Bilbo's Last Song: Difference between revisions
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'''Bilbo's Last Song''' is a poem by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]. It was originally | '''''Bilbo's Last Song''''' is a poem written by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]. It is sung by [[Bilbo Baggins]] at the [[Grey Havens]] as he is about to leave [[Middle-earth]]. Chronologically this places it at the very end of ''[[The Return of the King]]'', the last volume of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', although it was written later than the books and never included in them. | ||
==History== | |||
It was originally a text without link with Bilbo's story, entitled ''Vestr um haf'', but Tolkien changed it in October 1968. It was given by Tolkien as a gift to his secretary [[Joy Hill]] in 1968 after she discovered it in Tolkien's library. | |||
The song | |||
After Tolkien's death in [[1973]], Hill showed the poem to [[Donald Swann]], who liked the poem so much that he set it to music and included it in the second edition of ''[[The Road Goes Ever On (book)|The Road Goes Ever On]]'' in [[1978]].<ref>{{RGEO|Bilbo}}</ref> The poem was also illustrated by [[Pauline Baynes]], and published as a poster on [[26 November]] [[1974]]. | |||
< | |||
The song was included in the BBC Radio 4 adaptation of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' (1981), with music by Stephen Oliver. The first verse is chanted by John Le Mesurier as Bilbo, the second omitted, and the third sung by a boy soprano. | |||
' | In [[1990]] the text was finally published in book form by Unwin Hyman, re-illustrated by Baynes.<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details.php?reference=61220|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song. 1990|dated=|website=TB|accessed=29 October 2012}}</ref> New editions appeared in [[2002]] (Hutchinson, hardcover),<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details.php?reference=61240|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song. 2002|dated=|website=TB|accessed=29 October 2012}}</ref> and [[2012]] (Red Fox/Random House, paperback).<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/bilbos-last-song/9780099439752|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song|dated=|website=[http://www.randomhouse.co.uk RandomHouse.co.uk]|accessed=29 October 2012}}</ref> | ||
In 1996 the song was recorded by the [[Unquendor|Dutch Tolkien Society]] band [[The Hobbitons]], with permission from the [[Tolkien Estate]], for their CD ''J.R.R. Tolkien's Songs from Middle-earth''.<ref>{{webcite|website=[http://web.archive.org/web/20021210152658/http://home.wxs.nl/~hobbiton/home.html The Hobbitons] (via [http://www.archive.org Internet Archive]) |articlename=Our CD|articleurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20021207123849/home.wxs.nl/~hobbiton/OURCD.HTM|accessed=27 May 2014}}</ref> | |||
'' | The copyright of the poem was given by Tolkien to Hill together with the poem itself. Upon her death in 1991, Hill gave the copyright to the [[Wikipedia:Order of the Holy Paraclete|Order of the Holy Paraclete]]. Baynes's illustrations for ''Bilbo's Last Song'' were not included in the bequeathing to the Order, but were given the [[Wikipedia:Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford|Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford]] upon her death in 2008.<ref>{{webcite|author=[[Wayne G. Hammond]], [[Christina Scull]]|articleurl=http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mythsoc/conversations/messages/25132|articlename=Bilbo's Last Song and the Order of the Holy Paraclete (message 25132)|dated=7 March 2014|website=Mythsoc|accessed=16 March 2014}}</ref> | ||
==See also== | |||
*[[Letter to Joy Hill (28 October 1971)]] | |||
{{references}} | |||
'' | {{title|italics}} | ||
[[Category:Books by J.R.R. Tolkien]] | |||
[[Category:Poems by J.R.R. Tolkien]] | |||
[[Category:Poetry books]] | |||
[[Category:Publications by title]] | |||
[[de:Bilbos Abschiehdslied]] | [[de:Bilbos Abschiehdslied]] | ||
[[fi:Bilbon viimeinen laulu]] | [[fi:Bilbon viimeinen laulu]] | ||
Revision as of 23:06, 29 January 2015
Bilbo's Last Song is a poem written by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is sung by Bilbo Baggins at the Grey Havens as he is about to leave Middle-earth. Chronologically this places it at the very end of The Return of the King, the last volume of The Lord of the Rings, although it was written later than the books and never included in them.
History
It was originally a text without link with Bilbo's story, entitled Vestr um haf, but Tolkien changed it in October 1968. It was given by Tolkien as a gift to his secretary Joy Hill in 1968 after she discovered it in Tolkien's library.
After Tolkien's death in 1973, Hill showed the poem to Donald Swann, who liked the poem so much that he set it to music and included it in the second edition of The Road Goes Ever On in 1978.[1] The poem was also illustrated by Pauline Baynes, and published as a poster on 26 November 1974.
The song was included in the BBC Radio 4 adaptation of The Lord of the Rings (1981), with music by Stephen Oliver. The first verse is chanted by John Le Mesurier as Bilbo, the second omitted, and the third sung by a boy soprano.
In 1990 the text was finally published in book form by Unwin Hyman, re-illustrated by Baynes.[2] New editions appeared in 2002 (Hutchinson, hardcover),[3] and 2012 (Red Fox/Random House, paperback).[4]
In 1996 the song was recorded by the Dutch Tolkien Society band The Hobbitons, with permission from the Tolkien Estate, for their CD J.R.R. Tolkien's Songs from Middle-earth.[5]
The copyright of the poem was given by Tolkien to Hill together with the poem itself. Upon her death in 1991, Hill gave the copyright to the Order of the Holy Paraclete. Baynes's illustrations for Bilbo's Last Song were not included in the bequeathing to the Order, but were given the Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford upon her death in 2008.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Donald Swann, The Road Goes Ever On, "Bilbo's Last Song"
- ↑ "Bilbo's Last Song. 1990", TolkienBooks.net (accessed 29 October 2012)
- ↑ "Bilbo's Last Song. 2002", TolkienBooks.net (accessed 29 October 2012)
- ↑ "Bilbo's Last Song", RandomHouse.co.uk (accessed 29 October 2012)
- ↑ "Our CD", The Hobbitons (via Internet Archive) (accessed 27 May 2014)
- ↑ Wayne G. Hammond, Christina Scull, "Bilbo's Last Song and the Order of the Holy Paraclete (message 25132)" dated 7 March 2014, Mailing list for the Mythopoeic Society (accessed 16 March 2014)
