The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle

What do women desire most? Arthur has to find the answer or lose his head. A hideous hag offers to help, but only if Sir Gawain will marry her.

The Tournament of Tottenham

The Tournament of Tottenham is a comic story from medieval England. It may have been performed like this, accompanied by a vielle.

Peasants from the village of Tottenham stage an elaborate tournament for the hand of Tyb. They fight with flails for weapons, winnowing fans for shields, and bowls for helmets.

Sir Orfeo

Orfeo plays his harp to win back his wife from the King of Faerie.

LM Zaerr - narration and vielle

Laura Zaerr - harp

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain chops off the Green Knight's head, but the severed head summons Gawain to a terrible quest in a strange realm far from King Arthur's court.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with Vielle

Sir Gawain beheads the Green Knight, but the knight doesn’t die. He picks up his head, commands Gawain to find him in one year, and then rides away. In this recording of lines 417-66, I have adapted the Jungere Titurel melody, and I play a vielle with Jerome of Moravia's first tuning.