Of the Music of the Ainur

Before anything else existed, there was only Eru, who is called Ilúvatar in the Elvish tongue. He was The One, the ultimate creator, and he dwelt by himself in the Timeless Halls. In this place beyond time and the universe, all things that would ever be were first conceived in his infinite mind. Nothing existed except for him, and the great story of the world began as a thought within this single, all-powerful being.

From his thought, Ilúvatar brought into being the Ainur, whose name means the Holy Ones. These powerful spirits were the first of his creations, like offspring of his own mind. He taught each of them from the part of his mind from which they were made, sharing with them his knowledge and wisdom. The Ainur were individuals, each with their own unique understanding and talents, but all were part of Ilúvatar's grand consciousness.

Ilúvatar taught the Ainur the art of making music. At first, they sang alone or in small groups, practicing the musical themes that he gave to them. However, each of the Ainur could only understand the part of Ilúvatar's mind from which they came, so no single Ainu could grasp the whole of his design. Their early songs were beautiful but incomplete, as they were still learning to combine their voices in true harmony.

After a time, Ilúvatar gathered all the Ainur together in his halls. He presented them with a mighty theme, far greater and more complex than anything they had known before. He then invited them to take this theme and build upon it, weaving their own thoughts, personalities, and understanding into it to create a Great Music. This was not just a performance, but an act of co-creation, where their free will would shape the song.

As the Ainur began to sing, their voices blended together into a magnificent choir. The sound was like countless instruments, from harps and lutes to viols, trumpets, and organs, all playing in perfect harmony. Their Great Music flowed out from the Timeless Halls and filled the endless Void around them, giving it life and meaning. The song was so deep, beautiful, and intricate that it was a wonder to hear, and the Ainur themselves were amazed at its power.

As the Music played, it created a Vision before the eyes of the Ainur. This was not just an image, but a living, unfolding story of a world being born from their song. They saw stars ignite in the darkness, mountains rise from the deep, and waters begin to flow. They watched as a complete history, from its first moment to its last, took shape within the grand design of their Music, a new reality made of light and sound.

Among the Ainur, none was greater than Melkor. He had been given the largest share of power, knowledge, and talent from Ilúvatar, more than any of his brethren. But Melkor grew restless and proud, spending his time alone in the Void, seeking the Flame Imperishable that gave things their own being. He grew tired of developing Ilúvatar's themes and longed to create things entirely from his own thought, to have subjects and a kingdom to call his own.

During the Great Music, Melkor's pride took over. He began to weave his own ideas into the song, themes that were not in harmony with Ilúvatar's design. His music was loud, repetitive, and full of his own ambition. It was a harsh and clamorous sound that fought against the beauty of the main theme, trying to overpower it and bend the Music to his own will.

Melkor's song created a powerful discord, and a war of sound began in the heavens. The beautiful harmonies were shaken, and many of the Ainur became confused. Some stopped singing altogether, while others, impressed by the power and passion of Melkor's theme, began to follow his music instead of Ilúvatar's. The unity of the Ainur was broken, and the Great Music was marred by this conflict.

The name that Melkor was given, which means 'He who arises in Might' in the Elvish language, perfectly describes his nature. He was indeed the most powerful of the Ainur, but his might was tied to his immense pride. This pride was the root of his rebellion, as he could not stand to be just one part of a greater song and instead desired to be the master of his own creation, leading him down a path to darkness.

As the discord of Melkor grew louder, Ilúvatar sat and listened. Then, he raised his left hand, and a new theme began to play. This Second Theme was different from the first, filled with a gentle sweetness and beauty, but it also had a deep strength and power. It introduced notes of sorrow and suffering into the Music, things that had not been there before, yet it made the song even more profound and wonderful.

Melkor's proud and harsh music clashed fiercely with this new theme from Ilúvatar. He gathered his strength and fought against it, but he could not defeat it. Instead, something amazing happened. The sad and beautiful notes of the Second Theme took Melkor's jarring sounds and wove them into its own complex pattern. The evil discord was not destroyed, but it was transformed into a part of a new, more tragically beautiful harmony.

