It seems amazing to me that Tolkien chose music (the chorus of the Ainur) for creation of his Universe. The great music spread though out the kingdom of Arda and into the void and created vibration or movement (animation, life) where before there was only stillness and lifelessness. This sounds like string theory to me that’s right Tolkien was talking about string theory in 1916. First the Ainur sang different songs or at least different parts of the first great song perhaps creating the subatomic particles that all move differently to different sounds. Then the Ainur sang a series of great songs together perhaps bringing all the different subatomic particles together creating Atoms, elements and matter that the visible universe is made of. Crazy I know but this idea of music and creation is a beautiful one.

I love the String Theory, and I have considered the same thing (more or less). Was Tolkien onto something deeper than just being a lover of music? Did he have plans to expand on his creation of the world? Mere coincidence? Perhaps...

I will say I of course loved The Hobbit and LOTR when I was a kid, but it wasn't until I read chapter 1 of The Silmarillion, The Music of the Ainur, that I knew this was someone I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life. I realized then just how much of a genius JRR Tolkien was and will never forget that moment. Beautiful does not do the idea justice...