An English Folk Awards..?

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 05:43 AM

Richard ,is quite right,the Irish tradition has survived,through the competition system,the down side is that Comhaltas through their marking system,have encouraged a certain style of playing.
ironically,they intended to preserve the music,but they have in fact intentionally altered it,to the detriment of certain regional styles,the plus side is thet, at any regional as well as national fleadh,it is a focus point,for thousands of musicians to get together and play.
of course,when Isuggested a competition or even examination system,some eighteen months ago,I was laughed to scorn,on this forum.
John Adams,even went so far as to take the piss out of my name.
Comhaltas do receive considerably more money than the EFDSSS,but this was not always the case,from 1951 to approximately 1966,they had to make do with very little government support.
I personally would be in favour of EFDSS reintroducing The competition system,yes, they used to do it.
It certainly has contributed to the strength of Irish traditional music.
however, I would suggest a slightly different marking system on tunes,one where ornamentation is not given more marks,than rhythm or danceability.
Comhaltas do have one or two eccentric rules,such as the non allowance of tunes in 3/4,the non allowance of english song translation from the Irish,such as Ned ofthe hill.but overall most people apart from[it would seem] Jim Carroll,enjoy the fleadhs,and treat it as agreat oppurtunity to meet up and play music with old friends.
Dick Miles

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 06:39 AM

How many times do we have to have the same arguments on this forum? Does it not start to feel like a flippin' Beckett play?

Yes - I know i've said that before.

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 07:44 AM

Yes, as with many threads, Ruth, there has been repetition here, but I, for one , have just heard something new - Dick says the EFDSS have run comps in the past...Members, other than Ruth, have visited this thread before - I wonder is anything afoot?...

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 10:07 AM

It is a Beckett play.
or perhaps its the third policeman,we are all gradually turning into a computer.
the EFDSS competitions took place a long time ago,WAV ,in the days when EFDSS used to successfully run folk festivals and have flourishing branches.
then one day rather like Dr Beeching and his draconian cutting of railway branches,they decided to get rid of their branches,and they decided they couldnt afford to run festivals any more,at the same time/or shortly after, they insisted that Cecil Sharp house,should not be sold,despite its heavy cost to maintain.
the trouble is if you deprive a tree of all its branches,its in danger of dying.
fair play to the present organisers/Volunteers they seem to be bringing at least a temporary come back to EFDSS,which I hope becomes permanent.I wish them every success with their efforts.Dick Miles

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 10:16 AM

I guess before Beeching, Dick, it was possible to make a train day-trip to the Lake District from Newcastle, as I used to do from Bolton...would be nice. And I share your hopes for the EFDSS.

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 11:36 AM

I used to work in this school in Newtown in Brum, a Comp. Next to the comp was a tower of office block and EFDSS had an office there. One dinnertime I went to see this place, as I had a folk club in Castle Brom and I knew everybody in every folk club at the time. I thought there might be some confluence of interest.

I was told to get out, visitors weren't allowed. The EFDSS had nothing to do with folk clubs - they had no time for us and just for good measure - get out again.

I've never really bothered with them since. I'm sure they have something to pass on.   I've heard all the legends of the Watersons kipping in their library etc. since then.

But I've always thought since then that theres an unhealthy tendency in the folk movement generally to tell ordinary folk they can get stuffed, and that they are of no account. from whence does it flow....well I've got my suspicions.

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 05:15 PM

I've never been to the EFDSS in London, but would like to check, in particular, those recordings you mention, WLD. I think the folk clubs and festival singarounds in NE England are generally encouraging to non-familiar faces. On the other hand, it does seem very difficult for anyone to make a living if they are not in the BBC's "club."

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: Gene Burton
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 05:31 PM

The EFDSS DID hold a songwriting competition a couple of years back, to be fair. Though, erm, on second thoughts that probably isn't the kind of competition most contributors here have in mind! A competition for performance and/or arrangement of English trad folk songs sounds like a perfectly good idea, provided it was open to all-I'd certainly enter.

(you can take that as a warning...:^)

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 05:49 AM

Nothing wrong with learning from the Scots and their folk awards, of course. I hope one day soon their's is broadcasted by an SBC, and our's by an EBC.

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 08:18 AM

...and nothing wrong with learning from the Nepalese either, and dissolving the monarchy here...

Poem 225 of 230: AFTER PSALM 118:9 AND MATTHEW 4:8-10

The monarchies
    Now are blasphemies -
The only born-ruler
    Is a God-chosen Schooler.

From walkaboutsverse.741.com

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 01 Aug 08 - 08:17 AM

WAV, the monarchy has been part of good old English culture for a lot longer than tennis and country dances!!!!! Tsk tsk.

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 02:58 AM

"most people apart from[it would seem] Jim Carroll,enjoy the fleadhs,"
Cap'n,
I do wish you wouldn't make (in this case extremely inaccurate) statements on my behalf.
I have never discussed my experiences of nor attitude to fleadhs with you, so please be good enough to leave me out of your ramblings.
For the record, one of the most memorable fleadhs I ever attended was the one at Listowel back in the early 1970s when the leadership cancelled the proceedings in support of the troubles that had just broken out in the North of Ireland (yet another crackpot political/sectarian decision on their part) - no competitions, so the musicians who had turned up went ahead anyway and played purely for the love of the music - wonderful.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: An English Folk Awards..?
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 07:46 AM

I've enjoyed coverage, via satellite, of the Mods from Scotland, but not the fleadhs...is it a similar thing?