We don't have an active choir in our area at this time, but we've started music
nights at our fighter practice.  It was triggered by a new member wanting to
play his guitar, and now we have two guitars, flute, drum, a couple recorders
and vocalists on a good night.  With various levels of ability - my recorder
skills are from second grade, but we're all learning.

I've introduced everyone to Stella Splendens, the 'song that followed me all
Pennsic', from KWC to harp to bagpipe and mysterious music heard across the
lake.  Now I'm picking out a few carols to learn for the holidays for a local
parade demo.  It is not easy to find period tunes with simple harmony in ranges
and keys the recorders and vocalists can handle.  Challenging but fun.

Tara


--- On Sat, 9/5/09, KWChoir@yahoogroups.com <KWChoir@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

> 1b. Re: Pictures from this year
>     Posted by: "Karen Kasper" arianna_wyn@...
> arianna_wyn
>     Date: Fri Sep 4, 2009 12:39 pm ((PDT))
>
>  
> Keep on singing, everyone! Hmm, for those of you in choirs,
> either SCA or mundane, that do period music, how about
> telling us what pieces you're doing right now that you love
> or find challenging?

Arianna, many thanks for your recommendations.

I had already picked Veni Veni Emmanuel and Personet Hodie, with Nova Nova and
In Dulci Jubilo possibilities that I would have to transpose.  I love the idea
of parallel fourths on Personet Hodie, and that would work well for the
recorders.

I'm glad you mentioned Gaudete, I missed it because I'd pulled it out of my
Christmas book for a previous project.  I hunted it up and it is perfect.  I
have Coventry Carol too, and yeah, 3 of the 4 parts are in the right ranges.

I've also got Es Ist Ein' Ros', Pat-a-Pan and by request Ding Dong Merrily on
High (Official Bransle/Toss the Duchess) and What Child is This (Greensleeves). 
Yes, all us choristers groan (not again!) at Greensleeves, but it is new to this
novice band and ya gotta keep the fans happy.

Tara

--- On Wed, 9/9/09, KWChoir@yahoogroups.com <KWChoir@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>     Posted by: "Karen Kasper" arianna_wyn@...
> arianna_wyn
>     Date: Tue Sep 8, 2009 5:22 pm ((PDT))
>
> Tara, finding period holiday music can be a little
> challenging, but I can recommend some easy pieces if you're
> interested:

> - Veni Veni Emmanuel (O Come O Come Emmanuel). There are a lot of church >
book arrangements of it, not all of them period, but the tune is period > and
people will find it familiar.
> - Personent Hodie (NOT the Gustav Holst version, the Praetorius version > -
Holst has the melody right but composed his own harmony so if that's  > the only
version you can find, just ignore the accompaniment). My choir > loves this
piece, even though it's only one part. We sing the last verse > in organum. with
the basses and altos dropping down a fourth singing in > parallel to the melody.
Make sure it's sung at a good fast tempo to keep > it lively.
> - Coventry Carol. You'll find arrangements ranging from 2 to 4 parts,
> most of them easy, and it's another familiar one to most people.
> - Nova Nova. Another single part but lively and fun, medieval as opposed > to
renaissance.
> - Noel Sing We Both Alle and Som. Another medieval piece,
> two parts for the chorus, with one part on the verses (which
> could be done as solos if you have brave sngers).
> - Gaudete Gaudete Christus Est Natus. Single line on the
> verse, you can find versions with four-part chorus. This one
> is familiar to fans of Steeleye Span. :-)
>
> Good luck!
>
> Arianna

Greetings to all from Mistress Josselyne,

This is quite delayed - I've been lurking every so often but haven't had a
chance to say hello!  I hope this year's Pennsic went well and the choir enjoyed
awesome performances.

It's been many years since I've been to Pennsic - 1994 might well have been the
last, I must admit I'm not sure at this point, but I often remember the
community fondly, especially the Known World Choir.

