Song of the Forgotten Sea
Some years back while developing the
History of BFS webpages, I came across a webpage on
Geocities that contained background information on the song and writer and a
link to the song.
Due to various reasons that webpage
at different times disappeared
and then later reappear.
During one of the times it was gone, I located a cached copy of it
which I preserved on this
webpage for posterity,
it being a notable part of the
history of the Barony of Forgotten Sea.
Recently I was contacted by a web-master
for Mike Nichols letting me know that new webpage
had been created for the information and link to the song. I have inserted below the text of
that
webpage, so it
can be noted that the requirements of the creator
have been maintained.
[And thus replacing the text and link I did have here.]
The url for Mike Nichols' "The Shire of
Forgotten Sea" song webpage is:
http://www.witchessabbats.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31&Itemid=47
The url for Mike Nichols entire website
is:
http://www.witchessabbats.com
The Shire of the Forgotten Sea
by Mike Nichols
Background:
When I first moved to Kansas City in 1976, I became one of the
founding members of Kansas City's first chapter of the Society for Creative
Anachronism (SCA), which was to be called the Shire of the Forgotten Sea. I
adopted the persona of a 14th century Welsh bard, conveniently using my public
Craft name (and pen name), Gwydion Cinhil Kirontin. (The name was also a bow to
three of my favorite fantasy writers, Evangeline Walton, Katherine Kurtz, and
Joy Chant.) It was also under that persona that I wrote the song "The Shire of
the Forgotten Sea". I imagined myself as a bard wandering far from his beloved
homeland and yearning for his eventual return there. Although conceived as a
very personal statement, the song became something of an anthem in the early
days of the Shire's (now Barony's) history. In the interests of SCA historians
and lore-masters, I present it here:
The Shire of the Forgotten Sea
4,361 KB
Technical Notes:
The sound quality is not the best, since I was working from a
23-year-old cassette tape source which had badly deteriorated. I was able to do
some digital "restoration" but that process introduced some phasing anomalies,
which were enhanced by the MP3 encoding. Still, it sounds a LOT better than the
tape! And for historical purposes, it's not bad at all.
Performance Rights:
Permission is granted for the public performance of this song
only as long as no lyrics or musical content is changed, credit is publicly
given to the composer, and it is performed without cost to others, and is not
part of a for-profit venue. Other performances of this song must be approved in
writing by
Mike Nichols
Reproduction Rights:
Permission is granted for the analog or digital reproduction of
this song only as long as the content is essentially unchanged, the tape or file
carries the composer's name, and it is transmitted and used without cost to
others, and is not part of a for-profit collection. Other reproductions of this
song must be approved in writing by
Mike Nichols
Transcription Rights:
Permission is granted for the written transcription of the music
and/or lyrics to this song only as long as they are not changed, written credit
is given to the composer, and it is transmitted and used without cost to others,
and is not part of a for-profit collection. Other written transcriptions of this
song must be approved in writing by
Mike Nichols
Document Copyright © 1983 - 2009 by Mike
Nichols.
Website redesign by Bengalhome
Internet Services, © 2009
Permission is given to re-publish this document only
as long as no information is lost or changed, credit is given to the author, and
it is provided or used without cost to others.
Other uses of this document must be approved in writing by
Mike Nichols