EN G L ISH FO L K- SO N G AN D DAN CE FRANK ISIDS O N M " A NY) M ARY NEAL C am b ridge at th e U n ive rsity Press C ON T ENTS ENGLISH FOL K -SONG PAG E INTRODUCTION E I . D FINITION T HE ORIGIN OF FOLK- SONG T HE CANTE-FABLE T HE CON STRUCTION OF FOLK - MU S IC E F - V . CHANG S THAT OCCUR IN OLK MU SIC T HE - ITS S Q UALITY OF FOLK SONG, AND DIFFU ION T HE MOVEM ENT FOR COLLECTING E NGLI S H FOLK - SONG T H - VIII . E NOTING OF FOLK MU SIC T F - III. HE DIFFERENT C LASSES OF OLK SONG x . T HE NARRATIVE BALLAD E S S S x1 . LOV SONG AND MY TIC SONG T E XII. H PASTORAL x m . DRINKING SONGS AND HUMOROUS SON G S XIV . HIGHWAYMAN AND POACHER SONG S x v. SOLDIER SONG S f S EA S XVI . SONG vi ENGLISH FOLK- SONG AND DANCE PAG E E XVII . PR SSGANG SONG S X V III . HUNTING AND SPORTING SONG S XIX . SONG S OF L ABOUR TRADITIONAL CAROLS ’ - XXI . CHILDR EN S SINGING GAM ES XXII . T HE BALLAD SH EET AND SONG GARLAND BIBLIOGRAPHY ENGLISH FOLK -DANCE INTRODUCTION T - I . T HE MORRIS DANCE o DAY TUN ES MU S ICAL IN STRUM ENTS T HE DRES S E S A v . EXTRA CHARACT R T HE SWORD DANCE T HE FURRY DANC E VIII . T HE COUNTRY DANCE T HE PRESENT-DAY REVIVAL OF THE FOLK I)ANCE CONCLU SION S BIBLIOGRAFHY LI S T O F I L LU S T RATI ONS FACIN G PAG E - - - S E S AT IN T HE S . MORRI DANC R BAMPTON BU H , OXON ( By kin d p e rm i ssio n o f Ti e Da ily Cfir oflicl e) ES SE ES ABINGDON DANC , WHO TRADITION GO BACK TO 1 7 00 ' Fro m Til e E s era n ce M o r r is 3005 V o l . L b in d ( p , , y k e rm issio n o f M es srs J C u rwe n 8: So n p . ) MORRI S DANC ER S IN T HE TIM E OF JAM ES I . MORRI S DANC E AND MU SIC F ro m t h e Or a/z es o ra /z ie o f T h o in o t - Arb eau ( g p , B ritish M u se um ) W - - IN-THE- S HIT MONDAY AT BAMPTON BU H, OXON . B in i sio o Da l ( y k d p e rm s n f Tfie i y Ch r onicl e) T HE C LOCK ; H ARACTERI STIC OF SWORD DANCES ' F ro m Tfi e Es m n e s B V o I c M or r ooé l . I e i . b i n ( p , , y k d e rm issio n o f M ss C u r p e rs J . W e n 8: S o n ) ENG L ISH FO L K SONG BY F RANK KIDSON I N T R ODU C T I ON W R I T I N ce n tIIrie s G two ago , Joseph Addison tells us in the character Of Mr Spectator “ When I travelled I took a particular delight in hearing the songs and fables that are come down to so n from father , and are most in vogue among the common people o f the countries through which I passed ; for it is impossible that anything should be universally tasted and approved of by a multitude , l o f though they are only the rabb e the nation , to which hath not in it some peculiar”aptness S ecta tor please and gratify the mind Of man ( p , o t a N . He fur her s ys o r An ordinary song ballad , that is the delight o f to the common people , cannot fail please all e a l such r ders as are not unqua ified for th”e enter tainm en t t afi e ctatio n o r by heir ignorance . It was n o t only the cultured Mr A ddison wh o ’ recognised the claims o f the people s songs as expressive o f sentiments that were worthy the o f a fo r consideration the more le rned , quota tion upon quotation could be given o f examples where the refined and learned have found in the 3 4 ENGLISH FOLK-SONG primitive song that which appealed in the highest degree . The moderns need no excuse for the study Of - folk song, and few will regard the consideration ’ o f - people s lore as an idle amusement . The present essay is put forth with all diffid e nce as a very Slight dissertation upon a complex subj ect, and it does not pretend to do more than o f enter into the fringe it . The younger of the present generation have seen the grad ual speeding U p Of technique in co m position and performance , but with this increased ” standard there has been a tendency to let fall cer " tain