PERFORM Log
October 1992
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Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 13:54:48 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: MICHAEL L NORTON <76216.2165@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject: Angels
(digging through notes .....)
Concerning angels in medieval drama, I note the following:
Hilda Findlay, "The Representation and Function of Angels in Medieval
German Easter and Passion Plays" (Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation,
Oxford University, 1987)
This is listed in Disseration Abstracts 49/08A, 2237. and is publication #
AACD-83191 (available from UMI in association with the British Library.
Requires a signed TDF [whatever that is]).
Also, I have a substantial portion of the Latin Easter stuff (new technical
term) on computer now. If anyone needs information on angels (or
anything else, for that matter) within this repertory, I'll be more than
happy to help.
Michael L. Norton
76216.2165@compuserve.com (Internet)
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 16:30:00 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: WRIGHTS@CUA.BITNET
Subject: Use of Quem Quaeritis trope apart from Easter?
Here's a quick question for Michael Norton or anyone else with similar
expertise: Have you ever run across instances where the Quem
quaeritis trope was used in worship OTHER than Easter rites? Is it
always associated with easter matins or mass, or was it sometimes
displaced for other occasions? I'm not thinking of scenes in
Passion plays or easter plays, but actual liturgical rites.
My reason for asking, by the way, has nothing at all to do
with early drama performances, but with a particularly vexatious
crux in "St. Erkenwald." One proposed emendation requires that
one imagine a choir singing "Quem quaeritis" during a pontifical
mass of the Holy Spirit. One could simply account for the
anomaly by invoking "poetic license" (the universal solvent),
but I'd be interested to learn if there might be any historical
justification for construing the passage this way.
Thanks in advance for whatever help you can give.
Steve Wright
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 22:33:42 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Comments: Resent-From: Jesse Hurlbut
Comments: Originally-From: acarr@alleg.edu
From: Jesse Hurlbut
Subject: Burgundian Funhouses
I've taken the liberty of forwarding these questions and comments
which came via personal mail, but which may be of general interest here:
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Jesse,
> The "fun-house" stuff was really intriguing. One thing I
>couldn't tell from your description, however, was whether or not
>there were provisions for watching people go through the rooms, (a
>candid camera element?) or whether the tricks were just for the
>participants' amusement? ...do you see any connections with all
>those mazes?
This is a great question, and, of course, there is absolutely no
evidence to substantiate an answer--not even a guess. The very
nature of these bizarre activities, however, implies that they
were prepared to entertain an inconspicuous audience (candid-camera-
style, as you suggest) at the expense of unsuspecting visitors. I wish I had
a clue!!!
> The description of the context for the crusading vows has a lot
>of potential, as you noted in the paper--that curious mixture of
>ritual and play-acting that went into that event. ...in fact, how
>"real" were the commitments? I don't recall anything about the
>actual crusade itself. How did the group get out of their
>obligations, then?
The crusade never got off the ground and so no one ever cashed in
on the vows of service. (The easiest way to get out of a crusade is
never to start one?)
> I participated in the NEH Seminar at the Folger library last
>summer (1991) on "Ceremony and Text in the Renaissance," and some of
>the ways we were looking at improvising rituals seem very similar
>here. Tom Greene of Yale was running it, and brought up examples
>like the opening passages of the Decameron, or Don Quixote, as
>starting points for thinking about the crisis (and decline) of a
>ritual identity throughout the period. He used models like Turner to
>help analyze what he called the "waning of the ceremonial sign."
>(This doesn't seem like a very good summary of that seminar--and I
>have profound disagreements with him...). But he felt that what
>began as serious and "efficacious" ritual which could be meaningfully
>improvised degenerates into meaninglessness, particularly as
>participants notice a disjunction between their words and practice.
>Greene feels the situation to be a tragedy, but your material seems
>to align the phenomenon with boisterous play--at least for the early
>period. I guess my question in the last paragraph was aimed toward
>understanding the "efficacity" of the ritual of the crusading vow.
>or at least the extent to which those promises were enforced outside
>of the playing field.
>
>Amelia Carr
>Allegheny College
There is enough mystery enshrowding this crusade-that-never-was that
it's hard to answer in any definitive way. Why didn't the crusade
happen? Was the duke really serious about the whole thing from the
beginning? There is plenty of scholarship that suggests it was a
political ploy and that the crusade was never intended to materialize.
