Author: Solveig Bjarnardottir, Bard and Teacher

Same song, different day. Weather had moved this 2 weeks later because of rain. We had a smaller group this time. Maybe 15 and that’s ok. It was fun. It was intimate. Can’t wait for the weather to warm up and this stupid virus to go.

It’s been a few years since I hosted one of these… well, because of COVID-19. I was hoping at least a few people would show up, but I wasn’t optimistic. My husband and I cleaned up our backyard, put up tiki torches, had some folks bring finger foods and waited for the sun to go down.

Much to much surprise, we had 35 people show up. I am thankful we have a 180 ft driveway and a huge firepit and open back yard. We had folks new and old to performing. Folks I had known for years and folks I had never met before. We went till about 12 and closed up. I am please. We will do this again!

This was a weird year. I had responsibility, but not a ton. This was also my first event back in person. Masks everywhere. All I wanted to do was hug my friends, sing and teach. I got to do some of that.

I started off by doing my first real A and S display. I had sort of done them in the past, but none with my documentation. I presented my rounds book and also my pewter tokens.

I helped Amalie review the A and S class tents but the rest of time and taught a couple classes. I did my rounds class outside and I taught my class on how medieval music was written.

That night was Bardic. I did not compete. I convinced a whole lot of other folks to who never would have, but I didn’t. It was so nice to see my friends being brave and doing a thing that’s hard for them.

Another year, more challenges to come. Literally and metaphorically. This years challenge assembly and schola was very similar to the year prior since that too had an online format. We had about 12 folks for each and every class and many repeat offenders (Which is always nice). We had representation from 5 kingdoms, which, is super neat since in non-covid days, we may have had 1, maybe 2.

There is not much to report otherwise. It was a smooth day with the help of my Co-Autocrat, Drustan.

What a cool concept! It was a really neat way to get performers involved in a fun, cross kingdom competitive way. This was the brainchild of a few Bards, who, were doing what they do best and causing mischief. It was also another great way to keep us motivated and involved in no face to face time.

I don’t have too much to report on this, as it was mostly a solo effort, which felt rushed as well, but I did want to chat about my ability to collaborate with folks I never thought I’d get to collab with. Canada, Pennsylvania and another New Hampshire-ite. I also got to play recorder and not serve as primary vocals. Although it’s my best instrument, I really wanted to give someone else the spotlight. We did a thing. Was it perfect? No. Did I have a blast? Absolutely.

I’m not sure if I know how to convey how much I despise competition. The other performers are my friends and most of the times it’s like comparing apples to zebras. The reason I do these is because I want to be seen by my community, see others in my community, be introduced to new people and pieces and maybe there will be a cookie at the end.

This year was strange. We were all in zoom room together. Sure, we got to chat before, between and after rounds, but the energy just wasn’t the same. I felt so far away from my friends. I was able to cheer them on digitally, but, like the cyber world, it just feels so empty. Acoustics are weird in houses, pets and children wander in, lighting is subpar and cars drive by.

Motivation was also weird this year. Typically I memorize my pieces. There is nothing in the rules that demands you be off book, but as a seasoned performer, it is something I try to do for myself. This year, I set up my sheet music on my TV screen, my web cam on top of that and my studio mic. I thought I had done an adequate sound check (and was wrong) and I thought I had also set up my green screen appropriately. I had even gone through OBS to set up a more appropriate background so I wouldn’t be cut out with the ones on zoom. Again, all wrong.

Despite the all the setbacks and just not feeling 100% me, I still am proud of my performances and the feedback I received was super helpful.

I started with Stella Caelis Exturpavit

We are in the town of Coimbra Portugal having been visited by a violent pestilence, the nuns of St Clare offered their prayers in the following form, whereupon the contagion instantly ceased. This holy prayer, left to the monastery of St Clare, has preserved many places from contagion where it is recited daily with confidence in God and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary..“Black Death” (1347-1351).

Stella Caeli Extirpavit in English
The Star of Heaven that nourished the Lord
drove away the plague of death which the first
parents of man brought into the world.

May this bright Star now vouchsafe to extinguish
that foul constellation whose battles have
slain the people with the wound of death.

O Glorious Star of the Sea, preserve us from
pestilence; hear us, O Lady, for Thy Son honours
Thee by denying Thee nothing.

Save us, O Jesus,
for whom Thy Virgin Mother supplicates Thee.

Stella Caeli Extirpavit in Latin
Stella caeli exstirpavit
Quae lactavit Dominum
Mortis pestem quam plantavit
Primus parens hominum.

Ipsa Stella nunc dignetur
Sidera compescere,
Quorum bella plebem caedunt
Dirae mortis ulcere.

O gloriosa Stella Maris
A peste succurre nobis;
Audi nos, nam te Filius
Nihil negans honorat.

Salva nos Jesu pro quibus
Virgo mater te orat!

Harold Gleason and Warren Becker, Music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance (Music Literature Outlines Series I). Bloomington, Indiana. Frangipani Press, 1986. ISBN 0-89917-034-X

Gustave Reese, Music in the Renaissance. New York, W.W. Norton & Co., 1954. ISBN 0-393-09530-4

Then I finished with Flow My tears by John Downland

Flow, my tears, fall from your springs!
Exiled for ever, let me mourn;
Where night’s black bird her sad infamy sings,
There let me live forlorn.

Down vain lights, shine you no more!
No nights are dark enough for those
That in despair their last fortunes deplore.
Light doth but shame disclose.

Never may my woes be relieved,
Since pity is fled;
And tears and sighs and groans my weary days, my weary days
Of all joys have deprived.

From the highest spire of contentment
My fortune is thrown;
And fear and grief and pain for my deserts, for my deserts
Are my hopes, since hope is gone.

Hark! you shadows that in darkness dwell,
Learn to contemn light
Happy, happy they that in hell
Feel not the world’s despite.

“Flow My Tears” is an aire (“ayre”) or lute song composed by late English renaissance lutenist and composer John Dowland (1563-1626). It was originally composed as an instrumental under the name Lachrimae pavane in 1596, and became Dowland’s signature tune. It is believed that Dowland wrote the lyrics shortly thereafter to the melody of his pavane.

The lyrics express an intense melancholy of someone whose happiness has been abruptly shattered and desires to not be saved from this dark despair. The expression of melancholy, and notions of darkness, neglect, Time’s cruelty, spiteful age, were themes used by Elizabethan songwriters to prefigure the stark inevitability of death, and it remained a prominent feature of English literature and music in the time of Elizabeth I and Shakespeare.