Tag: Filk

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Yule- The 2017 Stonemarche Edition

This year was a really hard time for me around the holidays. I was without significant other, my family lives multiple states away and some completely on the bottom edge of the east coast, but I know that I always have my Stonemarche family.

This year, I went with cheeses and song and hopes for hugs and a chance to learn. I also brought a new class with me.

I started the day with a class/round table called “So you want to be a bard”. The nature of the class was to answer beginners questions such as stage fright management, finding repertoire, breaking in to the scene and entering competitions.  I also brought into the pot the black hole that is bardic documentation. If you do not have a formal background in music, it can be an intimidating subject, IE) “Well, I know that this composer was born in period” and that’s all they can tell you. I really being a resource for the nitty gritty  and able to talk more about what makes the piece and how it fits in period.

As the day continued, I too myself, got to attend a couple classes. One on how to crochet and one which was a Peer round table. There was copious amounts of valuable information.  The reason I bring up this round table is because the path I chose in the society is not like most paths. Those who choose to follow this path is even fewer than any other path. It’s not an easy path and finding a peer who can help lead me is even rarer. Master Tiberius and Master Gwen  lead an evocative round table. They talked about the journey, the fears, the misconceptions but most importantly, what it truly meant to be a peer. They were elders, NPCs, there to help you with your journey. They were there not just because of their passions, but because of your passions as well.

As the day was coming to an and, the food consumed and gifts for all, what would a day of festivities be without music. Sadly, the Baronial bard could not make it, so I -had- to make music happen. I say that, not feeling full of neglect, but as a person who needs music to happen. A person who needs music in their soul and it share it with others.

I brought a book of about 12 contrafacts of popular holiday music which embodied the SCA and we sang out hearts out. We started as 5, no practice, different backgrounds and were eventually down to 3.  Music rang as we sang.

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A Walk Amongst the Pines

I pine for you!

Holy mother of rain, Batman. Was this a wet demo. It was raining cats and dogs off and on. Though, it did clear up for a couple of hours.  I was asked a few months prior, knowing that I wasn’t going to Pennsic, to perform for the attendees of the demo. The plans for this had not changed, but there was a hiccup. The individual who was supposed to marshall for this event had to step out last minute.

The Monday evening prior to the demo, I received a message from the autocrat asking if I knew any fencing marshalls who’d be willing to attend the event. I said I would ask around. The Northern Region Rapier Marshall attends my local fencing practices and I asked her as well as the local marshalls if they would be available or have any suggestions. I, myself, had been working on my fencing marshallate for the last year but was not a marshall yet. That evening, I had earned my fencing marshallate and was able to reply to the autocrat with good news. I would be MiC(Marshall in Charge) to make sure fencing could happen.

Fast forward to day of, paperwork was provided, everyone was safe, no one died and it was a good demo. I even heralded and announced the fencers as well. The heavy armored fighters were so thrilled to see this, they asked me to herald them in as well and speak to the audience. I think this went well.

Finally, the rain just overtook the whole event. We curled up inside of structure… Barn/garage thing… A small bardic circle formed. Ruadh was discussing that bardic can be for everyone and comes in all shapes and sizes. I sang for the group… pretty pieces and not so pretty pieces. I told stories and hammed it up (Kosher Ham, mom. I promise!). I gently nudged new performers to get up and do their thing. I sang with the new comers and I could feel the cold air turn warm. There is something magical about how bardic can make a garage with crockpots feel like an old tavern.

Image may contain: 4 people, people smiling, people sitting, table and indoor

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Bardic Around the Fire, Part Deux

It’s that time again, kids! Or well, adults! Might be best to leave the kids at home for this one!

Back by popular demand, Bardic Around the Fire Part Deux was held at Kythe and Sine’s, on another nice, balmy late June/early July evening (things tend to run together when too much fun is had around a fire with good friends, good food, and some good booze). Much like the previous year, there were both new and familiar faces. IT seemed like people knew what to expect, so there was very little for me to manage. There did seem to be a lot more plebeians this time, who were ready to request their favorite song or story, but not quite ready to step onto the stage themselves.

