Empire - User contributions [en]

Holberg Wine

2016-09-05T14:56:42Z

ChrisKennish:

<song>
'''Holberg Wine'''
Lyrics by Jake Wilson
Music and [https://soundcloud.com/salvatore-galletti/holberg-wine recording] by Chris and Harriett Robins Kennish

Holberg wine - Dark as mountain skies,
Holberg wine - Stains the skin where it touches,
Holberg wine - Wets the earth where it falls,
Holberg wine - Soaks into the ashes.

(Chorus)
The shadows of Winter,
Must harden the fruits,
To wait for the morning,
Of Spring’s bright new shoots.

Heady wine - So sweet to the taste,
Heady wine - May fall from the cup,
Heady wine - As it darkens the lips,
Heady wine - Dark rivers run over.

(Chorus)

Did you see the smoke from the vines?
Hear the roar as they came?
From the flames, from the foe.
To the walls, to the city,
Behind the gates,
And a life hard as steel.

(Chorus)

City gates - High mountain walls,
City gates - Keep your weapons together,
City gates - And your loved ones close,
City gates - Mud turned by hard boots.

(Chorus)

Holberg wine - Dark mountain halls,
Holberg wine - Nothing grows but Courage,
Holberg wine - Where the land has been burned,
Holberg wine - To the deep, thirsty roots.
</song>

[[Category: League music]]
[[Category: Music]]
[[Category: The League]]

Holberg Wine

2016-09-05T14:53:05Z

ChrisKennish:

<song>
'''Holberg Wine'''
Lyrics by Jake Wilson
Music and [https://soundcloud.com/salvatore-galletti/holberg-wine recording] by Chris and Harriett Robins Kennish

Holberg wine - Dark as mountain skies,
Holberg wine - Stains the skin where it touches,
Holberg wine - Wets the earth where it falls,
Holberg wine - Soaks into the ashes.

(Chorus)
The shadows of Winter,
Must harden the fruits,
To wait for the morning,
Of Spring’s bright new shoots.

Heady wine - So sweet to the taste,
Heady wine - May fall from the cup,
Heady wine - As it darkens the lips,
Heady wine - Dark rivers run over.

(Chorus)

Did you see the smoke from the vines?
Hear the roar as they came?
From the flames, from the foe.
To the walls, to the city,
Behind the gates,
And a life hard as steel.

(Chorus)

City gates - High mountain walls,
City gates - Keep your weapons together,
City gates - And your loved ones close,
City gates - Mud turned by hard boots.

(Chorus)

Holberg wine - Dark mountain halls,
Holberg wine - Nothing grows but Courage,
Holberg wine - Where the land has been burned,
Holberg wine - To the deep, thirsty roots.
</song>

[[Category: The League music]]
[[Category: Music]]
[[Category: The League]]

Holberg Wine

2016-09-05T14:52:48Z

ChrisKennish:

<song>
'''Holberg Wine'''
Lyrics by Jake Wilson
Music and [https://soundcloud.com/salvatore-galletti/holberg-wine recording] by Chris and Harriett Robins Kennish

Holberg wine - Dark as mountain skies,
Holberg wine - Stains the skin where it touches,
Holberg wine - Wets the earth where it falls,
Holberg wine - Soaks into the ashes.

(Chorus)
The shadows of Winter,
Must harden the fruits,
To wait for the morning,
Of Spring’s bright new shoots.

Heady wine - So sweet to the taste,
Heady wine - May fall from the cup,
Heady wine - As it darkens the lips,
Heady wine - Dark rivers run over.

(Chorus)

Did you see the smoke from the vines?
Hear the roar as they came?
From the flames, from the foe.
To the walls, to the city,
Behind the gates,
And a life hard as steel.

(Chorus)

City gates - High mountain walls,
City gates - Keep your weapons together,
City gates - And your loved ones close,
City gates - Mud turned by hard boots.

(Chorus)

Holberg wine - Dark mountain halls,
Holberg wine - Nothing grows but Courage,
Holberg wine - Where the land has been burned,
Holberg wine - To the deep, thirsty roots.
</song>

[[Category: The League Music]]
[[Category: Music]]
[[Category: The League]]

Holberg Wine

2016-09-05T14:52:34Z

ChrisKennish:

<song>
'''Holberg Wine'''
Lyrics by Jake Wilson
Music and [https://soundcloud.com/salvatore-galletti/holberg-wine recording] by Chris and Harriett Robins Kennish

Holberg wine - Dark as mountain skies,
Holberg wine - Stains the skin where it touches,
Holberg wine - Wets the earth where it falls,
Holberg wine - Soaks into the ashes.

(Chorus)
The shadows of Winter,
Must harden the fruits,
To wait for the morning,
Of Spring’s bright new shoots.

Heady wine - So sweet to the taste,
Heady wine - May fall from the cup,
Heady wine - As it darkens the lips,
Heady wine - Dark rivers run over.

(Chorus)

Did you see the smoke from the vines?
Hear the roar as they came?
From the flames, from the foe.
To the walls, to the city,
Behind the gates,
And a life hard as steel.

(Chorus)

City gates - High mountain walls,
City gates - Keep your weapons together,
City gates - And your loved ones close,
City gates - Mud turned by hard boots.