(I sorta doubt that, myself. Duke Philip put an awful lot of effort into
organizing it.) It would be interesting to trace (through archival evidence)
any other kinds of service that the vow-takers may have performed in lieu
of crusade service(??) Perhaps the feast served as a means of distinguishing
true supporters from kissers-up?? As I point out in the paper, there
are some efforts made to make this ceremony appear efficacious, but
why, indeed, is it that nobody ever did the things they promised?
Jesse
=========================================================================
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 23:47:10 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: MICHAEL L NORTON <76216.2165@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject: Use of Quem Quaeritis trope...
Steve,
I know of no sources for Quem Quaeritis which indicate a performance anywhere
but on Easter morning. There are some sources, of course, whose precise
liturgical placement is questionable, but the question is not which day, but
which hour.
Michael Norton
=========================================================================
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 13:44:40 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Clifford Flanigan
Subject: RE: Use of Quem Quaeritis trope apart from Easter?
Steve,
As you probably know, there are a number of non-Easter liturgical pieces
that begin with the question "Quem quaeritis." But I do not off the top of
my head know of any associated with any mass of the Holy Spirit. Could you
send me the line number in Erkenwald? With such questions, the first place
to go is always Hesbert.
Cliff Flanigan
=========================================================================
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 14:32:05 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: acarr@ALLEG.EDU
Subject: Re: Use of Quem Quaeritis trope...
Steve and Perform,
More on the use of the Quem Quaertis trope. Michael and I
discussed this, and I'm not sure why he didn't mention it.
Pontifical liturgy has never used the Quem Quaeritis, or any sort
of Easter drama. It's one reason why the plays fade after the
Council of Trent, since Roman usage was imposed at that time.
I have no idea about St. Erkenwald or the context you discuss, but
the emendation sounds like, how shall we say, whole cloth
fabrication. There are lots of sources on papal liturgy, however, if
you're trying to reconstruct that service. ...but being where you
are, I'm sure you have a fabulous library on that subject!
Amelia Carr
=========================================================================
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 14:14:37 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Clifford Flanigan
Subject: Re: Use of Quem Quaeritis trope...
I certainly want to concur with Amy Carr when she notes that "Pontifical
liturgy has never used the Quem Quaeritis, or any sort of Easter drama.
It's one reason why the plays fade after the Council of Trent, since Roman
usage was imposed at that time." However, let me remind everyone that the
Roman (which means, I think, papal) rite was first "imposed" on northern
Europe during the Carolingian period. In an article published almost
eighteen years ago I tried to argue that there is some relationship
between this only partially successful attempt to impose the Roman rite and
the appearance of "dramatic ceremonies." I certainly no longer agree with
everything in that article, especially its use of what I now consider a
rather one-side theory of ritual. But it is useful, as Amy suggests, to
keep in mind that medieval liturgies are frequently places in which a
number of quite opposing ritual traditions interact, including "dramatic"
and "non-dramatic" ones. None of this helps Steve with his problem, of
course.
Cliff Flanigan
=========================================================================
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 16:08:48 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: acarr@ALLEG.EDU
Subject: Roman Liturgy
Cliff,
Even though you're now disagreeing with half of it, could you pass
on that reference to your 18 year old article on Carolingian - Roman
liturgy?
And, sort of seriously, is there any article you've ever written
that you still stand by 100%?
Amy Carr
=========================================================================
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 20:00:00 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: NAOMI LIEBLER
Subject: Re: Use of Quem Quaeritis trope...
Cliff--
I read with interest your response to Amelia Carr, especially the last
bit,where you say that "medieval liturgies are frequently places in which a
number of quite opposing ritual traditions interact, including "dramatic"
and "non-dramatic" ones." I wonder if you would elaborate on this. What sort of
opposing ritual traditions have you noticed, and where do they occur? Thanks.
--Naomi Liebler
=========================================================================
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 13:00:00 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: WRIGHTS@CUA.BITNET
Subject: St. Nicolas in Washington
I just heard a rumor that the Folger Consort plans to perform a series of
Latin St. Nicolas "plays" (for want of a better term--although given the
current performance context it probably is the right term) at
Washington National Cathedral during the Christmas season. My informant
didn't know exactly what was on the program (Fleury? Hildesheim?
Hilarius?), only that it was to consist of Latin liturgical plays.
As soon as I find out exactly what is going on and how to order
tickets, I will post the information for anyone who might be in the
neighborhood around that time of year.
