Raoul the Urbane
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 Eyana bat David, Elizabeth of Esvere, Raoul the Urbane, Sarah Telyn, Thelin von Kallenbach | ||||||||||
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 Per bend sinister purpure and azure, a bend sinister counterchanged, upon the lines of division three German flutes bendwise sinister throughout argent, each pierced of seven holes sable. | ||||||||||
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Master Raoul was elevated to the Order of the Laurel for Musical Performance and Composition on 10/31/1979 by TRM Gregory and Arianyn
Persona
Offices & Positions
- Founder, Markheim Consort, May 1980
Event Staff
Classes Taught
Projects & Publications
Memories
I knew Master Raoul the Urbane as "Uncle Ralph." His name was mentioned in the "Queen Carol's Guide" published by the West Kingdom. Outside the SCA he was an internationally recognized flautist. He described the SCA as an organization built on "Food, Fighting, and Folderol." He was friendly, a little goofy, but extremely serious when it came to music. He intentionally used music to bring together different personalities - some of whom could not otherwise stand each other. But he made them play music together and like it. He always had a bag of recorders and he could create a consortium out of people who had never played a note in their lives. He did this by showing the inexperienced a single fingering on the recorder, and had them play to a beat as drones. Those with a little more experience he had play a repeating melody. For those with more experience, he led them into whatever they could fancy. The result was always surprisingly rich. If Raoul was at an event, there was going to be music. I am told that Raoul composed the original Caidan fanfares, but that was before my time and I never heard them. I was also told that many of the common dances used in Caid in those days were period pieces simplified by Raoul, but I'm not a musical historian so I really don't know. But he was a great friend and I never saw him show anything but kindness to anyone.
