Playlist 30 October 2008

THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC HOUR
Resonance 104.4FM

Playlist for programme 30 October 2008 - Presenter Kevin Sheils

Theme: Following recent visits to France and Italy I chose some music from those countries covering areas near where I stayed, sandwiched between the more usual British and Irish material.

For France I chose tracks from the CD - World Library of Folk and Primitive Music vol. 19 - France. The original LP was released in 1954 on Columbia records as vol. 4 in the series and contained material from the archives of the National Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions in Paris, mostly recorded/collected in the 1940s. The CD reissue was expanded with some more recent material.

For Italy I chose tracks from the first "sampler" volume of the Alan Lomax Italian Treaury CD series of recordings made during his 1954 field trip. Much of the Lomax field trip appered on two volumes of the Columbia World Library mentioned above but the reissued "sampler" CD first appeared as a Tradition records LP in 1958.

The central part of the show was suggested by a recent request I'd had for some songs to do with farm work so, as the Voice of the People CD vol. 20 - There is a man upon the farm was on my desk, I chose some tracks from that.

Total Music Time: 41mins 53secs (approx)

In the CD Listings VotP refers to the Voice of the People series and Lomax refers to The Alan Lomax Collection series

Track	CD/LP/etc	Notes
FRANCE
La Catin Unknown Performer	Lomax: World Library Vol 19 France ROUNDER CD1836 Track 8	Recorded in the Marais region 1949 Originally issued as an LP on Columbia SL207 Played on the Button Accordian. A dance tune. The term Le Catin refers to the short refrains used for dancing although the track is sbtitled "The Trollop"
M'y promenant le long de ces verts pres Florentine Chaloni	Track 9	Recorded in Mayun. Florentine was the wife of a St Nazaire shipyard worker so is the closest track to where I was based in Nantes. The title translates as "While strolling across these green meadows" and concerns a lady abducted by a sailor
Ronds d'Loudia Pierre Crepillon & Laurent Bigot	Track 11	A more recent track - 1995 - not on the original LP, taken from "Across inland Brittany" KMCD56 Round dances played on Bombarde and Biniou Koz (Breton Bagpipes)
Pachpi Loeiz Ropars & Roger Le Behon	Track 12	Sung in Breton, usually as an accompaniment to dancing Gavottes.
Gavotte de Guemene Sur Scorff Le Liboux	Track 13	Another Bombarde and Biniou duet recorded in Quimper 1949. This time it's the Biniou Braz a big bagpipe resembling Scottish Bagpipes. Le Liboux are father and son but only the surnames were listed
Dans Tro Plin Bagad Kemper	Track 15	The Bagad is a Bagpipe band with a mix of Highland and Breton Bagpipes, Bombardes and Drums, originally developed in the 40s. Bagad Kemper, founded in 1949 won the 1997 Breton Bagad championship for the 16th time in 1997 with this performance originally released on Coop Breiz CD 447 in 1998
BRITAIN/IRELAND
We Shepherds Are The Best Of Men Fred Jordan	VotP: Vol 20 - There is a man upon the Farm TOPIC TSCD 670 Track 3	Recorded in a private room at the Bay Malton Hotel, Altrincham, Cheshire 1966 by Bill Leader and Mike Yates. Original LP release on Topic 12T150 that same year.
Come To The Hiring Jamesy McCarthy	Track 11	Recorded in Ollie Conway's Bar, Mullagh, Co. Clare July 1976 by Jim Carroll and Pat MacKenzie. This is, I think, the only known version of this song and was previously unreleased.
There Was A Poor Thresherman Harry Holman	Track 13	Recorded in The Cherry Tree, Copthorne, Sussex 18 May 1960 by Frank Purslow and Ken Stubbs. Many versions of this song exist in England and Scotland, including a version known to Robert Burns. Again this was previously unreleased although another version by Harry Holman is on the Musical Traditions CD "Just Another Saturday Night" MTCD309/310
My Father's A Hedger And Ditcher Mary Ann Carolan	Track 16	Recorded at home near Drogheda, Co. Louth 1978 by Roly Brown. Not about farm work as such but a typical "who will marry me" style of song. Only known Irish version I believe. Original LP release on Topic 12TS362.
Arlin's Fine Braes Jimmy McBeath	Track 18	Recorded in July 1971 by Peter Hall. Known under various titles including "Ireland's Fine Braes". Original LP release on Topic 12T303.
To Reap And Mow The Hay Paddy & Jimmy Halpin	Track 20	Recorded in McGrath's Bar, Brookeborough, Co Fermanagh July 1977 by Keith Summers. Again, I think this is the only known version of this song and was previously unreleased.
The Roaming Journeyman Tom Willett	Track 21	Recorded at home on a caravan site near Ashford, Middlesex 1962 by Bill Leader and Paul Carter. A widely spread broadside that is known throughout Britain, Ireland and America. The Willet Family were originally recorded for a Topic LP 12T84 in 1963 where the song appears as the title track but with "Roving" rather than "Roaming" as the title.
An Spailpin Fanach Sean Mac Donnchadha	Track 10	Recorded in Connemara, Co. Galway 1967 by Bill Leader. Another "roving journeyman" type of song in Gaelic. The title is translated as "The Migrant Labourer". Original LP release on Topic 12T177.
The Berry Fields O' Blair Belle Stewart	Track 23	Recorded in concert at The Angus Hotel, Blairgowrie, Perthshire 13 August 1967 by Bill Leader. A song strongly associated with the Stewart family of Blairgowrie, I believe written by Belle herself. Original LP release on Topic 12T181 in 1967.
ITALY
Lipa Ma Marica Various	Lomax: Italian Treasury - A Sampler ROUNDER CD1801 Track 17	The only track on the lomax field trip recorded where I was based in Udine at a dance on 19 September 1954. Played on Cello and Violin with a group of six voices. Being close to the Slovenian border the music and dance have a more Central European sound than Italian. The title means "My Beautiful Maria"
Villanella Alberico Zanacchi and others	Track 18	Recorded in Ponte Langorino, Emilia-Romagna on 11 November 1954. Lead singer Alberico and the impromptu chorus were labourers on the rice plantations in the Po delta. Villanella means "country girl".
Donna, Donna Tonco Band and Chorus	Track 19	Recorded in Tonco, Piedmont on 6 October 1954. An example of the Piedmontese Brass Band tradition on a 19thC love song.

Any comments, corrections or updates to the above notes would be welcomed. Email me here

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