The same group performed Hildegard's "Ordo Virtutum" at the
cathedral about four years ago. Acoustics were fair, sight-lines
were awful. My advice is to come early and grab a front pew.
--Steve Wright
=========================================================================
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 17:59:03 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Clifford Flanigan
Subject: RE: Roman Liturgy
For Amy Carr and others who asked (he said modestly), the article of some
vintage which I referred to earlier is "The Roman Rite and the Origins of
the Liturgical Drama." It appeared in the University of Toronto Quarterly
in 1974. I'm still fond it of it because it is the first article, apart
from juvenalia and student stuff, that I ever published. It's of course
the word "origins" that makes me blush right now. Those were simpler times,
more or less. But I do think there is some useful stuff there and would be
happy to discuss any points of interest. Naomi would find incipiently
there notions of how liturgical elements clash, though in the spirit of the
times I would offer a less irenic (and hence, perhaps, a more ironic) view
of things if I were writing the piece today.
Cliff Flanigan
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 01:10:20 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Clifford Flanigan
Subject: RE: St. Nicolas in Washington
If the performance of St. Nicholas plays which Steve Wright describes is to
actually be based on medieval musical texts, it will have to be from the
Fleury collection, since the other St. Nicholas "plays" are not noted.
The Early Music Institute of Indiana University will present three of the
Fleury Nicholas texts on December 7--Clerici, Iconia, and The Three
Daughters. This will be a somewhat new production of the plays which Tom
Binkley presented (with a little egghead help from me) at Kalamazoo a few
years ago. I think the admission will be free, and we certainly invite
everyone who is in the vicinity to come and join us. I am definitely
biased in this matter, but I think that the Indiana productions of medieval
performance events, under Tom's incredible direction, are very good.
Clifford Flanigan
Indiana University
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 06:52:00 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: MRIGGIO@TRINCC.BITNET
Subject: Re: St. Nicolas in Washington
Dear Clifford:
Please send me via e-mail complete info on the Indiana Early Music
production of the Fleury Nicholas for the MRDS Newsletter. You know,
of course, that I am Indiana's, yours, and Tom Binkley's greatest
fan. I have never heard musical sounds better than the Nicholas
at Kalamazoo!!!!!
--Milla
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 07:04:00 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: MRIGGIO@TRINCC.BITNET
Subject: Re: St. Nicolas in Washington
Dear Steve (and all others):
I will be glad to list the Washington Nicholas plays in the MRDS
Newsletter. Can you get me complete information?
--Milla
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 08:32:45 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: MICHAEL L NORTON <76216.2165@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject: RE: St. Nicholas
I recently finished an article on Iconia which is now in the hands of the
editors of Comparative Drama. The issue is due out in the spring, I think.
Perhaps the editors will consent to my posting it here in advance of the
December performances, if anyone is interested.
Michael Norton
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 10:06:43 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Clifford Flanigan
Subject: RE: St. Nicholas
Michael,
Please give us at least a summary of your article. I know many of us would
be interested in what you have to say.
Clifford Flanigan
Indiana University
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 11:03:45 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Jesse Hurlbut
Subject: RE: St. Nicholas
In-Reply-To: Message of Wed,
14 Oct 1992 08:32:45 EDT from <76216.2165@COMPUSERVE.COM>
On Wed, 14 Oct 1992 08:32:45 EDT MICHAEL L NORTON said:
>Perhaps the editors will consent to my posting it here in advance of the
>December performances, if anyone is interested.
>
>Michael Norton
I'm interested!
Jesse Hurlbut
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 11:23:20 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: acarr@ALLEG.EDU
Subject: Re: St. Nicolas in Indiana
Cliff and others,
The performance sounds wonderful. It's REALLY on a Monday
evening? Party at your house if we show up?
Amelia Carr
P.S. I am appreciating the exchange about the nature of liturgical
drama. I'm so desperately busy that I haven't had time to take up
some of the ideas you have mentioned, but don't think that the
conversation is over! I'm still formulating a response to your
summer statement that drama was invented in the Renaissance... I'm
also working on distinctions between ritual and drama based on
performance theorists like Schechner, and, of course, Turner. All of
this in the context of Klosterneuburg's Depositio. More later.
