Musical practice in the Dragaeran Empire is divided into two major categories: Compositional Music and Social Music.
Of these, Compositional is considered the superior form, comprising the bulk of musical entertainment made and performed for the higher-classes of nobility, such as The Dragons, The Lyorn, The Athyra, The Dzur, and the Issola.
Social music is more common, and caters more to the lesser nobility and the Teckla. These performances usually take place in less formal settings, such as Inns and Pubs.
Most music in Dragaera is performed solo or in small groups. (What some would call "Chamber Music.") Larger ensembles mostly play Compositional Music, and are most likely to be found performing in venues located in the Palace District of Adrilankha.
Large cities such as Adrilankha or Harte may also sponsor peasant orchestras. These are likely rather smaller ensembles than the orchestras that we are used to, and their traditional instrumentation includes violin, bagpipe, fretted demkor, and slimwhistle.
We also know from a dialogue between Khaavren and Daro of several other instruments that were known in the last years of Tortaalik's reign. These include the following: reed-pipes, chanter-pipes, wood-pipes, brass-pipes, polychords, idiophones (clappers, knockers, and cymbals), membranophones, and the organophone. This might imply a much larger system of orchestration at that time.
Various minstrels perform in large cities, such as Adrilankha, and others wander from town to town in the countryside. Many are members of the Minstrel's Guild.
In Adrilankha, various persons arrange bookings for performers with tavern owners. As is true anywhere, some of these persons are more honest and reliable than others.
- See also Meta:Music of Dragaera.
Notable Musicians of Dragaera[]
and his group, consisting of:
- Andler
- Dav-Hoel
- Thoddi
- Adham
- Bastrai -- A famous violinist
- Levhas -- A Noted Musician and Composer
- Sindra -- Author of The Song of the Presses
- Kota
- Beed'n -- Cavalier Minstrel of the 16th Cycle - A famous composer of military marching songs