[Bards] What is a bard?

[Michael Silverhands]

On Oct 25, 2006, at 3:12 PM, Alden Drake wrote:

> ... if you look at our championships, you have bardic champions and  
> dance champions.  Which one is more suited to an instrumental music  
> piece?  Probably bardic.

Actually, I would argue "neither" (currently). If you come to a  
bardic competition expecting to do well, you'd better perform with  
your voice. If not, as Westley in "The Princess Bride" would say,  
"Get used to disappointment."

> As such if I'm coordinating a bardic championship, I would not  
> disallow an instrumental piece from being performed because they  
> have no other appropriate venue - particularly since A&S  
> competitions are generally taken to be static arts.
>
> Alden

Exactly. They have no other appropriate venue. I think that's one  
reason why instrumental music just sort of limps along -- at best, as  
a "dance band" for European or Middle Eastern dance. And that's why  
I'd love to see a champion for instrumental music in the Kingdom  
<whatever> of Bards.

(Yikes! I have a terrible feeling I'm going to regret those  
words...) ;-)

Michael