Anyone for Tennyson? (The May King) (Arthur)

from Bringing In The May (EP) by Peacock's Tale Musical Storytelling

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Tennyson's paean of praise for the best king we never had; the one boss you could have worked for. His words already seem to have the melodies (and even the percussion) in place. The Saxon May King Robin Hood (track 2) based on the historical figure Hereward the Wake, is a people's champion. The older Celtic British Arthur, rooted in the British resistance to Saxon invasion and in Celtic mythology, is more associated with a magical court.

The May King as a boy/god/ spirit of summer fights for the light against overwhelming odds aided by good magic. (Love). The might of Gwalchmei (later called Sir Gawain) waxes with the summer and wanes with the winter. The force that through the green fuse drives the flower...

Out of this came a spontaneous riff on Child Ballad 1 (see credits)

lyrics

'Blow, trumpet, for the world is white with May;
Blow trumpet, the long night hath rolled away!
Blow through the living world—"Let the King reign."

'Shall Rome or Heathen rule in Arthur's realm?
Flash brand and lance, fall battleaxe upon helm,
Fall battleaxe, and flash brand! Let the King reign.

'Strike for the King and live! his knights have heard
That God hath told the King a secret word.
Fall battleaxe, and flash brand! Let the King reign.

'Blow trumpet! he will lift us from the dust.
Blow trumpet! live the strength and die the lust!
Clang battleaxe, and clash brand! Let the King reign.

'Strike for the King and die! and if thou diest,
The King is King, and ever wills the highest.
Clang battleaxe, and clash brand! Let the King reign.

'Blow, for our Sun is mighty in his May!
Blow, for our Sun is mightier day by day!
Clang battleaxe, and clash brand! Let the King reign.

'The King will follow Christ, and we the King
In whom high God hath breathed a secret thing.
Fall battleaxe, and flash brand! Let the King reign.'

Tennyson from 'The Coming of Arthur'

What is greener than the grass?
Lay the bent to the bonny broom
What is smoother than a glass?
And you'll beguile the lady soon.
What is louder than a horn?
Lay the bent to the bonny broom
What is sharper than a thorn?
And you'll beguile the lady soon.
What is deeper than the sea?
Lay the bent to the bonny broom
What is longer than a Way?
And you'll beguile the lady soon.

Child Ballad 1 (Riddles Wisely Expounded)

credits

from Bringing In The May (EP), track released May 1, 2021
from our EP Bringing In The May, released April 30, 2021
That's Maz on acoustic guitar and vocals; me on voice, percussion, acoustic and electric bass.
Alfred Lawn Tennyson wrote the main poem, an extract from Idylls of the King about the coronation of the May King which he called "The Coming of Arthur".
The 'hermit chapel' pictured is St Peter's in the heart of Cambridge, which Tennyson would have probably have known.
The sample of Child Ballad 1 as the track closes (we heard Anais Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer's brilliant 2013 version on Liz Franklin's folk programme ) is in the Celtic tradition of 'impossible' quests or riddles set which if achieved will be rewarded by marriage with fair lady
The answers to the riddles are: envy, flattery, rumour, regret, love.

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Peacock's Tale Musical Storytelling Sedgeford, UK

It's all right, folks, we're married. A marriage of melody and rhythm ( flirting with harmony & timbre.) Old married woke folk, indie, Norfolk noir, beat poems, ghazals & Americana for the world from NW Norfolk. Maz lead & harmony vocals, acoustic guitar. Gaz lead & harmony vocals, drum & bass. Traditional tunes with contemporary beats.
garethcalway.blogspot.com/p/doin-different.html ... more

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