[Bards] Fw: Situations That Ruin Bardic Circles

Della H elf_kind1980 at yahoo.com
Thu May 10 20:25:41 PDT 2007


----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Della H <elf_kind1980 at yahoo.com>
To: engtrktwo at earthlink.net
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 10:21:21 PM
Subject: Re: [Bards] Situations That Ruin Bardic Circles


Ivo,
 
My message was in no way meant to single you out as dishonorable.  I very humbly offer sincerest apologies if it was interpreted that way (that's a whole e-mail losing tone rant of mine).  I might offer you a little insight into my thinking.  I owe you that, in the very least.  From the time that I was very young, I was brought up in the opera arena.  They are to put it mildly a very stuffy group.  If someone where to even be suspected of having a cell phone in the audience or doing anything except listening with rapt attention, you were considered rude and asked to leave (presumably to be taken out into the streets to be drawn and quarted).  It has been a very difficult adjustment to me to come into much more lax settings, which I enjoy just as much if not more, having been programmed with this practically my whole life.  
 
To that end, I stand corrected.  I hope that I have not offended you, but if I have I again offer my sincerest apologies.  It was most certainly not my intent and if there is anything that I can do to make amends, please let me know.
 
Della
(humble pie tastes good, btw)


----- Original Message ----
From: Cisco Cividanes <engtrktwo at earthlink.net>
To: Ansteorran Bardic list <bards at lists.ansteorra.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 1:35:51 PM
Subject: Re: [Bards] Situations That Ruin Bardic Circles


I have some huge problems with the implications of this message.

Della H wrote:
> It doesn't take much to get over ones self and be courteous and polite.
I don't like this, to "get over ones self" implies an ego or 
over-inflated self image. I am not comfortable here characterizing any 
person or theoretical person that way. And as this was in response to my 
post, I certainly hope that neither of these were directed at me.
>   It may not be your first choice of doing things and I don't care.
I am not suggesting or advocating a cavalier attitude about how the 
"master of ceremonies" deals with his events or entertainment. Quite to 
the contrary, as a bard, historian and site herald, I have come to hold 
considerable influence in many activities, and I respect these powers 
like an officer of the law respects the loaded firearm on his hip. Each 
has their time and place, and each should be used with the utmost in 
care and reservation.

I am truly bothered, however by the idea that you do "not care". This 
means to me that you are not aware of my priorities, and have no wish to 
understand them.
> Frankly I don't care who you are, but it is NEVER okay to interrupt 
> someone while they are performing.  Get someone to go in after to pick 
> things up, but understand that it is NEVER okay to interrupt someone 
> while they are performing.  Okay...I'll say it again to make sure that 
> everyone understands.  _It is NEVER, NEVER, NEVER okay to interrupt 
> someone while they are performing._
As far as I am concerned, this statement is one long string of flawed 
ideas. I could put this more delicately, but the implications of the 
above words do not warrant a light touch at this point.

First, and most importantly, the word "Never" renders this statement 
void to me. It is an absolute with no consideration for any 
circumstances or the people involved. It broadens the topic beyond the 
scope of the conversation and narrows the options of any person involved 
beyond reason.

Any performing artist is capable of both imparting great pleasure and 
great discomfort. depending on the circumstances. The idea that 
'Get[ing] someone to go in after to pick things up' will work as a 
universal answer does not even begin to take into account some of the 
poor performance characteristics that have been spoken about on this 
list. Nor does it  address how to deal with people who were driven off, 
insulted or hurt by the previous performance.

And perhaps the reason closest to me, is with the idea that a bard as 
the inherent right to complete their performance uninterrupted. And to 
further suggest that this right is coupled with, or protected by the 
accepted code of honor within the society is nonsense.

Here I present the body of my argument:

Suppose I am putting my infant son down for a noon  nap when a group of 
bards spontaneously starts singling loudly outside my tent. Am I 
supposed to wait until the song is over before I tell them my son is 
trying to sleep?

I am at a bardic Circle with a twelve-year-old child who wants to 
perform, and someone starts singing a song who's lyrics are wholly 
inappropriate for children. Do you honestly expect me to clasp the 
child's ears shut and spirit them from the circle?

I am hosting a bardic circle at my campfire and someone starts singing. 
Fifteen minutes later they are still singing, they are not that good, 
the others are looking like they want to leave or have left already, and 
there is no end in sight. Do I just give this person free reign of the 
camp fire I built in my camp while my friends and other guests are not 
enjoying themselves?

A bard has elected to perform in the feast hall uninvited. Her 
performance (aside from being barely audible half way across the hall) 
is holding up the first course, which is supposed to be heralded in.
OR....
A bard has elected to perform in the feast hall uninvited, few can her 
and the Baron had promised a several jugglers that they would get to 
perform first.
OR...
A bard is singing  "mature" lyrics in the feast hall and their are 
children present.

I am hosting a bardic circle where the agreed time limit is seven 
minutes. Someone just broke fourteen minutes, eyes have been rolling for 
five now, and this guy looks like he has a few more minutes left. As the 
host, am I powerless to enforce my own rules?

I am entertaining guests at my camp, and their are many fine 
performances and much revelry. A good friend arrives late, is asked to 
perform, and launches into a song that was just preformed and not overly 
well received. Is my honor lessened if I cut him off and tell him?


Dalla said:
"Now we all understand that is NEVER okay to interrupt someone while 
they are performing..."

This is wrong. Such a statement dos not protect anyone near as much as 
it potentially emboldens the wrong people. There ARE people on this list 
who most of us have never seen or talked to. and while none of our 
conversation is binding law, it does serve as as a guide to the new, the 
remote and the shy within our ranks. To make such a statement in 
absolute is so irresponsible because rather than take into account the 
situation and its merits, it tells people that their is a simple answer. 
And furthermore, it is an answer that  crowns, landeds, mothers and 
fathers, hosts, autocrats and feast-o-crats, hall stewards, site heralds 
or sleeping gentles will not necessarily agree with. But more 
importantly, in my view, this answer could disastrously embolden a new 
or inexperienced bard to rebuke a well-earned interruption, even when 
the balance of the fault rests in their own lap.

Please understand me, I am not saying that as bards we live at the mercy 
of the crowd and are free to be walked over like old rugs left out in 
the rain. We have the right to dignity, respect, and integrity. We have 
the right to recount what we see and experience. We have the right to 
decline a performance, and the right to be honest when asked why.

But we do not have the right to trump all other circumstances in 
absolute by virtue of the fact that we managed to start our performance. 
To say this is to void any discussion about the rights of our audience, 
and to tie the hands of those that we task with managing the day to day 
functions of events and guild meetings. I am by no means comfortable 
with this absolute. By no means at all.

And finally, as to the point of  "dishonor".
To interrupt is a bad thing, but to call a person's honor into question 
when they do it without regard for motive, rational or cause is the 
bigger dishonor.

Lord Ivo Blackhawk




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