Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK
From: Bert
Date: 15 Jan 03 - 06:38 PM

OK Steve, I'll try to make it.

That must have been a different year Noreen. I remember hundreds (well it seemed like hundreds) of choirs singing very over produced versions of corny shoolkid songs. They went on and on, one after the other, all identical. And then the panel of judges picked the best ones.

One of the feew really good performances was a couple of guys playing the Northumbrian pipes. But they didn't win "Because they didn't sound like Scottish pipes"

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK
From: Noreen
Date: 15 Jan 03 - 08:28 AM

...don't forget Llangollen...    no, I won't- had a wonderful evening there, many years ago, meeting up again with members of the Gothenburg ceili band who we'd first met when playing in Ireland.
I remember being fascinated by a Basque group who erected two sets of trestles on the stage, which were then used to support two great planks of wood. Two people then proceeded to hit seven bells out of the planks, with great hammers- apparently the equivalent of the Alpenhorn for communicating across the valleys...

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK
From: winterchild
Date: 15 Jan 03 - 06:40 AM

What is the general opinion of so-called "filk" music? Would it be pariah at this festival?

WinterC
a confessed punner

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK
From: Suffet
Date: 15 Jan 03 - 06:06 AM

Frank and everyone else, you will be pleased to know that David Jones is on the organizing committee. I passed your fond memories along to him, so maybe when we get around to scheduling workshops this one will make our list. On the other hand, we are setting aside adequate time and space for people to create their own informal workshops, jam sessions, and sing arounds. With very little prodding we can surely make "Bawdy Ballads" or "The Erotic Muse" happen.

By the way, search the Digital Tradition for The Folksingers' Ball. If you haven't already heard it, you will be pleasantly surprised.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 14 Jan 03 - 01:55 PM

Attended the Dartmouth a couple of times. It was fine. Oddly enough, for me, the highlight of the festival was the dirty song workshop with David Jones, Chris Haslam, Peter Marston and others. It was a classic! There were more red-faced folks than I've ever seen in my life and everyone present was convulsed with laughter. It's a worthy tradition and I hope you keep it going. How does folk music survive....one way, through the dirty song.

It's a tradition that goes beyond merely being pruient. It's kind of an art form. Check out my friend Ed Cray's book...The Erotic Muse.

Frank

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK
From: breezy
Date: 14 Jan 03 - 01:01 PM

Its where us welsh cut our competitive performing edge.
The thought of sitting through 20 individuals, duos or groups, singing,reciting and then listening to the following adjudication and placing of the best three in order of merit may be how the current'Pop-Stars'based its format.
Certainly not a 'Festival' just cut-thraot competition, and all it entails!
We started as young under 5s, I well remember when I was that age one little girl, while waitng her turn wetting herself while standing on stage!
Its part of the Welsh heritage, and I am thankful.
The English have nothing to compare it with, hence the lack of taste amoung its youth and adult population and why so many are pathetic as performers.
I think the name is being usurped.
Is there competition in different classes? If not its not an Eisteddfod.
5 of us in 1975 ish drove down from London to Cardiff late at night as part of the London Welsh folk group, to play on a big stage in a cinema at 2.00.pm, sang four songs in welsh to a full house then drove home. Was it worth it? YES. This was 'party-time'. Is this what your after?
Do these Eisteddfodau still take place in the Principality?
It was a highlight of our year and bought the exiled Welsh communty together in London after the war years

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 14 Jan 03 - 11:53 AM

I've never been to any Eisteddfod other than the one in Massachusetts.
It might have been very different than the ones in Wales, Sian. But, if the Brooklyn Eisteddfod is anything like the one that Howard Glasser ran for so many years, you would love it, Sian!

Everyone knows the great things that come out of Brooklyn. My wife, Ruth, for one... she's a Brooklyn girl, and we still have family members living there... She had her wedding gown made within walking distance of where the festival is going to be, so we know the area well..

