1. Prelude: Tolkein's Creation Story
There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Iluvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before aught else was made. And he spoke to them, propounding to them themes of music; and they sang before him, and he was glad...
Then Iluvatar said to them: 'Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now that ye make in harmony together a Great Music. And since I have kindled you with the Flame Imperishable, ye shall show forth your powers in adorning this theme, each with his own thoughts and devices, if he will. But I will sit and hearken, and be glad that through you great beauty has been wakened into song.
Then the voices of the Ainur, like unto harps and lutes, and pipes and trumpets, and viols and organs, and like unto countless choirs singing with words, began to fashion the theme of Iluvatar to a great music; and a sound arose of endless interchanging melodies woven in harmony that passed beyond hearing into the depths and into the heights, and the places of the dwelling of Iluvatar were filled to overflowing..
But when they were come into the Void, Iluvatar said to them: 'Behold your Music!' And he showed to them a vision, giving to them sight where before was only hearing; and they saw a new World made visible before them, and it was globed amid the Void, and it was sustained therein, but was not of it.
-J.R.R Tolkien, The Silmarillion (1977), Chapter 1 - "The Music of the Ainur"
2. Music for Baruch She'amar?
And when the people of Israel enter their synagogues in the cities in order to pray, the hazzan of the synagogue rises and commences: "Blessed be He Who spoke and the world came into being.."
- Siddur Rav Amram Gaon (9th century)
Entering below [the Exilarch] come youths chosen from amongst the chiefs of the community and their leaders; distinguished youth, adept in voice and melody, with pleasant voices and acquainted in every matter…The hazzan haknesset intones Baruch She'Amar, the youths respond to each sentence with baruch hu. When the hazzan begins mizmor shir, the youths respond by singing tov le'hodot (Psalm 92), whereupon the entire congregation recites the entire pesukei dezimra to the end.
--Nathan Ha-Bavli (10th century)
"The words of the Tur (Jacob b. Asher, 1270-1340): One must say Baruch She’amar in with song and melody. And Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe (1530-1612) also wrote this. And in holy communities of Bohemia & Poland they gather a confraternity (havurah) of community members with pleasant voices and they go up to the dais [migdal], and sing together in a holy melody.
--Rabbi Yair Hayyim Bacharach, Commentary to the Customs of Worms (R. Yuzpa Shammash), 51:1
בָּרוּךְ שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם. בָּרוּךְ הוּא. בָּרוּךְ עוֹשֶׂה בְרֵאשִׁית.
בָּרוּךְ אוֹמֵר וְעוֹשֶׂה.
בָּרוּךְ גּוֹזֵר וּמְקַיֵּם.
בָּרוּךְ מְרַחֵם עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ.
בָּרוּךְ מְרַחֵם עַל־הַבְּ֒רִיּוֹת.
בָּרוּךְ מְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר טוֹב לִירֵאָיו.
בָּרוּךְ חַי לָעַד וְקַיָּם לָנֶֽצַח.
בָּרוּךְ פּוֹדֶה וּמַצִּיל. בָּרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יקוק אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הָאֵל הָאָב הָרַחֲמָן הַמְ֒הֻלָּל בְּפִי עַמּוֹ מְשֻׁבָּח וּמְפֹאָר בִּלְשׁוֹן חֲסִידָיו וַעֲבָדָיו וּבְשִׁירֵי דָוִד עַבְדֶּֽךָ. נְהַלֶּלְךָ יקוק אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ בִּשְׁבָחוֹת וּבִזְמִירוֹת נְגַדֶּלְךָ וּנְשַׁבֵּחֲךָ וּנְפָאֶרְךָ וְנַזְכִּיר שִׁמְךָ וְנַמְלִיכְ֒ךָ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ. יָחִיד חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים. מֶֽלֶךְ מְשֻׁבָּח וּמְפֹאָר עֲדֵי־עַד שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יקוק מֶֽלֶךְ מְהֻלָּל בַּתִּשְׁבָּחוֹת:
Blessed is He Who spoke, and the world came into being, blessed is He;
blessed is He Who maintains creation; blessed is He Who says and does;
blessed is He Who decrees and fulfills; blessed is He Who has compassion on the earth;
blessed is He Who has compassion on the creatures;
blessed is He Who rewards well those who fear Him,
blessed is He Who lives forever and exists eternally;
blessed is He Who redeems and saves,
blessed is His Name.
Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, King of the Universe, the Almighty, the merciful Father, Who is verbally extolled by His people, praised and glorified by the tongue of His pious ones, and His servants, and through the songs of David Your servant. We will extoll You, Adonoy our God, with praises and psalms; we will exalt, praise, and glorify You; we will mention Your Name, and proclaim You—our King, our God. Unique One, Life of the worlds, King, praised and glorified forever is His great Name. Blessed are You, Adonai, King, Who is extolled with praises.
3. Baruch She'Amar - Intertextual Sources
Sanhedrin 19a
The slave of King Yannai killed a person. Shimon ben Shataḥ said to the Sages: Put your eyes on him and let us judge him...Shimon ben Shataḥ said to him: "King Yannai, stand on your feet and witnesses will testify against you. And it is not before us that you are standing, but before the One Who spoke and the world came into being that you are standing.."
ברוך שאמר והיה העולם ברוך הוא ברוך עושה מעשה בראשית ברוך אומר ועושה ברוך גוזר ומקיים ברוך שזכר את הראשונות והעביר את האחרונות שהיה לו לומר נרדי נתן סרחון ולא לומר נתן ריחו.
Blessed is He Who spoke, and the world came into being, blessed is He;
blessed is He Who makes the work of creation; blessed is He Who says, decrees and fulfills; who remembers the beginnings and passes over the ends, who could have said "my nard wreaks of sin" rather than saying "my nard gives forth its fragrance (Song of Songs 1:12).
Berakhot 57b - Blessing the Fall of Babylonia
Rav Hamnuna taught: One who sees the wicked Babylonia must recite five blessings.
(1) One who saw the ruins of Babylonia, recites: "Blessed…Who destroyed the wicked Babylonia."
(2) One who saw the ruins of Nebuchadnezzar’s house, recites: "Blessed…Who destroyed the house of wicked Nebuchadnezzar."
(3) One who saw the lion’s den or the furnace recites: "Blessed…Who performed miracles for our ancestors in this place."
4. One who saw Mercury, recites: Blessed…Who has shown patience to those who violate His will.
5. One who saw a place from which earth is taken, recites: "Blessed…Who speaks and acts, decrees and fulfills."