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 15:50:00 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: WRIGHTS@CUA.BITNET
Subject: St. Nick in Washington
Milla and other interested parties: I called the Folger yesterday and
they are sending me more details about the program. Here is all I
know for sure: the title is "The Gifts of St. Nicolas." It will
be performed on January 8 and 9 at Washington National Cathedral.
Only one of the many, many differences between Bloomington and
D.C. is that while the performance described by Cliff will be free,
the Folger show will set you back $17.50 . Perhaps in recognition
of St. Nick's fondness for impoverished students, there is a
reduced rate of $13.00 for those purchasing tickets with
a student I.D. I'll send you details of the program as soon
as available.
--Steve Wright
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 15:36:58 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Clifford Flanigan
Subject: Re: St. Nicolas in Indiana
Any PERFORM-er who shows up for the Indiana St. Nicholas is definitely
invited to the party at my house that I just decided to throw! I have no
idea why the performance is on a Monday evening. I guess that's what
happens when you have a school of music that puts on over 2000 concerts and
other events a year. Yeah, they're vain enough to number each one on the
program, too.
Cliff Flanigan
Indiana University
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 15:52:00 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: WRIGHTS@CUA.BITNET
Subject: new medieval and renaissance music discussion list (cross-posting)
From: NETCON::"<@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU:MEDTEXTL@UIUCVMD.BITNET>" 14-OCT-1992 05:0
8:06.21
To: Multiple recipients of list MEDTEXTL
CC:
Subj: New Discussion List
A new discussion list for Medieval and Renaissance Music has been set up using
the `mailbase' electronic information service based at the University of
Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The program runs automatically and you
communicate with it by using e-mail or (for retrieving files) ftp. To join the
list, send an e-mail message with the text:
join med-and-ren-music Joe Bloggs
(replacing `Joe Bloggs' with your own name) to the e-mail address:
mailbase@mailbase.ac.uk
(If this address looks alien to your machine, try taking the `From:' field from
the header to this message and replace both `Isobel.Preece' and `newcastle'
with `mailbase'.)
If you have not used mailbase before, a User Commands Reference Card will be
sent to you when you join the list. This contains information on how to use
the service.
Most of your communications to the list will probably be short ones that can be
dealt with by the automatic program. If, however, you have papers or sets of
data that you wish to store in the list for others to retrieve, please contact
me personally.
Do, please, use the list and encourage your colleagues to do so. Please feel
free to forward this message to anyone who might be interested.
With best wishes,
Isobel Preece (Isobel.Preece@newcastle.ac.uk)
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Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 10:04:08 BST
Reply-To: "Medieval Text - Philology, Codicology, and Technology et
c."
Sender: "Medieval Text - Philology, Codicology, and Technology etc.
"
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 17:40:00 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: WRIGHTS@CUA.BITNET
Subject: St. Nick in D.C.
Milla and other interested parties: Here are the details on the
Folger Consort's performance of "The Gifts of St. Nicholas."
The program will include the Fleury Playbook versions of the
Tres Filiae, Tres Clerici, and Imago Sancti Nicholai, "staged
in costume in the gothic setting of Washington National Cathedral."
The program will also include "lively instrumental music of the
period"--no specifics mentioned. The dates are Friday and Saturday,
8 and 9 January, beginning at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $17.50,
$13.00 for students. If anyone wants details on how to order
tickets by phone, fax, or mail, just drop me a message and I'll
post the information.
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 17:56:00 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: WRIGHTS@CUA.BITNET
Subject: "queme questis" in St. Erkenwald
Last week I posted a query and got several generous replies on the
subject of using the Quem quaeritis as the basis for a possible
emendation in St. Erkenwald. When St. E is brought to London to
interrogate the miraculously preserved body of a long-dead pagan
judge, he begins his detective work by celebrating high mass:
Mynster-dores were makyd opon quen matens were songen,
The byschop hym shope solemply to synge the hegh masse.
The prelate in pontificals was prestly atyrid,
Manerly with his ministres the masse he begynnes
Of _Spiritus Domini_ for his spede on sutile wise,
With queme questis of the quere with ful quaynt notes.
(ll. 128-133)
Most editors have glossed "queme questis" as "beautiful sounds," but
in a recent article Wm. Quinn argues that the passage should be
emended to "quem quaeritis." In other words, he imagines that the
choir is chanting a quem quaeritis trope at some point in the bishop's
mass of the Holy Spirit. he notes that the two Latin words would
make a nice parallel with Spiritus Domini in the preceding line, and
that the Easter morning action associated with the Quem quaeritis is
thematically appropriate for the scene in question (the temporary
resusciation of a body). I should also mention that the reason Quinn
feels compelled to emend in the first place is that "questis" is rarely
if ever used of melodic sounds--it more commonly refers to the baying of
a pack of hunting hounds, and therefore seems almost comically
inappropriate in its context.
