New Cecil Sharp biography

Subject: RE: New Cecil Sharp biography
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Nov 23 - 03:22 AM

One might have thought   the book could be obtained from Cecil Sharp House

Subject: RE: New Cecil Sharp biography
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 04 Nov 23 - 03:56 AM

I have corresponded with David on a number of occasions. I'm looking forward to this book. David's work has been an inspiration to me.

Subject: RE: New Cecil Sharp biography
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 04 Nov 23 - 07:35 PM

A new biography of Cecil Sharp, written by David Sutcliffe, is to be published by the Ballad Partners company in September 2023. The only previous biography was written in 1933 and revised in 1967, but so much continuing research has been done into the many elements of Sharp’s work that a fresh appraisal of his life is overdue.

David Sutcliffe (curator of this website) is a freelance researcher based in Somerset and he began writing the new biography in September 2020 in the depths of Covid. He consulted newspaper archives, all of Sharp’s correspondence and notes, as well as a huge range of articles and original sources.

David has tried to tell a good story rather than produce an academic treatise on Sharp. He writes about Sharp’s struggles to find work as a musician, of his travels in Australia and America, but also of the many performers he met along the way.

It is a social history that explains the Edwardian Folk Revival and its limitations. New emphasis is placed on Sharp as an oral historian and as a performer in his own right. Nobody ever has the ‘last word’ on Sharp but David’s book is a patient and comprehensive account of someone who remains a controversial figure in the folk world.

ISBN 978—1-9161424-7-3
Publishers: The Ballad Partners, 19 Bedford Rd, London N2 9DB
theballadpartners.co.uk

Subject: RE: New Cecil Sharp biography
From: GUEST,RJM,
Date: 05 Nov 23 - 12:29 AM

s fresh appraisal of his work is a positive

Subject: RE: New Cecil Sharp biography
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 05 Nov 23 - 08:38 PM

In what way is Sharp controversial?

Subject: RE: New Cecil Sharp biography
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 06 Nov 23 - 03:52 AM

Just about every way. Too many ways to list here. Sharp has provoked disagreement and discussion, and also some outright abuse for over a century.

Subject: RE: New Cecil Sharp biography
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 06 Nov 23 - 11:47 AM

Please Nick, just a couple for starters??

Subject: RE: New Cecil Sharp biography
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 06 Nov 23 - 12:35 PM

OK For starters he fell out with most of his contemporaries. Charles Marson springs to mind as does Mary Neale. He worked with those who would do as he wished, and I suspect Maud Karpeles (who was in love with him but did NOT have an affair) was the least critical. He travelled through the Appalachians without collecting one single mining song and only accepted songs as 'Folk' if they were over 50 years old. He consistently told lies about his meetings with Gypsy folk and used the maxim of not allowing the truth to get in the way of a good story. His political views have rankled with some people, (not me) and his belief in the 'perfect English Folk tune has been rebuffed for decades. Nevertheless, he was also England's greatest Folksong collector, and his achievements have been unsurpassed, although the magnificent Mike Yates may have matched them. It would be best to read Gammon and Harker (if you can bear it) and also Steve Roud. Meanwhile, take a butcher's at this.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PWW4R55anI

Subject: New Cecil Sharp biography
From: Hagman
Date: 03 Nov 23 - 11:51 PM

Just noticed this. AIA if this has already been discussed. Haven't found any reviews as yet.

https://cecilsharpspeople.org.uk/books/a-new-biography-of-cecil-sharp-(test-product)

(£25 to purchase, plus another £25 to post to Oz! Grrr...)

Subject: RE: New Cecil Sharp biography
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 06 Nov 23 - 01:25 PM

Many of the controversies, some real, some imagined, have been aired at various points on Mudcat. Why not just put his name in the search box and see what turns up? One has to remember first of all he was a pioneer in many ways and pioneers make mistakes, but his overall contribution to folk music far outweighs these.