Martin Members may be interested to hear about a book recently published by the Essex Record Office tocelebrate the centenary of Vaughan Williams collecting in Essex. The book, called ‘That Precious Legacy’,has been written by Sue Cubbin and includes 30 songs as well as background on the singers and thecollection
I have also been busy with the Sabine Baring-Gould website ‘Songs of the West’ which now has a newhost, a new look, a new URL (http://www.sbgsongs.org) and lots of new information (with more to come).
As reported in the notes of the recent meeting, great progress has been made with the ‘Yorkshire Garland’website, which is steadily increasing its content. Rather than me tell you about it, why don’t you takea look at http://www.yorkshirefolksong.net/ where you can hear some old Yorkshire favourites sung by WillNoble and John Greaves and read about … Read more
We were saddened to hear the news of the death of Tom Munnelly on August 30th, after a long illness. Itwas a great pleasure for us to have him speak at the ‘Life and Times’ meeting a year ago and his passingis a great loss to folk music enthusiasts on both sides of the Irish … Read more
The recent death of Peter Kennedy is the first of a founder member of the Traditional Song Forum and I feel it important that it should be recorded and an appreciation of his contribution given. There have been a number of obituaries and tributes to Peter and these have covered his life and work and … Read more
Malcolm Douglas has told me about another of his enterprising pieces of work – a full transcription of Henry Burstow’s ‘Reminiscences of Horsham’. This can be found here. If you do not know it you should have a browse through this interesting memoir , published in 1911 by a remarkable Sussex singer. As well memories … Read more
Not strictly song, but a very good use of material from the Carpenter collection by a webcast called‘Bringing in the May’ presented by Jennifer Cutting of the American Folk Life Center at the Library ofCongress. The fifteen minute programme looks at the history of may customs (particularly the maypole andmorris dancing) through material from England … Read more
I recently found another great piece of work on the Internet. Greg Lindahl has put together a site dedicatedto Thomas Ravenscroft with facsimiles of Pammelia, Deuteromelia, Melismata and a great deal besides.Visit here and all will be revealed. A very useful reference for early music
Chris Coe has written to tell me more about her latest project based on traditional song, mentioned atthe November meeting“I’ve been given a Research and Development grant by Yorkshire Arts to develop “The Wife of Usher’sWell” into a visual piece of multi-media performance. I’ve already done most of the ballad research redifferent versions and their … Read more
Following the erection and unveiling in Leeds of the memorial plaque to commemorate Frank Kidson, VicGammon has sent the following picture and message. Dear Martin, Attached is a photo of the unveiling of the Kidson plaque.After the unveiling and addresses by myself and John Francmanis outside Kidson’s house the party retiredto a local community centre … Read more