This thread discusses the Content article: The Music of Bretonnia

Messire Gastion le Vaillant, with regard to your article on Bretonnian music:

ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

As it is, I have a vast collection of medieval music with pieces dating back as early as the 9th century - yet I must agree with you that the music brought to us by the Burgundian and Flemish schools are the ones we perceive as "most medieval" (For everyone who isn't a medieval music nut: The Burgundian school of music are the guys centered around and influenced by Gulliaume de Machau(l)t, whereas the Flemish school centers around Gulliaume Dufay and Johannes Ockeghem)

One thing: I have noted that certain baroque and late Renaissance pieces are also something which one would expect to find in Bretonnia, such as the "Orchésographie" by Thoinot Arbeau (1588) and the "Banchetto musicale" by Johann Hermann Schein (1617).

Don't stop the music...

Rollant, you're absolutely right. Some Baroque music does indeed sound Bretonnian! Do you happen to know of any online links to the pieces you've mentioned?


I found some more recordings to add into the mix. The first two are by the English late Renaissance composer Thomas Tallis...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cn7ZW8ts3Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Gmq62m1QQ&feature=related

The next is a recording of 20th Century composer Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Variations on a Theme by Thomas Tallis", which is a magnificent orchestral setting of a hymn Tallis composed (a little over a minute into the second YouTube link). You might recognize it from the film Master and Commander with Russell Crowe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7qJFgOlbXc

Hope you all enjoy!

Maybe you could help me; what is the name of the medieval instrument that has a winding handle and strings and i thing Buttons (for lack of a better word) made of wood and it is a fairly typical medieval instrument. It has almost a organ like sound??
I only as i am part of a re-enactment group MMRS and metal "hobby" band and would like to have one playing in the back ground to make a medieval sounding rock track i will have footage of us re-enacting a battle as the video clip for it.

Axis,

The instrument to which you're referring is called a Hurdy Gurdy.

Sir Guy

I searched Hurdy Gurdy on google images and yes that is the instrument i was talking about thanks for the info M8

Heres a nifty clip to a Hurdy Gurdy being played...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4y7HNW972M

Sorry I totally forgot about this instrument! Thanks for the question, Axis...and for the answer Sir Guy!

Gastion,

Please, please, watch this amazingly talented 11-year old youngster play the Northumbrian Pipes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I38RumC5cTY

Enjoy!


Sir Guy

Great stuff Sir Guy. I originally hail from the NW of England many moons ago. I was singing along to "I'm a man you don't meet every day". Nostalgic stuff. Ps good job I live over here now my singing is shocking. LOL

Medieval and pseudo-medieval music is a very interesting subject. Putting apart numerous German groups (for being too Emperish ) there's still plenty of very interesting projects. I have tons of this music.

I'm at work now, so can add more links later - these will go for a starter:
Gae Bolg "Hymne" - if I was good with camera it could be a perfect soundtrack for Bretonnia army presentation...starting with lady of the lake rising from the waters...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RysdAfbEfIg

If some of our French knights can translate the lyrics I'd be very very happy

Mediaeval Babies is one of my favourite new age-medieval groups. Their version of Star of the Sea is excellent:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0O1rNBxvQg

Faun - a very interesting team from Germany,playing many medieval or medieval inspired music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYPukKIvu3M

more to follow...

Barin,

Sorry, but a slight correction.
Mediaeval Babies
I think you're find that they're actually called the Mediaeval Babes.
(Is this due to the translation of Babes from English to Russian, becoming Babies?)

Anyway, I have a couple of their albums too, and think they're great.


Sir Guy

It is even worse, the right name (I've taken it from album image) is Mediaeval Baebes though youtube has half a dozen of wrong variants.

Whooops!
Barin, you're right.
It is Mediaevil Baebes.

I just had a look at one of my albums.
Obviously a play on the use of the dipthong ae in archaic English.


Sir Guy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=070rxq_lqIw&feature=related

Beautiful piece of music. The basic melody is very medieval in both style and interpretation, though a lute or a chitarra sarazenica would have been used instead of the guitar.

Rollant, that is a beautiful piece! Thank you so much for finding it! I always forget about the Kingdom of Heaven soundtrack...it's so underrated.

Barin, "Gae bolg" is pretty awesome, and definitely a great piece for Brets! I have to admit though...the synth line is very reminiscent of the Warcraft II soundtrack from the mid '90s (like this clip...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6Za0rZs0Qk ). I do love how the instruments aren't even-tempered...it makes the sound more authentic. "Star of the Sea" is beautiful, and the Baebes do an excellent job of fusing the medieval with modern playing and vocal techniques. I also greatly enjoyed the Faun clip you provided. Really good stuff! Thanks for posting it all!

More links for you:

Estampie
Plays authentic music with authentic instruments, they have produced a significant number of successful albums:

These two songs are from "Crusaders" album

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0zbF5mlvL8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0deLlbNezQ

Estampie vocalist Sigrid Hausen was also a part of new age group QNTAL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-spntNOZ_k very nice piece combining Dulcis Amor song with Manfredina

I’d also recommend Corvus Corax, their interpretations of Cantus Buranus and other medieval music. Granted, most of it is of German origin, but they have some songs of French origin too, and even a piece called “Bretonischer March”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48V3JxqdbGg

I see some of Dead Can Dance music as suitable for Bretonnia, their version of Saltarello still makes me shiver every time I hear it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQILvRxj7rs