Traditional Carols and Media Alert

Subject: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 02:05 PM

There are some programmes coming up which you may find of interest.

One (either Monday or Tuesday) will feature Ian Russell and is due to be heard on the "Today" programme - either tomorrow (Monday December 21st) or Tuesday December 22nd.

The second filmed at the Royal Hotel Dungworth is presented by Nick Ravenscroft and is scheduled to be shown either BBC Breakfast TV/Lunchtime TV again either Monday or Tuesday.

Finally and we can be definite about this one. Composer Howard Goodall uncovers the history of the Christmas carol in a programme "The Truth About Carols" which will be shown on BBC2 at 5.00 pm on Christmas Day.

The pub shown in this one is the Blue Ball at Worrall.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 03:16 AM

A broadcast of the second was on BBC Radio Nottingham 7-15 this morning.(22/12/2008)

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 03:43 AM

Thanks for that - it was also on the "Today" programme. Around 8.20 am.

Sounded like a good treatment to me.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 04:18 AM

I enjoyed the one on Radio 4 this morning.
Do you know if the filmed one will be on BBC 1 national news or just on the local bit? I don't want to be watching breakfast and lunchtime telly for nothing.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 04:24 AM

My understanding from the landlord is that it will be national. Sorry I can't help more.

I think with these items with no fixed timetable so to speak, things get broadcast when it suits - e.g. if Elvis is discovered alive and well, we may just get pushed to one side.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 05:16 AM

Thanks Dave - I'll leave the telly on then.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: greg stephens
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 06:34 AM

Nice item on Radio 4(Today)...seemed to be a total absense of the jocular sneering usually used for folk-related topics! And we need good coverage for this kind of singing at the moment, as the last vestiges of real music are being eliminated from primary vscools at the moment...two carol singing events with kids recently that I am aware of had children singing along with CDs being played over a PA. The music they were singing wasn't carols, either. There seems to be a lot of this spreading around.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folknacious
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 06:40 AM

There is a preview snippet of Bella Hardy singing a carol from the BBC2 TV programme here

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Cats
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 07:52 AM

Missed these this morning but will catch Christmas Day. In the hamlet I live in on Bodmin Moor, we Wassail and Cry the Neck and at last years Wassail, one of the farmers wives said, we ought to go out on Christmas Eve and sing the carols in the lanes like we used to. Now bearing in mind that she is in her 70's, we started talking about it and around here they used to go out and sing while they were walking down the lanes and stop if there was a farm or a house, sing for them but not collect, and then walk on to the next farm, until late at night. Consequently, on Christmas Eve we will be meeting at the next farm over from our hamlet and will be walking with them to all the outlying farms and houses to sing carols. I promise there will not be a cd player in sight and the carols will be local and old. Very Hardyesque, but this is Cornwall not Dorset.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 07:52 AM

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/whats-new/carols

Sheffield has voted! 22 December 2008

Silent Night is officially Sheffield's favourite Christmas carol.
Silent Night came out tops in the search to find ten of the city's most loved seasonal songs to be played by the Town Hall bells on Christmas Eve. A carol played by the bells will ring out every quarter of an hour and the clock will chime on the hour as usual.

It was the outright winner with 16.5 per cent of your votes, second came Ding Dong Merrily on High with 11.5 per cent and In the Bleak Midwinter came in third with just over seven per cent of your support.

Other carols which you gave the thumbs up to include: Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful, Away in a Manger, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Deck the Halls, We Wish You A Merry Christmas and Jingle Bells.

Silent Night started life as a poem ('Stille Nacht') written by Austrian priest Joseph Mohr more than 190 years ago. The poem was put to music by his friend Franz Xavier Gruber.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Help-pick-Sheffield39s-favourite-carol.4806830.jp
Help pick Sheffield's favourite carol
Published Date: 18 December 2008

Sheffield Council has launched a search to find the city's best loved seasonal songs and wants Star readers to take part in a vote. Star readers are being asked to help Sheffield choose its favourite Christmas carols. People can choose from a list of 22 carols including Hark the Herald, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Ding Dong Merrily on High and Away in A Manger.