Good luck with it, Suffet... If I can offer any help, let me know..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 14 Jan 03 - 05:39 AM

Just as a point of accuracy (from a pedant), when a word is adopted into another language, its forms are usually adopted too. The plural of Eistddfod is Eisteddfodau

Nigel

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK
From: sian, west wales
Date: 13 Jan 03 - 09:14 AM

I think it's worth noting that you should never attend a Welsh Eisteddfod (in Wales) thinking that it's a Folk Festival. It isn't - except that it is a multi-faceted festival, competitive for the most part, attended by the 'folk' of Wales and including some 'Folk' categories. There is also a huge amount of 'Folk' activity, but it's generally generated informally in the evening and is rarely publicized. Oh - and it's also in Welsh. Which doesn't mean that non-Welsh speakers are excluded but things can seem rather ... surrealistic? ... if you don't have the language.

(I've sat on both sides of that fence. Took me ages to work out why the skiffle group drove 3 sheep around the auditorium. Didn't keep me from laughing myself silly, though.)

Sounds like the US one is my kind of festival. Break a leg!

siân, west wales

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK
From: Suffet
Date: 13 Jan 03 - 06:43 AM

We cannot make any promises, but we will do our darn'dest to make the Eisteddfod New York one of the best festivals you've ever attended.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod (festival of traditional music) US & UK
From: Bert
Date: 13 Jan 03 - 12:33 AM

...don't forget Llangollen...   I won't, it was the WORST folk event that I've ever attended.

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: Suffet
Date: 12 Jan 03 - 09:29 PM

A few more details...

The official name is now Eisteddfod New York.

The venue will be Polytechnic University in downtown Brooklyn, New York. It's easily accessible by public transportation, and there are public parking garages very close. The Marriott Hotel is directly across the street which borders one side of the campus, and the world famous Gage and Tollner sea food restaurant is just a 5-minute walk away. Stroll another 5 minutes and you are on Atlantic Avenue, the heart of New York's fabulous Middle Eastern restaurant row.

The dates, as stated above, are Friday to Sunday, August 8 to 10, 2003. There will likely be main concerts on Friday night and Sunday afternoon. Otherwise there will be workshops, mini-concerts, classes, panel discussion, presentations, facilitated jam sessions, and spontaneous (leaderless) jams. We might even throw in a dance or two. We are in the process of inviting staff at the present time, and Howard Glasser has been more than generous is advising us. It is too early to mention any names, but let me assure everyone that we will strike a balance between Eisteddfod veterans and newcomers.

This promises to be a grand old time, a grand new time, in fact just a grand time all together. So mark it down on you calendars now.

Oh, yes. We have a website, of course. The address is www.eisteddfod-ny.org or just click here! It's still under construction, so check it out every now and then to see what new information we have added.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 09:15 PM

I performed at the last Eisteddfod Festival and it was a wonderful opportunity to see and hear many old friends. The love of the music is very much still alive in us old-timers. I just wish there was a way to get more people to come who are underfifty. Maybe book the Dixie Chicks for $500?

Jerry

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 07:47 PM

I have happy memories of being on two Eisteddfods. They were a performers dream, wonderful to be part of, and largely due to the efforts of Howard Glasser, Sally Jones, ans company. Recapture the spirit of those festivals and everyone will benefit. Much Success to you. Burl.

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 02:01 PM

Good luck whatever Steve.

I don't know how important that issue is but at least to those of us who have lived in Wales, "Eisteddfod" will mean (a type of) festival - I gave links to the National and International. There is also the "Urdd" (youth).

I've never been much of a follower of that scene but have happy childhood memories of a school trip from Glanwydden (Near Llandudno, N Wales) to the International at Llangollen and collecting autographs from people from all over the world, some of which were not in our alphabet... Lovely sunny day too.

Jon

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: Suffet
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 01:19 PM

Guest is correct. Rather than starting a new thread I simply brought the old one back.

