What do you think?

[monkey10120]

I have a few things i have been wondering for a while.

1. how do you picture the music of the ainur. Like how can it physically create something.

2. Is there a heaven or hell described in the HoME. if not how do you visualize based of readings.

[Valandil]

Hi Monkey 10120...

What I think:

1. I'm not so sure the music actually created anything. I think it was very beautiful music, very complex, widely varied - and went on for what we would consider a very long time, perhaps decades or centuries. I think it mostly created a 'vision' for the participants, and they then went on to 'make' what they had 'seen'. Isn't it stated something like that? (sorry - I've loaned out one copy of the Silmarillion, and can't find my other - maybe I loaned them both! )

However, I do not object to the idea that the music could have created something. Much like the spoken word of God was said to create, in the first book of the Bible. I don't discount that at all.

2. "Beyond the circles of the world" I think...

[Voronwen]

how do you picture the music of the ainur

Sheer utter beauty. Every kind of beautiful music you can imagine, with infinite variations and themes. I imagine it as being mostly classical but with a slight influence of 'new age' (think Enya) stylistic elements.

Then Melkor comes along with his bombastic dissonance ... which may start out as somewhat classical as well but quickly turns to a meaner variant of heavy metal.