very sacred and essential things that belong to to o musical art . In many cases the composer has not qui te J u stIfie d the complexity o f his composition ; while glorying in the Skill Of his craftsmanship he has too frequently forgotten the pri mItIve m demand for art and beauty, apart fro technical elaboration . That type o f Simple melody that formerly pleased what we might regard as a les s cultured - o r age , holds no place in present day composition Of l in the esteem a certain c ass . It is probable that this melodic starvation turned fo r so many , who had not lost the feeling simple - was d tune , towards folk music when this ragged from obscurity and declared by competent musical INTRODUCTION 5 j udges to be worthy o f consideration . Then people to began revel in its charm , and to feel that here n was somethi g that had been withheld from them , but which was good for their musical souls . A simple air o f eight o r sixteen bars may not ffi o r appear di cult to evolve , even worth evolving o f at all , much less record ; but when the matter we a is further considered , have to cknowledge that seemingly trivial melodies have wrought effects which h aV e upset thrones and changed the fate o f nations . Where they have not had this great political influence their histories Show that they have rooted themselves deeply into the hearts o f e a peopl , and put into shade the finest composi o f tions great musicians . An undying Vitality to m an d appears be inherent in the , this is shown by their general appeal throughout periods o f thought and life totally unlike . Many examples “ ” prove this , and such an air as Greensleeves might be cited in this connexion . One would suppose that nothing could be m ore apart in thought , action , and habit than ’ the gallant o f Elizabeth s reign and an English f arm labourer of the”present day . And yet the tune “ Greensleeves that pleased the sixteenth century culture is found the cherished possession wh o Of countrymen in the Midlands, execute a to s o f F rustic dance a traditional urvival it . urther 6 ENGLISH FOLK - SONG proof that it is one of those immortal tunes to which re ference has been made is shown by the a nd fact that it exists in various forms , has had all kinds of songs fitted to it from its first recorded appearance in Shakespeare ’ s time (who mentions it d ) own to the present day . ” “ Greensleeves is probably an ar t tun e/ a n d - in not strictly folk music . Hence its passage downwards it has gradually got stripped Of some of its subtilty , as it has been chiefly passed onward l r o n by tradition . This change wil be noted fu ther . Other tunes that , coming from remote antiquity, “ are still find a welcome with the people , John ” “ n O S A derson my J , and cots wha hae , while “ ” Lillib u le ro W o f , and Boyne ater, though lesser age , fall into the same category . We have even taken to o u r hearts tunes Of ” n atio n alitie s and F other , perhaps have more rench airs among o ur popular music than Of an y other o country . As every student f national song “ ’ ” n W e o m k ows, won t g ho e till morning is but “ ” Malbrook , the favourite Of Marie Antoinette , wh o learned it from the peasant woman called”in t “ o nurse her first child . Ah vous dirai j e is known as “ Baa baa black Sheep in every “ ” nursery, while In my cottage near a wood is a literal translat i on from an Old French song to its proper tune . INTRODUCTION 7 o f o r o f Such these, this class, as are not folk ind e finable tunes have the same Spirit, and it is this quality that causes folk-music to be so tenacious Of existence . If it be good enough it is almost impossible for it to die and be totally forgotten .