Many-voiced folk songs

Subject: Many-voiced folk songs
From: An Croenen
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 06:15 PM

Hi everyone, I run singing groups and I'm always trying to find new materials. I teach songs from around the world, so any traditional - in the broadest sense - interests me, especially if sung in different parts and fun to sing in a group. I'm looking for (teaching) tapes or just plain recordings as well as music published on paper. I also wonder about multi-part blues songs. (Fancy being blue in group formation!)

With many thanks and happy anticipation, An

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: Susan of DT
Date: 06 Sep 02 - 08:13 PM

Use the blue search box above - the Digital Tradition database at this site has the lyrics to 8000 songs, mostly tradtional. The soon to be released new version has 9000 songs. There are tune to around half of the songs. Also look at the Digitrad links above.

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: CraigS
Date: 07 Sep 02 - 08:32 PM

There are a lot of 18th century rounds to be found published in 3 or 4 parts. Some are traditional, the others are just bawdy.

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 04:25 AM

If you type @blues in the blue DigiTrad search box at the top left of the Forum, you'll get a list of blues songs. Some will have tune files attached, some won't. For the ones with tunes, if you prefer to have the melody line printed out, click onto the Digital Tradition Mirror Site. Search for the songs you want on there, and you can get a gif of the melody, or ABC notation, midi or various other formats. You'll have to arrange your own voice parts, though! Hope this helps.

Joan

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: belfast
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 12:51 PM

Some of this stuff might seem a bit obvious. I mean, it's obvious to me.
The Copper Family.
The Young Tradition.
The Watersons.
( I seem to recall transcriptions of some things by the the Young Tradition and the Watersons in Sing Out Magazine.)
The Voice Squad. (A three-part a capella group from Ireland. Wonderful.)

There is an album called "The Real Bahamas". Mainly call and response type anthems with some incredible harmonies, especially "I Bid You Goodnight" by the Pindar family. A pure joy.

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: Allan Dennehy
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 06:21 PM

Belfast mentioned The Voice Squad. They are really good. They did a fabulous song with Sinead O Conner called My Love.

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: GUEST,Three Chord
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 07:47 PM

What doyou mean by multi-part blues songs? Every blues is polyrhythmic, and has a "call and response" structure,so you can go about as far as you want, but it works much differently than rounds--is there something specific you had in mind?

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: GUEST,Glade
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 03:14 PM

Don't know if this is quite what you have in mind but...There's an old Elektra recording by Theodore Bikel & The Pennywhistlers called 'Songs of the Earth' with songs from mainly Eastern Europe & some Scots. The Pennywhistlers were (are?) an all-woman group who sang a capella and with multipart vocalisations.

Glade

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: An Croenen
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 05:03 PM

Somehow the message I sent yesterday didn't reach its destination - so apologies for being late in thanking you all for your suggestions. I will follow them up , which should keep me busy for a while... I never tried singing blues in call-response format with someone else. Must try. So: instead of repeating the same line as some of these blues do, someone else repeats it? Is that how it works? I grew up in Belgium and although my family was well into folk music, I still have a lot to learn and discover. So far I have worked with songs from all over the world in my groups, but very few English/Irish traditionals. Being from Belgium I used to fear it would be a bit like teaching a (potentially expert!) dog how to bark, but now I think that there's a lot of fun to be had with these songs and I enjoy being on the learning side. Thank you very much to you all, An

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: Burke
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 05:57 PM

Check out the Northern Harmony web site. This group sounds like it sings the type of music you're interested in & publishes arrangements you can use.

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: An Croenen
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 04:28 PM

Burke: Thank you very much! I checked out the site and it looks very promising. Their summer camps look very appealing as well. Have you any experience with this organisation? An

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 04:31 PM

We got up this mornin'
Blues all around our dormitory.

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: Burke
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 04:51 PM

Not personally, but I have a friend whose son had done the summer youth camp 4 or 5 times & a younger daughter who has gone to 2. They are now participating in the Village Harmony year group. I guess it goes without saying that for them it's been a good experience.

I don't know how old you are but assume you are looking at the mixed age international sessions. The organizer tends to not be very well organized & I know people who can find that frustrating.

If your seriously considering it, PM me for some further impressions.

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: GUEST,Three Chord
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 06:03 PM

Well, it could be like that, but generally, it is like a work chant, with the leader singing an improvised phrase, and the group following with a repeated phrase like this:
L)Black Betty's in the bottom
G)Let your hammer ring
L)Black Betty's in the bottom
G)Let your hammer ring

L)Black Betty's got a baby,
G)Let Your hammer ring
L)Damn thing's gone crazy
G)Let your hammer ring

A lot of gospel stuff works that way too-"John, the Revelator" comes to mind--

Subject: RE: Many-voiced folk songs
From: An Croenen
Date: 12 Sep 02 - 08:49 AM

Three Chord: sounds like sth. that could work in a pub as well! Burke: I'm 34. I'd like to see their programme for next year (which I have'nt found on the site yet) before I can say I fancy going. I'm keeping it in mind, though. An