Music in the world of Deltora

"Music is like another language."

- Bess explaining music to Lief.

Music is an important aspect in the world of Deltora. A variety of musical instruments are played and music serves as a principal source of entertainment, particularly at festivals and markets.

The Masked Ones use music in their performances and possess a strong musical ability. Members are taught to read and compose music, notating it regularly.

"Happy Vale"
Performed by: Steven
 * Here we are in Happy Vale,
 * Pretty bees, busy bees.
 * Three long hours on the trail,
 * Fuzzy, buzzy bees.
 * Did you hear the clock strike eight?
 * Clever bees, tired bees.
 * Pray that we are not too late,
 * Hungry, bumbly bees.

Steven sang this song to entertain himself as he entered Happy Vale.

"Kin Counting Song"
Performed by: Prin
 * You can hide but I will find you,
 * My sharp eyes will seek you out
 * (Unknown verses)
 * You can hide but I will find you,
 * Flap your wings and you’ll be out!
 * You can hide but I will find you.
 * My sharp eyes will seek you out.

This song is sung by Prin when playing Hide-and-find instead of counting.

"Little Enna"
Performed by: Torans
 * (Previous verses unknown)
 * Since that sad day, long years have flown,
 * But still, beneath that seething foam
 * Where Enna sleeps,
 * The sea-worm creeps,
 * And spins its webs of bone-white stone.

This ancient Toran folk song tells the story of Little Enna.

"Ol-io"
Performed by: Steven and Nevets
 * Once there was an Ol-io,
 * Jolly-wolly Ol-io,
 * Once there was an Ol-io,
 * Fearsome as could be!
 * I said to that Ol-io,
 * Jolly-wolly Ol-io,
 * I said to that Ol-io,
 * You don't bother me!
 * Colly-wobble Ol-io,
 * Jolly-wolly Ol-io,
 * Colly-wobble Ol-io
 * You don't bother me!

Steven and Nevets would sing this song as they travelled, improvising verses as they came across people, places, or situations. When Lief, Barda and Jasmine travelled in the caravan on the way to Withick Mire, Steven sang verses telling the companions of their surroundings or warning them of what was ahead. The verses he sang to tell the travellers of what was occurring outside the caravan were much less nonsensical.
 * Do I spy an Ol-io,
 * Ol-io, Ol-io?
 * Hello, wobbly Ol-io!
 * You don't bother me!
 * Time to stop and take the air,
 * Ol-io, Ol-io,
 * Trees ahead, the sky is clear,
 * No more Ol-io!
 * Road forks just ahead I see,
 * Ol-io, Ol-io!
 * Night is falling, we seem free
 * Of Ol-i, Ol-ios!
 * Be prepared for flight or fight
 * Ol-io, Ol-io!
 * Gripper field lies to the right,
 * Ahead are Guard-ios.
 * Come out, Twig and Birdie-o!
 * Little creatures lying low?
 * Others rest, but we must go,
 * Twig and Birdie-o!

"Plume Song of Life"

 * Above our land the tumult rages
 * Struggle echoes through the ages
 * There the strife may never cease
 * But here below we dwell in peace.
 * Where timeless tides swamp memory,
 * Our sunless prison makes us free.
 * The gem-glow lights our rocky walls,
 * And dragons guard our shining halls.

The Plume tribe sang this song when Doran found his way to their caverns. It stuck in his head, and he was able to write it down in The Deltora Annals. The song was sung again by the Plume tribe as Lief, Barda and Jasmine returned to the tribe's island after their fight against The Fear.

Accordion
The accordion is an instrument with metal reeds blown by bellows, played by pressing keys and buttons.

Bell
The bell is a curved metal instrument.

Chimes
Chimes are made up of a row of long metal rods fastened to a wooden base. Each rod produces a different note when struck.

Crystal trumpet
The crystal trumpet is an instrument played at the palace of Del.

Cymbals
Cymbals are large round, metal plates. When playing, two cymbals are required and are banged together to produce sound.

Flute
The flute is a wooden wind instrument. Most Ralads are very talented flute players and commonly play in groups.

Gong
The gong is a large metal disc that resonates sound when hit. Gongs are usually struck by mallets.

Harp
The harp is a stringed instrument fastened to a wooden base.

Music box
The music box is an automatic musical instrument that produces sound by the use of pins on a rotating cylinder.

Piano
The piano is a long wooden keyboard attached to strings.

Pipe
The pipe is a thin woodwind instrument that produces sound when blown through.

Pirran Pipe
The Pirran Pipe is a magical pipe or flute used to keep all evil away from Pirra. It works much like a recorder, needing air to be blown directly into one end.

Violin
The violin, also known as a fiddle, is a smaller four-stringed instrument played with a bow, a tensioned stick with hair (usually horsehair) coated in rosin to produce friction. Players of the violin are most often known as "fiddlers".

Auron
Auron was a talented musician and piper whose music made her audience weep.

Ballum
Ballum had musical ablitity and a voice that could "charm birds from the trees."

Bede
Bede was a talented musician who possessed perfect pitch and a demonstrated a strong ability in harp and his voice. He composed music and had a strong knowledge of musical notation.

Bess
Bess is a talented musician with perfect pitch. She has a strong knowledge of music, especially musical notation.

Emlis
Emlis is the young son of Keron piper Tirral. He played the Pirran Pipe in the Shadowlands to hold evil at bay and help free the slaves.

Keras
Keras was a talented piper, able to create music so haunting that all who heard it were rapt in wonder.

Manus
Manus is a skilled flute player, able to play a number of emotional melodies.

Lockie the Stripe
Lockie played a music box while on board the River Queen.

Plume
Plume was a talented musician, able to play the pipe so stirring that crowds cheered.

Tirral
Tirral was a talented piper of the Keron tribe. She was the first to play the Pirran Pipe after it had been reassembled.

Trivia

 * In Deltora musical notation appears exclusive to the Masked Ones, as Lief had no idea what Bess meant when she asked to name a note. However, one of the Ralads' symbols includes two beamed quavers.
 * In the city of Weld on the island of Dorne, Sonia owned a harp and a book of music, which she kept in her room in the Keep tower.
 * Two magical bell tree models made of gold were created by an artist on the isle of Dorne which has the ability for the topaz bell-fruits on it to produce a soft, sighing song and fill the air with it whenever the a model was touched. The song will stop when a model is no longer touched.