Minstrels
From Tolkien Gateway
Song for a Queen by Elena Kukanova
Minstrels are those persons who had the ability to compose and sing songs. Although many people sang, and a number created songs, only a few became widely famous for their musical compositions. Known by name:
- Daeron of the First Age, who was the court minstrel of King Thingol of Doriath.[1]
- Dírhaval of the First Age, who wrote the Narn i Chîn Húrin, the longest of all the lays to come out of Beleriand.[2]
- Gléowine of the late Third Age, was the court minstrel of King Théoden.[3]
- Glirhuin of the First Age, was a seer and harp-player who composed a song that predicted that the Stone of the Hapless would never be defiled or sink beneath the sea.[4]
- Maglor of the First Age, was the second of the Sons of Fëanor and was famed as a poet and bard.[5]
- A minstrel of Gondor during the late Third Age composed an epic lay recounting the tale "of Frodo of the Nine Fingers and the Ring of Doom".[6]
Etymology[edit | edit source]
A poetic Quenya word for "minstrel, reciter" was quenso.[7]
Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]
According to the early version of the legendarium in The Book of Lost Tales, there were named "three most magic players of the Elves": Dairon, Tinfang and Ivárë.[8]
In the Lay of Leithian, the greatest of the minstrels of the Elves are Tinfang Gelion, Maglor and Daeron.[9]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Sindar"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Narn i Hîn Húrin (The Tale of the Children of Húrin)", "Notes", p. 146
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Many Partings"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Doriath"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Field of Cormallen", pp. 951-7
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Quenya Phonology", in Parma Eldalamberon XIX (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 83
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "I. The Tale of Tinúviel", p. 10
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lays of Beleriand, "III. The Lay of Leithian: Canto III (Beren's meeting with Lúthien)", p. 174
