Ballads were played and sang by bards and minstrels at most of secular festivals, fairs and public events and even without special occasions, mostly only gathering of bigger number of people was required, or small number gathered for social event. Ballads were various themes topics and forms from cheer to parody from tales of glorious mythical and historic deeds to vulgar and erotics songs, it were part of entertainment, all other situation which are mentioned required high ceremonial forms (coronation and knighting) or had religious and liturgical form (event in the cathedral)
Hope I Helped :D
-Nullgaming650
