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Cecil Sharp and Scotland

03 Apr 17 - 07:02 AM (#3848316)
Subject: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: GUEST,RA

Does anybody know 1. whether Cecil Sharp spent any time collecting or performing any other activities in Scotland... and 2. regardless of whether he did spend time there or not, do any of his writing address the issue of Scottish music/song/culture? I understand from his time spent in the Appalachians, that he (correctly or incorrectly!) argued that lowland Scotland and England basically formed part of the same Anglo-Saxon cultural continuum, but did he write anywhere else more extensively about Scotland? Thanks...


03 Apr 17 - 12:56 PM (#3848376)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: Steve Gardham

Sharp was well aware of the work of Greig and Duncan and had enough on collecting in the places he did manage to get to. I do believe he did intend to get up to Scotland and into Ireland but his helicopter broke down. If you look closely at the material Greig and Duncan collected he wasn't that far wrong with his estimate.


03 Apr 17 - 01:20 PM (#3848385)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: The Sandman

Sharp had a chopper alright, history does not relate whether he too anyone for a ride.
Mud Karpeles official role was as his secretary.


03 Apr 17 - 02:04 PM (#3848392)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: GUEST,RA

Thanks people. Interesting anecdote about the helicopter!

Do you know whether Sharp had any communications with Greig and/or Duncan?


03 Apr 17 - 03:23 PM (#3848404)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: GUEST

No idea why Steve's writing such 'amusing' drivel like that.

Sharp died in 1924. The first helicopter workable helicopter (the Focke-Wulf Fw 61) wasn't built until 1936.

But bravo Steve for your rapier like wit... How we miss Malcolm Douglas.


03 Apr 17 - 03:48 PM (#3848408)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: GUEST,RA

Ah, I actually fell for the helicopter story. Given my lack of aeronautical knowledge, it seemed plausible enough to me - and also bizarre and unfunny enough not to be a joke.

Still, if anybody has any sensible insights into the topic of Sharp and his relation to Scotland, I'd love to hear them! Thanks.


04 Apr 17 - 09:23 AM (#3848527)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: Steve Gardham

Apologies for distraction. I'm pretty certain Sharp did have correspondence with Greig but haven't got the references to hand. I should imagine there will be references in the GD 8-vol collection. I'll have a look when I get a bit of time. Also I'm sure Scottish activities were being mentioned in the early journals. Some of them certainly included Gaelic songs.

As a slight aside, apart from Baring Gould none of the English collectors seem to have taken much interest in Child Ballads other than just noting that some of what they were collecting were Child Ballads.


04 Apr 17 - 10:14 AM (#3848539)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: Steve Gardham

RA I tried to post some info from Greig Duncan for you but as often happens on Mudcat it disappeared when I sent it. Either pm me or we could swap emails. Don't put your email address on here as it can be harvested.


04 Apr 17 - 10:29 AM (#3848545)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: Steve Gardham

Here's my email address >gardhams£hotmail.com<


04 Apr 17 - 10:38 AM (#3848547)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: GUEST,RA

Thanks very much Steve - that's very kind of you to take the time to look into this. I have some, not all volumes, of Greig/Duncan but I'll be able to access it in a library if you can give the volume and page number/reference. Thanks again.


04 Apr 17 - 10:41 AM (#3848548)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: Steve Gardham

Okay, in vol 1 Pat Shaw's intro pages x and xi he refers to correspondence between Lucy Broadwood and James Duncan.


04 Apr 17 - 10:43 AM (#3848549)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: GUEST,RA

Ah, good - I have Volume 1. Thanks again.


04 Apr 17 - 01:26 PM (#3848595)
Subject: RE: Cecil Sharp and Scotland
From: Steve Gardham

Vol 8 might be worth checking.