Tonight's Music

Qntal - Von Den Elbin

Tonight's Music

Corvus Corax performs de Mundi Statu from Cantus Buranus II.

Tonight's Music

On August 1st, Corvus Corax headlined the world famous Wacken Open Air Festaval with a performance of their new orchestral work CANTUS BURANUS II. This number is called "De Mundi Statu".

Tonight's Music

I recieved an invitation to what looks to be one of the best Halloween parties in the nation, but It happens to be in Philadelphia so I won't be attending. However if any of you are in the area you might want to check out Dracula's Ball.

The Medieval Babes will be appearing, among others.



In fact they have set aside a room exclusively for medieval music like Qntal, Corvus Corax, Faun and the Babes due to its growing popularity.

Tonight's Music

Here is a double shot of German Medieval/Folk/Metal band Saltatio Mortis. The first video is of the tune Skudrinka:



The next is of the song Dunkler Engel:



Bagpipes, drums, electric guitar and hurdie gurdie. What's not to like?

Tonight's Music - Just a bit late

Tanzwut - Meer.

Tanzwut (German for Dance Rage) is a medieval themed metal band made up of several members of the group Corvus Corax. Unlike most other metal groups they make use of bagpipes.

Tonight's Music

I feel medieval tonight so here is a classic video from Qntal, Entre Moi Et Mon Amin.

Tonight's Music

Austrian Pagan & Medieval Folk & World Music Group NAM performing Salamanca of the eclectic album "Trans"

Musicians: Bernhard Mikuskovics (Overtone Voice, Dulcimer, Whistle), Patrick Feldner (Percussion), Georg Baum (Celtic Harp), Helmut Eberl (Hurdy-Gurdy), Rainer Rath (Violin).

Tonight's Music

Qntal performing The Maiden in the Mor live. This is from their third CD Qntal III: Tristan und Isolde.

Tonight's Music

Tonight we go Medieval with Corvus Corax performing Chou Chou Sheng live, from their from their DVD Gaudia Vite Live .

Tonight's Music

Corvus Corax from their Cantus Buranus concert which was based on the Carmina Burana manuscripts. This number is called O Lanugueo.

The CD of Corvus Corax: Live in Berlin is available by clicking the link.

Tonight's Music

Corvus Corax - Hymnus Cantica

Tonight's Music

Corvus Corax perform Corritur Ad Vocem. This was filmed during the recording sessions which went into their CD Cantus Buranus.

Tonight's Music

Corvus Corax perform Suam Elle Ires. This is from their concert DVD Gaudia Vite Live

Tonight's Music

In keeping with this September's theme of reposting my favorites from the past year here is Corvus Corax perfroming Dulcissima live in Berlin. This performance is from their DVD Cantus Buranus.

Cantus Buranus was based upon the Carmina Burana manuscript discovered at the abbey of Benediktbeuern in 1847. The manuscript is a collection of 13th century songs and poems (Carmina Burana means "songs of Beuerm").

No one knows exactly what medival music sounded like, but the historical record suggests that it was energetic.

Tonight's Music

This is Medieval group Cultus Ferox performing Gotterdammerung. As is usually the case the best Medieval groups are German.

The truth is that with one exception (the song Palestinalied), we don't really know what Medieval music sounded like. However extrapolating from Palestinalied and using authentic Medieval musical instruments and going by historical records which tell us that when a particularly good bunch of minstrels would start playing in a town or village that the young folk would sometimes dance themselves into such a frenzy that soldiers would have to be sent in to restore order.

Another thing we know about that era is that there was a game which the young folk enjoyed playing in which the young men would fall to the ground while dancing and roll about in such a was as to trip a young woman. The woman would contrive to fall in such a way as to cause her skirt to fly above her waist. Since underwear had not been invented this would tend to put her "private areas" on display for the assembled crowd.

A monk of the era wrote disapprovingly that it seemed that one could do a young woman of the day no greater favor than to reveal to the world her most secret anatomy. I was reminded of this today as I walked through a local supermarket and saw a young female employee bending down to place goods on a bottom shelf with pants gaping open to expose about 3/4 of her backside. It seems the more things change the more they stay the same.

Tonight's Music

Medieval group Saltatio Mortis performs Skudrinka.

Give me some bagpipes and a hurdy gurdy and I'm a happy camper. Oh, you need to throw in a beer as well.

Tonight's Music

Tonight I go medieval on you again with Van Langen performing Palästinalied at the Blackout Club in 2001.

Tonight's Music

Barbarian Pipe Band, Itallian medieval music.

Tonight's Music

This is Corvus Corax performing Lingua Mendax from the Cantus Buranus CD. The video is from a video game so you may feel free to ignore it.

Musical insturments featured on this number are the organistrum and the trumscheid.