[SCA-AE] bardic discussion continued - Warning: A Bit Long

[Karen Kasper]

Kingdom court being last at the Ice Dragon Lord Calvert mentioned, and the East Kingdom thrones being very wide and tall, Duchess Rowan and I sat on the floor behind the Kingdom thrones for much of baronial court at that event, or I most certainly *would* have passed out.  :-(
   
  More broadly, I suspect the changes that Duchess Dorinda noted (primarily people leaving events earlier in the evening) are partly due to the graying of the SCA.  We have children who cannot stay up late, or we no longer want to sleep on floors and so choose to drive home where we once might have crashed in a Scadian's home, or we need to get to bed earlier than we once did if we want to be functional the following morning.  When I joined the SCA, the *oldest* person in my shire was 25.  Combine that with a proliferation of SCA activities (hound coursing, rapier combat, youth combat, children's activities, thrown weapons, equestrian, etc. on top of older activities like rattan, archery) and events have become so packed that simple pleasures like sitting around listening to musicians are crowded out except at camping events.
   
  As a purveyor of "artsy" music, I have to take issue with Lord Morgan's characterization of period songs.  I think a period piece, well done, can compete with a filk, even if it IS in French. :-)  But the key here is "well done." I certainly make sure  my choir understands the meaning of each song we sing, and does its best to present that meaning.  One of the keys to making any sort of performance work is finding the right venue.  The Debatable Choir long since stopped performing at feasts, because it was clear that most people didn't want to be interrupted by us.  Instead, we generally sing a few pieces as a lead-in to courts, often segueing (is that a word?) into a processional song.  At appropriate events, like the Debatable Lands' upcoming Academy of St. Julian, we'll present longer concerts because we know we can expect an appreciative audience.  It's all in the venue.

  Arianna
  
Rich G <calvertdegrey at msn.com> wrote:
   I remember the first Ice Dragon we did at the 
fairgrounds (in the clubhouse building, not the conglomeration of buildings 
we use now). IIRC, court started at around 730 and ended about 1230. 
Arianna, Orianna and I were heralding Kingdom, Principality and Baronial 
courts respectively without seconds and under the floodlights. We were 
wondering which one of us was going to pass out first.

Karen Kasper

"I told myself that acts of folly are the only things that one doesn't regret in life." - Jean-Paul Guyot 

"I believe in the indomitable human spirit and the amazing capacity we have for understanding the world; for love, joy and happiness."  - Michael Shermer
 
---------------------------------
Never miss an email again!
Yahoo! Toolbar alerts you the instant new Mail arrives. Check it out.