Pennsic Wednesday
Wed Aug 10 08:29:24 EDT 2011
This is the first day here I haven't felt the need for ibuprofen. And I woke up around 07:30, which leaves me time to eat breakfast, make lunch and get to 09:00 classes without a mad scramble.
Last night
dglenn suggested I take my audio recorder with me to capture "sounds of Pennsic" for realinterrobang. I got the gear out this morning and discovered that its batteries and 2 sets of spares were all dead. So now I've got 6 AAs for the recharge pile. I've got plenty of known-charged batteries (that I was expecting would go into lights) so I should be fine. And the storage battery got much more time on the charger before coming here this year than it did last time, so I expect it to cover my recharging needs. (And the solar panel is hooked up to replenish it, although I am in a shadier spot this year - which feels good this time of day, without the sun baking the tent so early.) Without cables and extra batteries, the Zoom fits into the same bag with the camera, so all the delicate gear is together.
Tonight the Known Worlds Choir (KWC) is singing at Midnight Madness in the merchants' area to spread a little buzz about tomorrow's concert. Our bit at the memorial service will probably gain us some audience too.
Since I'm feeling more confident about my recharging, I'm leaving the laptop suspended instead of hibernating. That lets me get in here more quickly to add comments. And now, must dash for class....
Wed Aug 10 18:24:08 EDT 2011
Many good classes today, straight through from 09:00 to 18:00 - with 2 hours out for choir rehearsal.
TimeLocationTitleInstructorDescription
09:00AS 02Western Traces in East AsiaBaron Ii KatsumoriThis will be an overview of Western influences in East Asia, focusing primarily on evidence before 1500.
10:00AS 11Court: In the Audience and Behind the ThronesMaster Liam St. Liam
Court can be intimidating for new Scadians, and even folks who have been around have questions. What are courts all about? How do they come together? How do I act in court? What if I get called up? Why does the herald talk so much? Master Liam, like his Pelican before him, is a court junkie. He also spent a reign behind the thrones when his wife, Countess Alethea, was on the throne and can explain how courts are set up and how to best enjoy them.
11:00
(2 hr)AS 11Daily Living in Renaissance SpainDuchess Malinda Hohen van Kester
Learn about what daily life was like in Renaissance Spain, from cradle to casket; learn how people of both nobility and peasant classes went about their daily routine. Clothing, food, manners, entertainment, and an overview of the history of Renaissance Spain Optional CD of class notes available for $10. Handout: 10
12:00AS 02Topics in Divination: AstrologyDr. Henry Best and Kuji KaoniSurely, if the gods speak to man from the heavens, a wise man will listen. An examination of astrology, the queen of the divinatory arts, from the view of both western and eastern traditions.
13:00AS 12The Renaissance CitternLord Aaron Drummond
The Cittern was second in popularity only to the lute in 16th- and 17th-century England, yet it has not enjoyed as much of a revival in popularity in recent years. At the height of its popularity, a cittern could be found in every barbershop; patrons would play on it while waiting for their haircut. Learn about the history, construction, playing technique and repertoire of this forgotten instrument.
14:00AS 12Dance and Rhythm in PeriodLord Aaron DrummondA pan-European survey of rhythm of dance in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries! We will try to answer some of the following questions: How did people conceive of rhythm in period? What are the different kinds of rhythm that were used, and how were they notated? How are they transcribed into modern notation, and what is the difference between these period rhythms and other modern rhythms transcribed in a similar way? There will be something of interest in this class for all dancers and musicians, although no particular music or dance will be taught! We may discuss any or all of the following: Piva, Saltarelli, Basse dance, Bransles, Pavanes, Galliards, Cascarda and more.
15:00AS 12Musical TemperamentDani of the Seven WellsHow were pitches chosen for the notes of the musical scale? This class addresses the tradeoffs that period musicians faced and the compromises they reached, with some emphasis on late-period "mean-tone" temperament. The class will be theoretical, but will not entail math beyond short division.
