I had envisaged that Eru created perhaps a kind of featureless expanse of "matter" spread throughout an immeasurably large region of space. Gravitation and atomic forces would exist, the laws of physics would apply and would be used by the Ainur to sculpt together the stars, worlds, snowflakes and flowers going to make up Eä. My assumption is based on my reading of the published Ainulindalë and Valaquenta:
But when the Valar entered into Eä they were at first astounded and at a loss, for it was as if naught was yet made which they had seen in vision, and all was but on point to begin and yet unshaped, and it was dark. For the Great Music had been but the growth and flowering of thought in the Tuneless Halls, and the Vision only a foreshowing; but now they had entered in at the beginning of Time, and the Valar perceived that the World had been but foreshadowed and foresung, and they must achieve it. So began their great labours in wastes unmeasured and unexplored, and in ages uncounted and forgotten, until in the Deeps of Time and in the midst of the vast halls of Eä there came to be that hour and that place where was made the habitation of the Children of Ilúvatar...
Ainulindalë
So what is Tolkien's intent here? Are we to regard the Ainur as world-shapers, moulding physical stuff given to them by Eru into everything from grains of sand to planets? Or should we think of them as outright "creators" at the most basic level, capable of creating matter/energy from nothing more than their Music and the permission of the One?Therefore Ilúvatar gave to their vision Being, and set it amid the Void, and the Secret Fire was sent to burn at the heart of the World; and it was called Eä...
Valaquenta
Your thoughts?