The Tolkien Ensemble is a music group based in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was founded by Caspar Reiff in 1995 and the goal was to make the first complete musical interpretation of the 69 poems in J. R. R. Tolkien's masterpiece: The Lord of the Rings. The music was composed by Caspar Reiff & Peter Hall and over 150 musicians took part in this major recording project. With the permission by The Tolkien Estate in Oxford The Tolkien Ensemble has published 4 albums: An Evening in Rivendell (1997), A Night in Rivendell (2000), At Dawn in Rivendell (2002) & Leaving Rivendell (2005). In 2006 the final goal was achieved, the publication of the 4CD box: The Complete Songs & Poems from The Lord of the Rings. The 112 page book included in the 4CD box contains the previously unpublished complete original illustration series for The Lord of the Rings by HM Queen Margrethe 2nd of Denmark. The legendary actor, Christopher Lee (Saruman in Peter Jackson's movie trilogy The Lord of the Rings) feature on the CD's as narrator and sings the part of Treebeard. Further soloists to be mentioned (among others) Nick Keir, Peter Hall, Povl Dissing, Kurt Ravn, Tom McEwan, Signe Asmussen and Morten Ernst Lassen. Conductor and producer: Morten Ryelund, co-producers: Caspar Reiff & Peter Hall. The Tolkien Ensemble has over the years performed a vast number of concerts in various countries. Important concerts to be mentioned are the first concert in January 1996 at Gjorslev Castle, Denmark, Concert in Exeter College Hall, Oxford (1998), Concert in Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen (2000), Concert in Dunckers Concert Hall, Helsingborg, Sweden (2002), Concert with Christopher Lee in Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen (2002), Concert with Christopher Lee in Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Holland (2003), Concert at Sct. Nicolai Church in Denmark (with HM Queen Margrethe 2nd of Denmark & HRH Prince Henrik among the audience) (2003), Ledreborg Castle Concerts 2005 with Danish Radio Sinfonietta and Danish Radio Chamber Choir, Concerts with Christopher Lee in Burg Königstein (near Frankfurt), Zitadelle Spandau (Berlin), both Germany and Wörthersee (Austria) (all in 2007) and Concerts in Friedrichstadtpalast (Berlin), Kultur Palast Dresden, Musical Theater Bremen and Gewandhaus (Leipzig) 2008 and again with Christopher Lee live in Freilichtbühne Ötigheim, Baden Baden, Germany (summer 2008). The best of The Tolkien Ensemble Songs from The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien All poems are the original poems from The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien published with the prior permission by The Tolkien Estate Ltd. and licensed by Tolkien Enterprises Ltd. and previously published on the albums: An Evening in Rivendell (1997), A Night in Rivendell (2000), At Dawn in Rivendell (2002), Leaving Rivendell (2005) and collected in a 4 CD box under the title of The Lord of the Rings, Complete Songs and Poems (2006). Live track's 15: The Eagle's Song and 16: Hobbit tunes: Jigs n' Reel's are published with the generous permission of Denmarks Radio and live tracks 17: Galadriel's Song of Eldamar (I), 18: May it be and 19: Jig's n' Reel's, (encore version), are published with the generous permission of Star Entertainment GmbH, Berlin. 