03.08.08
MEMAG’s Zornhau Plays
The Medieval European Martial Arts Guild recently posted their interpretations of the Zornhau plays. I think the technical aspect at the bind is rather good, and that their use of literally accurate Vom Tag stances is also beneficial to the appearance of things. Period dress is something that usually bothers me, but here it seems to be done rather nicely - toned down and realistic, not showy and overbearing. There are some elements that are lacking, most notably a sense of actual martial spirit - the attacks themselves look as if they were done at less than full strength, aiming more to intercept and stop the sword than to attack the individual behind it.
Cory Winslow said,
March 9, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Thank you for the positive review! I would just like to say that every cut delivered in the Vor was aimed at the opponent with the full intention of hitting him with a lethal attack (had the swords been sharp and we were actually fighting). We are always careful not to overcommit to any attack should we fail with it and then be left wide open, or worse lose control and hit our training partner if he makes a mistake in defending himself. The man who responded with the Zornhau Ort in the Nach was indeed aiming to bind with his opponent’s blade in order to then stab him in the face, following our interpretation. Once again I would like to thank you for reviewing our video and also for creating this website. I think it is a good resource for anyone interested in HEMA.
Cory Winslow
MEMAG