Were Cantus & the Minstrels based on anyone

[Dash X]

There is something really architypal about Cantus and the Minstrels - were they based on any mythological/fairy tale characters? are they composites? are they Bob Dylan & The Band (note the parallels between Robbie Robertson and Murray)? or are they just Henson genius?

Probably just Henson genius.

 

[Frags]

Well - Balsam the Minstrel, as far as I know might've been named after Phil Balsam.I'm not sure, but I think he wrote some of the songs or music for Fraggle Rock. I know he had something to do with it.

Also - Minstrels were a traditional part of story-telling a long time ago - not sure how long ago - I know they've been around for a long time - not so much today - but hundreds of years ago. They tell their stories to music.

 

[Convincing John]

Well, I think I have a guess as to where they got the name "Cantus" from. The "Cantus Firmus" is the principle voice in Gregorian chants. In some dictionaries, "Cantus" means "the principle voice in song".

I'm not sure about the other minstrels, though. Terry Angus performed Brio the Minstrel (the Fraggle with the large Bunsen Honeydew-type glasses). Sometimes he posts here, and he might know if any of the minstrels were specifically based on anyone.

Maybe...and I'm just guessing here, Jim Henson might have thought of how he might look if he were a Fraggle, and that's why Cantus has a beard. Also, during the Fraggle Rock years, Jim Henson's hair had kind of these "tufts" just above his ears. Check out the "Down at Fraggle Rock Behind the Scenes" documentary, and you'll see what I mean. Here's another photo that might help:

http://www.muppetcentral.com/_images/performers/henson_mug.jpg

Cantus also has "tufts" of hair (or almost feathers) which are just above his ears. Cantus is also taller than almost all the Fraggles (Jim was 6 foot 3). Also, Jane Henson mentioned that Jim Henson thought like a musician, even though he was more of an artist. I'm not sure if this played any influence on Cantus, but it might be something to think about.

Convincing John

 

[luvtosr]

Cantus - to sing (in Latin)
Balsam - Phil Balsam
Brio - lively, with vigour musical term con brio
Brool - discussion over at FR.com seems to have settled on it being like a roar
Murray - well, um, why not?

And a minstrel was a (sometimes travelling) folk singer type person conveying stories through song and a lot of hey-nonnies etc..

 

[Frags]

Hmm - no I'm not sure where Murray comes from. I just did a search for it, but didn't get very much. Just a few randoms - so I'm not sure why he's called Murray. What's also interesting is Murray is second in command - the grouchy one - so that leads me to think that his name has to have some kind of musical meaning. Hmm - dunno - I got a bee in my bonnet now ... hmmm.

 

[Skeeter Muppet]

Hmm - no I'm not sure where Murray comes from. I just did a search for it, but didn't get very much. Just a few randoms - so I'm not sure why he's called Murray. What's also interesting is Murray is second in command - the grouchy one - so that leads me to think that his name has to have some kind of musical meaning. Hmm - dunno - I got a bee in my bonnet now ... hmmm.

It sounds kinda weird, but I was thinking Murray as in Arthur Murray, as in the Arthur Murray School of Dancing? *shrugs*

Also Gillis Fraggle, the Maestro of the Rock, probably had a musical reference to his name. I did a search and came up with a 'Don Gillis' who was the arranger for the music on FR. It may be just me, but I've sometimes wondered if Gillis hadn't also been a Minstrel, and had stayed behind in Fraggle Rock to lead them in their music because they had no one else to.

-Kim

 

[Effralyo]

(Whoa, Johnny was here...)

..and that's why Cantus has a beard.

A lot smaller one than his own. "Goatee". But Jim himself had also a moustache, and Cantus hasn`t.

(or almost feathers)

I think they really ARE three feathers amond his hair which sort of color is light yellow.

Cantus is also taller than almost all the Fraggles.

And what would you expect from the leader?

 

[luvtosr]

A few of the fraggles' names seem to have meaning or be taken from real words/places:

Boober - angry cow

Henchy - taken from Henchman

Balsam and Gillis (and possibly Feenie with the spelling changed) - cast and crew members' surnames.

Herkimer - county of New York

Merkey (Merggle) - taken from 'murky', description often applied to water.

Mermer (Merggle) - possibly taken from 'murmur' but also a sort of distortion of 'mermaid'

Pedley - is a place in California

Phil Fraggle - is voiced by Phil Balsam

Gobo - a piece of metal or similar with a pattern cut in it for use in stage lighting and projection.

Wembley - Wembley Stadium

Red - um, well, she wears a red sweater.

Anyway, I'm not saying all those are correct but I think they're pretty good guesses.

 

[Frags]

Effraylo - to your beard and moustache thing - Jim Henson also does Concincing John and he has a moustache - but not a beard, so mayve he just shared his features out amongst his characters. I can;t imagine Cantus with a moustache - lol - unless it was one of those really long ones that meets the beard.

 

[Effralyo]

I used to draw him like that before - when couldn`t inspect well and mistook for a } his sideburns.