This afternoon I was digging through some VHS tapes to digitize some field
recording for my students (I teach at a college in VT) and lo, there was the
long-lost recording of the Pennsic 1994 Known World Choir Chartes Project
concert!!!

I put one song up on Facebook for all of you to enjoy.  I will try to get the
whole thing up as soon as I can - feel free to download/keep what you'd like -
giving proper credit to Arloff, the guild, and the choir could be greatly
appreciated.  In fact, if anyone knows where Arloff is, he might appreciate a
copy of this stuff if he doesn't already have it.

The YouTube link is below.  I've literally just uploaded it so it might take
some hours for them to get it up and running:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt1MyYyxZJs

Be well, take care, and more soon -
Mistress Josselyne Ferch Rhys
Director of choir from.... oh, geez - whever till 1994?

p.s. I used to have more tapes of concerts from even earlier, and can't seem to
locate them.  I'll see what I can find.



--- In KWChoir@yahoogroups.com, "draculachanter" <draculachanter@...> wrote:
>
> I just returned from a trip to France, during which I visited the cathedral at
Chartres. I
> thought of the year we (the Known World Choir) sang the 24-part canon in the
makeshift
> cathedral in the barn constructed by the architecture guild. I did hear a
choir while I was in
> the real cathedral, and I did sing along with hymns during a mass, so now I
can say I've sung
> in Chartres cathedral.
>
> Someday I'd love to track down a recording of the day we performed that canon.
Please drop
> me a line if you know of any!
>
> I'm sorry I won't make it to War this year, but it sounds like the choir is
shaping up nicely!
>
> Take care,
> Heloise
>

Many years ago, while visiting Chartres for a short tour, a choir was
rehearsing there.  Walking into the cathedral, the immense size and
bright blue stained glass created an immediate impression.  But the
sound stopped everybody on the tour dead in our tracks.  The voices
seemed to rise up and up, and there wasn't any place where the sound was
dead.  We walked into the cathedral in slow motion, and in wonder at all
our senses, beauty and life everywhere, and those of us inside seemed to
be lifted up with the voices.

A number of years later, my husband worked in the World Trade Center,
and walking into the lower subway level was an overwhelming sea of
rushing people, hurrying away as fast as they could.  In the floors
above,  people were running through a maze.  Elevators were painful.
The upper floors made people sea-sick with the swaying.  The roof had a
view, but there was more of a play with the wind, and a feeling that the
wind would push or pull a person off.  My husband was lucky to work
somewhere else soon afterwards.  Even though it is just a building,
Chartres and the sound in it are so much more great.
Elizabeth of Gwyntarian

jossgoboom wrote:
>
>
> Greetings to all from Mistress Josselyne,
>
> This is quite delayed - I've been lurking every so often but haven't
> had a chance to say hello! I hope this year's Pennsic went well and
> the choir enjoyed awesome performances.
>
> It's been many years since I've been to Pennsic - 1994 might well have
> been the last, I must admit I'm not sure at this point, but I often
> remember the community fondly, especially the Known World Choir.
>
> This afternoon I was digging through some VHS tapes to digitize some
> field recording for my students (I teach at a college in VT) and lo,
> there was the long-lost recording of the Pennsic 1994 Known World
> Choir Chartes Project concert!!!
>
> I put one song up on Facebook for all of you to enjoy. I will try to
> get the whole thing up as soon as I can - feel free to download/keep
> what you'd like - giving proper credit to Arloff, the guild, and the
> choir could be greatly appreciated. In fact, if anyone knows where
> Arloff is, he might appreciate a copy of this stuff if he doesn't
> already have it.
>
> The YouTube link is below. I've literally just uploaded it so it might
> take some hours for them to get it up and running:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt1MyYyxZJs
> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt1MyYyxZJs>
>
> Be well, take care, and more soon -
> Mistress Josselyne Ferch Rhys
> Director of choir from.... oh, geez - whever till 1994?
>
> p.s. I used to have more tapes of concerts from even earlier, and
> can't seem to locate them. I'll see what I can find.
>
> --- In KWChoir@yahoogroups.com <mailto:KWChoir%40yahoogroups.com>,
> "draculachanter" <draculachanter@...> wrote:
> >
> > I just returned from a trip to France, during which I visited the
> cathedral at Chartres. I
> > thought of the year we (the Known World Choir) sang the 24-part
> canon in the makeshift
> > cathedral in the barn constructed by the architecture guild. I did
> hear a choir while I was in
> > the real cathedral, and I did sing along with hymns during a mass,
> so now I can say I've sung
> > in Chartres cathedral.
> >
> > Someday I'd love to track down a recording of the day we performed
> that canon. Please drop
> > me a line if you know of any!
> >
> > I'm sorry I won't make it to War this year, but it sounds like the
> choir is shaping up nicely!
> >
> > Take care,
> > Heloise
> >
>
>

