Guest Fest, al-Barran
Meet People and Learn Things

January 11
Mistress Genevre, Master Gunwaldt and Mistress AElflaed, Laurels
Period music participation
original announcement at the bottom of the page

Three leaders, ten other singers and instrumentalists [instrumental parts being the three-note harmony to Edi Beo, played on recorder, reed organ, tuned water glasses (two sets) and kids' bells (two sets)].

By the end of the session, most had played accompaniment to a medieval song, and all had sung an English Renaissance partsong, three rounds in Latin, and "Rejoice" (below), which was prepared in the reign of Artan III and sung tonight during the reign of Artan VI.

Presenters (lead singers) were Mistress Genevre, Master Gunwaldt and Mistress AElflaed
Participants:
     Sir Raymond
     Lady Alia
     Lady Viviana
     Lord Magnus
     Karl (Charles, a newcomer--in red, at the organ, and on the couch singing)
     Bardolf
     Asta
     Kendrick
     Sadie
     Madelyn (out of town guest of Bardolf)

This is a good key for instruments, but high for most singers. We've been staring on the D below this. Whatever key you end up in, the descant starts on the last note of the melody, so those who know the harmony can get their pitch from the lead singers. We've found that any more than about 10% of the singers on the descant is too many. If you have fewer than ten singers, have only one descant; in a roomful, three or four has been plenty, if they can sing it clearly, because it's high enough to carry, and you don't want to overpower the melody.

If you want to sing along with the post-battle scene in Henry V, the words used there are:

Non nobis Domine, Domine, non nobis Domine,
Sed nomine, sed nomine to da gloria.
It means "Not to us, Lord, but to Thy name be glory given." In the descant, the middle "Domine" in the first line is deleted, and the whole business has been a little simplified for our use.

—Ælflæd of Duckford, 1990

Printable song

Guest Fest, al-Barran
Meet People and Learn Things

January 11, 2007 (successfully completed; see notes above)
Mistress Genevre, Master Gunwaldt and Mistress AElflaed, Laurels
Period music participation
      Easy parts in more complicated songs.
      No music reading necessary!

Where: AElflaed and Gunwaldt's house (map here)

SINGING IS NOT REQUIRED, listening is fine. There's also an instrumental opportunity. The part has three notes, F, G and A. If you have an instrument that's reasonably period and you know those three notes, you can bring it if you wish.

Come in garb, simple garb you can sing in. Be brave, it's not scary. It will be fun. No one has to sing or play alone (except Genevre, Gunwaldt and AElflaed, who know the songs already and won't mind).

Full Schedule