Laurie Lee - Fiddler

Subject: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: GUEST,Barry Winkworth
Date: 31 Dec 19 - 06:22 AM

I think it's fairly well known that Laurie Lee (the author of Cider with Rosie) played the fiddle.

Does anyone know if there are any recordings of him playing?

Barry

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: GUEST,crumbly
Date: 31 Dec 19 - 06:41 AM

Yes he took it with him to Spain- busking etc kept him in paella/hostals etc- many descriptions in 'As I walked out' but not aware of any recordings

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: Mr Red
Date: 02 Jan 20 - 06:16 AM

His wife &/or daughter may have some. I have not knowingly met either, though they must come to Stroud regularly.

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: Jack Campin
Date: 02 Jan 20 - 07:12 AM

Recordings of Walter Starkie would be good to have too.

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 02 Jan 20 - 11:16 AM

You would be amazed just how many deceased 'famous' people left no recordings. I was recently at a lecture about the artist Michael Ayrton. Apparently he spoke on many BBC 'Brains trust' programs, but none of the recordings has survived.

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: Mr Red
Date: 03 Jan 20 - 06:59 AM

There is a CD of Laurie Lee narrating "Cider with Rosie" that has fiddle music on it. My source thinks it is him playing. I may get some details on Wednesday.
There are sure to be recordings at our local https://museuminthepark.org.uk/. The doors were open but they claimed not to be, yesterday.
Kindle version

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: Tradsinger
Date: 04 Jan 20 - 05:02 PM

Our barn dance band played once in Slad in the 70s and Laurie was among the attendees. We asked him if he would like to play our fiddler's fiddle. He said he would and gave us a rendering of 'Country Gardens'.

Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 06 Jan 20 - 07:52 AM

A large 1914 walnut cased clock with an English single chain fusee movement used to grace the bar room of the famous Queens Elm public house in Chelsea, London; corner of the Fulham Road and Old Church St; just a few doors up from the famous Chelsea Arts Club.

The clock was acquired by the famous poet and author Laurie Lee (the Queens Elm was one of his favourite watering holes) during a refitting and this has come down via his estate. Laurie’s most famous work was, of course, “Cider with Rosie”. It was a tradition that Laurie would play his fiddle or tin whistle on Christmas Day when the pub was open noon to 2pm.

Hill House Antiques

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Jan 20 - 04:13 AM

Laurie Lee used to have his daily pint carried from the Woolpack in Slad. Within the last 20 years.

audio memories of people who remember him in Stroud

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 07 Jan 20 - 05:22 AM

Mr Red … Laurie Lee died in 1997, so not within he last 20 years!
Derek

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 07 Jan 20 - 05:54 PM

Laurie Lee was notoriously reluctant to be filmed or interviewed. An acquaintance of mine, David Parker, a film maker, managed to persuade him to be filmed in 1994, and the film was broadcast on HTV West: Laurie Lee's Gloucestershire - A Writer's Landscape. Broadcast again on Channel 4 after Laurie died. David tells me he recorded only a fragment of his playing. But … last year, Penguin published Down in the Valley: A Writer's Landscape. It's David's edited transcripts of the interviews, with a whole chapter on music. David has been doing talks illustrated by clips from the film at literary festivals, book shops … anywhere that'll book him! And the film is available on DVD.
Derek

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 07 Jan 20 - 07:48 PM

There is a six-minute clip of "Laurie Lee's Gloucestershire - A Writer's Landscape" on YouTube. The notes say the 30-minute film is obtainable from Available Light Productions but it's not listed on their shop page. David Parker still appears to be doing talks illustrated by recordings he made, but again his shop page carries no details for the Laurie Lee material.

Laurie Lee's Gloucestershire

Ross

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: The Sandman
Date: 07 Jan 20 - 10:28 PM

An acquaintance of mine who was a fairly good trad musician, remarked that his intonation was a bit loose

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 08 Jan 20 - 05:35 AM

I've nagged David Parker to do something about his website!
Also see davidparkertalks.co.uk though this needs updating as well.
Derek

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 20 - 01:42 PM

'his intonation was a bit loose'- WTF does that mean?

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 09 Jan 20 - 05:33 AM

Anyone interested in the Laurie Lee DVD can contact David Parker direct: [e-mail]
Derek

Subject: RE: Laurie Lee - Fiddler
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 Jan 20 - 05:51 AM

The BBC CD dated 1998 is a dramatisation featuring Tim McInnerny & Niamh Cusak. Music arranged & played by Paul Burgess. ISBN 0563 525673

The two cassette (Argo 1094) is Laurie Lee reading the book. Can't see credits for the music.
Publisher: Argo [Audio Cassette] by Laurie Lee (ISBN: 8601415561371 ????)
I managed to photograph one cassette that put the original recording as Argo 19096 - and recorded 1977. There is a barcode on the insert with the numbers 5099941 110942

only the CD comes up on isbnsearch.org