15:00
(2 hr)Performing Arts TentKnown World Choir RehearsalErlan Nordenskald
17:00Performing Arts TentSix Simple Spanish SongsJudith Fitzhenry the Uncertain
Sing three-part or four-part arrangements from The Cancionero de Palacio of Ferdinand and Isabella which contains a number of short, simple part songs from the 15th and early 16th century.
Duchess Malinda Hohen van Kester ("Daily Living in Renaissance Spain") is not a natural instructor, but she had a lot of good material.
"Dance and Rhythm in Period" was actually an intro to early-music notation, and was stuff I already knew.
"Musical Temperament" conflicted with KWC rehearsal, but is probably stuff I already know. (Where do you think the name Syntonic Comma comes from?)
Toward the end of the KWC rehearsal The King and Queen of The East (I think that's who they were) popped in with a Herald and presented an Award of Arms to our choir director (Erlan). She was completely surprised, even though by all accounts this is LONG overdue. She has been contributing with directing, teaching, and organizing in the SCA for many years. Those of us who were still there, the small group working on a pretty cool madrigal (Robert Jones' What if I Seek for Love) all received royal favors. (No, I don't know what we do with them. I've managed to get several favors now from singing with the KWC.)
"Six Simple Spanish Songs" was conveniently (or cleverly) scheduled following the KWC rehearsal, and some good singers from the choir did stay for it. And I'm generally a sucker for picking up free music, especially music that's new to me.
For the curious, the pieces were:
On a related track, I still have this notion of holding a "class" over several evenings to take on a substantial piece (e.g. an entire mass, or something like Tallis' Lamentations of Jerimiah), singing through it with a goblet of wine (or whatever), and perhaps having a "public" performance at the end of the week if it amounts to to something presentable. And even if it isn't presentable, a small (or not-so-small) group have gotten intimate exposure to something wonderful. But again, life is too dissipated for me to take on anything like that.
I have been keeping well hydrated since Monday. [TMI: the nearly-clear pee confirms I'm drinking lots of water.]
No rain today, so far, although it did get very windy for a bit.
As usual, dinner probably won't be ready any time soon (i.e. convenient for me), so I guess I'll be eating after the KWC sings at Midnight Madness.
Wed Aug 10 22:28:01 EDT 2011
Singing at Midnight Madness went well enough. It was hard to see, but we stayed together well. (One minor snafu that we recovered from) And one failed start from pitch error. We may have enticed a few more people to attend the concert, or the play Friday night. I've never been to the play, but this year we're singing at the intermission.
I wandered around the market area a bit after we finished singing, but I didn't spot anything I needed to buy, and I wasn't really in the mood to shop anyway.
There was chili on the stove when I got back to camp.
I recorded some of our singing, a group busking that we passed, a little bit of Wolgemut (They are here after all.), and a small group of madrigal singers.
Our other Cedric is in camp tonight. (We have a Kedric and a Sedric, both spelled "Cedric".)
Wed Aug 10 23:38:45 EDT 2011
I still don't have a good feel for the laptop's battery consumption in suspend versus hibernate. I've been using suspend today, and the battery looks close to going red, but I've made a lot of entries today - partly because I can get in and out more quickly with suspend than with hibernate.
The 72-LED light is looking rather feeble (I can actually look at it while it's turned on.), which is actually OK for finding things in the tent, but no longer adequate for reading. More AA batteries for the recharge pile.
Thu Aug 11 00:22:48 EDT 2011
It's quieter tonight than the previous nights. My camp was either deserted or everyone turned in early (unlikely). There's less carousing wafting up from down the hill. It's a little chilly too, tonight. I've closed all the windows on the tent. The top is still open mesh (under the fly), but at least there won't be cold air flowing in from below tonight. I think this is the night to zip up the sleeping bag.
[This entry was originally posted as http://syntonic-comma.dreamwidth.org/449411.html on Dreamwidth (where there are
comments).]
This is the first day here I haven't felt the need for ibuprofen. And I woke up around 07:30, which leaves me time to eat breakfast, make lunch and get to 09:00 classes without a mad scramble.
