Questions on research, colleges, etc.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Questions on research, colleges, etc.
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 05:58 PM

There are very few opportunities indeed for making a living out of the study of folk music, but I do know a very few people who sort-of manage it; mostly as part of their work as university lecturers. Most of us have to fit it into whatever time is left over from the day job, and typically it costs us more than we ever make out of it. A labour of love, really.

So far as published resources are concerned, there are plenty; though most are out of print, some of the older ones are becoming available online, nowadays largely via Google Books and the Internet Archive. Others can be got second-hand; http://www.bookfinder.com/ is a useful meta-search engine that indexes the current stocks of a great many dealers.

There is a useful bibliography by David Atkinson, concentrating on English material, at http://www.efdss.org/songbib3.pdf, and no serious researcher should try to get by without The Roud Folk Song Index. Also at the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library website is Roud's own bibliography of works consulted and/or indexed, and indexes of several important manuscript collections.

There is a lot more to be found, of course, and looking round in the Forum here will get you plenty more leads. I'll also just mention a list of Internet resources at http://www.folk-network.com/directory/links.html; it's rather out-of-date at present, but nevertheless contains a lot of useful links.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Questions on research, colleges, etc.
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 05:30 PM

Welcome to the Mudcat, Charles! There are several people on here who will be able to answer some of your questions and/or point you in some good directions. It's always good to meet another who loves folk...just don't ask "what is folk!" **big grin**

All the best,

kat

Subject: Folklore: Where to start? Help a young folkie out.
From: CWB
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 05:20 PM

Hey everybody... I registered today, and I look forward to getting to know everybody here. I've been heavily into traditional balladry for the last year or so, ever since I heard a Buffy Sainte-Marie recording of "Lady Margaret and Sweet William" that ingrained itself into my brain. I quickly fell in love with more Scottish and British ballads, with everything from the imagery and the turns of phrase and the stories themselves. (When my friends go see Fallout Boy or the Jonas Brothers or some other monstrosity in concert, I tend to sulk at home wishing A.L. Lloyd or Ewan MacColl were still alive.)

Anyway, this isn't really an "I'm new. OMG I love folk music" thread. I shelled out the money for Child's five volumes a few months ago (best investment ever) and love poring through them. Unfortunately, a lot of his text introductions are a bit short on history and background, and I was wondering what other works or journals are out there. How much material has been actually published about this kind of stuff? Links or titles or authors or anything would be really appreciated.

Another question I have is about how exhausted the field of study is. I assume that field collecting is nonexistent these days, or at least lost much of its purity due to loss of isolation, but I really don't know. Can somebody actually making a living studying folk music? Additionally, I'm applying to colleges in the fall (eek) and the more I think about it, the more I'd really like to study traditional music in a classroom setting. Are there any (American) schools where big experts in the field (if there are any?) are teaching? Again, any pointers or recommendations would be appreciated.

-- Charles