The Starlit Jewel: Life In Middle Earth Before PJ & Company

Jun 10, 2006 02:00 AM Filed in: Tolkieny Goodness
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If your first experience with The Lord Of The Rings was through Peter Jackson's three movies, you might be surprised to discover that there was quite a bit of Middle Earth activity going on in the several decades before the films.

For example, The Starlit Jewel was originally a cassette tape released in the mid 90’s, but 7 of the songs were actually written years earlier by Marion Zimmer Bradley of “Mists Of Avalon” fame. In 1969 she set 7 of J.R.R. Tolkien's poems to music, a collection of songs that she called The Rivendell Suite. In 1991 the Rivendell Suite was recorded by some musician friends of hers, members of the early music group Brocelďande, to be given to her as a birthday present. Only two copies of that original cassette were ever made. The result, however, was so well received that some time later members of the group decided to expand upon the original set of songs, and so six additional Tolkien inspired songs were written by Brocelďande.
Broceliande
Then a few years later in 1996 Brocelďande put all the songs together and with the blessing of The Tolkien Estate released on cassette tape 1000 copies of the full collection of songs which were then entitled The Starlit Jewel. I believe they were (and are) the only American musical group to ever have been officially authorized by the Tolkien Estate to release a Hobbit/LotR musical project.

In 1999 Brocelďande was again given permission by The Tolkien Estate to release 2000 copies of The Starlit Jewel on CD. They happily remastered the music, released the CD’s, and then watched them promptly sell out to disappear into the mists of legend. Since then, finding one of these CD’s, even used, has been a near impossible task.

Well, just as Bilbo was in the right place at the right time to place his hand down in Gollum's cave and find The One Ring, I just happened to be on Amazon at the right moment to catch the listing of a new The Starlit Jewel CD almost the moment it went live.

It was sold to me directly by the manager, harpist and vocalist of Brocelďande, Margaret Davis (the young lady pictured, upper left) who told me that she had only recently received the CD as a very delinquent return from a distributor. It turns out that there are (were) only 6 new copies of The Starlit Jewel known to exist, and Margaret sold me #6! The other 5 are owned by her and Brocelďande, and she said that they have no plans of selling them.

How lucky was I? Well, I think it must have been Fate. I was meant to find that CD, and, as Gandalf would say, that is an encouraging thought. And the best part of this story is that after just an hour or so of listening to The Starlit Jewel, I fell in love with it. A most happy ending.

And so that is my tale of The Starlit Jewel. Sometimes the universe is benevolent. Here are a few songs from the CD. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
TheStarlitJewel

1. Elvish Lullaby - Hobbit: ch. 19
2. Song of the Eldar in Exile - Book I: ch. 3
 3. Hobbit Walking Song - Hobbit: ch. 19
4. Merry Old Inn - Book I: ch. 9
5. Children's Song From Dale - Hobbit: ch. 10
6. In Western Lands - Book VI: ch. 1
7. Galadriel's Lament - Book II: ch. 8
8. Troll Song - Book I: ch. 12
9. Lament for Boromir - Book III: ch. 1
10. Bath Song - Book I: ch. 5
 11. In Durin's Day - Book II: ch. 4
12. Lay of Nimrodel - Book II: ch. 6
13. When Spring Unfolds - Book III: ch. 4

~
Namárië.

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"Always remember, Bilbo, when your heart wants lifting think of pleasant things."
"Eggs and bacon. A good full pipe. My garden at twilight. Cakes."
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