In medieval times, the performance of a song for the person you liked under her window or balcony was considered a standard of behavior for a man in love. How such a tradition came about is hard to say. However, some information about the rules for its execution has been preserved. What is serenade who sang it?
Songs of Wandering Musicians
Possession of the secret addition of sounds to a melody pleasant to hearing, the performance of it on musical instruments has been respected and welcomed in all countries of the world for all centuries. Talented poets and singers walked around cities and towns, delighting and surprising the inhabitants with their art. In different places they were called in their own way:
- ancient Greek wandering poets - rhapsodies;
- singers of the North European peoples - bards;
- in Spain, Italy - by troubadours;
- in England and France - minstrels.
Traveling, musicians not only earned a living by entertaining the society with their performances. They got acquainted with customs and creativity in other countries, transferred some elements of culture from one people to another.
What is serenade in music?
The definition clearly states that it is a love song performed by a troubadour in the open air. Under the accompaniment of a mandolin, lute or guitar, the knights expressed their refined and noble feelings for beautiful ladies. Some of them could in the evenings bring out voice roulades about love tirelessly. In contrast to the morning chants, alboradas, serenades were sung in the evenings, which was reflected in the name of the genre.
The chivalrous times ended, and the romantic tradition of nightly love concerts remained. And if the lady’s admirer did not have vocal and poetic talents, he was not forbidden to hire a troubadour or a whole ensemble of professionals to express his feelings.
Subsequently, love-style music was written for small orchestras. Usually such an accompaniment was ordered by more noble and wealthy lovers.
In the future, when traditions changed somewhat, the question of what a serenade was, it was possible to answer that these are calm melodies performed by a chamber orchestra that accompany a venerable family vacation in the fresh air.
How has the art of troubadours changed?
At one time, serenades for the Haydn and Mozart orchestra were written to order. Then the genre, gradually fading away, was transformed into a romance. What is serenade in music today? This is a vocal piece for performance accompanied by a chamber orchestra. Among the most popular compositions, we will name the “Serenade” by F. Schubert, whose words cry out for love: “My song, fly with supplication at night time ...”
Romantic traditions for a private night concert
For both the knight and any lover, there was an unwritten code of conduct, a kind of scenario. After all, what is serenade, not only every girl in medieval Europe knew . The music was heard by residents of the surrounding houses, so everything had to happen according to tradition. Moreover, the ladies did not just sit on their balconies, contemplating what was happening. They could sigh loudly and cheer on the singer or boo and chase away. So, a knight (a fan who decided on an open expression of sympathy) was supposed to:
- learn to sing with a guitar and compose verses;
- dress appropriately for the occasion;
- stock up on a bunch of fresh flowers;
- stand under the lady’s balcony or under her window within earshot and visibility;
- take the first chords and wait for some kind of reaction of the “object of adoration” (moving the curtains, a loud sigh or a cry of approval);
- start the performance, praising its beauty, the harmony of the camp, the kindness of the soul and your love for the owner of all this.
What is serenade? This is a private communication of lovers in the Middle Ages. If a lady likes the number and its performer (the customer of the song), she will appear in the window or go out onto the balcony, throw the knight a meaningful look, a flower or (secretly from prying eyes) a rope ladder. A knight must climb it, regardless of the height from which it was lowered. In any case, the prepared bouquet must be presented to the lady, at least throwing it out the window.
If the troubadour song, serenade, musical composition performed by the ensemble did not inspire the girl, she could ridicule the performance, turn away and leave, loudly slamming the door.
A persistent fan will appear in the morning and sing to his beloved alborada.