"Deor" in Old English with Anglo Saxon lyre

First ever audio edition of one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s most important poetic dramas, that explores timely themes such as the nature of heroism and chivalry during war. 

 The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm’s Son was originally published in the 1953 edition of Essays and Studies. In December of that year, J.R.R. Tolkien took possession of a reel-to-reel tape recorder and, some time during the first few months of 1954, decided to record ‘the whole thing on tape’ as a way of ‘testing’ the performative quality of the dramatic dialogue between Tídwald and Torhthelm.

For the older Tídwald, Tolkien adopted a slower, deeper voice, perhaps akin to ‘the voice of Gandalf’ that W.H. Auden recalls hearing as an undergraduate, as noted in Humphrey Carpenter’s J.R.R. Tolkien, A Biography. For the younger, more idealistic Torhthelm, Tolkien used a lighter, more spirited tone to convey his youth. Christopher Tolkien notes that his father added sound effects, such as the ‘creaking and bumping of the waggon wheels, by moving a piece of furniture in his study’.

This recording, together with an introduction and the two accompanying essays read by Christopher Tolkien, was released on cassette tape in 1992, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of J.R.R. Tolkien and the 1001st anniversary of the Battle of Maldon. It was presented as a gift to the participants of the Tolkien Centenary Conference, Keble College, Oxford, and is now available as an audiobook for the first time.

The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth, By J. R. R. Tolkien, Read by J. R. R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien

Anglo - Saxon

Æthelflæd: Rachel Kobernick
Elfwynn: Emily Misch
Halfdan: Matthew Anchel
Frode: Gabriel Hernandez
Bo: Bryan Murray
Eowils: Matt Soibelman
Chorus: Carla Sargiotto, Camila Hernandez, Eugenia Redoni, Victoria Bellone, Camila Martin, Valentina Gadagñotto, Juan Leoni, Santiago Brusco, Ignacio Luna, Raymi Acebo, Nahuel Camargo, Nicolás Visintin. 
Macrófona Choir, Conducted and produced by Héctor Muñoz, Argentina. 

Music and libretto by Andre Fratto, Translation into Old English by James Combe

Æthelflæd Act 2, Scenes 1 And 2

A most esteemed gathering of wit and mirth!

EP123 | We Shall Consult The Oracle Known as Urban Dictionary

By the fire, a tale of monsters and warriors is related, concerning the figure stalking the salt marsh, beach and fen. She is hostile to the men who have encroached upon her world, those men, self-proclaimed heroes, taking from the earth without care or gratitude. Their orbits will collide and violence will ensue: will she strike while the men are aboard their raiding longship? And, if so, will they return to the feasting hall in time?

The original:
Composed by Vic, Jim & Brian (The Vikings)
Synthesisers - Vic, with Jim
From 'A Concise History', Various Artists

Jim composed and performed the words and vocal lines; Vic performed multiple trombone parts, arranged samples and produced the track.
Samples:
Clock -UrbaneGuerilla, Fire - 16FThumaF, Wind - FHmedia-hmo, Sword clashes - Courter & Freefire66, Warrior voices - Fugacious

The Keele Tapes Vol.3

Longship

An olde English nursery rhyme brought up to date.

One's for sorrow, two's for joy
Three's for a girl, and four's for a boy
Five's for silver, six for gold
Seven's for a secret, never told
Eight for a wish,
(Nine for a kiss,)
Ten for a bird you must not miss.
[pause]
(Devil, devil, I defy thee)
Devil, devil, I defy thee
(Devil, devil, I defy thee)

Oh, the Magpie brings us tidings
Of news both fair and foul.
(She's more cunning than the Raven,)
More wise than any Owl.
(For she brings us news of the harvest;)
Of the barley, wheat, and corn.
(And she knows when we'll go to our graves,)
And how we shall be born.

One's for sorrow, two's for joy
Three's for a girl, and four's for a boy
Five's for silver, six for gold
Seven's for a secret, never told
(Devil, devil, I defy thee)
Devil, devil, I defy thee
(Devil, devil, I defy thee)

She brings us joy when from the right,
(Grief when from the left.)
Of all the news that's in the air,
We know to trust her best.
(For she sees us at our labour,)
And she mocks us at our work.
(And she steals the eggs from out of the nest.)
And she can in a zest!

One's for sorrow, two's for joy
Three's for a girl, and four's for a boy
(Five's for silver, six for gold)
gold
(gold)
Seven's for a secret, never told.
(Eight for a wish,)
Nine for a kiss,
(Ten for a bird you must not miss.)

(Devil, devil, I defy thee)
(Devil, devil, I defy thee)
(Devil, devil, I defy thee)



I_Defy_Thee

https://linktr.ee/topicopedia

A series of discussions about things weighing heavily on our noggins, from shower thoughts to current affairs, Ste and Nicole put the world to rights.

Band/collective of musicians/non-musicians operating out of Keele University/London 70s/80s

Publishers of award-winning fiction and non-fiction audiobooks for adults and children. Listen to exclusive clips from our books and free audioook extracts here on Soundcloud.

Film and Television composer, independent record producer.

🎹🎹Tens of thousands of plays across internet radio and featured on the BBC! I create music as the mood takes me, which way it goes I never know until it is completed.
😎 A BIG thankyou for the follows, listens, and comments - it is all really appreciated!

New tracks tagged #old english