(Chorus)

Holberg wine - Dark mountain halls,
Holberg wine - Nothing grows but Courage,
Holberg wine - Where the land has been burned,
Holberg wine - To the deep, thirsty roots.
</song>

[[Category: League Music]]
[[Category: Music]]
[[Category: The League]]

2015-02-25T13:41:27Z

ChrisKennish: ChrisKennish moved page The Skull in the Clouds to Reuben's Brethren: Incorrect title

<song>
'''The Skull in the Clouds''' or '''The Mercenary's Creed'''
Robert E. Howard

Drain the cup while the ale is bright,
Brief truce to remorse and sorrow!
I drink the health of my friend tonight-
I may cut his throat tomorrow.

Tonight I fling a curse in the cup
For the foe whose lines we sundered-
I may ride in his ranks when the sun comes up
And die for the flag I plundered.

Kisses I drank in the blaze of noon,
At eve may be bitter as scorning-
And I go in the light of a mocking moon
To the woman I cursed this morning.

For deep in my soul the old ways brood-
And I come of a restless breed-
And my heart is blown in each drifting mood
As clouds blow over the mead.
</song>

[[Category: Music]]
[[Category: League Music]]
[[Category: The League]]

2015-02-24T15:33:18Z

ChrisKennish:

<song>
'''The Night of a Thousand Torches'''
Written and [https://soundcloud.com/salvatore-galletti/the-night-of-a-thousand recorded] by Chris Robins Kennish for the Compagnia di Rossi for the Autumn Equinox, 377.

When torchlight flickers on your skin
With a thousand eyes upon you
Does it tell of virtue or sin
Darling what am I to do?

The night of a thousand torches
They came for them in they’re beds
The night of a thousand torches
So cold they wished they were dead

To clear the city it is their way
Into winters depth they are cast
Any they find whose skin is stained
The time to hide is past

The night of a thousand torches
They came for us in our beds
The night of a thousand torches
So cold we wished we were dead

Proud red stag upon your skin
A sign of your disgrace
Can’t keep them out, so I let them in
Tears stream down my face

The night of a thousand torches
They came for you in our bed
The night of a thousand torches
So cold I wished you were dead

You’ve gone into the winter night
And I will sleep no more
I only tried to do what was right
I cast you out of my door

The night of a thousand torches
Wish they’d come for me in my bed
The night of a thousand torches
So cold, I wish I were dead
</song>

[[Category: League Music]]
[[Category: The League]]
[[Category: Music]]

2015-02-23T10:12:11Z

ChrisKennish: /* Songs */ added "Fool in a Crown"

{{stub}}

==The music of The League==

===Style summary===
The League is a combination of different cultures and its performance traditions reflect that. High art in all its forms, theatre and songs laced with innuendo and hidden meaning, characters who delight in cunning and trickery, flamboyance, opera and baroque/classical stylings accompanied by flutes, guitars, and even brass, themes of playfulness, loyalty and ingenuity. Low culture: comedy song, street magic, and clever rhyming, often poking fun at someone or something.

For the high art of the League, look to European and Spanish-influenced classical music, particularly Italian and German including arias, lieder, and classical instrumental music from Argentina. For low art concentrate on songs with the theme of deals, cunning, trickery, flamboyance, or loyalty and instrumental music with an Italian, Spanish, or Mariachi sound.

===Commonly known songs===

====Songs about notable people/entities in the League====
* [[Marching to Victory]] - a song about Senator Cesare, coming soon.

====One for the kids====
[[Tower Song]] - a silly round demonstrating League competitiveness.

===Further examples===

====Songs====
* [[Uncle Vyig]] - funny song about organised crime, very popular in Temeschwar, usually not sung in other League cities.
* [[Treggajoran Wartha]] - song about rings and trickery
* Say Gentle Ladies - medium difficulty Mozart aria. A lovely English language arrangement is available to buy [http://www.banksmusicpublications.co.uk/product/say-gentle-ladies/34923/357/ here]
* Flower duet (Google it)
* [[Lovely Joan]] - medium song with a moral
* [[Tower Song]] - a funny round demonstrating League competitiveness.
* [[A Fool in a Crown]]

====Instrumentation and tunes====
* Recorders, flutes and whistles, classically played guitar or stringed instrument, violin, classical accordion.
* [[Elizabethan recorder music]] which played on any classical instrument would be appropriate for The League.

====Other performance traditions====
* Theatre and acting. There is a lot more information about this in [[The League]] brief, in particular the page on [[Troupes]].

===How to adapt your repertoire===
* For 'low culture' sing in a tongue in cheek way, have a game or a joke with your audience.
* For 'high art' sing in an operatic way, up the drama! Have a listen to some Portuguese fado songs and copy the style.
* When playing folk tunes, try to pick ones that are a bit classical or baroque sounding, a good example is [http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1033 The Gale by Susan Conger]

===Our sources===
Italian or German opera, Argentinian tangos and other S. American accordion music (cf. The Oxford Concert Party), classical poetry, Portuguese/Brazilian fado songs, Alejandro Toledo & The Magic Tombolinos

Here is a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbO4k6ISHSk&list=PLD2322E5CDAD0AAD6&feature=plpp_play_all youtube playlist] of appropriate or inspiring music.

[[Category:League Music]]
[[Category:The League]]
[[Category:Music]]