Items of Note

Music - Venere Lute Quartet
"Aery Entertainments"
Mees Hall, Capital University, Columbus, Ohio
February 20, 2009

Presented by Early Music in Columbus

One of few professional lute ensembles, the Venere Lute Quartet performs
Renaissance and Baroque masterworks and is actively expanding the surviving
lute ensemble repertoire with its own arrangements. In its Columbus debut,
the quartet will perform works by Palestrina, Praetorius, Sweelinck and
others. The Venere Lute Quartet is named after the Italian Renaissance
luthier Vendelio Venere, who (like Stradivarius) was regarded among the
finest luthiers of his age.

Tickets are $25, $20 (seniors), $10 (students) and are available at the
door. To order by phone, call Early Music in Columbus (614-861-4569), the
CAPA Ticket office (614-469-0939) or Ticketmaster (614-431-3600).

http://www.venerelutequartet.com/

Items of Note

News Article - A sport of kings, knights, and nomads
The Boston Globe

A short article by Jane Roy Brown on the history of falconry.

http://www.boston.com/travel/explorene/vermont/articles/2008/11/09/a_sport_of_kings_knights_and_nomads/

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Blog - A History of Cooks and Cooking

Mae's Food Blog has a review of Michael Symons' book, A History of Cooks and Cooking.

http://maefood.blogspot.com/2008/11/history-of-cooks-and-cooking.html

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Music - Vince Conaway
Louisiana Renaissance Festival, Hammond, Louisiana
November 15 & 16, 2008

"Vince is an interactive performer, believing that the audience should not be separated from the show but instead be a part of it. One of few dulcimer players to converse while performing, he also brings a bit of cultural and historical perspective to every performance. Whether performing Living History, at a bookstore, or busking on the street he holds to his guiding principles of musicianship, showmanship, and professionalism."

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Items of Note

Music - Collegium Musicum Concert
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
November 6, 2008, 7:30 PM

Recreating Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical performances

Collegium Musicum is dedicated to the historically informed performance of Western and Non-Western European music from the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras.

This fall’s concert includes music students and faculty performing a delightfully varied program directed by Janet Pollack. The concert is on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Organ Recital Hall, University Center for the Arts, 1400 Remington Street

http://events.colostate.edu/event_view.asp?EID=24135&ID=7

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Music - Vince Conaway
Louisiana Renaissance Festival, Hammond, Louisiana
November 8 & 9, 2008

"Vince is an interactive performer, believing that the audience should not be separated from the show but instead be a part of it. One of few dulcimer players to converse while performing, he also brings a bit of cultural and historical perspective to every performance. Whether performing Living History, at a bookstore, or busking on the street he holds to his guiding principles of musicianship, showmanship, and professionalism."

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Items of Note

Blog - Life Skills for the Medieval Monk #27: Calculating Easter

A short article explaining how to calculate the date of Easter using medieval methods. [Note that this method doesn't work with the Gregorian (modern) calendar]

http://sphinxfeather.livejournal.com/19611.html

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Lecture - Roots of Halloween
Plymouth Country Club, Plymouth, Massachusetts
November 1, 2008

The dark beginnings of the Celtic year, including the ancient roots of Halloween, is the subject of a lecture to be presented at the 89th annual luncheon meeting of the Plymouth Antiquarian Society from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Plymouth Country Club. The event features speaker Catherine McKenna, the Margaret Brooks Robinson Professor of Celtic Languages and Literature at Harvard University. A medieval scholar whose fascination with Celtic mythology dates back to childhood, McKenna has been named one of the nation’s top 100 influential Irish-Americans by Irish American magazine. The event includes a buffet luncheon and a cash bar. The cost is $28 per person. Prepaid reservations are required. For more information, contact the Plymouth Antiquarian Society at 508-746-0012 or by e-mail to pasm@verizon.net.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/plymouth/news/x1157491163/News-briefs

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Article - What was the Holy Grail

"The Big Question: What was the Holy Grail, and why our centuries-old fascination with it?" A good news article by Jerome Taylor discussing the history and mythology about the Holy Grail.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/the-big-question-what-was-the-holy-grail-and-why-our-centuriesold-fascination-with-it-968557.html

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Music - Vince Conaway
Louisiana Renaissance Festival, Hammond, Louisiana
November 1 &2, 2008

"Vince is an interactive performer, believing that the audience should not be separated from the show but instead be a part of it. One of few dulcimer players to converse while performing, he also brings a bit of cultural and historical perspective to every performance. Whether performing Living History, at a bookstore, or busking on the street he holds to his guiding principles of musicianship, showmanship, and professionalism."

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Items of Note

Conference - Texts and Contexts
Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
October 31 - November 1, 2008

Texts and Contexts: A conference at The Ohio State University, sponsored by The Center for Epigraphical and Palaeographical Studies.