 

Food was a drop more sparse in variety this time, but the alcohol made up for it, and flowed quite nicely. The only children we seemed to have this time were not really young in age, just in heart. This time we even had Battlecat Zeus in attendance, all hail his purrfectness! I swear, if people weren’t performing, they were petting this damn cat. The night roared on, much like the fire, but I had to leave at a reasonable hour, because some of us had work the next morning *grumble grumble* But I would definitely call this another success.

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Bow-Hemian Rhapsody, The first attempt at a filk.

This was my first attempt at a filk… ever. The story of this is a few fold over. I was coming back from an event called, “The Endewearde Hunt.” This is an archery focused event. I so so inspired by the talent and skill that I had seen that day. I also had decided that I didn’t think there were enough songs about archers. I was discussing with my travel companions about previous event in which before things were serious and after camp had been set up that we all broke out into “Bohemian Rhapsody”. It had then struck me, Bohemian Rhapsody.. Bow-Hemian Rhapsody. I was inspired as my light bulb turned on. Thus I feverishly began to jot down lyrics and thus, this was born.

Bow-Hemian Rhapsody- Filk by Lady Sölveig Bjornadóttir

Is this the field life

Is this just practicing

Caught up with scoring

No escape from targetry

Open your eyes

Look up at the prize and see

I’m just a bow boy, I need no armoring

because its aim it high, aim it low

Shoot the arrow, at a foe

Any way the wind blows, sorta really matters to me, to me

Yeoman, just straddled the line

Knocked a bolt onto my bow

loose the string now its a go

Yeoman, rounds have just begun

and now you’ve gone and fired them all away

Yeoman, oooo

Didn’t mean to make you cry

But some times Grandmaster bow men win them all

Loose on, loose on, as if scoring doesn’t matter

Too late, my fletching’s gone

Sent pointies down the line

Skimmed the petticote sometimes

Goodbye everybody, i’ve got to go

It’s time to pack my tackle and head to court

Marshall, oooo

I just wanna rank

More than just bowman once again

I see the little silouette of a deer

Let it fwoosh, let it fwoosh

Do you see the arrow flying

Thunder camp is frighting, with sword and boards a fighting

Little bow man, Little bow man

Little bow man, Little bow man

Little bowman – Bullseye

I’m just a bow boy, no swords point at me

He’s just a bow boy, from a bow family

Spare me your gripes and your pomposity

Pull it back, let it go, till the martial calls a hold

We’ve lost the tip! We always lose the tip. (Not the tip!)

We’ve lost the tip! We always losethe tip. (Not the tip!)

We’ve lost the tip! We always lose the tip. (Not the tip!)

We always lose the tip. (Not the tip)

Yes we always lost the tip

Always lose the tip,

Bow. bow, bow, bow, bow bow bow

Oh, mama mia, mama mia (Mama mia, loose the bow.)

Your majesty has a medal put aside for me

For me

For me!!!!

Crossbows think they can sit there and steal the bullseyes

Mundanes think they can stroll past the field line alive!

Oh Baby!

Get off the field baby!

You gotta get out

You gotta get right out of here

Archers really matter

Anyone can see

Archers really matter to me

Anyway the wind blows

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Mentoring Dartmouth

Give it the good ol’  college try!

After winning Baronial Bard this year, I took is very to heart that I wanted to save and grow the bardic community. It was brought to my attention that we had a college chapter within the Barony at Dartmouth. I was close with Frenya, Estefania and Frostulf, who were serving as advisors to this chapter. I had first gone to meet the group when they were having their own faire/demo for the school. I went to show support and to get some music going. I met several talented musician’s in the group and offered my services.

My second visit to the school included me teaching a class on how to compose a Contrafact (Filk). We did this as a whole class. I had been working on one of my own, “Bow Hemian Rhapsody”. I brought the unfinished product into the class and then, we as a class worked through our own. I started with a popular song that most people in the class new like the back of their hand (No, there was no hair on the song and certainly no dried mustard).