Maybe we should adopt the name Eisteddfod USA so people do not confuse us with the festival in Wales. I will suggest it at our next committee meeting.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 11:18 AM

How? Seems Steven Suffet quite reasonably decided to resurrect the old thread for the ressurection of the old festival. Then I, seeing the word "Eisteddfod" could not resist giving Wales, where the Eisteddfod is a very old tradition, a mention. And so it contines...

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 10:55 AM

The first two postings in this thread are dated 1998. No wonder it seems to lack continuity. How do things like this happen?

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: Peg
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 09:49 AM

sounds great! I would love to attend one in Wales, too. OBOD (international group of druids etc. who perform songs and poetry) have one in Glastonbury each year..I went last year and it was amazing.
peg

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: Llanfair
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 09:31 AM

Yes, the welsh one is just up the road!! Accommodation is at a premium already!!!
The first ceremony was held in Welshpool earlier this year, by the stone circle. These circles are erected on Eisteddfod sites, usually using slate. There's one in the Deri woods by here.

Cheers, Bron.

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: Suffet
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 09:20 AM

Jerry,

We are taking your comments to heart. Howard Glasser is our key advisor. It is too early to put out any additional information, but please be assured that the venue we have booked has the appropriate facilities for the kind of festival the Eisteddfod was and which we hope it will be again.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 08:11 AM

If you can recapture the spirit of the N. Dartmouth Eisteddfod in the days of Howard Glasser, you will have accomplished a near miracle. The Eisteddfod was always my favorite festival, and when I ran the High Ridge Folk Festival in Stamford, Connecticut, I tried my best to
duplicate the feeling of the Eisteddfod. It wasn't the performers that I booked, or even the kind of music, as I worked at a Museum with a statement of purpose that focused exclusively on American history. What I tried to take from the Eisteddfod was to make sure that the performers were pampered with good food and a place to stay, a performer's lounge where they could sit and socialize and have something to eat between meals, that the performers and audience had plenty of opportunities to socialize together and get to know each other and that there was plenty of time for performers to enjoy workshops and performaces of each other. I think that I did all of that. At least I sure tried.

Eisteddfod is a word and a concept. I wish all of you well in creating the concept.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: kendall
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 07:18 AM

btw Kark, neither your link nor you e mail address works.

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: kendall
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 06:51 AM

Oh, a true story from the old festival;

I was tired, my mind was wandering, and I told the story of the two old maids and the cat. Problem was, instead of just saying it was a female cat, I said it was a female tomcat.Didn't even realize what I had said until someone later asked, "An hermaphrodite cat? never heard of such a thing."

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: kendall
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 06:47 AM

New York? Hell, Dartmouth Ma. was far enough away.
Reminds me of the two old geezers on the waterfront in Camden Maine talking about the worlds fair:
Cap'n Barter, "I hear they are gonna have that world fair down in Tenneessee this year."
Cap'n Ames, "Ayuh, I dont know why they couldn't have it in Bangor so everyone could go to it." *

* Bangor Maine

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 05:06 AM

Or visit Wales! the national one seems to be close to Bron/Llanfair this year.

And don't forget Llangollen

Subject: Eisteddfod resurrected!
From: Suffet
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 01:00 AM

Great news!

The legendary Eisteddfod, the annual festival of traditional music last held in Massachusetts is being resurrected in Brooklyn, New York. The dates are August 8 through 10, 2003. That's all anyone can say at this time, other than it will be sponsored by the New York Pinewoods Folk Music Club, possibly with one or more co-sponsors.

Happy New Year!

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod
From: Barry Finn
Date: 30 Jul 98 - 08:14 PM

Are you refering to the Eisteddfod Festival in Dartmouth, Mass? Barry

Subject: Eisteddfod
From: Karl Eklund
Date: 30 Jul 98 - 07:50 PM

I'm creating a site for the Eisteddfod with some texts from the Ceilidh Columns. I'd welcome any nostalgic comments from performers or visitors during its heyday. www.come.to/karlek.ehome
or e-mail to: [e-mail]