My general rule of thumb is to leave the MS alone as long as the
lines make any kind of sense at all--"questis" may sound starnge to
the modern reader, but it DOES make sense. What I wanted was some
historical verification to support my rejection of this proposed
reading, namely, that there is no historical precedent for the
trope to be used in this way. Am I right?
Thanks for your help,
Steve Wright
=========================================================================
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 1992 00:12:10 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: MICHAEL L NORTON <76216.2165@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject: "queme questis" in St. Erkenwald
Steve,
Thanks for posting the passage. For what it's worth, I know of no English
(or Norman for that matter) sources for Quem quaeritis performed at Mass.
From the setting in the Regularis Concordia onward, QQ was always celebrated
after the third responsory of Matins, and always on Easter (despite
Hardison's argument to the contrary).
What is the Quinn article? What is his rationale for associating this with
the Easter Quem quaeritis?
Having said all this, the lack of supporting evidence for the use of QQ
outside of Easter matins does not necessarily mean that the QQ was never so
performed. As we all know, small surprises ofen turn up when we rummage
through the remains of individual liturgical traditions. Still, I
find it difficult to imagine that this brief, and inconsequential, ceremony
would warrant a note here, even if it was sung.
Michael Norton
P.S. I'd like more info on the St. Nicholas performances. Will you throw an
East coast version of Cliff's party?
=========================================================================
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 1992 22:15:41 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Jesse Hurlbut
Subject: Arthur and Love Allegories
Late night musings lead me to the following question (and perhaps yet
another public display of my ignorance?):
As I look at the literary trends of the mid- to late middle ages, I see
(in France, anyway) lots of Arthurian material and allegories of love
(the _Rose_ and its tradition). Yet, these trends aren't very well
represented in medieval performance (if at all), even after a couple of
centuries of success in romances. There is a lot of allegory, to be sure
(in moralities, especially), but I can't think of any LOVE allegories
put on stage (exception: Song of Solomon--but that's not
quite the same). The only arthurian material I can think of is the
nine worthies, but that's pretty static. IMHO, the adventures of the
knights of the round table offered prime material for dramatization
(but then perhaps the tournaments provided the best form of this?).
So, I'm wondering if it is possible, on the basis of this observation,
to deduce something about the relationship/distance between the 'literary'
genres and 'performance?'(note quotes) One problem here is the argument that
some romances were written to be performed, etc. But, I can't help
but imagine that these were thought of as distinct categories since
there doesn't appear to be much crossover.
Before taking this any further, I would like to know if my assumption is
wrong: What occurrences of either Arthurian material or of love allegories
are there in Medieval Dramatics?
Jesse Hurlbut
University of Kentucky
=========================================================================
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 1992 18:10:00 EDT
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: AEK@PSUVM.BITNET
Subject: Re: Arthur and Love Allegories
In-Reply-To: FREJDH AT UKCC.UKY.EDU -- Sat, 17 Oct 1992 22:15:41 EDT
Jesse: There is a Dutch rhetoricians' play about Lancelot. I know
very little about it, but you will probably find it listed in W.M.H.
Hummelen's _Repertorium van het rederijkersdrama_.
Alan Knight
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1992 16:49:00 CST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Rick Jones
Subject: Love allegories
I offer a partial answer to part of Jesse Hurlbut's question about
love allegories and Arthurian legends in performance. About the
latter I know nothing at all: a fact which may indicate that there's
little to know, but is more likely to mean I'm profoundly ignorant.
