(1973) Various Artists – Giles Farnaby’s Dream Band

Argo issue number: ZDA 158
Produced by: Kevin Daly
Recorded by: Iain Churches
Sleeve notes: Kevin Daly

Availability: long deleted by Argo; issued on CD in 2004 by German label Valhalla (WH90324)

Performers

St George’s Canzona:
Frank Grubb – rebec, recorder
John Grubb – lute, harpsichord
Derek Harrison – rebec
John Lawes – crumhorn, recorder
Mike Oxenham – crumhorn, clarinet, curtal, recorders
John Sothcott – citole, crumhorn, rebec, recorders, whistle
Leila Ward – crumhorn, recorders

Trevor Crozier’s Broken Consort:
Trevor Crozier – vocals, banjo, cittern, guitar, harmonica, mandolin
Annie Crozier – concertina, bowed psaltery
Vic Gammon – concertina, guitar

The Druids – vocals
Judi Longden
Keith Kendrick
John Adams
Mick Hennessy

Plus
Jeff Clyne – bass guitar
Dave MacRae – electric piano
Trevor Tomkins – drums, percussion

TRACKS

Side One
1 The Hare’s Maggot (trad. arr Gammon)
2 Rufty Tufty/Beau Stratagem/Apply House (trad. arr Gammon)
3 The Hole In The Wall/The Chirping Of The Nightingale (trad. arr Sothcott)
4 Pastime With Good Company (Henry VIII arr Adams/Sothcott)
5 Daphne (trad. arr Sothcott)/Nonsuch/Jack Maggot/Childgrove (trad. arr Gammon)
6 Shrewsbury Lasses (trad. arr Sothcott)
7 Newcastle Brown (Sothcott/Daly)
8 Helston Furry Dance (vocal Trevor Crozier)/Picking Of Sticks/The Butterfly (trad. arr Sothcott)

Side Two
1 The Indian Queen (trad. arr Sothcott)
2 The Happy Clown (trad. arr Sothcott)
3 Ratcliffe Highway (trad. arr Adams/Sothcott)
4 The Twenty Ninth Of May (trad. arr Sothcott)
5 The Black Nag/Poor Robin’s Maggot/Greensleeves (trad. arr Gammon)
6 Portabella (trad. arr Sothcott)
7 The Draper’s Maggot (trad. arr. Grubb)/Tower Hill (trad. Arr. Grubb)
8 Mr. Beveridge’s Maggot (trad. arr Gammon) /The British Toper/Londons Glory (trad. arr. Sothcott)

Producer Kevin Daly’s sleeve notes

“Giles Farnaby’s Dream Band make an entirely new medieval-electric sound. Formed by linking the medieval St George’s Canzona with the folk trio Broken Consort, the resulting band brings together early and present day instruments in imaginative and unique performances of some of the most tuneful and infectious music of all time.

“Most of the titles on this album are taken from ‘The English Dancing Master, published by John Playford, Britain’s first ever music publisher. The Tin Pan Alley of 1655 was situated near the Temple Church in London, and it was from a tiny shop near the church door that Playford’s publications were sold.

“The English Dancing Master or ‘Plaine and easie rules for the dancing of country dances, with the tune to each dance’ was first published in 1651, during the period of Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan Commonwealth. It was an austere time, with most of the old customs forbidden: dancing, profane singing, wakes, revels, ringing of bells, maypoles were all banned as dangerous to the security of the nation, and it seems a curious time to publish a collection of dance music. Playford’s own explanation was simple…’I publish this book lest the tunes be forgot’…

“The volume was immediately successful and went into several editions over the next twenty years (in fact it is still in print today). A possible reason for its popularity might have been that although Parliament abolished most forms of merry making, the Lord Protector himself seems to have enjoyed the occasional revel and given dancing a subdued show of approval…

“14th November 1657: ‘On Wednesday last was my Lord Protector’s daughter married to the Earl of Warwick’s grandson; and on Thursday was the wedding feast kept at Whitehall, where they had 48 violins, 50 trumpets and much mirthe with frolics, besides mixed dancing (a thing heretofore accounted profane) till five of the clock yesterday morning.’

“The first West End appearance of Giles Farnaby’s Dream Band.”

~ by folkcatalogue on December 2, 2010.