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.

68– 4 Winter 2006

Features:

This issue complements the new EFDSS book and CD, Traveller’s Joy, and has a special theme:

The Music, Song and Dance of Gypsies and Travellers

Why Gypsies? Why Travellers? – Mike Yates (compiler of Traveller’s Joy) explains the enduring interest in the folklore of
Gypsies and Travellers.

The Singer, Song and Source:
The Singer is Devon Gypsy, Jean Orchard …
the Song is ‘A Wager, A Wager’ …
and the Source is Jean’s mother, Amy Birch.
See sound file.

The Fiddle Tunes of John Locke – a Gypsy fiddler whose tunes were noted by Cecil Sharp, which in turn inspired John Kirkpatrick’s music. Notations of three tunes are included.
See sound files.

The Scottish Travellers’ Project – Sara Reith outlines this project based at Aberdeen’s Elphinstone Institute.

Gypsy Step-Dancing – Derek Schofield investigates.

Two English Gypsy Singers – May Bradley and Caroline Hughes, and their influence on present-day singers Chris Coe and Jim Causley.

Sound files are included here in conjunction with this issue:
‘A Wager, A Wager’ sung by Jean Orchard (acc Tom Orchard), from Holsworthy Fair (Veteran). Thanks to Jean Orchard and John Howson of Veteran for permission to include this recording. www.veteran.co.uk

plus
‘John Locke’s Polka’ played by John Locke. Recording courtesy of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library.

plus
Three tunes from John Locke: ‘John Locke’s Polka, Such a Getting Upstairs I Never Did See, Polly Put the Kettle on [not from John Locke], and Speed the Plough’ played by John Kirkpatrick, from The Duck Race (Fledg’ling FLED3043, 2004). Courtesy of John Kirkpatrick and David Suff of Fledg’ling. www.thebeesknees.com

Other features:
A Tribute to Nibs – a two-page photo-spread from this September event.
The Not Quite Forgotten Mary Neal – Lucy Neal explains her personal quest to find out more about her famous relative who was an instigator of the folk revival.
Morris Women not Women’s Morris – Sally Wearing looks back at more than 30 years of women’s role in the morris scene.
Fiddles in Aberdeen – Elaine Bradtke reviews a recent festive occasion.
Morris Taster Days – Ann and John Bacon explain their successes in bringing morris dancing into schools.
Raising the Roots – Joan Crump outlines a new folk dance initiative in Loughborough.
Doc Rowe’s Gold Badge Citation by Malcolm Taylor.
Reviews – including Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick, Nic Jones, Waterson:Carthy, Swarb’s Lazarus, The Dartmoor Pixie Band, Jackie Oates, John Kirkpatrick, Mawkin, Pete Cooper, Barry Lister, Robert Harbron & Emma Reid, Paul & Liz Davenport, Jeff Warner, Keith Kendrick, The Albion Band, MidWinter, Bill Whaley & Dave Fletcher, Ron Taylor & Jeff Gillett, Bodega, Belzebub, Matt Norman.
Regular Features:
Branching Out; Festive Round-Up; Lives Remembered, Songs under the Microscope; News; Dancing into the Spring (list of dance events); EFDSS Matters; Letters.
The Source

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