<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:p="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:powerpoint" xmlns:oa="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:activation" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="Street"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="City"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="country-region"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="address"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PersonName"/>
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
pre
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>OK, why did my post come out all messed up
with everything on one line? Should I reset something? Did it come out that
way on everyone else’s computer too?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Kenneth <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1>
</span></font></div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> Ken Theriot
[mailto:kentheriot@ravenboymusic.com] <br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Sunday, April 27, 2008 3:39
PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> '<st1:PersonName w:st="on">Ansteorran
Bardic list</st1:PersonName>'<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [Bards] Filking</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>< I, personally, dislike blatantly modern tunes, but as Saint-Saëns demonstrated
in his "Carnival of Animals" He took two spritely tunes,
transposed them down, slowed them down, and gave them to the double bassoon and
called it "The Elephant" The original pieces are almost
unrecognizable so even a modern tune suitably re-worked might be made to be
appropriate, so the question is, at this point in time what are you comfortable
with?><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<pre><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Svetlana, that is an awesome example! Amen sister!! I have to share this. We got a little silly after one of our Bardic Nights down here, and someone asked if we knew about “The Llama Song,” which we didn’t. It is this really hilarious, extremely modern, YouTube staple of rapid-fire non-sequitur that had us rolling on the floor after we all gathered around the laptop on the kitchen table where folks are always looking stuff up if they forget lyrics, etc. Anyway, we were talking with one of our new bards (she was very new at the time) about filk. Our rule of thumb (Christianna….this is NOT in any way universal…just something my lady came up with) is that there are two good tests for “good filk” and (for lack of a better term) “not as good filk.” 1. If you can just look at the lyrics, without hearing it sung, and instantly know what tune was used to filk it (usually because many of the original words were used), then it is NOT in the “good filk” category. 2. If you use a blatantly modern tune when performing the song (hence running the risk of harshing someone’s dream), it is also not in the “good filk” category (at least not for official SCA performances….see all previous mentions of “it depends”). So armed with those two “litmus tests,” Lady Sophia came to the next Bardic Night and said she had written a filk, and challenged us to name the original tune. Nobody could! She had written original lyrics about Ragnarök (from Norse mythology), and sung it slowly and beautifully. She said that on her next turn, she would sing the actual song from which she took the tune. When she revealed it, we could NOT believe it. It was from the Llama song! All she did was slow it down, and write COMPLETELY ORIGINAL lyrics. THAT is one example of what we (<st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Adelaide</st1:City></st1:place> and I) consider “good filk.” Now if her lyrics had been something like the following (which I just now filked to the Llama song), it would have been, um, less good, shall we say? But unfortunately, it is how a lot of filk is done. It’s still kinda funny, but I would never perform it at a <st1:Street
w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Bardic Circle</st1:address></st1:Street>, and certainly not at a competition. In fact I have no plans ever to perform it! <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Here's a Viking <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>There's a Viking <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>And another little Viking<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Fuzzy Viking<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Funny Viking<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Viking Viking rune<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Viking Viking <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Kipper Viking<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Tablet, beards, tomato, Viking<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Viking Viking mushroom Viking <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Viking Viking rune<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>I was once a mead hall <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>I lived in the past<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>But I never saw the way<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>The apple slayed the mast<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>I was only three years dead<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>But it told a tale<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>And now listen little child <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>To the empty pail<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Did you ever see a Viking<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Kiss a Viking<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>On the Viking<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Viking’s Viking <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Tastes of Viking<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Viking Viking rune<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Half a Viking<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Twice a Viking <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Not a Viking<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Farmer Viking <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Viking row bench<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Splinter in a Viking <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Viking rune<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Is that how it’s told now<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Is it oh so old<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Is it made of kipper juice<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Long-ship, ankle, cold<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Now my song is getting thin<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>I can’t sing in tune<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Time for me to retire now<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>And become a rune<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>I believe I’m going to hell for that.<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>I will post what her actual lyrics are as soon as we get them from her. Last Bardic Night she had forgotten some of her own words (this never happens, right Gerald?...shyaa). <o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Kenneth </span></font><font
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></pre>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1>
</span></font></div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> T'Star
[mailto:bedlamandmayhem@gmail.com] <br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Sunday, April 27, 2008 1:25
PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Ansteorran
Bardic list</st1:PersonName><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [Bards] Filking</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Then you must consider that many modern songs are filk, the tunes are
much older than the songs. Many common hymns, and protest songs are
actually filks (Even The Star Spangled Banner is technically a filk, Francis
Scott Key's words were set to the tune of "<a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Anacreontic_Song"
title="The Anacreontic Song">The Anacreontic Song</a>" a popular drinking
song.) The song "Green Fields of France" (also called
"Flowers of the <st1:place w:st="on">Forest</st1:place>") Which was a
protest song is set to a traditional Irish melody. While I would not
recomend filking the Anacreontic Song unless you want to confuse your audience,
the melody is only about 100 years post period. In my opinion, worry
about the feel more than anything else. What mood is being created?
What mood do you want to create? Is the audience going to throw things at
you for performing THAT song (whatever that song is) at a serious competition?
It's the same guiding principle as governs any other peice, you likely wouldn't
sing a dirge at a rolicking party. You likely wouldn't sing a
crazily comedic song at a solemn occasion. Pick your pieces as suits your
audience. Filk according to your own tastes and persona. Write to
your own tastes and persona. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Most of my own stories come out of Russian Mythology, though many of
them never were told the way I tell them. We don't have records of
every story any culture told, but the Fox is a common figure in
Spanish stories. Baba Yaga is a staple of Russian, so is Ivan the Fool,
so it is possible to craft a story that sounds like it MIGHT have been told in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region></st1:place>
of my time period. If I then set a tale to a Russian melody that happened
to have been composed in the 1800s but has the feel of what music I could find
from my period? (which is difficult since most of the traditional songs weren't
written down in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region></st1:place>
until after Peter the Great.) I'm fine with that, it is still
believable. I, personally, dislike blatantly modern tunes, but as
Saint-Saëns demonstraited in his "Carnival of Animals" He
took two spritely tunes, transposed them down, slowed them down, and gave them
to the double basoon and called it "The Elephant" The origional
pieces are almost unrecognizable so even a modern tune suitable re-worked might
be made to be appropriate, so the question is, at this point in time what are
you comfortable with?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>~Svetlana Andrejevna Volkova<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>