The conference seeks to investigate the textual traditions of various texts and genres, including texts in classical Latin, mediaeval Latin, Anglo-Saxon, Middle English, and the vernaculars. Preference will be given to those abstracts which deal with newly discovered texts and their manuscript settings, or which present new perspectives on established textual traditions. We encourage graduate students and newly established scholars to submit their work.

Plenary speaker: Keith Busby, University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Music - Vince Conaway
Louisiana Renaissance Festival, Hammond, Louisiana
November 1 &2, 2008

"Vince is an interactive performer, believing that the audience should not be separated from the show but instead be a part of it. One of few dulcimer players to converse while performing, he also brings a bit of cultural and historical perspective to every performance. Whether performing Living History, at a bookstore, or busking on the street he holds to his guiding principles of musicianship, showmanship, and professionalism."

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Items of Note

Blog - Medieval Cooking Experiment #3: Not really medieval
Tavelorn's Journal

A detailed and useful description of Tavelorn's experiment in grinding wheat to make bread.

http://tavelorn.livejournal.com/67939.html

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Blog - Heroes of the Faith

A long, detailed, and well-written article about the Venerable Bede (c. 672–25 May 735), the historian and scholar.

http://calvinistcs2.blogspot.com/2008/10/heroes-of-faith-bede-ipa-bid-also-saint.html

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Music - Wolgemut
Maryland Renaissance Festival, Annapolis, Maryland
October 18 & 19, 2008

"Wolgemut draws on a wide range of performers who come from various artistic backgrounds. This leads to a distinctive sound and feeling for the group. Music, dance, theatre, classical music, folk music and musicology are just a few of the areas covered by their combined experience and education. "

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Music - Vince Conaway
King Richard's Renaissance Faire, Carver, Massachusetts
October 18 & 19, 2008

"Vince is an interactive performer, believing that the audience should not be separated from the show but instead be a part of it. One of few dulcimer players to converse while performing, he also brings a bit of cultural and historical perspective to every performance. Whether performing Living History, at a bookstore, or busking on the street he holds to his guiding principles of musicianship, showmanship, and professionalism."

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Items of Note

Restaurant - Rozengrals (Latvia)

A medieval restaurant in Riga, Latvia that puts the Medieval Times places to shame. It has a much more authentic atmosphere and a menu that - while it does make a couple of typical mistakes (e.g. tomato, pumpkin) - looks promising. If I were only going to be anywhere even remotely close to Latvia I'd be all over this place, but sadly it's not likely anytime this decade.

http://www.rozengrals.lv/

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News - York food festival goes back in time

A short article (with video) about the 200 York Festival Of Food & Drink, which this year included some foods from history.

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/3710287.York_food_festival_goes_back_in_time/

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News - Medieval Portuguese Shipwreck Found

ORANJEMUND, Namibia (AFP) - Archaeologists are racing against the little time left to salvage a fortune in coins and items from a 500-year-old Portuguese shipwreck found recently off Namibia's rough southern coast.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/namibiaportugalarchaeologyshipping

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Music - Wolgemut
Maryland Renaissance Festival, Annapolis, Maryland
October 11 & 12, 2008

"Wolgemut draws on a wide range of performers who come from various artistic backgrounds. This leads to a distinctive sound and feeling for the group. Music, dance, theatre, classical music, folk music and musicology are just a few of the areas covered by their combined experience and education. "

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Music - Vince Conaway
King Richard's Renaissance Faire, Carver, Massachusetts
October 11 & 12, 2008

"Vince is an interactive performer, believing that the audience should not be separated from the show but instead be a part of it. One of few dulcimer players to converse while performing, he also brings a bit of cultural and historical perspective to every performance. Whether performing Living History, at a bookstore, or busking on the street he holds to his guiding principles of musicianship, showmanship, and professionalism."

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Items of Note

Miscellaneous - Catalan Festa Calendar

A short article about the modern Catalan calendar of religious holidays. While some of these holidays are new, and some have moved around a bit since the middle ages, it still provides a bit of perspective on medieval practices.

http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=112065

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Blog Entry - A Compound Salad

An easy recipe for a very mixed salad. (England, 17th c.)

http://thepapillonpantry.blogspot.com/2008/09/compound-salad.html

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Music - Wolgemut
Maryland Renaissance Festival, Annapolis, Maryland
October 4 & 5, 2008

"Wolgemut draws on a wide range of performers who come from various artistic backgrounds. This leads to a distinctive sound and feeling for the group. Music, dance, theatre, classical music, folk music and musicology are just a few of the areas covered by their combined experience and education. "

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Music - Vince Conaway
King Richard's Renaissance Faire, Carver, Massachusetts
October 4 & 5, 2008

"Vince is an interactive performer, believing that the audience should not be separated from the show but instead be a part of it. One of few dulcimer players to converse while performing, he also brings a bit of cultural and historical perspective to every performance. Whether performing Living History, at a bookstore, or busking on the street he holds to his guiding principles of musicianship, showmanship, and professionalism."

