From: yarrowp@mscd.edu
Date: Mon, 05 Oct 1998 09:22:44 -0600 (MDT)
Subject: Re: minstrel: Bardic, Period, and assorted rantings...
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Gregory wrote:
>Historically, there were many minstrels who were
>neither poets nor composers. 

to which Mathurin replied:
>But none of note.  Creativity has always been the mark of, and often
>reserved to, the mastery of an art.

*None* of note????  That's a very difficult statement to back up.  Consider 
the case of the three ladies of Ferrara, perhaps the first professional 
women performers.  Many great works were written for these ladies to 
perform, works which would not have incorporated virtuosic features had 
there not been singers capable of performing them.

I compose, I admit it.  I also arrange.  I also ornament existing works.  
Now, try as I might, I will never be able to sing a polyphonic piece by 
myself ;-)  If I composed only for my own voice, my choices would be 
limited - I can sing in the soprano range and in the bass, but I think most 
people would rather *hear* me in the tenor through mezzo range.  Were it 
not for the virtuosic sopranos in my ensemble, I would not have written 
some of my best received pieces because there would be no one to perform 
them.  I've got a madrigal-esque arrangement of "Nine Inches Will Please a 
Lady" (no, the original's not period, but my arrangement is in the style) 
going begging because I had men in the group when I wrote it, and haven't 
any now.

What people will remember of some of my works will be not the works 
themselves, but the sound of Lady Serian and Mistress Rowen singing the 
line that's ornamented with high As, and doing so without screeching.

My tuppence on the subject.

Vivien


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