It's funny how important music is to my writing. I have songs that I associate with different moods, or individual stories. They help me to keep characters separate if I'm writing more than one story at a time. And sometimes I like to have music playing softly in the background to keep me motivated. That was how I used to study for tests, too, in school. It just seemed to sink in better that way.

I came across a beautiful piece today, and I thought it might be good to share:

This is Barbora Sojková - soprano, and Hana Blažíková on gothic harp doing a beautiful interpretation of Lanquan li jorn by the troubadour Jaufré Rudel.

These are the verses that Barbora sings-

Lanquan li jorn son lonc e may M'es belhs dous chans d'auzelhs de lonh, E quan mi suy partitz de lay, Remembra'm d'un' amor de lonh. Vau de talan embroncx e clis Si que chans ni flors d'albespis No-m valon plus que l'yverns gelatz.

During May, when the days are long, I admire the song of the birds from far away and when I have gone away from there I remember a love far away. I go scowling, with my head down so much that songs and hawthorn flowers aren't better, to me, than the frozen Winter.

Be tenc lo Senhor per veray Per que formet sest' amor de lonh, Mas per un ben que m'en eschay N'ai dos mals, quar tant suy de lonh. A! quar no fuy lai pelegris, Si que mos fustz e mos tapis Fos pels sieus belhs huelhs remiratz!

I trust the Lord's fairness in having formed this faraway love, but for each consolation I achieve I get two ills, because I am so far away. Ah! Why didn't I go there as a pilgrim, so that my staff and hooded cloak would be beheld by her beautiful eyes!

Iratz e dolens m'en partray, S'ieu no vey sest' amor de lonh. No'm sai quora mais la veyrai, que tan son nostras terras lonh. Assatz hi a pas e camis, e per aisso no'n suy devis. Mas tot sia cum a lieys platz.

Sad and pained shall I depart if I don't see this faraway love. I don't know when ever I shall see her, so far away our countries are. So many are the crossings and the roads that I can't tell. But be everything as she likes it.