Seeing the conflict continue, Ilúvatar rose once more, his face looking serious. He raised his right hand, and a Third Theme began. At first, it was slow and quiet, but it soon grew into a song of immense power and complexity. It was made of two different melodies that moved at the same time. One was deep, vast, and sorrowful, while the other was sharp, loud, and endlessly joyful, like the sound of triumphant trumpets.

In a final act of defiance, Melkor tried to drown out the Third Theme with a storm of pure noise. He threw all of his power into one final, violent sound. But even this was not enough. The magnificent music of Ilúvatar absorbed his raging discord completely. Melkor's angry notes were taken and woven into the grand finale of the song, becoming part of a triumphant and glorious conclusion that he had never intended.

When the Third Theme reached its majestic end, Ilúvatar stood up and raised both his hands. With a single, perfect chord that was as clear as a bell and as powerful as thunder, the Great Music came to an end. The silence that followed was absolute. Ilúvatar then spoke to the Ainur, telling them that their Music had done more than create a vision; it was now going to become a real and lasting world.

Ilúvatar showed the Ainur that all their actions, even the rebellious and destructive ones of Melkor, had a place in his ultimate design. He spoke directly to Melkor, declaring that no theme could be played that did not have its origin in him, and that no one could change the Music against his will. He explained that anyone who tried would only end up creating things even more wonderful than they could imagine, proving themselves to be nothing more than an instrument of his greater plan.

This powerful statement revealed a deep truth about the nature of creation. It meant that even the evil that Melkor brought into the world would not win in the end. Instead, his hateful and destructive acts would unintentionally contribute to a richer and more complex story. Though his discord would cause immense pain and sadness, it would ultimately be used by Ilúvatar to bring about a beauty and depth that would not have existed otherwise.

Ilúvatar then allowed the Ainur to look upon the Vision their Music had created, but now it was a tangible, living history unfolding before them. They saw the world in all its detail, with its vast oceans, tall mountains, and green forests. It was in this Vision that they first saw the beings known as the Children of Ilúvatar, who were the Elves and Men, and they watched their stories begin to play out.

The appearance of Elves and Men was a complete surprise to the Ainur. These beings were not part of the themes the Ainur had developed, but were created from the mind of Ilúvatar alone and introduced through his Third Theme. The Ainur watched with fascination and love as the lives of these Children unfolded, seeing their joys, their sorrows, and their ultimate fates, which were a mystery even to the Holy Ones.

The Vision of the world was so beautiful and real that the Ainur came to love it deeply. They became invested in its history and cared for the Children of Ilúvatar as if they were their own. So, when Ilúvatar caused the Vision to disappear, a great sadness fell upon many of the Ainur. They longed for the world to be more than just a dream and wished with all their hearts for it to become real.

Seeing their desire, Ilúvatar granted their wish. He spoke a single, powerful word: 'Eä!' This word, which means 'Let it be' or 'The World that Is,' brought the universe into existence. With this command, the Void was filled with a real, physical world, and the Music of the Ainur was given a form that would last until the end of time. The great stage for the history of Middle-earth was now set.

After the world was made real, many of the greatest among the Ainur felt a strong pull to enter it. They chose to leave the safety and peace of the Timeless Halls to go down into the new universe, Eä. Their great task was to shape and build the world, making it a home for the Children of Ilúvatar and bringing the Vision they had witnessed in the Music to life in every detail.

Those Ainur who descended into the world were given a new name. They became known as the Valar, which means the Powers of the World. To interact with the physical creation, they took on visible forms, though these bodies were like clothing that they could put on and change as they wished. Their forms were majestic and beautiful, reflecting their inner nature and their power over the elements of the world.

By entering the world, the Valar accepted a great responsibility and a great limitation. They were now bound to the world and its fate, and they could not leave it until the end of days. Their immense power, which had once been abstract and boundless, was now contained and focused within the confines of creation. The Ainur who chose to stay behind with Ilúvatar remained as pure spirits, less involved in the daily story of the world.

