Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: GUEST,fynn
Date: 17 Apr 12 - 06:25 PM

Northampton Harmony's 'Hookes Regular Sing' CD is now available to listen and download here: http://timeriksen.bandcamp.com/album/northampton-harmony-the-hookes-regular-sing

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: sophocleese
Date: 11 Jan 00 - 08:24 PM

clare s. I refreshed an old thread on modes called, appropriately enough Modes? It will help if you want to read it. I found it quite interesting.

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: sophocleese
Date: 11 Jan 00 - 08:04 PM

clare s. keep asking you might get an answer. I stopped asking a while ago (though I forgot to ask here, oops) because when I asked people what they meant they couldn't explain it. Often it seems to mean minor but that's not really it. If nobody answers this in the next day you might like to start a thread about it. I'll try a search and see what I can find.

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: clare s
Date: 11 Jan 00 - 06:31 PM

Sophocleese,

Thanks for that site - it looks really good and I'll certainly peruse it further over the next few days.

I do however still wonder what 'modal' means to the modern folkie. I understand the basic theory, and in some indistinct way I have a 'feel' that certain tunes are modal.

Going back to my earlier message though - a tune in the modern major scale is modal! - the Ionian mode.

No-one would describe such tunes as modal - so what do people mean when they use the term?

Clare

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: sophocleese
Date: 11 Jan 00 - 06:03 PM

clare s. You might fine this site helpful for an understanding of modal harmony

http://www.standingstones.com/modeharm.html

Sophocleese

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 11 Jan 00 - 04:21 PM

I was referring to different recordings of the song. I located two that I have heard. One was a very fast banjo version, the other was the version by Cordellia's Dad. They were very different. Others are listed on a previous thread regarding Katy Cruel. I did also find some variations in printed versions, but they are all at home (I'm at work now).

As always the Scarce Songs site had one of the best (most complete documentation, verses, etc.) versions that I found. Thanks for the effort Bruce O.!

JAB

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: Bruce O.
Date: 11 Jan 00 - 12:56 AM

I'm curious as to where JAB found his variant versions of "Katy Cruel". The authentic original is found with its tune only in Rosa Allen's 'Family Songs', 1899. There are no other traditional versions. [You can find out where the only known copy of the original book is unde "Katy Cruel" in the Scarce songs 1 file on my website, www.erols.com/olsonw

The song has many relatives, about a dozen being noted on my website, and some given in full.

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 11 Jan 00 - 12:31 AM

Well it seems that they are singing in a modal key, and also using very strange, almost eastern, harmonies and things. Same sort of feeling with the early Robin Williamson and the Incredible String Band. I liked listening to it intellectually, but did not necessarily put it on when I wanted to relax and listen to music.

JAB

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 10 Jan 00 - 11:02 PM

I lived in East Longmeadow for a very long year (1984-85). Driving north out of Springfield one of the first things you see is a sign that says, "Entering Pioneer Valley." In other words, you folks in Springfield and thereabouts are definitely out of it. But I loved going to Northampton. Didn't do any shape note singing there, that had to wait until I went to Seattle. Northampton had lots of good music (is the Iron Horse still there?), good food, good people. If I had moved there instead of E. Longmeadow, I might have stayed in Mass. But then I wouldn't be living in Hawaii...

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: clare s
Date: 10 Jan 00 - 04:07 PM

Mary,

Thanks for the info - the impression I got from the piece I read was that there was a new Northampton Harmony record on the way. Any info?

I shall certainly try and hunt out "The Hookes' Regular Sing" but living in England it may well prove very difficult to find.

I've never heard of Tony Trishka. Is the record worth investigating?

JAB,

Interested by what you mean by 'too modal' I half understand what you're saying, but in strict terms a massive percentage of all songs are 'modal' albeit in the Ionian mode (i.e. the standard major scale)or the Aeolian (natural minor). I've come across this idea of 'modal' music as something more specific a few times and am curious to know what it means to you and the others who use the term this way. Do you mean Dorian stuff?

Thanks

Clare

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: peg
Date: 10 Jan 00 - 01:01 PM

I remember the old days of Cordelia's Dad from when I lived out in Northampton (1986 through 1993). Tim shaved his head! I am curious about their new line-up and new members and new style of music... but back in the day, they were one of the coolest groups out in Noho...

peg

who misses living in the Happy Valley!

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 10 Jan 00 - 12:11 AM

Yes, I guess I'll have to listen to the complete versions of the songs on Spline. When I listen to their Web samples, it is almost too modal for me.... and I like Modal music, after all I'm trying to learn Old-Time Banjo.

I was initially attracted to Cordelia's Dad when I was trying to Learn Katy Cruel.. It is a neat song, but I could only find a few versions of it. The discussion is on an old thread.

JAB

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From:
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 07:02 PM

Northampton Harmony consists of two members of Cordelia's Dad, Tim Eriksen and Cath Oss, along with two other singers, Kelly House and Jeff Colby. They have a cd out called "The Hookes' Regular Sing", recorded in 1996 on Hazmat Records, HAZO47D. There are 21 cuts on it, from a wide assortment of shape-note books. Mostly it's done with just their 4 voices, but 4 cuts feature a larger group of singers. The extensive liner notes were written by Tim. You can write them at PO Box 38, Northampton, MA 01061. They also appear on a Tony Trishka and Skyline album called "Glory Shone Around", and tour at holiday time with them. Those are less conventional presentations, featuring Trishka's banjo along with the voices.

Is this the sort of information you needed, or were you interested in more general information about shape-note singing? A web site about that is at fasola.org I have no idea how to do blue clicky things, so anybody else who wants to, feel free. Another web site, run by Warren Steele, is at mcsr.olemiss.edu/~mudws/harp.html Let me know if you want more info.

Mary McCaffrey

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: clare s
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 06:48 PM

JAB,

thanks for the info. you won't be disappointed with comet. I personally think that spine is a bit stronger but each are splendid records.

Go for it - you'll enjoy both

Clare

Subject: RE: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 06:40 PM

Look in the last issue of SingOut (The one with Annie DiFranco and Utah PHillips on the cover, Fall 1999). There is a great article on Cordelia's Dad and all of their spinoff groups. When I checked for their CD's I found that only their latest, Spine, is available through normal distribution channels. I think you can order all the others through their website since Omnium no longer distributes them.

By the way, since I don't have any of their CDs, which should I start with? From my brief listening I want Comet, but haven't been able to find it locally.

JAB

Subject: Cordelia's Dad / Northampton Harmony
From: clare s
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 05:27 PM

As a big fan of Cordelia's Dad and particularly the Shape Note singing, I was interested to hear of the 'side' group Northampton Harmony.

Their web site just has a photo and hasn't been updated for ages. Can anyone help with any info?

Thanks

Clare