Decline of the Gurdy
"Material folklore takes a number of different forms....Permanent or not, material culture is tangible - it can be touched, seen eaten, or lived in. In many cases, these material objects are handcrafted, but they may also be mass-produced items, such as holiday decorations, toys, or artifacts, that are used in expressive ways." (Sims and Stephens 2011)
"Traditions do far more than connect us to the past. They link us to family, friends, neighbors, and other groups we belong to; they are apart of who we are and how we define ourselves. Whether we consciously create them, join those that already exist, or ease into them when we are born, we engage in an active process of building and sharing identity every time we take part in traditions." (Sims and Stephens 2011)
12 Century Music Decline
Medieval music was both sacred and secular, but took a steady decline during the crusades. Also during this time the Mongol invasion of Europe had covered most of Eastern Europe and even reached parts of Central Europe. The Mongol empire has a national instrument at the time, which created prejudice against other kinds of instruments.
As in most times in history, the arts suffer when war is rampant.
15th Century Music Guilds
In the 15th century the advent of music guilds began to become popular among many cities. The reason for their popularity was that music guilds were the only place you could legally hire a musician to perform. This method of guild control made it so that traveling performers could not play music in town, a way of keeping local jobs local.
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"If men of rank played the vielle as a rule, it would not be regarded with such contempt. But because it is played only by the poor, and particularly by the blind men who earn their living from the instrument, it is held in less esteem than others, but then it is not as pleasing." (Greene 2016)