Readers' favourite top ten carols will be rung out by the Town Hall peel of bells on Christmas Eve when the clocks chime. A carol played by the bells will ring out every quarter of an hour and the clock will chime on the hour as usual. Auld Lang Syne will be peeled at midnight on New Year's Eve to see in 2009 in style.

To vote, click here and register your choices by 10am on Monday, December 22. Voters are asked to choose their favourite seasonal song and the ten with the most votes will be played throughout Christmas Eve. As votes are cast online and a running tally will appear on screen which will tot up the front runners and show how the city is voting.

"Forget Strictly Come Dancing, your vote counts here in Sheffield," said Council Leader Coun Paul Scriven. "We want to hear from you about which carols are your Christmas crackers and we will play the top ten to bring some festive cheer on Christmas Eve. We look forward to seeing how Sheffield votes."

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: GUEST,Neovo
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 08:43 AM

singing the carols in the lanes sounds very similar to the night singing on the night before Padstow May Day.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: MC Fat
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 09:17 AM

How interesting that the (Liberal Democrat) leader of Sheffield City Council doesn't mention the tradition thats on his doorstep,

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 09:27 AM

He might just get informed Jim, I feel a rant coming on.

Dave

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: MC Fat
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 12:29 PM

Rant away Dave at least former labour Cabinet Minister Davis Blunkett tries to go at least one to Grenoside or Oughtibridge.I think even his guide dog would be able to hum 'Sweet Bells' but the 'leader' is ignorant of the wonderfull wealth of local carols.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 01:23 PM

Hi Jim and already the Leader has replied.

Apparently the peal of bells in the Town Hall is really a load of horlicks and it is in fact a recording. Thus the choice of carols for the population was really a choice of "Which one of our recordings would you like most?"

Not that I would suggest you should waste any of your really valuable time and ask how many people actually replied to the survey under the Freedom Of Information Act.

Always suspicious when politicians quote percentages. And I am busy dealing with the flood of media enquiries you understand.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 01:27 PM

And I have just noticed - you can tell he has written this himself in fairness. He writes "peel" of bells.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Gervase
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 01:30 PM

Oh dear, Paul Scriven does sound like an arse.
The package on the Today programme this morning was very welcome, and it was nice to hear that professional curmudgeon John Humphrys audibly beaming at the end of it!

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 01:40 PM

Reliable information seems to point to the fact that Breakfast TV will be showing the film version tomorrow - and around 8.30 am.

The drunk leaning against the bar and spouting is me.

The scottish drunk in the rugby shirt behind me is MC Fat.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 02:35 PM

At Foolow in the Peak District they still sing around the village on Christmas Day. Sadly I never make it, but would probably feel a bit of a fraud. Until about 20-30 years ago (could check I suppose but doing this off top of head) they started out singing at midnight on Christmas Eve.

And another thread creep rant - usual 'carols' featured on Lark Rise to Candleford Christmas Special. You'd think at least they'd manage something along the lines of Christians Awake!

Cats - Strike sound for us!

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 02:39 PM

Abject apology - just seen Lark Rise thread, but won't bother repeating myself (for once)

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Cats
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 03:10 PM

Jon and I have already been to Padstow carols twice this year. Christmas isn't Christmas until we have sung 'Sages' in Padstow. I've been going out with Padstow Carollers for over 25 years. The lanes here are nothing like those in Padstow but the tradition might be a little similar. This used to happen in many rural areas and in some the timing has gone from a midnight start to an early evening. We are planning a mid evening start at a farm about 2 miles from here then we will walk down the extremely narrow lanes, until we reach the next farm or isolated house, ending up at the bottom farm quite late on. It wasn't my idea to revive it, it came from the woman who used to do it here as a child.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Cats
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 04:54 AM

Saw the item on BBC News this morning. Good piece except the reporter couldn't seem to get his head around the fact that we don't change the tunes, it was the victorians who did that and what we sing is tradiotional, not what is sung in the churches. Excellent to see it highlighted, though.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 05:03 AM

We trried Cats, we tried. (That was me saying this is what people sang before the mid victorian era)

To be honest I have only heard the sound version (yesterday) but I am told it was a good treatment.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: John J
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 05:13 AM

Mum ('catter Helen Jocys - currently languishing in Wythenshawe Hospital) has just phoned me to say there was a feature on Sheffield Carols on GMTV this morning...I'm struggling to find it on watch it again or whatever they call it..

