J.R.R. Tolkien?s TheLord of the Rings is arguably the defining novel of the fantasy genre. Many of the characters in this epic novel arelarger-than-life: Gandalf, Saruman,Aragorn, and others. Interestinglyenough, the true heroes of Tolkien?s tale are very simple folk: hobbits. Bilbo Baggins and his nephew Frodo are among the most beloved charactersof the story, quite possibly because they are not so much different from you orme, yet they accomplish great and heroic deeds nonetheless.

This piece for unaccompanied flute focuses on five momentsfrom The Lord of the Rings in whichour down-to-earth heroes encounter situations both marvelous and terrible. As the title suggests, the musical narrativefollows the adventures of Frodo and his faithful companion, Samwise Gamgee (whoalso bore the One Ring for a time).

I. Rivendell

II. Fog on the Barrow-Downs

III. Ents

IV. Shelob's Lair

V. The Grey Havens

Written in 2007 on the occasion of a friend'sbirthday, these variations are inspired by the music of the classical andromantic period. Among the most famous collections of the flute repertoire, forexample, are those of Mercadante, Beethoven and Chopin. In particular, those ofMercadante were taken as a model.

The theme is followed by four variations and a coda,bright and virtuosic.

The choice of dynamics and articulation is left to thediscretion of the performer, who will have regard to the execution practicetypical of the classical era.