PBS program - building siege engine

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Wed Jul 17, 2002 3:11 pm

There was a program on last night, something about 'lost empires'. This was the second one I saw, the first being about some modern engineers trying to build an old Roman bath, using old Roman techniques.

This one was about building a proper siege engine, or trebuchet, that could take down a castle wall from outside an archer's bow range. Anyway, they did manage to build two lovely weapons of medieval mass destruction, but the topical thing was this guy was on the site, playing a hornpipe on a standard brass body/green fipple whistle.

I was VERY relieved that when I finally got it figured out that he was playing a hornpipe I know well, I realized that this guy was NOT playing it tremendously well. What gave me a REALLY BIG CHARGE is that he played it ON CAMERA for a bazillion people, ANYWAY. Folk music is for the folks.... I'm happy as a clam when I see one played by the average Joe/Jane/Cat who isn't self conscious about not being Joanie whatshername or Davey whomeverheis.

Jane · Post by **Jane** » Wed Jul 17, 2002 3:16 pm

There's a truth! Awful and underexposed as I am I love it. That which is not painful anyhow.

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Wed Jul 17, 2002 3:52 pm

Hi,this sounds like a great programme i saw a year or so back(how many programmes have been made about building medieval seige engines anyway?).If it is the same one,there is an absolutely great scene where the trebouchet-like a giant slingshot-is used to propel an old upright piano across a field!!.err...they weren't aiming at the whistle player were they? (!)

Brian Lee · Post by **Brian Lee** » Wed Jul 17, 2002 8:31 pm

So what was the tune?????????

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Wed Jul 17, 2002 11:40 pm

On 2002-07-17 17:52, kevin m. wrote:
Hi,this sounds like a great programme i saw a year or so back(how many programmes have been made about building medieval seige engines anyway?).If it is the same one,there is an absolutely great scene where the trebouchet-like a giant slingshot-is used to propel an old upright piano across a field!!.err...they weren't aiming at the whistle player were they? (!)

I saw a show like that too--where they were hurling a piano with a catapult or something-- sometime back, here in the States.

Monk The Bard · Post by **Monk The Bard** » Thu Jul 18, 2002 3:01 am

I think I might have seen this as well at some point. The piano hurling bit sounds familiar...
...speaking of trebuchets some of the members of my medieval club have built a working one. Is about 6foot high at the pivot and at our last annual gathering it was used to sling grapefruit and cabbages out into the lake. Was not used in combat fortunately! I can imagine some cheesed off roman or norseman waking up after being knocked out by fruity missiles with grapefruit juice starting to rust his armour and sword...the trebuchet operators would be looking for melee weapons to defend themselves right smartly!!!

Cheers
MTB

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Thu Jul 18, 2002 4:25 am

In the same series, they erect a partial awning over a Roman Circus (to attempt to explain the cover on the Colliseum), lift a boat from the water using Archimedes' hook (Sara, take note! This guy did everything), build a corner of a pyramid, drag a viking boat across a small isthmus (I think), and erect one arch like Stonehenge, but out of concrete. I love that series, they have such brilliant arguments, and I'm a wanna-be civil engineer.

No more whistling that I can remember though. Shame.

Underhill · Post by **Underhill** » Thu Jul 18, 2002 8:19 am

I believe they hurled a piano with a trebuchet on the old "Northern Exposure" series several years back. Chris had planned on hurling a cow, but ended up with the piano, IIRC.

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Thu Jul 18, 2002 8:36 am

On 2002-07-18 10:19, Underhill wrote:
I believe they hurled a piano with a trebuchet on the old "Northern Exposure" series several years back. Chris had planned on hurling a cow, but ended up with the piano, IIRC.

The hurled cow is one of the defining moments of modern cinematography. See, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Or wait... was that a wooden rabit?

And welcome, Underhill! Nice to have you. Any relation to Bagshot Row, there?

_________________
/bloomfield

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Bloomfield on 2002-07-18 10:51 ]</font>

Underhill · Post by **Underhill** » Thu Jul 18, 2002 10:12 am

AAAhhh! Monty Python! The TRUE classics!

Thanks for the welcome. Bagshot Row? No, no, I'm not from there. (Pass me another mug of Butterbur's finest, will you please?) *wink*

Vinny · Post by **Vinny** » Thu Jul 18, 2002 12:59 pm

Hey BB,

No it was definitely cattle the French hurled over the wall at Arthur . . . after John Cleese thoroughly insulted them!

The rabbit was a killer monster that lived in a cave.

Then there was the shrubbery for the Knights who say "Nee"

Ah, the Klassics!

Vinny

clarinetwhistler · Post by **clarinetwhistler** » Thu Jul 18, 2002 1:08 pm

Now, you were partly right. There was the Trojan Rabbit that they built to sneak into the French Castle in, but Sir Bedevere neglected to mention the part needing to be inside the rabbit before the French took it behind their walls. Then, the Trojan Rabbit is flung over and it crushes one of their coconut shell bearing servants.

Vinny · Post by **Vinny** » Thu Jul 18, 2002 1:18 pm

Ah yes, I remember now and stand corrected.

Vinny

Isilwen · Post by **Isilwen** » Thu Jul 18, 2002 1:30 pm

I'd say I'll probably find out soon enough about Monty Python and the Holy Grail...

My boyfriend really want me to see it, and every chance he gets when we're talking about movies, he brings it up... *grin*

WyoBadger · Post by **WyoBadger** » Thu Jul 18, 2002 1:39 pm

Good name for a tune: Hurl the Piano. I'm thinking it would have to be a polka, no?

Tom
"Watching the sky, ready to dodge cows, pianos, wooden rabbits, and silly sots!"
(just kidding, Skywatcher!

)