[Bards] Year-Long Challenge for all Ansteorran Bards

[Yes, That Seafox]

> [The person formerly known as Herr Marcus Il Volpé wrote:
> A couple of comments.]
> 	Comments on your comments.
Comments on your comments on my comments.

> 
> [(Does countess include duchesses too, as they are sort of post-
> countesses?)]
> 
> 	It sounded like he had a particular countess in mind.

If so then that particular countess is going to be exceptionally busy. What
about a criterion that such a "sign off" come from a fellow bard?

> 
> [Some folks don't do original works, and in some cases that's not
> really appropriate to the persona.]
> 
> 	I'm having real trouble coming up with any persona of a performer
> that might otherwise be involved in a bardic challenge for whom it
> would be inappropriate to create. From the earliest recorded music
> through the end of our period, every piece of music was created by
> somebody, and it is in fact far easier to find composers for whom we
> have no record of performance than performers whom we can safely assert
> never wrote a piece of music.  And the more a solo performer that
> person is, the MORE likely they also wrote (John Dowland is in my head,
> but there are lots).

Skalds didn't make much original work of note, as they worked primarily as
keepers of the culture and history. They could do short kennings and
impromptu verse, but many of the sagas show them as primarily working in the
long form with the historical works. Singers in a capella de Sistina aren't
known for their compositions, though we know they existed as the cream of
the crop  in vocal performance.

> 
> [ Other folks are reluctant to perform anything they didn't write, as
> they're focusing on original composition in their works.]
> 
> 	Well, fine; I perform mainly my own work, but I appreciate good
> work from other people and have no reluctance to perform someone else's
> song.  My criticism of this requirement was that it specified the piece
> be written by another Ansteorran; my work (and my husband's) is out
> there freely available on our website, but I know there are performers
> doing original work whose work is not quite so available as mine.  I
> would also wonder whether this need be an original work by another
> Ansteorran, or possibly a piece that their performance brought to my
> attention?

I also wonder how this would be documented? There are folks that live in
Ansteorra for a while, then move to other places. Is someone an Ansteorran
if he or she is currently living here at the present, wrote the music while
living here, or was someone born here, either in the biological sense or at
the origination of his or her persona? Or do all of these apply?

> [(And far worse for non-vocal music, which is my main point of interest
> in period music) In fact, this has been a major impediment for me in
> performing in the SCA.]
> 
> 	Not at all.  I would love to see more instrumental music at
> bardic circles, and I would love to see a piece entered in a static
> competition.

My current interest is period percussion, which is always a supporting
element in an ensemble performance. The bardic soloist mode of performance
orientation makes my entry into bardic circles problematic, as I can't have
anyone there to accompany. My new persona is from a late period musical
family and also blind, so group performance is a persona element but without
co-performers  I'm limited to my song and story repertoire, which is not my
greatest strength.

> If you'd like ideas on how to outline your documentation, contact me
> privately.
That would be useful, as I've got some useful material I've developed
regarding multi-part percussion settings to support instrumental and
instrumental/vocal music in all accepted period time signatures for the six
medieval rhythmic modes of Notre Dame. (It consists of nearly 500 sets of
rhythms)