The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: leeneia
Date: 02 Aug 20 - 04:39 PM

One of the Roosevelts said, "If you have nothing good to say about anybody, come and sit by me." She would have lapped up that article.

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: BobL
Date: 31 Jul 20 - 03:13 AM

Ah, Princess Margaret's Fancy. IIRC that's the one dance which didn't make it from the old Community Dance Manuals into the combined edition.

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: Mo the caller
Date: 30 Jul 20 - 05:23 PM

Peter Kennedy wrote a dance called Princess Margaret's Fancy for her, the story I heard was that some of the dances were too complicated for her, but she liked to dance. It is published in the Community dance manual and doesn't look like a dance I would call for absolute beginners, similar structure to a lot of American Squares - 16 bar introduction, {24 bar figure (for 1 couple at a time) followed by 24 bar chorus} x4 then the intro again.

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 30 Jul 20 - 02:07 PM

I remember that, mainly because it was mentioned on a documentary a few days ago. They both danced in Canada and Margaret became patron and certainly danced at CSH on several occasions. I don't know if Elizabeth ever went to the House when she was still HRH, I am sure she never did as HM.

I remember being told that there was a bomb scare before one of Margaret's visits after an EFDSS member had decided to use the House for free parking on a day trip to central London.

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: Mo the caller
Date: 30 Jul 20 - 08:07 AM

Ah, I'd imagined not a stage play but a book of tunes that you could play (for dancing masters).
And though it was Princess Margaret who was patron of EFDSS both princesses danced on a royal tour, and I'm told (by someone who remember that far back) that tv coverage of this sparked a square dance craze.

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: BobL
Date: 30 Jul 20 - 03:31 AM

I'm reminded (pardon the thread drift) of Gordon Ashman describing the Sheepskin Hey as a forfeit dance for three: one hearer was puzzled, as with three dancers there surely must be six feet involved...

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: DMcG
Date: 30 Jul 20 - 02:37 AM

"Play for Dancing Masters": I assumed the reporter made a recording of an interview and, not being a dancer herself, transcribed 'Play for (d)". But there is a second source of amusement in it: imagining what such a play would be. I see some sort of Restoration comedy, as several dancing masters compete to win the tutorship of the daughters of a 'Pinchwife' character....

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 30 Jul 20 - 02:33 AM

Apprently I can't access the site because I have an add-blocker.

Dave H

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: GUEST,SB
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 04:56 PM

I like the comment that the Beeb could air again The London Folk Song Cellar programmes. There's 39 in all. The British Library has a full set of transcription discs. The concept was Peter Kennedy's to emulate a typical folk song club of the 1960s for overseas radio audiences. It was based at Cecil Sharp House (recorded in Trefusis actually) to an invited audience. There were two recording sessions each of 6 weeks long, then the recordings were edited to make 39 x 43min programmes. The performers were the traditional and revivaists of the day including such as Sandy Denny, Martin Carthy, The Watersons, Young Tradition, Alf Edwards(concertina), Shirley and Dolly Collins, Packie Byrne, The Spinners, The Yetties, etc., etc. The comperes were Robin Hall and Jimmy MacGregor. Shockingly Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger were never invited to become involved.

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: GUEST,SB
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 04:43 PM

..."Play for..." = "Playford" hence "The Playford Dancing Masters" .... and "dates" should be "date"

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 04:38 PM

"Forgot to say: I was quite amused by the sentence "The ‘Play for Dancing Masters’ dates back to 1651." Hmmm, journalist not a folk dancer, I assume. "

Auto correct more likely.

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: DMcG
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 03:07 PM

That is odd, Dave H. It is not a 'premium' article so should not need you to log in. Is anyone else having the same trouble?

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 03:06 PM

No more errors than the usual newspaper article. Quite enjoyed the read. Anyone noticed questions on 'mondegreens' appearing on several TV quizzes recently?

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 02:29 PM

can't log in, it won't accept my details, I avoid site like this.

Dave H

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 01:20 PM

I combined the two threads but kept Dave's title, because Dave's title fit in the space provided.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: DMcG
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 10:34 AM

Sorry, I didn't see the other thread.

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: Jos
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 10:22 AM

There are now two threads on the same subject. Should they be combined?

Subject: RE: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: DMcG
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 09:48 AM

Forgot to say: I was quite amused by the sentence "The ‘Play for Dancing Masters’ dates back to 1651." Hmmm, journalist not a folk dancer, I assume.

Subject: The Amazing Story of Cecil Sharp House
From: DMcG
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 09:43 AM

Not my title! The Independent has an article with that title to celebrate 90 years of Cecil Sharp House. It is a bit of a potboiler, but some here may be interested in it who would not see it otherwise.

Subject: RE: Review: Helen Brown article on 90th birthday of
From: GUEST,Pseudonymous
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 08:12 AM

MacColl considered as 'dyslexic' amused me. To be honest, I wondered just how large a pinch of salt to take with that comment.

Subject: RE: Review: Helen Brown article on 90th birthday of
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 06:20 AM

I would also take issue with "the collecting of folk songs (led by Alan Lomax in America and Ewan MacColl in the UK)". MacColl did of course contribute a huge amount to the revival, but he was never in the lead for collecting.

And wasn't it Princess Margaret rather than (then) Princess Elizabeth who did some square dancing?

Subject: RE: Review: Helen Brown article on 90th birthday of
From: Snuffy
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 05:19 AM

There's a brilliant mondegreen in the article, mentioning the "Play for Dancing Masters" !!! Poor old JP must be turning in his grave!!

Subject: Review: Helen Brown article on 90th birthday of
From: GUEST,Pseudonymous
Date: 29 Jul 20 - 04:46 AM

Interesting article in the Independent (UK newspaper) today relating to the 90th birthday of Cecil Sharp House.

Sorry, cannot do blue clickies, but here is a link.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/cecil-sharp-house-folk-music-arts-centre-shirley-collins-peggy-seeger-a9634281.html