# Music of the Ainur, redux **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2002, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-of-the-ainur-redux/104269 "2002-04-18T05:08:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-of-the-ainur-redux/104269/1 "2002-04-18T05:08:29Z")
I previously started this thread during the Time of Unnumbered Tears, before the World was broken in the mighty battle of the Powers. Since I have no intention of letting one of my most successful threads die, and there are currently no Tolkien threads on the front page of the Cafe, I thought I’d re-start it. The idea is to decide which to which instrument each Ainu’s part would be likened, in the Great Music. There were many wonderful suggestions, but of course, they’re lost now. From what I can remember, this is what we came up with: Manwë: **Trumpet** , violin Ulmo: Conch-horn Aulë: **Timpani** , **Lithophone** Oromë Námo (Mandos): Basson Irmo (Lórien) Tulkas: Drum Varda: **Flute** , Violin Yavanna: **Dulcimer** Nienna: **Oboe** , bagpipes Estë Vairë: **Harp** Vána Nessa Melkor: Saxophone, Electric guitar, Trombone, Violin Ilmarë Eönwë: Coronet Ossë Uinen Melian Olórin (Gandalf) Curunír (Saruman): **Theramin** , cello Aiwendil (Radagast): **Bird whistle** , Pan pipes Alatar: **Kazoo** Pallando: **Kazoo** Arien Tilion Gothmog and assorted Balrogs Sauron: Electric guitar If I’ve forgotten your contribution, attribute it to my faulty memory, not to anything personal. And, of course, if you’ve anything new to add, please do! ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-of-the-ainur-redux/104269/2 "2002-04-18T05:29:51Z")
I always pictured Gandalf as an accordian. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-of-the-ainur-redux/104269/3 "2002-04-18T13:52:25Z")
Nothing to add right now, but just saying I’m glad you’ve reinstated this thread. I’m off to play my coronet. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-of-the-ainur-redux/104269/4 "2002-04-18T15:20:10Z")
I don’t know who would get it, but SOMEBODY has to have a mouth harp. And maybe a slide whistle. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-of-the-ainur-redux/104269/5 "2002-04-18T22:28:48Z")
Chronos, I found this on [BoardReader](http://www.boardreader.com/scripts/texis.exe/viewthread?query=chronos+%22music+of+the+ainur%22&ttype=research&postid=3cb0f1aba4). Is this the first part of your original thread? ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-of-the-ainur-redux/104269/6 "2002-04-19T02:49:40Z")
Thanks to **rowrbazzle** for letting us recover my favorite posting of that thread, by one **slortar** : “Not sure about Melkor, but Sauron would definitely have to have the flying v electric guitar with the skull paint job. He’s definitely the spandex-wearing cheese metal guitarist of the entire Mythos.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-of-the-ainur-redux/104269/7 "2002-04-20T19:13:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Chronos, I found this on BoardReader. Is this the first part of your original thread? Bless you, **rowrrbazzle** , it is! I am at your service, and your family’s. May the hair on your toes never fall out! How did you find that? When I tried BoardReader, all I could get from it was a link to the SDMB’s “Invalid Thread” error message. I count 24 replies in the BoardReader copy, and I seem to remember 30-something in the original thread, so that’s most of it, at least. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-of-the-ainur-redux/104269/8 "2002-04-20T21:55:53Z")
Chronos, glad I could help. I just searched on **chronos “music of the ainur”** and this was the first of three threads that came up. I clicked on the link and there it was.