The Music of Creation: Logos and Harmony in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth

This book on the musical creation of The Silmarillion contributes to the main philosophical aspects of Heraclitus’s logos, Pythagoras’s music of the spheres, and drawing comparisons between the Ainur and the Greek gods. It documents the musical creation of The Silmarillion, which constructs a preliminary sub-creation of The Lord of the Rings, which serves as the ‘Holy Bible’ of Middle-earth that J.R.R. Tolkien designs from the very beginning of everything. Yet, this is not a dry account of the valuable long-studied content; rather, the book delves into lively fashioning many aspects of the creation process of Middle-earth, in which music represents the primary element in the formation of the universe. The creator of Middle-earth, J.R.R. Tolkien, fantasy stories blended with imagination and his experiences, the opposition in which musical argument functioned for the creation, biographical elements of Tolkien’s life, and many more related harmonious elements colorize the reflection of the deepest truths. The book reads as an embodiment into the journey ahead by Tolkien’s mirror for understanding the philosophical principles active in the creation. Hence, this is a must read for anyone interested in music, harmony and Tolkien’s middle-earth. It also sheds light on the diversity of the content and motivations involved fantastic literature whose foundation has been empowered and highlighted by Tolkien.
Yıldıray Çevik, PhD.