that while yammering on about how we need to bring ourselves as a
kingdom more in line with what is now considered period... at an event not too long ago, a German who sang a
medieval song in medieval German was asked to do it in English and at that same event during a conversation it was uttered, apparently according to one American, that Germans have no sense of
medieval knightly romance ( what ever the fuck that means) that it's all the French.
So in the process of sneakily stripping away
over 20 years of tradition because it's not perfectly period ( this is
the SCA after all I don't think we can even use those words together with the name SCA ever) and then
getting called out over it because telling one story to one person and
another to another person didn't work out quite as well as planned, and
whinging because we need to be more period and having a device for the
consort isn't period said same person wanted a medieval song sung in
medieval German redone in English.
I must admit the irony of this is not lost on me.
Now oh so many of us are counting down the days
If the event you're referring to was Turnier, what you're missing is that the venants were required to show their worth in order to enter the tournament, which they could do by various feats of skills, bribes, or by challenging the black and gold knight. I loved Baron Aelric's song, it was beautiful and well done, and those who have spent time with me at events know how much I love hearing medieval music sung (later in the evening, Himiltrude also sang a beautiful...French? or Italian, I don't remember...song, which sent shivers down my spine). But during the challenges of the venants, we ladies of the gallery were quite chary about whom we let through without fighting the gold and black knight; asking Aelric if he could also sing in English was not a comment on periodicity or an expression of dislike of his song, but a question about his ability to think on his feet, adapt himself to a challenge, and his flexibility with his skills. (Had he been able to do it -- and I didn't expect him to -- I'm sure we would have let him through without having to fight the knight, as that would have been most impressive!)
ReplyDeleteBefore you spread stories, it helps to make sure you have the details right. :)
Just to be clear after hearing both sides of the story... the story is that a medieval German song was accurately presented to the ladies of the gallery by a Baron and it was decided that he should be able to translate it on the fly into modern English as a fair challenge?
ReplyDeleteI think only with 1970 Schlager this could be done on the fly and I would certainly like to see anyone converting a medieval English song into a German version (modern or medieval) without preparation. Does this sound fair and achievable?