The secret fire listening guide
Hello, listener!
I made this piece called “The Secret Fire.” it’s a symphonic work based on the opening chapter of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Silmarillion.” This opening chapter is called “The Ainulindalë” and tells the story of how Iluvatar, the fictional god-like creator of Tolkien’s world of Arda, set this world and this story in motion.
In case you haven’t read The Silmarillion or you have read it but have forgotten the particulars of this famously-difficult-to-follow piece of literature, the main story events of the chapter are as follows:
Iluvatar exists alone in the void before any physical world is established. He creates these powerful beings called “Ainur,” the “Offspring of his thought.”
To each of these beings he gives a musical theme. They all sing/play and the music is beautiful but formless and unorganized.
Iluvatar gathers the Ainur and plays them his own great theme. He tells the Ainur that he wills that they take this theme and adorn it, each with their thoughts and devices, making a great music in harmony.
They do so. The resulting music is without flaw and pleases Iluvatar.
The theme of Melkor, the greatest of the Ainur, starts to take over the music. His theme is loud, repetitive and virtuosic and soon many of the other Ainur begin to follow Melkor’s song rather than Iluvatar’s. This leads to a great chaotic cacophany of sound.
Smiling, Iluvatar lifts his left hand and begins a new theme amid the cacophony, “like and yet unlike to the former theme, and it gathered power and had new beauty.”
Melkor’s theme rises up even more violently. Many of the Ainur grow silent as his music takes over.
Iluvatar rises again, this time stern, lifting his right hand. He introduces a third theme
Melkor rages back, both musics reaching climactic heights. Ultimately, Melkor’s most triumphant notes are taken and woven into Iluvatar’s theme.
Iluvatar rises a third time. His face is “terrible to behold.” He raises both hands and the music ceases in one world-shaking chord.
He gently but sternly rebukes Melkor, reminding him that all music comes from the Creator and that even Melkor’s greatest melody is just an echo of Iluvatar’s fundamental theme.
From the music of the Ainur, Iluvatar creates the physical world of Arda.
This project is my attempt to interpret this story musically. You will hear the themes of Iluvatar and Melkor, along with themes representing the other Ainur as well as some of the lesser immortal beings present before the world of Arda was formed.
All three movements follow this basic music form: 1. Iluvatar sets forth a theme, 2. Some of the Ainur’s themes further develop the piece, 3. A theme of Melkor rises up and corrupts and leads astray many of the other Ainur’s songs, leading to a great repetitive, clanging climax.
That’s all you need to know in order to appreciate the piece. I’ve provided outlines of the three movements complete with timecodes so that you can follow along. If you don’t want to be overwhelmed by the nerdiness, just stick to the timecodes above the top timeline.
I sincerely hope you enjoy listening to The Secret Fire. My intention is that you will be able to enjoy it on a purely musical level first and then grow to appreciate it more through these added layers of meaning.
Happy listening,
Joel Rousseau (Composer)
EXTRA CREDIT: The second and third movements have an extra layer of meaning, if you choose to follow along with them. The second movement represents the middle part of the story I just summarized but it also represents the history of Middle Earth, as told in the rest of The Silmarillion. On this layer of meaning, The second movement narrates the story of the Elves in the First Age, while the third movement narrates the story of mankind, ending with the dawn of the Fourth Age.
EXTRA, EXTRA CREDIT: If you’ve followed along with the EXTRA CREDIT bit and still haven’t rage-quit: The third movement, in addition to representing the creation story and the history of Mankind in Tolkien’s world, also lines up with the story of the novels “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.” I know it’s complicated. I added these further layers as a way of guiding my work as I wrote the piece.