Last night
dglenn suggested I take my audio recorder with me to capture "sounds of Pennsic" for realinterrobang. I got the gear out this morning and discovered that its batteries and 2 sets of spares were all dead. So now I've got 6 AAs for the recharge pile. I've got plenty of known-charged batteries (that I was expecting would go into lights) so I should be fine. And the storage battery got much more time on the charger before coming here this year than it did last time, so I expect it to cover my recharging needs. (And the solar panel is hooked up to replenish it, although I am in a shadier spot this year - which feels good this time of day, without the sun baking the tent so early.) Without cables and extra batteries, the Zoom fits into the same bag with the camera, so all the delicate gear is together.
Tonight the Known Worlds Choir (KWC) is singing at Midnight Madness in the merchants' area to spread a little buzz about tomorrow's concert. Our bit at the memorial service will probably gain us some audience too.
Since I'm feeling more confident about my recharging, I'm leaving the laptop suspended instead of hibernating. That lets me get in here more quickly to add comments. And now, must dash for class....
Wed Aug 10 18:24:08 EDT 2011
Many good classes today, straight through from 09:00 to 18:00 - with 2 hours out for choir rehearsal.
TimeLocationTitleInstructorDescription
09:00AS 02Western Traces in East AsiaBaron Ii KatsumoriThis will be an overview of Western influences in East Asia, focusing primarily on evidence before 1500.
10:00AS 11Court: In the Audience and Behind the ThronesMaster Liam St. Liam
Court can be intimidating for new Scadians, and even folks who have been around have questions. What are courts all about? How do they come together? How do I act in court? What if I get called up? Why does the herald talk so much? Master Liam, like his Pelican before him, is a court junkie. He also spent a reign behind the thrones when his wife, Countess Alethea, was on the throne and can explain how courts are set up and how to best enjoy them.
11:00
(2 hr)AS 11Daily Living in Renaissance SpainDuchess Malinda Hohen van Kester
Learn about what daily life was like in Renaissance Spain, from cradle to casket; learn how people of both nobility and peasant classes went about their daily routine. Clothing, food, manners, entertainment, and an overview of the history of Renaissance Spain Optional CD of class notes available for $10. Handout: 10
12:00AS 02Topics in Divination: AstrologyDr. Henry Best and Kuji KaoniSurely, if the gods speak to man from the heavens, a wise man will listen. An examination of astrology, the queen of the divinatory arts, from the view of both western and eastern traditions.
13:00AS 12The Renaissance CitternLord Aaron Drummond
The Cittern was second in popularity only to the lute in 16th- and 17th-century England, yet it has not enjoyed as much of a revival in popularity in recent years. At the height of its popularity, a cittern could be found in every barbershop; patrons would play on it while waiting for their haircut. Learn about the history, construction, playing technique and repertoire of this forgotten instrument.
14:00AS 12Dance and Rhythm in PeriodLord Aaron DrummondA pan-European survey of rhythm of dance in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries! We will try to answer some of the following questions: How did people conceive of rhythm in period? What are the different kinds of rhythm that were used, and how were they notated? How are they transcribed into modern notation, and what is the difference between these period rhythms and other modern rhythms transcribed in a similar way? There will be something of interest in this class for all dancers and musicians, although no particular music or dance will be taught! We may discuss any or all of the following: Piva, Saltarelli, Basse dance, Bransles, Pavanes, Galliards, Cascarda and more.
15:00AS 12Musical TemperamentDani of the Seven WellsHow were pitches chosen for the notes of the musical scale? This class addresses the tradeoffs that period musicians faced and the compromises they reached, with some emphasis on late-period "mean-tone" temperament. The class will be theoretical, but will not entail math beyond short division.
15:00
(2 hr)Performing Arts TentKnown World Choir RehearsalErlan Nordenskald
17:00Performing Arts TentSix Simple Spanish SongsJudith Fitzhenry the Uncertain
Sing three-part or four-part arrangements from The Cancionero de Palacio of Ferdinand and Isabella which contains a number of short, simple part songs from the 15th and early 16th century.
