A Elbereth Gilthoniel

A Elbereth Gilthoniel is an Elvish hymn to Varda in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

The Hymn

The long version of "A Elbereth Gilthoniel," also known as "Aerlinn in Edhil o Imladris (Hymn of the Elves of Rivendell)," written in Tengwar script using the mode of Beleriand.

There are three versions of this hymn, the first of which being the largest portion of Sindarin found in the novel:

“

A Elbereth Gilthoniel O Elbereth Starkindler, silivren penna míriel white-glittering, slanting down sparkling like a jewel, o menel aglar elenath! the glory of the starry host! Na-chaered palan-díriel Having gazed far away o galadhremmin ennorath, from the tree-woven lands of Middle-earth, Fanuilos, le linnathon to thee, Everwhite, I will sing, nef aear, sí nef aearon! on this side of the Sea, here on this side of the Ocean! A Elbereth Gilthoniel O Elbereth Star-kindler, o menel palan-díriel, from heaven gazing afar, le nallon sí di'-nguruthos! to thee I cry now beneath the shadow of death! A tíro nin, Fanuilos! O look towards me, Everwhite! A! Elbereth Gilthoniel! O! Elbereth Starkindler, silivren penna míriel white-glittering, slanting down sparkling like a jewel, o menel aglar elenath, the glory of the starry host Gilthoniel, A! Elbereth! Starkindler, O! Elbereth! We still remember, we who dwell In this far land beneath the trees The starlight on the western seas.

”

Musical Versions

In 1967 Donald Swann published a musical rendition in the musical score of the song cycle The Road Goes Ever On. He and Donald Elvin also recorded this song cycle on an LP record. The LP also included a recording of Tolkien reading this prayer. The Road Goes Ever On was republished in 1978 and 1993, and the recording was released as a CD in 1993. The CD contained only the song cycle (including "A Elbereth Gilthoniel"), but not Tolkien's reading of the prayer.

The 1981 dramatisation by BBC Radio of the Lord of the Rings, included a version composed by Stephen Oliver which was released as the second track of soundtrack album, which itself is included in some commercial versions of the BBC's production.

A rendition composed by David Long with Plan 9 (David Donaldson, Steve Roche, and Janet Roddick) is briefly heard in the Extended Edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, where Sam and Frodo encounter "wood elves" who are singing the hymn while leaving Middle-earth. The complete song ("Passing of the Elves" / "Elvish Lament") is included in The Complete Recordings edition of the soundtrack for the film.

External links

• Hiswelókë's Sindarin dictionary
• Ardalambion article
• uib.no
• Ibn Ghalad web site (in German)