The second class I brought was a master class. This is where a person would bring a piece that is pretty well worked on or in the process of being completed and we work on enhancing it in front of the group. This is a safe setting where you get to perform a piece without interruption and then we slowly and gently pick it apart to make it better.

The first brave soul was a young gentleman singing “When Johnny came home again”. His twist on it was painful and beautiful. When we finished working, everyone expressed they had chills and some had tears in their eyes.

Next, we had a young Harpist. This was an experience for me as I’d never worked with a stationary instrumentalist before. She was certainly skilled but where we could enhance her was in stage presence. We talked about eye contact, body movement and shaping her melodies and how her hands trailed from her harp. She stated that even she felt more connected  to the piece as well.

I made a few more visits up with the students until my reign was over.

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They’re a Funny Village

They’re a Funny Village

(To the Tune of Belle’s Song from Beauty and the Beast)

 

SCA it’s not a quiet village

No day like the one before

SCA full of Sca’dian people

Waking up to say

It’s War! It’s War! It’s War, It’s War, IT’S WAR!

 

There goes the blacksmith with their hammer like always

There goes the scribe with quill in hand

Every fighter’s armored up

“Hey don’t don’t forget your cup”

Oh look! There goes the water bearer too!

 

 

Look there the bard goes, they are strange, no question

Dazed and astrayed, humming a tune

Never part of any crowd

Not even with a shroud

No denying they are funny ones those Bards

 

Look there that fencer goes they’re so peculiar

I wonder if they’re feeling well

With a dreamy, far-off look

Their schlager style’s school-book

A conundrum to the crowd, those who fence

 

Oh, ain’t the Queen amazing?

She my fav’rite part – you’ll see

Draped in her finest raiment

But wait to discover that in summer she’s viking!

 

Now it’s no wonder that they are always brewing

Their drinks have no parallel

At events that you should wend

There is no better blend

These distillers help to quell your thirst

Even if you think you’ll burst

These mixture masters help you quell your thirst

 

 

 

Right from the moment when I met them, saw them

Their hats are gorgeous and I fell

With laurel leaves and pearls

Pelicans, no squirrels

So I’m making plans to woo and steal their hats

 

Look there

they go

They’ve got much bling

The knights and peers

I’ll be one too

Be still my heart

I’m hardly breathing

Maybe you should loosen your gorget

 

There goes the blacksmith with their hammer like always

There goes the scribe with quill in hand

It’s a pity and a sin

They don’t all quite fit in

‘Cause they really are a funny group

An amazing but a funny group

They really are a funny group

The SCA

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Bardic around the Fire

Now you all know the bards and their songs…

This is the year I won Baronial Bard for Stonemarche. I had made it my mission to make more bardic opportunities, and not just at events. Conversing with Kythe and Sine, they had opened their home at Bard’s Rest if I wanted to run any sort of event. They have a spacious backyard with a bonfire cleverly disguised as a fire-pit, a deck with table space, and ample parking. I decided we were going to have an open Bardic Circle. What attracts Bards more than food and booze?

Okay, maybe bling…

But fire is pretty, and beer is foamy, so two out of three and all that, right?

We set it up for a warm night in June; we prepared by raking the yard, and sending out e-vites about a month prior. We expected maybe ten folks to show up, and that would be enough for me. But lo and behold, 25-30 showed up, far surpassing my meager ideas of success. Thankfully, the table overflowed with food, and the cups *almost* overflowed with beverage, because anything more would be alcohol abuse, and there was enough for everybody.

When it began to grow dark, be gathered around the fire to begin. The format of Pick, Pass, or Play was instituted, and the night really began. We had song, story, and instruments played, and everyone of all skill types and levels had an opportunity to shine. This roared until one in the morning, I’m really glad I had planned on staying the night.

The next morning, not only did my hosts ask for this to occur again, but my Facebook and email inboxes were flooded with similar requests. I made a mental note to not let Cedric tell stories after midnight next time.