"THE LEGEND OF TRISTAN & ISEULT"
The long, dark nights of Medieval Europe were rich with stories. But one legend was told and beloved beyond all others, The Romance of Tristan and Iseult. Filled with love, passion, magic, and death, it captivated the listeners because it was the very mirror of their own hearts, minds and souls. And to raise the telling beyond the power of words there was music: the vielle, the harp, the drum, the psaltery, and the singing voice. All this made for evenings of brilliance and enchantment throughout the Middle Ages. In “The Legend of Tristan and Iseult” Patrick Ball, Shira Kammen and Tim Rayborn bring this same enchantment into our own time and place.
Patrick Ball: Celtic Harp, Spoken Word. www.patrickball.com
--- “Patrick Ball casts a haunting spell...” (Washington Post)
--- “Richly theatrical...hauntingly beautiful.” (St. Petersburg Times)
Shira Kammen: Vielle, Medieval Harp, Voice. www.shirakammen.com
--- “A wonderfully sophisticated and inventive performer on vielle and medieval harp...an expert singer...always providing a firm foundation of stylistic knowledge and creative musicianship.” (The Boston Globe)
Tim Rayborn: Lute, Psaltery, Medieval Harp, Percussion, Voice. www.timrayborn.com
--- “A world-class talent in the field of ancient music." Magnatune
--- "Tim Rayborn’s playing is quite extraordinary, with all the technique of a virtuoso." Sacramento News and Review
Background Notes -
Twenty five years ago I discovered a small, beautifully bound volume of The Romance of Tristan and Iseult. Ever since then, I wanted to tell this marvelous medieval story in performance. Its great themes of love, passion, magic, honor and death captivated me, just as they captivated the troubadours and minstrels of the Middle Ages. But, it's a deep, daunting tale, one which demanded more time and dedication than I was prepared to give. So, the years went by and I tended to other stories, other projects. Occasionally, though, I would take down the book and work on an adaptation that would fit this long tale into one night's telling. Finally, I took a deep breath and began to prepare the story for the stage.
The one element of the performance I was determined to have was layers of music underscoring the story and standing on its own in the natural pauses in the narration. I had little background in Early Music. But, whenever I listened to it, I found it every bit as bewitching as the story of Tristan and Iseult itself and the perfect atmosphere in which to tell this medieval tale. So, I proposed a collaboration with these two wonderful musicians whose work I had admired for a long time, hoping that they might be as drawn to the story as I. As it turned out, they all loved the idea and we set out on this adventure together.
For 6 years, we presented the tale in cathedrals, concerts halls, and theaters throughout the United States. This double CD is a studio recording of that performance.
This CD is unique - the first fully realized English language recording of the tale where the story is told as a medieval storyteller might have presented it, and where all the music is performed on the instruments of the time.
We hope you enjoy it.
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