As we get ready for Pennsic, I find myself reflecting on what it means to be part of the SCA. Of my songs, the one that speaks to that the most powerfully is “Lady of the Rose”.
I enjoy and take pride in this piece on a number of levels. The process of writing, recording, and performing it deepened my connection to being part of the SCA considerably. It required more research than anything else I’ve written to date (interviewing three members of the Order of the Ladies of the Rose to understand their experiences). And while it is about a very specific experience (the emotional journey of being queen of an SCA kingdom), the more time I spend in the Society, the more I recognize how many parts of our game this piece captures. It tends to evoke a reaction like no other from fellow Scadians when they hear it for the first time (royals and populace alike), which tells me I got something right.
My plan for the recorded song was as ambitious as anything on Hidden Gold (incorporating four separate female harmony parts, with the voices of women in different stages of life), and the result provides proportionate satisfaction to me. I hope you enjoy it also.
Drake Oranwood 