CMNS 321 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Minstrel, Griot, Juggling
Document Summary
A history of popular music: the birth of an industry. All around entertainer: musician, juggler, story-teller, etc. Hired to perform in private homes and at events. Social outsiders, nomads; condemned by church for paganism and supposed magical practices. Served as reporters; mobility of jongleur represented important way that information circulated. Traveling cultural historians, news distributors, political propagandists, and entertainers. Still exists in parts of west africa. Jongleur went from nomad to domestic servant: property of the royal court. Played when they were commanded to, and belonged entirely to their lord. Fully played only whatever the commander wanted. Remained at bottom of social hierarchy even though they had the (cid:858)(cid:373)ost desired(cid:859) jo(cid:271)s: felt their la(cid:271)our (cid:449)as (cid:374)ot (cid:271)ei(cid:374)g re(cid:272)og(cid:374)ized a(cid:374)d that they (cid:449)ere(cid:374)(cid:859)t getti(cid:374)g paid enough. Jongleur suffered a decline in social status; became amateur musician/beggar by the late (cid:1005)4(cid:1004)(cid:1004)(cid:859)s. Music was being written for royal weddings, funerals, or victory celebrations.