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Items of Note

News - Dering Roll acquired by the British Library

The Dering Roll, the oldest extant English roll of arms, dating from c. 1270-1280, has been acquired by the British Library following a successful fundraising campaign. The Roll depicts 324 coats of arms, approximately a quarter of the entire English baronage during the reign of King Edward I, making it a vital record for the study of knighthood in medieval England.

http://www.bl.uk/news/2008/pressrelease20080902.html

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Event - Coronation (SCA)
Edgewood, Kentucky
September 27, 2008

From the head cook: "Recipes prepared in Scandinavian cultures during the Viking Era are far and few between. Dining information can be gleaned from reading the Sagas and archeological digs to get a broad view of the types of food that were eaten and how they were prepared. I used those sources to assemble my version of nattmal. An additional source used for the meal is “On the observance of foods” written by Anthimus in 6th century AD written as a health treatise for the Frankish court."

(Feast will be prepared by Baroness Artimesia Grimaldi)

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Video - Cosentino Goes Medieval on a Pig's Head

Brief commentary and a link to a video of Chef Chris Cosentino preparing a pig head to make Porchetta di Testa. It's not medieval, but some of it (removing the fur, hair, & bristles) is relevant.

http://www.yumdiary.com/2008/09/cosentino-goes-medieval-on-pigs-head_20.html

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Music - Wolgemut
Maryland Renaissance Festival, Annapolis, Maryland
October 4 & 5, 2008

Gates open at 10:00 am; Several performances daily, please see daily schedule for times and stages.

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Music - Vince Conaway
King Richard's Renaissance Faire, Carver, Massachusetts
October 4 & 5, 2008

"Vince is an interactive performer, believing that the audience should not be separated from the show but instead be a part of it. One of few dulcimer players to converse while performing, he also brings a bit of cultural and historical perspective to every performance. Whether performing Living History, at a bookstore, or busking on the street he holds to his guiding principles of musicianship, showmanship, and professionalism."

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Items of Note

Event - Medieval Festival
Manhattan’s Fort Tryon Park, NY
September 28, 2008

Manhattan’s Fort Tryon Park is transformed into a medieval market town decorated with bright banners, processional flags and costumed performers and guests. Visitors are greeted by authentic medieval music, dance and magic as well as jugglers and jesters. The afternoon is concluded with a thrilling joust between four knights on horseback. Costumed vendors will be on hand to demonstrate and sell a wide variety of medieval crafts as well as food and drink. For more information call (212) 795-1600.

http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/upcoming_events/events_search.php?id=100271

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Event - Hearth Night (Regia Anglorum)
Danville, Illinois USA
11-12 October, 2008

Micel Folcland, Inc., the Wisconsin-Indiana-Illinois branch of Regia Anglorum, will be holding Hearth Night at Forest Glen Preserve on 11-12 October. Forest Glen is near Danville, Illinois, and we will again have use of the log cabin. There will be plenty of room to sleep in the cabin or to camp beside it (period tents are not required). We have access to the Gannett Center for restrooms, showers, refrigeration and to sleep if the cabin gets too cold.

The event is free, and no costume is required for attendance. Activities will include arrow-making, textiles, combat and cooking, among others. Anyone interested in the serious reenacting of British culture from 950 to 1066 ce is invited. Nonmembers may attend up to two MF events--shows or hearth nights--without joining. People may
start showing up on Friday after noon.

http://www.advancenet.net/folo/micel_folcland_hearth_night_ii.htm

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Book - Taste: The Story of Britain Through Its Cooking

Taste: The Story of Britain Through Its Cooking
Kate Colquhoun
Bloomsbury USA (October 30, 2007)
ISBN: 1596914106

Amazon.com

"Colquhoun comes into her own when the written record starts to include recipes. The spices that disappeared from the British diet when the Romans left returned with the Crusaders - and were used because of their flavour, not (in the long-discredited shibboleth) to disguise tainted meat. She says: 'If so much about the European Middle Ages seems bewilderingly remote, contemporary Moroccan food, robust and subtle by degrees, broadly unchanged for centuries, offers a hint of our own culinary past.

"The most fascinating aspect of the first half of her book, though, is to do with religion and fish. Christianity brought with it fast days and their number grew and grew - all of Advent and Lent, Fridays (the Crucifixion), Wednesdays (Judas's payday), Saturdays (Sabbath Eve) - not so irrational for an island people, but with only salt to preserve fish, drearily boring. In 1541 Henry VIII allowed eggs and dairy produce on fast days and cut the number of them by three-quarters. By the time of Bloody Mary the Friday fast had to be reinstated to protect the fishing industry."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/oct/07/booksonhealth.features