1 Verse of the Rings Music: Caspar Reiff, Narrator: Christopher Lee, Copenhagen Young Strings, The Copenhagen Chamber Choir Camerata, Conductor: Morten Ryelund 2 The Old Walking Song (I) Music: Caspar Reiff, Vocal: Nick Keir, guitar: Caspar Reiff, Violin: Morten Ryelund, Danish Radio Sinfonietta/DR, Conductor: Morten Ryelund 3 A Walking Song (I) Music: Peter Hall, Vocal: Peter Hall, Choir vocals: Tom McEwan & Peter Hall, guitar: Peter Hall, violins: Morten Ryelund, Double-bass, Katja Nielsen, Accordion: Öyvind Ougaard, mandolin: Peter Hall 4 Galadriel's Song of Eldamar (I) Music: Caspar Reiff, Vocal: Signe Asmussen, violin: Mette Tjärby, harp: Maria Boelskov, double-bass: Torben H. S. Svendsen, String Quartet: Morten Ryelund, Mette Tjärby, Jörgen Eyvind Hansen & Nina Reintoft, Choir: Steffen Bruun, Johnny Johansen, Anders Holte, Björn Tengstrand, Frank Sylvan, Morten Clausen, Jacob Ägidius, Morten Ryelund, Torben Eskildsen & Caspar Reiff. 5 There is an inn a merry old inn. Music: Caspar Reiff, arr. Peter Hall, Vocal: Peter, Folkviolins Anne Eltard, Accordion: Öyvind Ougaard, Percussion, spoons and dishes: Tom McEwan, Guitar & Mandolin: Peter Hall, Bass: Michael Friis. 6 Gollum's Song/Riddle Music: Peter Hall, arr Caspar Reiff, Vocal Povl Dissing, Guitar: Caspar Reiff 7 Song of Gondor Music: Caspar Reiff, Vocal: Morten Ernst Lassen, guitar: Caspar Reiff, Copenhagen Young Strings, Conductor: Morten Ryelund 8 Ent's Marching Song Music: Peter Hall, Vocal: Christopher Lee, Danish Radio Sinfonietta/DR, Danish National Chamber Choir/DR, Percussion: Gert Sörensen, Conductor: Morten Ryelund 9 Treebeard's Song Music: Peter Hall, arr. Caspar Reiff, Vocal: Christopher Lee, Violin (intro & outro): Morten Ryelund, Guitar: Caspar Reiff, Double-bass (intro & outro): Katja Nielsen, Marimba: Gert Sörensen, Copernhagen Young Strings (orchestra solo: Rune Tonsgaard Sörensen). 10 Song of Lebennin Music: Caspar Reiff. Vocal: Kurt Ravn, Oboe & English horn: Peter Halaburt, Guitar: Caspar Reiff, Copenhagen Young Strings, conductor: Morten Ryelund 11 Sam's Song in the Orc-tower Music: Caspar Reiff, arr Caspar Reiff & Peter Hall, Vocal: Peter Hall, Double-bass: Torben H. S. Svendsen, Guitar & Penny-whistle: Peter Hall, Danish Radio Sinfonietta/DR, Conductor: Morten Ryelund. 12 A Walking Song (II) Music: Peter Hall, arr. Caspar Reiff. Vocal: Peter Hall & Signe Asmussen, Guitar: Peter Hall, Accordion: Öyvind Ougaard, Double-bass: Katja Nielsen. 13 Elven Hymn to Elbereth Gilthoniel (III) Music: Caspar Reiff. Vocal: Signe Asmussen, Irish harp: Helen Davies, Copenhagen Young Strings, The Copenhagen Chamber Choir Camerata, Conductor: Morten Ryelund. 14 Farewell Song of Merry & Pippin Music: Peter Hall, Vocal: Tom McEwan, Choir vocal: Caspar Reiff, Violins: Morten Ryelund, Accordion: Öyvind Ougaard, Double-bass: Katja Nielsen, Percussion: Tom McEwan, Guitar: Peter Hall. Extra Livetracks 15 The Eagle's Song, live from Ledreborg Castle Concerts, 2005 Music: Caspar Reiff, arr: Gunner Möller Pedersen. Danish Radio Sinfonietta, Danish Radio Chamber Choir, The Tolkien Ensemble, Conductor: David Firman. 16 Hobbit tunes: Jigs n' Reel's, live from Ledreborg Castle Concerts 2005 Music: Peter Hall, arr. David Firman. Danish Radio Sinfonietta, Danish Radio Chamber Choir, The Tolkien Ensemble, Conductor: David Firman. 17 Galadriel's Song of Eldamar (I), Live from Musical Theater Bremen 2008 Music: Caspar Reiff, Vocal: Christine Nonbo 18 Jig's n' Reel's, (encore version), Live from Musical Theater Bremen 2008 Music: Peter Hall, arr. Jörg Iwer Only D.Kr. 119