Skipton, Saturday 18 Novemeber

Subject: Skipton, Saturday 18 Novemeber
From: GUEST,Henryp
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 09:15 AM

The Toilers' Gift

From the back row of the choir, the first performance at Dent on Saturday was a terrific experience. Georgina Boyes' script provided the setting for the traditional singers and their songs. She and Jim Boyes, Fi Fraser and Barry Coope and Janet Russell performed them with great sensitivity. One highlight was Barry singing A Sprig of Thyme. Even the choir applauded! The choir was in good voice too, and revelled in Jim and Barry's arrangements, including two local carols.

There's another chance to see it on next Saturday, 18 November at the Mart Theatre in Skipton. Do catch it if you can. Tickets are £7.50 and £5 for concessions, available from Yorkshire Dales Workshops. Telephone [phone] or e-mail [e-mail] - tickets may also be available on the door.

Frank Kidson said, 'Melody is not exclusive to the trained musician, but is a God-sent gift of which the possessor might well be proud. And the toilers at the plough and spinners by the fire have all contributed to the world's store of it.' Enthusiasts such as Kidson from Leeds and Sydney Addy from Sheffield, as well as the composers Ralph Vaughan Williams and Percy Grainger, travelled through Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire to collect and preserve traditional songs.

The Toilers' Gift combines the beautiful and little known songs of agricultural labourers and dock workers, cooks and carol singers with the stories of their lives and music, giving a new insight into local history and the people who made it. It also provides a fascinating background to an important stage in the development of English music, when leading composers came to lanes and byways to hear the songs of gypsy travellers and navvies and turn them into symphonies.

Yorkshire Dales Workshops present a concert of songs of agricultural labourers, dock workers, cooks and carol singers. Written with great respect for the original singers by Georgina Boyes, arranged with care by Jim Boyes and Barry Coope and sung with affection by Jim and Georgina Boyes, Fi Fraser and Barry Coope and Janet Russell, plus the enthusiasm and power of the 60 singers in the Roses and Thorns Choir.

Subject: RE: Skipton, Saturday 18 Novemeber
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Nov 06 - 11:24 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Skipton, Saturday 18 Novemeber
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Nov 06 - 09:28 AM

The concert will also provide a glimpse of the new CD of Midwinter songs and carols from Coope Boyes and Simpson, The Fraser Sisters and Georgina Boyes. It's called Voices at the Door.

Collectively, their harmonies are gorgeous, but they also sing in any number of permutations too. To be released shortly!

Subject: RE: Skipton, Saturday 18 Novemeber
From: Wullie
Date: 17 Nov 06 - 09:43 AM

Seen the choir last saturday at Dent, they were superb worth going to see
Wullie

Subject: RE: Skipton, Saturday 18 Novemeber
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Nov 06 - 06:02 AM

Before the show and at half time, you can also see a display of photographs of life in the Yorkshire Dales.