[Ansteorra] Can someone confirm/deny for me?

[David Brown]

I understand the importance of the oral tradition that we use in the SCA. In 
period that is how it is done, but if rely only on the passing down in oral 
tradition now we stand the chance of losing some of the greatest songs and 
stories in the SCA.
If they would have known how to write them down, I am sure they would have.

Lord Devin




________________________________
From: Hugh & Belinda Niewoehner <burgborrendohl at valornet.com>
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org>
Sent: Wed, August 18, 2010 8:13:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Can someone confirm/deny for me?

I will repeat here what I found and forwarded to the Lady with the original 
question.  Since this comes from a 'recently' updated site and is Calontiri, I 
/assume/ the person running it has done the research/contact to verify the 
statements that are posted there:

Found this site which states that the gentleman does indeed not want the song 
written down:

http://calontir.info/artsci/songbooks/index.html

> Note: Many people have inquired about learning the words to a popular song 
>"Born on the List Field". This song and some others were written by Master Ivar 
>Battleskald. He has requested that these songs remain in the oral tradition and 
>not be written down. Please respect his wishes in this matter. If you truly want 
>to learn his works, find someone at an event who knows them. Feel free to 
>contact Conrad <MAILTO:sauerm at missouri.edu> if you need help finding such 
>people. 
>

I /assume /the contact is for Master Ivar (whose last place of residence I've 
found is the Barony of Forgotten Sea, Calontir).  The site was last updated in 
January of 2010 so hopefully it's still current.  If "Conrad" is not Master 
Ivar, I will gladly post to Calontirlist to see if the Master, himself, will 
respond.  My husband seems to recall that at one time on Calonlist when this 
subject was brought up it was determined that one could write down the words 
long enough to learn them, but that they should never perform from a written 
source or be included in a 'songbook', etc.  Personally, I would want to hear 
from Master Ivar before doing so.  As to the recorded performance, I'm not sure 
how that stands in the 'don't write down' request.  Is it a recording of a 
performance or does it go against the tradition originally desired by the 
composer?  I agree with His Majesty.  It is an interesting, but different 
version than I remember hearing around the campfires.

Ismet


> 
> 
> I've always been told that a) Master Ivar wrote the song and b) that he wanted 
>it passed on as oral tradition, not written or recorded. (I'm a little surprised 
>that the ban on copying/recording it has supposedly been lifted, and would not 
>be surprised to learn that that was SCA legend or someone's wishful thinking, 
>rather than Ivar's decision.)
> 
> That it was written in response to a group of Knights saying a Master at Arms 
>couldn't understand fealty sounds plausible, but I've not heard that from Ivar 
>(but then, it's been 20 or 30 years since I've seen him.) I've been told he's 
>living in Calontir now, and since the original poster said she was moving to 
>Calontir in the near future, maybe she can look him up and get the straight 
>skinny from him.
> 
>        -Tivar Moondragon
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 

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