Non-member submission - Re: SC - Feast entertainment

[Catherine Deville]

> I enjoy "background music"--the musicians in the
> gallery or the wandering lutenist, for example.
> Unfortunately, on more than one occasion, I have been
> at feasts with someone shouting nasally "Please pray
> [sic] silence for the bard".  I feel for the perfor-
> mer, certainly; but the concept irritates me, not
> the individual musician.
>
> The statement "the diners should realize they need not
> listen [with undivided attention, I would add] and
> continue with their conversations" is a good one,
> but difficult to carry out with the aforesaid self-
> appointed heralds or PR people shushing those who
> continue to talk, even at a lower level.  I'd really
> rather see vocalists and drowning-out entertainments,
> like Middle Eastern dancing, saved for one agreed-upon
> "break" in the feast, or somewhere outside the feast
> hall altogether

As an entertainer I have a voice which is dynamic enough that I don't need
anyone "shushing" folks for people to be able to hear me :-)  That's
certainly one solution as well.  I gues that you could consider me a
"drowning-out" vocalist.  But my experience has always been that if I begin
loudly enough to get people's attention, then those who wish to listen to
me will be able to hear me.   (of course, I never offer to entertain unless
someone "in charge" has decided that it's an "appropriate" time.)

All kidding aside though, I do indeed agree that marking what is and is not
an appropriate time for performance is a good thing.  And while I
acknowledge the original submission (that entertainment was generally
between courses), if the King or presiding Noble calls for an entertainer
to perform at a time *during* courses, then it is ill mannered of the
populace to distract from that performance, especially if it means that the
King can't hear :-)

I remain, in service to Meridies,
Lady Celia des L'archier