english dance & song

English Dance & Song is the longest-established magazine devoted to folk music, dance and song in the country. First published in 1936, it has appeared at least four times a year ever since.

The Return of Albert:
two pages of photos from this unique dance event held in February.

Miriam Craig reports from the BBC Young Folk Award.
Cyril Jones celebrates his 90th birthday in style. Diana Campbell Jewitt on the eve of her retirement from the EFDSS. Gold Badge award to Pat Wilkinson.

Reviews – including Lisa Knapp, Craig Morgan Robson, Jeff Wesley, Phoenix, Bob & Gill Berry, Mick Ryan & Pete Harris, Doug Eunson, Sarah Matthews & Gill Redmond, Tom McConville, Lizzie Higgins, Crookfinger Jack, Kris Drever, Dave Webber & Anni Fentiman. Plus book reviews of Steve Roud’s The English Year, Sheila Stewart’s Queen Amang the Heather and Billy Bragg’s The Progressive Patriot

Reviews of book and CD combinations include the EFDSS’s new song book Traveller’s Joy, dance and tune package Emperor of the Moon, and four new items from Dave Mallinson

Blind Jack of Knaresborough –
Chris Partington explains the life and times of the eighteenth-century fiddle player plus some tunes he might have played.

‘Royal Charlie’, or ‘Wha’ll Be King But Charley’, was a topical tune in Metcalf’s time. Captain Simon Fraser considered this tune to be so inflammatory as to be ‘one of the incentives of rebellion’. It would undoubtedly have been known to Metcalf, but whether his politics would have permitted him to play it is another matter. This fine version is from the C.J.Fox manuscript from Beverley, 1829.

‘The Long Room of Scarborough’ is a tune I can only find as far back as Johnson’s Country Dances of 1748, and Rutherford’s Country Dances of 1756. It is also in Aird’s Selection …(1782). However, I’m sure the actual long room predates that, and Metcalf’s professional interest must have brought it to his attention.

69 - 1 Spring 2007
48-page Full Colour issue!!!

Tim van Eyken and his version of ‘John Barleycorn’ learnt from Fred Jordan are this issue’s Singer, Song and Source feature. Tim was winner of the 2007 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards ‘Best Traditional Track’ with this song.

The new Radio Ballads.
John Tams, Musical Director of the new Radio Ballads, explains how and why …

Rapper from High Spen and Black Swan
Two features on different styles of rapper sword dances: the traditional High Spen as they celebrate their eightieth anniversary, and the innovative Black Swan. Contributed by Chris Metherell, Phil Heaton, Damien Barber and Joan Crump.

The Somerset Folk Map:
Yvette Staelens explains why Somerset has its own map.

Regular Features:
Branching Out; Festive Round-Up; Lives Remembered, Songs under the Microscope; News; Dancing with the Spring in your step (list of dance events); EFDSS Matters; and The Source (list of county contacts).

Sound Files
Sound files that complement the features are included here:
‘Barleycorn’ sung by Tim van Eyken, from his CD Stiffs Lovers Holymen Thieves.
Thanks to Topic Records for permission to use this recording. www.topicrecords.co.uk

‘John Barleycorn’ sung by Fred Jordan, from the CD A Shropshire Lad.
Thanks to Veteran for permission to use this recording. www.veteran.co.uk

Chris Partington plays the three tunes featured in the ‘Blind Jack of Knaresborough’ article, with the notation and recordings of another three tunes. With many thanks to Ben Addison and John Adams for their assistance.

‘A Trip to York'
‘The Parson in his Boots’
‘The Game Chicken’

plus

‘The Recruiting Officer’ seems appropriate, given Metcalf’s military activities. It dates back at least to Kynaston’s 24 Country Dances for the Year 1710, and also Walsh’s Compleat Dancing Master 2, 1719. It remained popular throughout the century (this version is from Kynaston via Alawon John Thomas’s manuscript, 1752, from the Welsh borders). Joshua Jackson, himself from Harrogate, had it in his manuscript of about 1798.

English Dance & Song exists to interest, inform and stimulate the membership of the EFDSS, as well as the wider folk music and dance community. 

English Dance & Song aims to publish contributions of the highest quality.

The range of interests include traditional song, traditional dance (social, display, ceremonial), traditional music, custom and children's games. The geographical spread is not confined to England, but may also include Scotland, Wales and Ireland; as well as the USA, and other areas of the world which may be appropriate. 

Potential contributors are asked to read the Contributor's Style Sheet. htm rtf pdf

Items for review should be sent to the Editor. Unsolicited reviews will not be published.

The Editor of eds is Derek Schofield, author of The First Week in August: Fifty Years of the Sidmouth Festival, published in 2004 to celebrate the festival’s Golden Jubilee.

He has also written biographies of William Kimber and Fred Jordan, as published in their recent CDs, Absolutely Classic: The Music of William Kimber (EFDSS, 1999) and A Shropshire Lad (Veteran, 2003). Derek has also contributed to The Guardian, The Independent and The Times, as well as to the Folk Music Journal and fRoots.

Contact the Editor at: Editor, English Dance and Song, EFDSS, Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent’s Park Road, London, NW1 7AY.

By email write to

eds.editor @the domain name efdss.org