7Aug19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain

Subject: RE: 7Aug19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: JHW
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 05:31 AM

Well I did listen to the last one but only half while doing other things.

Subject: RE: 7Aug19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 27 Aug 19 - 08:53 AM

Wednesday 28 August 2019 BBC Radio 4 A Singer's Guide to Britain
4/4 We Travel with Songs Roderick Williams gets on the road to tell the stories of Britain through our songs.

In this final programme, Roderick looks at the way that song can express a common humanity - and at some of the songs given voice by people who have come to these islands, as visitors, as refugees and as distinct communities. He visits a singing session for asylum seekers and refugees in Cardiff and hears about the singing legacies of the Jewish East End and Irish workers in Birmingham.

Featuring Laura Bradshaw, Billy Bragg, Alan Dein, Joseph Gnagbo, Marie, Angela Moran and Zarife. Thanks to Valley and Vale Community Arts. Alan Dein's compilation of 'Yiddisher jazz' is called Music is the Most Beautiful Language in the World (JWM Records).

Subject: RE: 7Aug19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: JHW
Date: 25 Aug 19 - 06:40 AM

It is a curious mix but I'll still listen to the last one. It may persuade new converts to folk song.
Personally I really dislike insincere versions of 'folk songs' by trained singers with a piano plinking away.

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 22 Aug 19 - 10:00 AM

I think it's been ok. There was a small chunk on street music that I enjoyed.

I admit I hadn't noticed the position of the apostrophe at first.

Here's a clicky for the four episodes
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0007bvv/episodes/guide

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Aug 19 - 09:01 AM

didn't improve, did it- superficial and pointless....

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 10 Aug 19 - 08:38 PM

Confessing that I haven't yet listened to the programme, but a bit mystified as to why Eddi Reader should be chosen to represent Scotland. Sure she has a background in both pop music and folk, but not enamoured of her Burns interpretations.
Will come back with, I hope, a more informed answer after I have listened to the programme.

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Aug 19 - 09:24 AM

I didn't enjoy this programme & won't listen again- such a grandiose title is ridiculous anyway if you think for a second or two.

A radio series visiting all corners of Britain instead of a random few producers' whims- it might work- possibly on the layout lines of the 'Home Front' programme, which ran for much of the five years of WW1?

Mind you, they'd muck that up as well & I would lose interest after a week or two

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: r.padgett
Date: 08 Aug 19 - 05:07 AM

I would query the use of Radio for this voyage of discovery ~ maybe tv would have been a better vehicle of discovery?

Singer's guide ~ title a bit ambiguous ~ probably to give those taking part some leeway

Barnsley (my town) has some buskers ~ one youngish lad in my view very talented doing MacColl stuff eg My Old Man and Beetles etc

Folk type song sessions tend to have traditional, Keith Marsden, Graeme Miles, Music hall and some contemporary from leading professional folk singers

Area Sth Yorks and Wakefield/West Yorkshire/Nth Yorks ~ Industrial England # current

Broadside ballads of course a different matter but of historical significance and music hall sources for singers such as Harry Cox, Walter Pardon et al ~ venues were pubs but where will we be in 20 years time?

Ray

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: JHW
Date: 08 Aug 19 - 05:05 AM

BBC have tried all sorts on Wed morning following Libby Purves retirement.
I listened again to the 9-30pm repeat. Singing is getting a mention. Some good may come from it.

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 08 Aug 19 - 01:11 AM

Episode 3/4 9.00am Wednesday 21 August 2019 Places to Sing

Singer Roderick Williams continues his exploration of Britain’s stories told through our songs. Today, he looks at where we choose to sing and what those places can tell us about our social history. Roderick starts his journey at Mason’s Court, the oldest residence in Stratford-upon-Avon, where songs might have been shared between family and friends in the 15th century.

He takes us into a busy London square to understand the life of a street balladeer in the Georgian era, and hear how our present-day buskers work the passing crowds. He also pays a visit to City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds, with Professor Derek Scott, to examine how the Victorians transformed songs and singers into mass-market commodities.

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 03:01 PM

Couldn't quite see what this programme's purpose was- certainly agree about the quality of Heather Heywood's singing- just wish Ms Reader had learnt a bit more from her

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: JHW
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 02:50 PM

Thanks for the repeat info. Haven't noticed that trailed.

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: r.padgett
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 01:55 PM

The Nobles are of course Wallers! no doubt as is William Noble
their dad
Fine singers from the West Yorkshire tradition

Ray

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 12:41 PM

The episode is repeated tonight at 9.30, for those who missed it this morning.

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 08:29 AM

I was most impressed by Georgia Ruth's beautiful song sung in the Welsh language.

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 07:26 AM

Robin, to be fair, they may have credited it, we don't know. Editors cut lots out of programmes to make them fit the time slot. At least you've done so ;)

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 06:09 AM

That was a very pleasant start to the day. I've long been an admirer of Heather Heywood.

"And we join siblings Cuthbert and Lydia Noble as they build a dry stone wall in Shepley, West Yorkshire." I assume the sounds were authentic! And thanks for crediting Scowie and Giff. I hope the performance will please them both.

If you'd like to hear more; Episode 2 9.00am Wednesday 14 August

Roderick samples love songs from medieval times to the modern day and explores how singing has, for centuries, helped Briton's through the murky waters of desire and romance. He hears how the Tudors and the Victorians approached the sensitive topic of sex in their songs, and he meets singer and harpist, Leah Stuttard, to try out what may have been Britain’s very first internationally best-selling love song.

Could that be Greensleeves? We'll see.

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: JHW
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 05:20 AM

John Moran (Durham) would have illustrated better the singing of that song with a sincerity that would have you believe he's a waller.

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 04:38 AM

I notice that the Nobles didn't point out that the walling song was recent. Words by Scowie and tune by Giff.

Robin

Subject: RE: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 07 Aug 19 - 04:04 AM

On now!

Subject: 7/8/19 BBC A Singer's Guide to Britain
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 06 Aug 19 - 06:35 PM

A Singer's Guide to Britain

In this four part series, Roderick Williams explores different aspects of our British story, through the lens of the songs we sing.

9.00am Wednesday 7/8/19 BBC Radio 4 Episode 1/4 Song of Myself

In this first programme Roderick looks at the power of song to express a sense of identity and belonging.

He visits Kilmarnock, where Eddi Reader explains how the songs of Robert Burns brought her back to an essence of Scotland after many years living away. In Aberystwyth, Georgia Ruth talks about passing on the songs of the Welsh language to her young son and the inspiration of the pioneering song collector Ruth Herbert Lewis. And we join siblings Cuthbert and Lydia Noble as they build a dry stone wall in Shepley, West Yorkshire.

Featuring, Billy Bragg, Fay Hield, Cuthbert Noble, Lydia Noble, Eddi Reader and Georgia Ruth.