Duchess Malinda Hohen van Kester ("Daily Living in Renaissance Spain") is not a natural instructor, but she had a lot of good material.
"Dance and Rhythm in Period" was actually an intro to early-music notation, and was stuff I already knew.
"Musical Temperament" conflicted with KWC rehearsal, but is probably stuff I already know. (Where do you think the name Syntonic Comma comes from?)
Toward the end of the KWC rehearsal The King and Queen of The East (I think that's who they were) popped in with a Herald and presented an Award of Arms to our choir director (Erlan). She was completely surprised, even though by all accounts this is LONG overdue. She has been contributing with directing, teaching, and organizing in the SCA for many years. Those of us who were still there, the small group working on a pretty cool madrigal (Robert Jones' What if I Seek for Love) all received royal favors. (No, I don't know what we do with them. I've managed to get several favors now from singing with the KWC.)
"Six Simple Spanish Songs" was conveniently (or cleverly) scheduled following the KWC rehearsal, and some good singers from the choir did stay for it. And I'm generally a sucker for picking up free music, especially music that's new to me.
For the curious, the pieces were:
- Anónimo: Entra Mayo y sale Abril
- Anónimo: Pase'el agua, ma Julieta, Dama
- Anon (c 1500): Dindirin, dindirin
- Anonymous: Calabaça, no sé buen amor
- Anónimo: Tres morillas m'enamoran (en Jaén)
- Anonimo (XVI sec.): So el encina
On a related track, I still have this notion of holding a "class" over several evenings to take on a substantial piece (e.g. an entire mass, or something like Tallis' Lamentations of Jerimiah), singing through it with a goblet of wine (or whatever), and perhaps having a "public" performance at the end of the week if it amounts to to something presentable. And even if it isn't presentable, a small (or not-so-small) group have gotten intimate exposure to something wonderful. But again, life is too dissipated for me to take on anything like that.
I have been keeping well hydrated since Monday. [TMI: the nearly-clear pee confirms I'm drinking lots of water.]
No rain today, so far, although it did get very windy for a bit.
As usual, dinner probably won't be ready any time soon (i.e. convenient for me), so I guess I'll be eating after the KWC sings at Midnight Madness.
Wed Aug 10 22:28:01 EDT 2011
Singing at Midnight Madness went well enough. It was hard to see, but we stayed together well. (One minor snafu that we recovered from) And one failed start from pitch error. We may have enticed a few more people to attend the concert, or the play Friday night. I've never been to the play, but this year we're singing at the intermission.
I wandered around the market area a bit after we finished singing, but I didn't spot anything I needed to buy, and I wasn't really in the mood to shop anyway.
There was chili on the stove when I got back to camp.
I recorded some of our singing, a group busking that we passed, a little bit of Wolgemut (They are here after all.), and a small group of madrigal singers.
Our other Cedric is in camp tonight. (We have a Kedric and a Sedric, both spelled "Cedric".)
Wed Aug 10 23:38:45 EDT 2011
I still don't have a good feel for the laptop's battery consumption in suspend versus hibernate. I've been using suspend today, and the battery looks close to going red, but I've made a lot of entries today - partly because I can get in and out more quickly with suspend than with hibernate.
The 72-LED light is looking rather feeble (I can actually look at it while it's turned on.), which is actually OK for finding things in the tent, but no longer adequate for reading. More AA batteries for the recharge pile.
Thu Aug 11 00:22:48 EDT 2011
It's quieter tonight than the previous nights. My camp was either deserted or everyone turned in early (unlikely). There's less carousing wafting up from down the hill. It's a little chilly too, tonight. I've closed all the windows on the tent. The top is still open mesh (under the fly), but at least there won't be cold air flowing in from below tonight. I think this is the night to zip up the sleeping bag.
[This entry was originally posted as http://syntonic-comma.dreamwidth.org/449411.html on Dreamwidth (where there are
comments).]