... like an echo of the Ainur's song!

As is well known, Tolkien's books have been an almost magical source of inspiration for countless artists and composers. This is the case with Carsten Rosenlund, who composes and performs music, based in the Celtic folk tradition, but which reaches out and takes themes from such varied genres as classical baroque and renaissance to modern new age (though not, it must be said, the overharmonic, thick "sound-sauce" that afflicts much of new age music).

Even when Carsten was playing in the folk group "Humle" (Hop) he had started to compose elements of his Tolkien suite, which led at that time to the recording of "Rejsen Over Havet" (Journey Across the Sea) and "Vesternæs" (Westerness) on Humle's second LP from 1987, also called "Rejsen Over Havet". Since then the number of his Tolkien-inspired compositions has reached about a dozen, and it has been somewhat of a crusade for him to produce a whole album of "Tolkien music".

On the road to this (hopefully nearby) destination his "Tolkiensuite 1" has become a pilot project based on the concept of supplementing the lyrical "mood music", which was awakened in Carsten's mind whilst he read "The Lord of the Rings", with other more lively pieces which are obviously not directly inspired by Tolkien, but which were found to fit into a larger whole. This is the case with "Kæden" (The Chain), which builds upon themes such as communication, togetherness, and chain-dancing.

Now that Carsten playes in the quartet "AKS", it is with them that he has, with much hard work and talented performances, transferred his ideas to digital 8-track in his home studio. Together with seven other more typical folk pieces it has now been released on the casette "Albatros" (Albatross), with about 45 minutes music. It has been too expensive to produce LP or CD versions at this time.

The work starts with a lively duet for accordeon and cello in Lisa's "Tordenvejr" (Thunderstorm), and continues in a bright style with "Novembermarch" (November March), then to the wistful "Old Man's Song", which is one of the two vocal pieces, both sung by Carsten. In "Skumring" (Twilight) the sound picture is drawn by bagpipes, followed by flutes, harps, and accordeon. If the thought of bagpipes wakens images of a tattoo with an army of kilt-clad Scots, don't worry! - here it is images of highland slopes which are conjured forth while ground mists send banks of fog over the fields; but when the sun goes to bed there is mischievous music for elves and gnomes with "Karens Jig", where the crisp sounds of the bouzouki join in. The first side finishes with a slightly wistful mood in "Albatros".

AKS enters a new melodic world with "Tolkiensuite 1" on the second side, where the older instruments are supplemented by more modern samplers and a discrete use of studio effects to give an atmospheric whole, such as in "Den Lange Rejse" (The Long Journey), where a multitude of musical expressions ranges far and wide with grandiose musical images, from the wastes of Eriador to the high halls of Minas Tirith - a thrilling experience.

"Tom Bombadils Jig" is of course a lively melody, full of bubbling humour. This is also true of "Kæden", after which the mood changes with "Kløvedal" (Rivendell); its grandiose tones at first evoking awe among the travellers, but then showing itself to be a place where the soul finds peace, filled with mellow harmony.

The Tolkien suite is followed in a most fitting way by the old Scots song "Come by the Hills", with the chorus "cares of tomorrow can wait till this day day is done" - it could just as well have been called "Lothl¢rien". The final piece is a real "foot-tapper", in the shape of "Jørgen Borch's Reel and Jig".

AKS will be known to those members who attended our meeting in Odense in February 1994, where it was apparent that AKS's music and Lars Physant's pictures were made for each other.

Now AKS is offering its casette "Albatros" to readers of Athelas for 60 kr, including postage and packaging, from which 5 kr goes to the Danish Tolkien Society. Write to Karen Valeur, Bjerggyden 9, Sønderby Bjerge, DK-5631 Ebberup, Denmark, enclosing a cheque or stamps to a value of 60 kr; you'll get a casette packed with exciting music.

I'll end by wishing you an enjoyable tour along Middle-earth's melodious paths.

Jørgen Mathiasen

Albatros

1 Tordenvejr (Lisa Balle Jensen)

2 Novembermarch (Carsten Rosenlund)

3 Old Man's Song (Murray McLauchlan, arr. Carsten Rosenlund, Karen Valeur & Lisa Balle Jensen)

4 Skumring - Karens Jig (Carsten Rosenlund)

5 Albatros (Carsten Rosenlund)

Tolkiensuite 1 (Carsten Rosenlund)

6 Den Lange Rejse

7 Tom Bombadils Jig

8 Kæden

9 Kløvedal

10 Come by the Hills (trad. Scottish, arr. Carsten Rosenlund, Karen Valeur & Lisa Balle Jensen)

11 Jørgen Borch's Reel and Jig (Carsten Rosenlund)

AKS

Carsten Rosenlund: flutes, 6- and 12-string guitar, vocals, bagpipes, synthesizers (Roland JD800 & JV880)

Karen Valeur: cello, harps, keyboard

Bernt Kjær Sørensen: 6 string guitar, bouzouki

Lisa Balle Jensen: accordeon, keyboard

Guest musician on "Den Lange Rejse": Michael Moser Thomsen (Pommer)

Producer and technician: Carsten Rosenlund

Recorded at Rosenlund-studiet 1993-94