Music is a huge part of life in the Kingdom. Most cults use music as part of their worship, and there are many secular or semi-secular festivals that feature much music. Most religions make have both choral (usually 'call and response' form) and liturgical music as an integral part of their worship. More than that, music is a participatory matter for ordinary folks, and permeates everyday life. Planting and harvesting take place with work songs (usually in call/response form), smiths may use some very precise chants while they Work in order to embody some level of magical Virtue or Significance within the item (the origin of the term "Chantry"). Plus folks just plain sing and play instruments for fun when the day is done. Instruments are mostly of the familiar European sort: plucked and strummed string instruments (guitars, harps, lutes, etc.); woodwinds, brass (outside of Dwarf-made stuff they won’t have valves, though), the whole range of drums, etc. Then there are the large (and expensive) instruments such as pipe organs, spinnets, etc. Music plays a part in the Light Opera (comedic =- a lá G&S), the Heavy Opera (think in terms of Peking Opera -- dealing with Grand Historical Events and Important Themes -- but with plenty of stage blood, fight choreography and acrobatics to keep folks awake), and in music halls. Meanwhile, taverns and public houses often have itinerant musicians performing for tips and supper.

There are many styles of music in play around the Kingdom. Among the Verd, the commonest is the Chorro: sort of a Latin-flavored ragtime with a bouncy syncopated rhythm. Then there is the slower 'bluesy' feel of Walking Music. From the Highlands you will hear the popular Sorbje (also called Tymp-Adathi): complex rhythms over a very strong driving beat. Ballads celebrating historical people and occasions are very popular (usually done by Bards -- Lesser or Greater). Finally, the Hillfolk on the coast have a twang-y style reminiscent of bluegrass. Among the Elasidhejeen, the High Culture style of music is based upon a very different scale and aesthetic and sounds alien to the Verd. For relaxation the ordinary Woods Elves listen to something much like klezmer. It is often said (away from their pointy ears) that if the Elves would fess up, they don’t like their High Culture music any more than we do. Durrani music is not well known outside of the Durrani themselves, or those that live in their communities.