3 |E^F E E2 B |BA ^F d3 |E^F E E2 B |BA ^F F2 E |E^F E E2 B |BA ^F d3 |^ce c d2 B |
BA ^F F2 E |E^F E E2 B |BA ^F d3 |E^F E E2 B |BA ^F F2 E |E^F E E2 B |BA ^F d3 |^ce c d2 B |BA ^F F2 E |d3 ^f ed |^cB c/d/e cA |d3 ^f dB |BA ^F F2 E |d3 ^f ed |^cB Ac ec |BA ^F d2 B |BA ^F F2 E |d3 ^f ed |
^cB c/d/e cA |d3 ^f ed |^f2 ef ^ga |d3 ^f ed |^cB Ac ec |BA ^F d2 B |BA ^F F2 E |z2 ^F4- |^F4 z2 |]


HARP:

Code: Select all

X:1
T:Tra-la-la-lally (harp)
C:Arranged by Meldowen
Q:1/4=160
M:3/4
L:1/8
K:D

z6 |[D2^f]d A [^C2e] cA |[dB,2] B G [A,2d] A^F |[G,2B]G D [^F,2A] FD |[AE,2] G E [A,2A] B^c |[^fD2] d A [^C2e] cA |[dB,2] B G [dA,2] A^F |[D,2d]A ^F [A,2B] GE |[A,2d]A ^F [F2D,2] z |[^fD2] d A [e^C2] cA |
[B,2d]B G [dA,2] A^F |[G,2B]G D [A^F,2] FD |[AE,2] G E [AA,2] B^c |[D2^f]d A [^C2e] cA |[dB,2] B G [A,2d] A^F |[dD,2] A ^F [BA,2] GE |[dA,2] A ^F [D,2F2] z |[A^f]d A[fD] dA |[ad]^f d[Ae] e^c |[A^f]d A[Dd] dA |
[Ee]^c A[Ag] ec |[^fA]d A[Df] dA |[da]^f d[Ag] gd |[D^f]d A[Ae] ee |[A^f]d A [D3f3] |[A^f]d A[fD] dA |[ad]^f d[Ae] e^c |[A^f]d A[Dd] dA |[Ee]^c A[Ag] ec |[A^f]d A[Df] dA |[da]^f d[Ag] gd |[D^f]d A[Ae] ee |
[A^f]d A [Df2] z2 |[B6-e6-E6-G6-] |[e6E6G6B6] |[D6-^F6-A6-d6-] |[D6^F6A6d6] |[E6-G6-B6-e6-] |[E6G6B6e6] |[D6^F6A6d6] |[E6G6B6e6] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2D3] [^FAd] [z2A,3] [FAd] |
[z2D3] [^FAd] [z2A,3] [FAd] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2D3] [^FAd] [z2A,3] [FAd] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2D3] [^FAd] [z2A,3] [FAd] |
[z2D3] [^FAd] [z2A,3] [FAd] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2D3] [^FAd] [z2A,3] [FAd] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2D3] [^FAd] [z2A,3] [FAd] |
[z2D3] [^FAd] [z2A,3] [FAd] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2D3] [^FAd] [z2A,3] [FAd] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [^FAd] [z2D3] [FAd] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |
[z2B,3] [Ad^f] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [^FAd] [z2D3] [FAd] |[z2E3] [A^ce] [z2B,3] [Bd^f] |[z2^F3] [Adf] [z2B,3] [Bdf] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [^FAd] [z2D3] [FAd] |
[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2B,3] [Ad^f] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [GBe] [z2B,3] [GBe] |[z2E3] [^FAd] [z2D3] [FAd] |[z2E3] [A^ce] [z2B,3] [Bd^f] |[z2^F3] [Adf] [z2B,3] [Bdf] |[z2^F3] [Adf] [z2D3] [Adf] |
[z2A,3] [A^ce] [z2E3] [Ace] |[z2^F3] [Adf] [z2D3] [Adf] |[z2B,3] [Bd^f] [z2B,3] [Bdf] |[z2^F3] [Adf] [z2D3] [Adf] |[z2A,3] [A^ce] [z2E3] [Ace] |[z2B,3] [Bd^f] [z2F3] [Bdf] |[z2^F3] [Bdf] [z2F,3] [A^ce] |
[z2^F3] [Adf] [z2D3] [Adf] |[z2A,3] [A^ce] [z2E3] [Ace] |[z2^F3] [Adf] [z2D3] [Adf] |[z2^F3] [Bdf] [z2B,3] [A^ce] |[z2^F3] [Adf] [z2D3] [Adf] |[z2A,3] [A^ce] [z2E3] [Ace] |[z2B,3] [Bd^f] [z2F3] [Bdf] |
[z2^F3] [Bdf] [z2F,3] [A^ce] |z2 [^F4-B4-d4-] |[^F4B4d4] z2 |]

Are we meeting in Rivendell? I did end up getting the stable there.

Gaiagil

[Lennidhren]

I'd like to try for Rivendell, if we can get everyone there. Can't wait to try the new song too!

[lookingouttosea-Byrdie/Elwynia]

I missed it. Took my disabled aunt Christmas shopping. Was there a good turnout?

[Lennidhren]

About the same as usual - six of us: Gaiagil, Lindorieh, Phaenethdre, Tinki, and myself from the kin, and one Zogskald from the Council of the Secret Fire joined us too. We had a very nice discussion, plus a duet of the Tra-lally song from Gaiagil and Lindorieh. Now we just need music for that second "Elvish Song in Rivendell"... :-)

[Lennidhren]

One of the things we discussed in Chapter 3 was Thorin's explanation of the Dwarven New Year and Durin's Day. I recently read a blog post that goes into detail to delight a Lore-master about how each race in Middle-earth reckoned the calendar, and it sheds some light on the whole Durin's Day thing:

http://my.lotro.com/user-574579/2010/12/17/christmas-and-the-new-year-in-middle-earth/