P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain & Ireland

Subject: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Brit. & Ire.
From: GUEST,BlackAcornUK
Date: 10 Oct 20 - 09:38 AM

I've recently bought this online, but it's winging its way from the US and may take a month to arrive;

I'm trying to write something this week, and I think it could be really useful towards that;

Does anyone know of an online transcript anywhere?

I've checked my local library service, and sadly they don't have it.

Subject: RE: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Brit. & Ire.
From: The Sandman
Date: 10 Oct 20 - 10:34 AM

i think i have a copy, what did you want to know

Subject: RE: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Brit. & Ire.
From: GUEST,BlackAcornUK
Date: 10 Oct 20 - 12:19 PM

Ha, thank you - a very kind offer, but it might be a bit more in-depth than that - just writing a blog about the Gypsy & Traveller role in English folk, and I'd heard that the book has a whole section on the subject.

Subject: RE: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Brit. & Ire.
From: GUEST,CJB666
Date: 10 Oct 20 - 01:14 PM

Try searching Google Books ...

Subject: RE: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain & Ireland
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Oct 20 - 01:41 PM

I thought it might be at http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/ but it isn't . It's at Google Books, but still under copyright and not available for online use.

Subject: RE: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain & Ireland
From: RTim
Date: 10 Oct 20 - 02:27 PM

It is a Huge paperback book with 824 pages!...and Yes there is a the Final section in the book of Songs of The Traveling People - starts on Page 741. The introduction to this section has a mass of information including listings of Roma words and translations. Then songs 337 to 360 plus info. on each song listed.

I have heard some criticism of Kennedy's work, ie. some has been "stolen" from others and NOT credited, and he seldom if ever paid he informants, etc..

However, there is certainly a lot of information within this book...

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain & Ireland
From: GUEST,BlackAcornUK
Date: 10 Oct 20 - 04:56 PM

Thanks all, that's helpful - I guess I'll just wait for it to arrive, found a decent price in supposedly good condition, but I had to look across the Atlantic to do so!

I've also heard a range of sad and unsettling stories about PK's practice as regards seemingly unscrupulous annexation of rights and and also releasing recordings without consent of the musicians involved. He undoubtedly made a big contribution in terms of collecting and recording, but if even half the accusations have substance then the professional ethics (or lack thereof) is troubling and a 'what not to do' map for those doing fieldwork today.

Subject: RE: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain & Ireland
From: r.padgett
Date: 13 Oct 20 - 01:33 PM

For the record I have a copy of this book, it is quite collection and I did hear stories about it's copyright etc ~ doesn't seem to be quoted much as a source of songs

Ray

Subject: RE: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain & Ireland
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Sep 21 - 09:21 PM

Seems to me that this book is a fairly complete collection of everything Peter Kennedy collected. Every time I come across something collected by Kennedy, I find it in this book. Am I correct?

Subject: RE: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain & Ireland
From: RTim
Date: 27 Sep 21 - 10:53 PM

No Joe...There are other songs, etc. collected by Kennedy that I don't think are in the book - however there maybe more on his online site -

Subject: RE: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain & Ireland
From: RTim
Date: 27 Sep 21 - 10:58 PM

Dam!! I closed that too soon....On his online site... https://www.peterkennedyarchive.org/
and there maybe other stuff that he recorded for the BBC - don't where that is now?? I am thinking of some stuff he recorded at The Portland Quarry....

A bit garbled, it may be late at night, plus the Whisky...Tim

Subject: RE: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain & Ireland
From: Brian Peters
Date: 28 Sep 21 - 06:18 PM

Black Acorn, have you come across Nick Dow's presentation ‘A Secret Stream', based on his new book of songs collected from the English Gypsies?


I know he's presented it online at Virtual Whitby and elsewhere, and I also know that it be very well researched.   I'm hoping to catch it at Tenterden this weekend.