About love allegory:
It strikes me that we're back to questions of audience here. My
reading would be as follows: the "literary" versions presupposed
literacy for at least part of their effectiveness. The lower classes
were thus excluded. Much of medieval performance, on the other hand,
was clearly intended for the consumption of the masses (to a far
greater extent than was true, say, in Shakespeare's time). It
shouldn't surprise us, then, that love allegory emerges in
drama/theatre/performance in mid-to-late C16, to reach its peak in the
plays of John Lyly and the masques of Ben Jonson. Especially
interesting here, I think, is the fact that both these authors sought
to flatter their respective courtly or pseudo-courtly audiences by
differentiating them from the hoi-polloi. For whatever reason, then,
it seems to me that love allegory was regarded as fit fare for the
court but not for the common folk -- and entered into the drama only
when the drama [performance, whatever] became courtly. Also of note
here is the fact that most theatre historians tend (consciously or
otherwise) to link the end of the medieval period in drama with the
beginnings of a movement that can be loosely described as
"neo-classical" [just what this list needs, another loaded term]: and
love allegories tended to be framed in neo-classical terms.
I haven't really dealt with this issue in several years. The last
time I did, the authoritative book was still David L. Stevenson's _The
Love-Game Comedy_ (Columbia U.P., 1946). It may still be; it may have been
thoroughly
discredited by now. Alas, I don't have access to a copy right now;
all I can remember is that it seemed to make a lot of sense when last
I read it.
--Rick Jones
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1992 16:08:00 CST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Rick Jones
Subject: "Development" of medieval drama
I somehow managed to get cut off from the list almost immediately
after posing my question a couple months back about the development of
medieval drama. I didn't realize it at the time, then got snowed
under piles of production responsibilities.... well, anyway, it's only
been a day or two since I got myself re-connected, accessed the
notebook of what I'd missed, and found out that I'd actually received
some responses.
First off, I'd like to thank Clifford Flanigan, Milla Riggio and Naomi
Liebler (plus anyone else I inadvertently forgot about) for their
responses. In fact, Clifford's first response gave me the material I
needed: that I do indeed have to treat linearity as a widely-held
model, even though the vast majority of specialists dismiss it. That
was really the crux of my question (not that I object to the
thoughtful responses which expanded the scope of my original
question!). What I was really going for was the concensus of opinion
among specialists (I teach the Medieval period for only three or four
days every two years, and my primary research interests lie
elsewhere). So -- thanks to all.
I would follow up on one or two points, however, just to keep the
conversation alive:
Of course we can all agree that virtually every term we use is loaded:
the name of this list includes the phrase "Medieval Performing Arts";
we all know that the person who observed such practices undoubtedly
considered himself neither "medieval" nor a "performing artist" --
both terms date from well after the period... and, in fact, the whole
concept of periodicity is problematic in itself. Similarly, "drama",
"theatre", "plays", etc. all mean different things and can be
used neither interchangeably nor without caution. Fine. But let's
not get so semantic-happy that we lose sight of what's really
important: the fact that we can discuss a concept called "medieval
performing arts" or "medieval drama" or whatever means that there is
some rough definition which includes some forms and excludes others.
I think that we can all agree that, say, the 2nd Shepherds' Play
qualifies as "medieval drama"; that the Crusades, though theatrical in
many ways, were not drama; and that Machiavelli's _Mandragola_, though
written prior to some plays we would call "Medieval", is itself the
product of [another loaded term] the Renaissance.
I would also argue strenuously that Clifford's assertion that the
search for origins is "not only unanswerable but useless" is
profoundly flawed. At worst, seeking answers which cannot be found is
non-rational [as is all art]. And the search for origins of any kind
("where did *** come from?", replacing *** with "I", "the universe",
whatever) strikes me as one of the most essential questions we all
ask: the foundation of much art and even more science.
Finally, I endorse the historically-grounded approach that virtually
everyone seems to be taking. The audience, the economic system, the
political climate -- all this affects performance in profound ways.
But to follow up on Milla's distinction, the fact that different kinds
of presentation imply different *genres* does not mean that they imply
different *media*: my old college friend who has made his living for
years kicking a football does something profoundly different from what
a linebacker does, but both play football. (Interestingly, the people
most likely to argue this point are current or former players
[in other words, the experts!], who regard kicking as "other").
Ah, well, I digress. Thanks again to all. It's good to be back.
Rick Jones
Cornell College
=========================================================================
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1992 11:06:00 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: NAOMI LIEBLER
Subject: RE: Archeology...
Dear Jesse and/or anyone else who can tell me,
Ignore the Subject heading on this message: I pulled it out of my directory of
stored messages. I've had some requests by members of the SHAKSPER listserver
network (guess what the area of interest is) for information on how to
subscribe to PERFORM (after I put in a really enthusiastic plug for it). The
thing is, I can't remember how I entered my own subscription in the first
place, having to use INTERNET. The "address" that I know, and that works, is
for BITNET, but some of us are on INTERNET networks. I know that when I joined
PERFORM via INTERNET I did it by a number of trials and errors. One of them
finally worked, obviously, but my memory doesn't.
