Songs for Self-Flagellation

Subject: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 May 14 - 07:52 PM

This is intriguing. One of the earliest examples of folk song collection was a monk noting down the songs of flagellants during the Black Death:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisslerlieder

I don't have the books they refer to and haven't heard or seen the song in question. Anyone?

Meanwhile. Somebody pointed this out to me, a song for beating yourself with birch twigs in a sauna:

Tapio Rautavaara: sauna song

The tune is a variant of the daft Norwegian polka known in Scotland as "The Hoy Song" because you shout "HOY!!!" at one point. (You don't in the sauna version).

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 May 14 - 07:57 PM

Oops. The flagellant songs are easily available on the web, albeit in non-mensural notation:

http://www.danielmitsui.com/hieronymus/index.blog/1855432/songs-of-the-flagellants/

It's mindboggling that people could still walk after beating themselves through such long songs. The experience must have been nearly as grim as listening to "American Pie".

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 May 14 - 05:22 AM

My ex-wife had been a Franciscan nun before I met her, and they were required to flagellate themselves with ropes - once a week, I believe. It was supposed to be symbolic and not to the point of pain or injury, but some of the girls got carried away. The practice ended in the 1960s for most, but some members of the conservative Catholic Opus Dei still practice ritual self-flagellation.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: GUEST,Triplane
Date: 19 May 14 - 09:19 AM

Christy Moore mentions flagellation in the lyrics of Newer concert version of Delirium Tremens

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: RTim
Date: 19 May 14 - 09:39 AM

Isn't "Self Flagellaton" just a Tin Whistle solo?

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: Bill D
Date: 19 May 14 - 11:28 AM

arrggg... Tim, go to your room!   ☺

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: Alan Day
Date: 19 May 14 - 01:08 PM

Any twenty verse song would do it.
Al

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: Jack Campin
Date: 19 May 14 - 04:44 PM

BTW there is a Finnish Wikipedia page about that beating-yourself-with-branches-in-the-sauna song:

Löylyä lissää

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: GUEST,Ian Gill
Date: 19 May 14 - 05:21 PM

Many years ago I directed a play called 'Everyman'[by 'Anon',of course]in the original Middle English. There is a bit towards the end where Everyman whips himself to the cue " In the name of the Holy Trinity/My body shall sore punished be/Take this, body, for the sins of the flesh !" [or some such tosh].
It took a while in rehearsals to work out there had to be a diversion or distraction of some kind as this was being performed in the round and the poor fellow playing the title role really was hurting himself. A good distracting tune and a snap lighting change did the trick. The tune was written by a cast member [Helen Miller]during a lunch break to the instructions: 'Must be in a minor key and be 16 bar AB format' It sounds rather like Bacca Pipes Jig in atmosphere but with a few melodic and chordal differences.
I christened it 'The Scourge' and after the run of the play started playing it in sessions. Some ten years later I heard it in another part of the country, note for note, played as a 'Trad English' tune. The folk process is a remarkable thing.

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 19 May 14 - 05:31 PM

Bushes and Briars must come close.

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 19 May 14 - 05:31 PM

Whip Jamboree?

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 20 May 14 - 09:08 AM

Masochism Tango courtesy of Tom Lehrer

Subject: RE: Songs for Self-Flagellation
From: Michael
Date: 20 May 14 - 10:34 AM

I've seen plenty of artists flogging their CDs; is this self flagellation by proxy?