Mark Boehnlein

"The Knights of Solamnia"

Composed and performed by Mark Boehnlein

This piece is a tribute to the gallant and chivalrous Knights of Solamnia. They are the ever present force of good, ready to defend the poor and fight with honor..( well, most of them anyway) This is for those exceptional knights who lived the Code and the Measure and more importantly, bent the rules when they needed to be. Knights such as Vinas Solamnus, Huma Dragonbane, Sir Pirvan the Wayward, Sturm Brightblade and Lord Gunthar Uth-Wistan.

As with the Dragonlance Overture, this piece is divided into three sections. The first is the call to arms, the second is a march and the third is the charge of the Knights of Solamnia. The call to arms is signaled, of course, by the brass section. Horns, timpani and cymbals tell the knights that duty calls. Those asleep scramble from their bunks, squires dash for their Lord's armor and ready their horses. Steel clangs on sword hips and heavy boots run across the cobblestones. Towering men with grim faces strap on their armor proudly. Grieves, gauntlets, chain, plate mail and helms cover the warriors. Ranks begin to form: Footmen, archers, knights, all clad in the emblems of the knighthood. Their officers quickly inspect the troops, pronouncing to their superiors that they are ready. The knights, in their gleaming armor, sit atop their prancing war horses, who snort and rear their heads in the anticipation of battle. The army begins to move on command from the Knight of the Rose, the army's leader, and the gates to the garrison swing open.

As the army takes to the field, the march begins. The timpani and cymbal alter beats to produce the marching pace. Precise lines of hundreds move as one. The training is evident in the symmetry and balance of the ranks. The ground shakes under the power of the marching horde of valor. Supply wagons rumble behind the main contingent with supplies, command tents, and healers, ready to save any knight from an unnecessary death. The battlefield approaches as the commanders disperse their ranks according to their orders. The command post is set up behind the main lines. But the battle is at hand. The enemy, unwavering, stands across the field of battle.

The low strings and the pauses in the music signal the silence over the battlefield as the two armies stare at each other. The high strings bring the wind and the mounting tension. As the pace quickens, the Knight of the Rose raises his bright, antique sword into the air and all legs, human and horse, tense to run. With the crash of the cymbal, a cry of CHARGE resounds over the battlefield splitting the silence like a finely honed blade. The charge ensues, the front lines crash together, and a day of glory has just begun for the chivalrous Knights Of Solamnia.

- Mark Boehnlein

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Copyright Info
All music in this section is original and © 2000 Mark Boehnlein. All Rights Reserved. You may download this music for your personal, non-commercial use only.

Player Notes
These files are compressed using the MIDI format. The quality of playback of MIDI files is directly related to the quality of the sound hardware in your computer. The cheaper the sound card, the crapper MIDI playback will sound. Most common media players like Winamp, Windows Media Player, or Quicktime can play MIDI files.