Souboj Saurona s Finrodem Felagundem Bojová Elfská I. věk Epická

Of course, for any songwriter, this moment is a very tempting challenge. For many years a strong desire to recreate this duel has been growing within me, but I put it aside because I've felt that I would bite off more than I could chew. The turning point was when False Fellowship has decided to make a play about Beren and Lúthien and at the same time I met Bardě who fulfilled my idea of Finrod (by the way in my mind Finrod was never blonde).

The thing I was always curious about was, why did Finrod lose. The trivial answer "Sauron was stronger than him" was unsatisfying for me. Sauron wasn't a fool. He would never go to a battle just because he could easily win with strength - it's boring. In this case, it was certainly about something more. For Sauron, it was a riddle that pleased and amused him when resolved. So, there was something that could be revealed and at the same time, it was not trivial even for Sauron.

I was thinking about what psychological or emotional weapons could both sides wanted to use and what was the frailty that decided about Finrod's fall; after all, Finrod hasn’t any fault or weakness! And yet he took part in Kinslaying, eventhough against his will. Although I think that he has no blood on his hands, surely he was troubled all his life that he couldn't prevent this terrible massacre. And it was his remorse that helped Sauron to defeat him. And he laughed at Finrod because of this, for he never suffered from such weaknesses, as remorse.

I was very pleased when I discovered these lines in Silmarillion:

“Then the gloom gathered; darkness growing
In Valinor, the red blood flowing
Beside the Sea, where the Noldor slew
The Foamriders, and stealing drew
Their white ships with their white sails
From lamplit havens…”

So, it is likely, that Tolkien had the same intention.

From the beginning I intended to express an impression of the duel using a different key for each of them; where Finrod has fis Sauron has f. This dragging over the key is a foundation of tension in the first three parts where every each of them results in local musical and also text point. In the fourth part, where it is already clear that Sauron is the winner and he's enjoying his victory, he goes through several different keys perhaps to show that he can easily do this and that the duel was never about winning the melodic line; he just wanted to have fun.

To finish my intention took me a over a year. My ideas were hidden somewhere in depths of my unconscious and every piece, which I have mined, cost me much time and rage. I think the result fits this process - it's long (8 minutes), imposing, consists of parts, and not spontaneous at all (maybe something like Vergilius or Wagner). The final impression is saved by the interprets, who breathe life into this monster with their charisma, and I am very thankful to them that they dedicated so much time and effort to my dream. 

The song was performed as a part of the “Beren and Lúthien” performance at Tolkiencon 2016. It belongs to a group of interconnected songs along with “Interrogation by Sauron”, “Finrod's Death” and “Valacirca”. “Interrogation by Sauron” is a prolog of “The Duel of Sauron and Finrod Felagund”, they belong together logically, but they can be played separately.

Daniela, (translation: Tani + Elsa)

Finrod: You were a mighty Maia once,
but where are those times now when you showed us your wisdom?
Sauron: I am a mighty Maia still,
you’ll know this well before the day’s end.

Beren and Lúthien Song Cycle

(contains 24 songs, of which 20 on CD Beren and Lúthien, 2 only here on the website Songs of Middle-earth, 2 not yet recorded)

• The Story of a Maid (not on CD)
  
• Tarn Aeluin
• Meeting of Beren and Lúthien
• Jewel for Jewel
• Who is Comming? (not on CD)
• Interrogation by Sauron
• The Duel of Sauron and Finrod Felagund
• Finrod's Death
• Valacirca
• The Flight from Hírilorn
• Tol Sirion
• Double Song (not on CD, nor on website)
• Throw Me a Stick!
• Thuringwethil
• Morgoth's Laullaby (not on CD, nor on website)
• Carcharoth
• Flying High
• The Return to Menegroth
• The Wedding Song
• The Wolf Hunt
• The Longing
• Lament of Lúthien
• The Resolvement
• Farewell (Namárië)