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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=137160513-27042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Good morning.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=137160513-27042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=137160513-27042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Filking - it's what people do. I've filked, just
about everyone here has filked, and we are (in various stages of our careers)
rather indiscriminate about it. Choose the tune that lends itself to the
lyrics you create. Think of it as practice for actual melodic
composition. Depending on the amount of work you want to put into this
hobby, the hope is that eventually you will start composing original melodies to
go with the lyrics. For those who want to go a step further, research
melodic rules of a certain portion of music history and try to emulate
that. In the end, do the things that bring joy while doing
them.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=137160513-27042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=137160513-27042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Staying in period - This is a hobby and you should do what
you want to do. I cheated and created a persona for the late
1500s. That way I can go through the various historical music repertoirs
and claim them as historical research for my persona. I play tunes from 11
century through, Irish tunes, pieces written from the past and current middle
ages. I'm a music slut, going so low as to volunteer to play "Hole In the
Wall". Others may urge you to aspire to greater heights. I just urge
people to increase their repetoire of memorized songs (got nothing against book
reading, but unless it's done right, it ain't performing).</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=137160513-27042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=137160513-27042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Rennfair repetoir - The songs commonly sung at Renn Faires
will get you started, and it's a lot of what most of the SCA public knows.
For many this is "good enough" and there's no need to learn a whole lot
more. "Macyntire", even though Mistress Adelaide might be damned near
alergic to it, is popular because a lot of people get to join in who may have no
musical talent whatsoever. It's not a song from the SCA periods, but it's
fun to sing, fun to join in, and .... It's fun. The interesting thing is
that there is a LOT of good material within the time-stretch the SCA "period"
covers. It takes a little digging, a few questions asked here and there,
but there's a treasure-trove full of historical songs and tunes about that can
keep an audience spell-bound (favorite moment # 177: Stargate Yule bardic
competition when a young lady performed the plainchant "Veni Veni Emanuel" and
was able to silence the whole hall).</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=137160513-27042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=137160513-27042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Bardic competition - A lot of what you might perform will
depend on what the current champion and their patrons require within the
competitions. As champion, I've gone from requiring different performance
styles (singing, story-telling, recital, etc.) to sitting around a fire and
judging from the best performances. In each case, much of what I've used
as a rule I took as cues from my patrons (the baron/baroness or
seneschal). Some will want a performer with a broad depth of styles,
others wanted a good performer, hang the different styles approach. To
answer your question point-blank: If they request "period" pieces only, you're
going to lose with "Scotland the Brave" or "Minstrel Boy" if the judges
have any say in it, but "Miri it is" will work and "Star of the County Down"
might. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=137160513-27042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=137160513-27042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>I've had a few good teachers, and I'll see if I can't get
you an actual list of web-spaces you can go to, but one in particular - Cantaria
(<A
href="http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/">http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/</A>),
is at least a starting point. You will probably receive more advice,
Christiana, than you will know what to do with. The game I play will not
necessarily fit your likes or dislikes. I encourage people who are so
inclined to perform. The good ones will be asked to repeat what they do,
or find something new, or be pointed toward a piece that might suit them (or
not). I advise performers to pick and choose from what they like to do,
learn it, and keep learning new pieces. Perform. If they have
instrumental talent, I encourage them to perform more! As to taking one's
self too seriously, I would like to encourage you to take up the concept of
failure and embrace it; make it a part of your philosphy. Because it will
happen where you fail in a performance; especially if you're going from
memorized pieces. Remember that the worst that can happen is that they cut
your pay, laugh about it, and keep going (Barrett's Privateers is not a
historical piece, but it's a favorite sea shanty of mine, sung it a hundred
times if I've sung it once. On stage at the Mucky Duck, right up to
the point where "Our cracked four pounders made an awful din," and the words
left me. No way to recover. No words. So I sang "La la la la
lalala la la la..." and cut to the chorus and concluded with "That was Barrett's
Privateers as sung by Janice Joplin." Laughter and the crowd enjoyed
it. Failure will happen. They won't crucify you. You aren't getting
paid for this gig. Just do your best and drink your
beer).</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=137160513-27042008></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT
color=#0000ff><FONT size=2>I<SPAN class=137160513-27042008>n service to the
dream with a song in my heart, I am</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=137160513-27042008></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><SPAN
class=137160513-27042008></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT
size=2>H<SPAN class=137160513-27042008>L Gerald of
Leesville</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=137160513-27042008></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><SPAN
class=137160513-27042008></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT
size=2>A<SPAN class=137160513-27042008> bard of
Stargate</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=137160513-27042008></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><SPAN
class=137160513-27042008></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT
size=2>K<SPAN class=137160513-27042008>ingdom:
Ansteorra</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> bards-bounces@lists.ansteorra.org
[mailto:bards-bounces@lists.ansteorra.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Liz
Wilson<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, April 27, 2008 5:44 AM<BR><B>To:</B> Ansteorran
Bardic list<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Bards] Filking<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am new to the SCA and the Bards List but I love
Bardic competitions and</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>performances. I'd like to try it myself
although I am a very average singer.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I probably could learn to tell stories. I
don't have much fear of public performance</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and speaking because, although I am now a stay at
home mom, in mundane life</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I was an attorney for 15 years (and I'm still
licensed). If you can do appellate </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>argument or argument in a courtroom when real money
is at stake you can </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>probably do Bardic (although not necessarily
well!)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>At any rate,one of my questions relates to
Filking. If I Filk a melody, is it supposed</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>to be a period melody with SCA related words/theme
or a non period melody with</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>SCA related words/theme? Or a period melody on any
theme?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If I'm performing at a Bardic competition and my
persona is still being</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>developed, do I have to stay in persona? For
example, if I compete at</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Springfaire, and my persona is 1315, can I do
anything in period or am I</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>supposed to limit myself to what would have been
heard in Scotland in 1315 (if</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>anyone even knows what would have been
heard!) Can I just be kind of a</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>generalized performer and do things in period from
any time frame?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>What happens if I do something that is out of
period (but not obviously</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>so)?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Also I am very familiar with repetoire from
Scarborough Faire because I've been</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>going for 20 plus years and I have a lot of
recordings. However these songs are</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>not always in period. For example, the words
to Scotland the Brave, while</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>lovely, were actually written in the 20th century,
and yet this song is performed</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>at Scarby. Is it appropriate to perform at a
Bardic competition or not?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Any ideas on how I find out what is in period and
what</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>isn't for the Scarby or any other
repetoire,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and what WOULD be appropriate at a Bardic
competition and what</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>wouldn't? I have a nice piece I am
trying to prepare for Springfaire but I</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>don't know how to find out if it is period, other
than just trying to do some</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>searches on the Internet about it to see what I can
find out.</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Any advice to a new Bard, who is taking herself way
too</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>seriously, would be appreciated.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Christianna (hope they won't laugh at
me)</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>