ENTERTAINMENT Entertainment played a major part in medieval society. The rich used jesters and minstrels to provide a form of entertainment. Music, theatre and jousting and festivals were entertainment that was enjoyed by all classes, upper and peasant. There were other forms of entertainment which included: sports, board games, carnivals, dance and fairs. These are just some types of activities that medieval culture took great delight in.
Jesters A jester often called the ?court fool? was a professional entertainer or clown usually kept by a king, lord or noble. It was his duty to entertain his lord and he earned his money by performing silly antics. Some of these tricks were juggling, acrobatic stunts and other comedian feats. They were expected to be witty with words, making funny puns and twisting words around. They wore brightly coloured clothing decorated in bells and a pointed hat and shoes. Their trade was not a loved one and they were often treated badly by society.
The Liber usualis uses square notation, as in this...
Tournament by Jörg Breu the Elder 1510s, depictin...
Equipment of an Tournament (medieval) for a Saxon ...Minstrels A minstrel was a musician who sang or recited to the accompaniment of instruments usually to both upper and peasant classes. Minstrels played many different types of instruments including the harp or flute. Most minstrels travelled all over the country and would usually go to manors and castles. He would perform there and in return he would expect to be fed and receive the gift of clothes. The songs minstrels sang within castle walls were in French and were about knights? honour, love and great battles. Whereas the songs sung outside castle walls were in English and told stories of Robin Hood and were about satires of social positions.
Music Main instruments used in the Middle Ages were bells, cornets, harps, viols, rebecs, fiddles and lutes. Dance music was like the Scottish bagpipes. It was lively and...