All I can say is
WOW
If you look carefully, one can see a little bit younger Erlan, who is really
quite short.... in the backish row... sort of at 11:00 O'clock.
    This was 1994 REALLY. wow.
That was the least year I just sang in the choir... I did also section for 3
years after that and then poof, it got given to me, in my lap... for just.. "a
year while I have a baby"... Elfrida said.... geesh.
   OK, that was a real trip to watch.  WOW.

That was a really awesome concert.
Thanks Jocelyn... thank you so much for putting that online.

It made my day start a little bit easier today.

Erlan

What is the lovely piece? Sanctus(?) by whom? Very nicely done. Keep the
pieces coming. It is wonderful. I began singing with the choir the
following year and off and on since. It is amazing what we manage to do
in such a short time at war.

Ysolt

--
Maîtresse Ysolt la Bretonne, OP
Barony of Windmasters' Hill

Hello - here is the repertoire from that year (again, thanks to Sir Arloff for
publishing it in his Architectural Guild News!)

Alleluia (chant from the Kyriale)
Sit Gloria Domini (organum, Musica enchiriadis, c. 850)
Sanctus (Anton Brumel, Missa et ecce Terrae Motus)
Santus/Benedictus (Orlandus Lassus, Missa super Bella Amfitrit'altera)
Qui Habitat (Josquin Des Prez)
Santus (Giovanni da Palestrina, Messe Ut Re Mi Fa Sol)

The video clip is the Palestrina.  More soon,

Josselyne

--- In KWChoir@yahoogroups.com, Ysolt la Bretonne <ysolt@...> wrote:
>
> What is the lovely piece? Sanctus(?) by whom? Very nicely done. Keep the
> pieces coming. It is wonderful. I began singing with the choir the
> following year and off and on since. It is amazing what we manage to do
> in such a short time at war.
>
> Ysolt
>
> --
> Maîtresse Ysolt la Bretonne, OP
> Barony of Windmasters' Hill
>

-----Original Message-----
From: KWChoir@yahoogroups.com [mailto:KWChoir@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 2:55 AM
To: KWChoir@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [KWChoir] Digest Number 539

Known World Choir

Re: KWC and Chartres Cathedral - video!!!!

Posted by: "jossgoboom" jossgoboom@...   jossgoboom

Sun Sep 20, 2009 12:35 pm (PDT)

Greetings to all from Mistress Josselyne,

 (snip)

 
The YouTube link is below. I've literally just uploaded it so it might take some hours for them to get it up and running:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt1MyYyxZJs

 (snip) 

 

Crankin' 'em out as fast as I can - this is the intro procession and shows a bit
of the set.

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

I just ordered mine... since I missed the concert I am anxious to hear the
music.
Erlan

Hi all!

Mistress Arianna announced that the CDs are now available, and I'm delighted
to report 11 have been shipped-out so far! Master Li and I hope you like how
they turned out. He was able to avoid *most* of the Pennsic background noise
in the recording, though there is a little "tink, tink, tink" of hammering
audible on some of the tracks.

Since this is the first time Bard Wire Productions has put together CD's for
this group, I'd be glad to receive private feedback -- good or bad -- from
folks after you have checked them out. Let me know what you liked and what
you would have done differently.

