Symphony No. 1 "The Lord Of The
Rings"
Johan de MEIJ (b.1953)
Johan
de Meijfs first symphony gThe Lord of the Ringsh is based on the
trilogy of that name by J.R.R. Tolkien. This book has fascinated millions of
readers since its publication in 1955. The Symphony consists of five movements,
each illustrating a person or an important episode from the book. The
Philharmonic Winds will be presenting the first and the last movements from the
symphony.
The
first movement is a musical portrait of the wizard Gandalf. His wise and noble
personality is expressed through a stately motif. This motif returns in later
movements illustrating Gandalffs relationships with other characters of the
story. The sudden opening of the Allegro Vivace section is indicative of
the unpredictability of the wizard and this is followed by a musical depiction
of a wild ride on his beautiful grey horse Shadowfax.
The fifth and last movement, expresses the carefree and optimistic character of the Hobbits in a happy folk dance. The hymn that follows emanates the determination and stature of the Hobbit folk. The Symphony does not end on an exuberant note, but is instead concluded peacefully, in keeping with the symbolic mood of the last chapter eThe Grey Havensf in which Frodo and Gandalf sail away in a white ship and disappear slowly beyond the horizon.