JJ

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 05:17 AM

It was definitely BBC TV and I can't find a repeat either.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: bubblyrat
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 05:18 AM

It's lovely to hear a proper "carillon" ,especially at Christmas.The very thought of a recording is quite disgusting.You can hear carillons at Christchurch Priory,in Dorset,and,surprisingly,in Southampton city centre (town hall building)---at least ,I THINK it's a proper carillon !! I heard it a lot while in college there (LSU de SC !).And no, I didn't read Theology !!

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Cats
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 05:32 AM

Good try, Dave. looking forward to next year. We hope to get up from Cornwall now that I don't work in school on Monday or Friday.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: DMcG
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 05:42 AM

Yes, the article was broadcast today at about 8:50am. Apart from the "changing the tune" comment remarked on above, I thought it was pretty well done. Afterwards they had five minutes or so with Rachel Unthank and Lucie Skeaping discussing the tradition. I could have done without the implication that "The Holly and the Ivy" is pre-Christian but whoever had briefed the presenters had them raise it as a topic so Lucie was stuck with it.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: GUEST,Jerry O'Reilly
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 07:32 AM

Well done Dave, "Veteran Caroller". Sounding suitably erudite!

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 08:25 AM

I suspect they ran it more than once.

I sounded erudite because of course it was the end of the lunchtime session and by that time I had drink taken. As you can well imagine.

Had it been at the beginning I would have sounded araldite. They would have been stuck with it.

Not so sure about the "veteran" - but it has been well over 30 years.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: r.padgett
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 09:57 AM

Love the Araldite, do they have that in US Dave?

Ray

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 10:31 AM

Not sure Ray - being one of those poor people who cannot afford a TV or a TV licence I never saw it.

But I have been to see a recording of it now, and I thought the treatment of the story was very fair.

Shame when Dave keeps an excellent pint of hand-pulled they had to show lager; and my good friend Martin Watson carrying a bottle of alcohol-free! and the beer is 3.9% so it is OK, a good session beer.

Sorry about the singing in Mount Moriah - had I known they were filming me singing I would have mimed!

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: John J
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 11:46 AM

Can anyone suggest a programme I can look at online using their watch-it-again?

John

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Girl Friday
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 11:53 AM

Without having seen this thread I caught the item with Rachel Unthank on BBC Breakfast this morning. I am rarely up at that time in the morning, so was lucky to catch it.The interviewers said how much they enjoyed the traditional folk version of "Holly and Ivy".

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: JohnB
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 12:35 PM

I'm with JohnJ, an audio will do me as I only have dialup.
JohnB.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 04:22 PM

I thought Holly and Ivy was pre-christian - is it not then?

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: GUEST,Ritchie
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 04:43 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast/7797195.stm

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Folkiedave
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 05:02 PM

Sorry I meant to do this earlier.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 05:35 PM

Not so much a 'Veteran Caroller' as a 'Carolling Veteran', I think I preferred 'Veteran Caroller'

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 04:03 AM

Thanks for the link Dave - I've spotted a couple of familiar faces (apart from yours)!

Kitty

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Cats
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 05:52 AM

Thanks for the link, Dave. It's good to put a name to a face and the other way round!

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: Willa
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 10:45 AM

Many thanks for the link, folknacious. I love Bella's voice and the carol is one of my favourite, so it was a double delight.

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: JohnB
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 11:48 AM

Thanks for the link, it keeps crapping out on me, possibly because of my slow dial up connection. I will try it later when we go to our daughter's for Christmas.
Thanks ans A've a Gud'un, JohnB

Subject: RE: Traditional Carols and Media Alert
From: r.padgett
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 01:29 PM

Actually a good link at the moment and some very familiar faces!

Of course there are a number of "Sheffield Carolling" events at many pubs around Sheffield

The one far distant from Sheffield was The Fountain, now relocated to "the George" at Upper Denby and closest to Barnsley where Barry Bridgewater and John Cockin were last spotted among others such as Bob Auty, Nigel Tyas and Bert Cleaver

Ray