Melkor was among the first of the Ainur to enter the new creation, arriving even before the others. He did not come to help build and nurture the world according to the Vision. Instead, he came driven by his unyielding pride and a burning desire to claim the entire world as his own kingdom, where all beings would be subject to his will.

When the other Valar arrived in the new world, they discovered that Melkor had already been at work. His presence was like a poison, and he had started to twist and corrupt their creation before it was even finished. Melkor declared that the world was his, and he actively worked to undo or spoil everything that the other Valar tried to make, claiming it for his own dark purposes.

This conflict marked the beginning of the first great war in the history of the universe. The Valar, who wanted to build the world in beauty and order, found themselves in a constant battle against Melkor, who sought only to dominate and destroy. The struggle between the themes of the Great Music had now become a physical war, with the forces of creation clashing against the forces of destruction.

The war between the Valar and Melkor was a cosmic struggle that shaped the early earth, which was called Arda. Whenever the Valar tried to create something beautiful, Melkor would mar it. They would dig great valleys, and he would thrust up jagged mountains in their place. They would fill the seas with water, and he would use great fires to make them boil. This chaotic battle of wills formed the very foundations of the world.

The war raged on until one of the Valar, Tulkas the Strong, came last to Arda. He entered the world laughing, filled with a joyous and warrior spirit. His incredible strength was finally enough to tip the balance. Tulkas fought Melkor and drove him back into the shadows and the outer darkness, giving the Valar a long period of peace to finally begin shaping the world without his constant interference.

The story of the Music of the Ainur serves as a creation myth, much like the ancient stories found in cultures all over our own world. It provides a powerful and poetic explanation for how the universe began, not from random chance, but from a deliberate and divine act of creation through song. It sets the stage for the entire history of Middle-earth by explaining where everything came from.

At its heart, this story introduces the timeless theme of good versus evil. Ilúvatar represents the ultimate good, the source of all creation, harmony, and light. In contrast, Melkor introduces evil into the universe through his actions. His pride, his rebellion against his creator, and his desire to dominate others become the foundation for all the darkness and destruction that follows in the history of the world.

The story also presents one of Tolkien's most important ideas about the nature of evil. Evil, as shown through Melkor, has no power to create anything new on its own. It can only take what is already good and twist, corrupt, or destroy it. Melkor's discordant music was not a new song but a selfish distortion of Ilúvatar's themes, just as his later creations, like the Orcs, were a twisted mockery of the Children of Ilúvatar.

Finally, the tale explores the complex relationship between free will and a greater destiny. The Ainur were given the freedom to add their own voices to the Music, and Melkor used his freedom to rebel. Yet, Ilúvatar's divine plan is so vast and all-encompassing that even Melkor's choices, made freely in defiance, ultimately become part of the greater, more beautiful story. This suggests that while individuals are free to choose their paths, all paths eventually serve the creator's ultimate purpose.

It is believed by the wise that the three great themes introduced by Ilúvatar during the Music foreshadow the major ages of the world. The First Theme established the initial order, the Second Theme introduced the sorrow and the coming of the Elves, and the Third Theme, with its two competing melodies, represented the coming of Mankind and the complex history of their age.

The Music of the Ainur is also crucial because it establishes the fundamental nature of the world. Because Melkor's discord was not removed but was instead woven into the fabric of creation, the world itself is flawed or 'marred.' This is why there is suffering, decay, and evil in Middle-earth. However, the story also promises that this evil is contained within a greater good and will not have the final victory at the end of days.

This foundational story is the starting point for every major event and conflict in Tolkien's legendarium, including the stories in 'The Silmarillion,' 'The Hobbit,' and 'The Lord of the Rings.' The long and tragic wars of the Elves, the rise and fall of Númenor, and the struggle for the One Ring are all echoes and continuations of the cosmic conflict that began when Melkor first introduced a note of discord into the Great Song.