Help. And thanx.
--Naomi C. Liebler
=========================================================================
Date: Sun, 25 Oct 1992 17:49:00 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: MRIGGIO@TRINCC.BITNET
Subject: Re: Archeology...
Dear Naomi:
I'll let a better computer buff than I give you instructions for joining
PERFORM> But how about doing us all a favor and giving us instructions
on how to join SHAKESPER. Some people have asked for this information
for the MRDS newsletter, and I'd like to have it myself. So, can you
help? We can trade instructions.
Thanks,
Milla Riggio
=========================================================================
Date: Sun, 25 Oct 1992 16:09:00 CST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Rick Jones
Subject: SHAKSPER list folk
Naomi --
Fear not. As another loyal fan of both SHAKSPER and PERFORM, I
forwarded the PERFORM internet address to SHAKSPER yesterday...
because SHAKSPER requires human interaction (they don't use a LISTSERV
system), I guess the message hasn't been posted yet. Soon, though.
--Rick
=========================================================================
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1992 09:22:00 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: NAOMI LIEBLER
Subject: RE: SHAKSPER list folk
Rick--
You're the best! Thanks very much. And while you're up, could you also tell
PERFORMers how to subscribe to SHAKSPER, and get me off that hook as well?
Cheers.
--Naomi
=========================================================================
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1992 11:38:00 CST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Rick Jones
Subject: SHAKSPER list
Naomi asked me to send along info to Milla et al. about joining the
SHAKSPER list:
What I'd recommend is sending a message directly to the list editor,
Hardy M. Cook, at . Joining the list isn't
automatic: you'll need to send along a brief autobiography (used for
"getting to know you" purposes; no one is turned down). And be ready:
the initial member package is a stack of several files totalling a
couple thousand lines.
For what it's worth, I really recommend the list very highly.
Cheers.
Rick Jones
=========================================================================
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1992 17:32:00 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: NAOMI LIEBLER
Subject: RE: SHAKSPER list
Rick,
Again, my deep thanks for supplying what I was asked to supply. I owe you one.
Cheers,
Naomi
=========================================================================
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 1992 11:02:30 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: acarr@ALLEG.EDU
Subject: Simple Question
Dear Folks,
A colleague would like to get on the PERFORM listserve, and I have
somehow misplaced the very simple instructions about how to do that.
Could somebody post them, or email me direct.
Comments about my head, and its method of attachment, will be also
be expected.
Thanks much.
Amelia Carr
=========================================================================
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 1992 12:30:41 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: acarr@ALLEG.EDU
Subject: Re: Simple Question
Dear Colleagues,
Thanks for your quick responses--we're practically in Real Time!
I've now sent instructions for joining PERFORM along, and hope to
have a new member soon.
Amelia Carr
=========================================================================
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 1992 12:37:37 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Jesse Hurlbut
Subject: Subscribing to Perform
Of course, anyone reading this message has already successfully subscribed,
but since this is the second request for this info this week, I'll post
it here. Please feel free to distribute this to anyone who may be interested
in joining PERFORM.
Send a mail message to LISTSERV@IUBVM. The first and ONLY line of text
should read:
SUB PERFORM Your Name
The message is read by a machine, so, you don't need to worry about filling
in the Subject blanks or any forms of politeness. You don't even need to
use capital letters--although your name will go in exactly as you type it.
Just about as quick as your mail is delivered, you'll get a canned response
informing you that you have been added to the list of subscribers.
Once you've signed on, if you want to send a message to the list (to be
distributed to all subscribers), address your mail to PERFORM@IUBVM.
If you need to access PERFORM via the Internet (as opposed to Bitnet),
use the equivalent Internet node addresses: LISTSERV@IUBVM.UCS.INDIANA.EDU
and PERFORM@IUBVM.UCS.INDIANA.EDU respectively.
The List Owners
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1992 16:11:17 EST
Reply-To: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
Sender: PERFORM - Medieval Performing Arts
From: Doug Rutledge <71222.472@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject: SIGNUP
Doug Rutledge
My name is Doug Rutledge. I teach at Capital University. I do some
research into Medieval subjects and would enjoy being part of this
project.
Thanks,
Doug R.