Also, I've heard from one person who had trouble with the PayPal ordering
system. If you place an order and do not get a confirming e-mail message
from *me* within about a day, please get in touch with me right away and let
me know. In addition, if anyone wants a mail-order option (like we have for
Richie's "Reunion" album), please let me know and I can set that up.

Lastly (for now), if anyone wants to avoid the postage charges, I will be at
EK Crown Tourney on 10/31 and can hand-deliver copies of the CD there.
Please request copies by e-mail at least a week ahead so we can produce them
to bring.

Warm wishes,
Ygraine

http://www.bardwire.com/kwc-pennsic38.htm

(Mistress Ygraine of Kellswood - aka: Susan Kell, Bard Wire's CFO & Shipping
Clerk!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Susan Kell
Owner & Designer
Kellswood Design & Krafts
www.kellswood.com

"Sorry" to everyone else for the interruption...

Diane K - your CD was shipped today. Thanks! Your "adagio..." e-mail address
bounced. (I tried twice.)

-- Ygraine

Yes, having a Verizon problem at the moment.  My yahoo email is the one to use,
in any case.

Received CD but it does skip some in every piece.  Trying to determine if this
is a CD problem, or a computer one (the only place I can play it, at the
moment).

Celaena (Diane)


--- In KWChoir@yahoogroups.com, "Susan Kell" <susan@...> wrote:
>
> "Sorry" to everyone else for the interruption...
>
> Diane K - your CD was shipped today. Thanks! Your "adagio..." e-mail address
> bounced. (I tried twice.)
>
> -- Ygraine
>

Great day to you,

I received the CD I ordered and, Mistress Ygraine...Master Li, it SOOUNDS
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!!!

I can't say enough about it...breathtaking

The CD arrived in record time...a day or two, I think.

I can sing the to the music all the time and, maybe, even learn the pieces we
sang by heart.

Lady Katinka

--- In KWChoir@yahoogroups.com, "Susan Kell" <susan@...> wrote:
>
> Hi all!
>
> Mistress Arianna announced that the CDs are now available, and I'm delighted
> to report 11 have been shipped-out so far! Master Li and I hope you like how
> they turned out. He was able to avoid *most* of the Pennsic background noise
> in the recording, though there is a little "tink, tink, tink" of hammering
> audible on some of the tracks.
>
> Since this is the first time Bard Wire Productions has put together CD's for
> this group, I'd be glad to receive private feedback -- good or bad -- from
> folks after you have checked them out. Let me know what you liked and what
> you would have done differently.
>
> Also, I've heard from one person who had trouble with the PayPal ordering
> system. If you place an order and do not get a confirming e-mail message
> from *me* within about a day, please get in touch with me right away and let
> me know. In addition, if anyone wants a mail-order option (like we have for
> Richie's "Reunion" album), please let me know and I can set that up.
>
> Lastly (for now), if anyone wants to avoid the postage charges, I will be at
> EK Crown Tourney on 10/31 and can hand-deliver copies of the CD there.
> Please request copies by e-mail at least a week ahead so we can produce them
> to bring.
>
> Warm wishes,
> Ygraine
>
> http://www.bardwire.com/kwc-pennsic38.htm
>
> (Mistress Ygraine of Kellswood - aka: Susan Kell, Bard Wire's CFO & Shipping
> Clerk!)
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Susan Kell
> Owner & Designer
> Kellswood Design & Krafts
> www.kellswood.com
>

Sting has been touring the AM TV news shows with their new album, If On A Winter's Night .  Go to the link and check out the samples.  This may make my Christmas wish list.

Turgiua

Greetings!
Pray forgive the interruption.

Erlan, could you please message me at ygraine at kellswood dot com?
I just tried to e-mail you and it bounced.

Thanks!
I now return you to your regularly scheduled digesting...

-- Ygraine

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Susan Kell
Owner & Designer
Kellswood Design & Krafts
www.kellswood.com