Filk (music)
Filk is a genre of music that is formally based on folk - hence the name - and uses science fiction and fantasy themes in terms of content . Music from role-playing games (especially LARP ) also belongs to this genre. In filk, the lyrics of the song have a special place, because the songs often tell stories or refer to literary sources. Parodies are also popular. Filk was first identified as an independent musical genre in the English-speaking area in the 1960s.
There are a number of annual filk conventions (music meetings / festivals), usually with a few hundred participants. In addition to an extensive concert and workshop program, extensive “circles” are an essential component in which the participants introduce new or popular songs or sing together. Portable acoustic instruments therefore predominate (for practical reasons alone).
Media (CDs) are often only produced in small editions, so they are rarely available in regular music stores and department stores. The dissemination usually takes place in online sales or at conventions.
Filk was initially created at science fiction conventions, at which science fiction lyrics were sung to the guitar. Soon Filk was also sung on topics from fantasy, media (TV, series), role play or computers. The instrumentation expanded, and more and more professional recordings were made. Today the themes are mostly fantasy and the melodies are often influenced by folk music.
Central Filk web links (in German)
- The jump gate to the German Filkfandom
- Kirstin's Let's Filk About homepage
- FilkCONtinental. The Filk Convention in Germany
- The Filk database with CDs, songs and artists
Web directories
- Link catalog on Filk (music) at curlie.org (formerly DMOZ )
- List of current filk conventions
- Filk FAQ (English)
