Sea Songs

Subject: Ralph Vaughn Williams
From: Michael R.
Date: 28 Jan 98 - 06:09 PM

I am interested in finding the original folk tunes from which RVW wrote his score for wind band titled "Sea Songs" The only references I have are "Princess Royal" and "Portsmouth." I have searched this data base for both keywords and titles and found nothing. Any information will helP

Subject: RE: Sea Songs
From: Bruce O.
Date: 28 Jan 98 - 06:54 PM

Chief Librarian of the Ralph Vaughn Williams Memorial Library of EFDSS is Malcolm Taylor, whose address is given in 1st paragraph at
www.pbm.com/~lindahl/ballads/17thc_index.html

Subject: RE: Sea Songs
From: Barry
Date: 28 Jan 98 - 10:43 PM

Are those two references parts of the score (not familar with the score)? There are a few song (in the DT) under Bold Princess Royal if that helps & alot comes up if you enter Portsmouth in the search box in the upper right corner, but still I'm not sure this is of any help. Barry

Subject: RE: Sea Songs
From: Bruce O.
Date: 29 Jan 98 - 11:24 AM

Well, Williams' tunes are probably ones he collected himself. And I don't know where the two cited are, or what else may be in his score, I'm not familiar with it.

Subject: RE: Sea Songs
From: Murray
Date: 30 Jan 98 - 03:08 AM

"Portsmouth" is a tune in Playford's Dancing Master, 1651. It has words, but I don't know them [tune in solfa is approximately: (4/4)s,/d- r mrdt,/ l,- l-/ s m fmrd/ r-- s,/ d- r mrdt,/ l,- l-/ m s fmrm/ d etc.] The "Princess Royal" is by Carolan, the Irish harper, and is probably used by VW on the basis of the name being borne by a ship in the Royal Navy. It turns up in the Scottish Country Dance Society books as a 28-bar reel.

Subject: RE: Sea Songs
From: Bruce O.
Date: 30 Jan 98 - 09:36 AM

'Princess Royal' is also a folksong collected in Suffolk (it's a ship)
'Portsmouth City' is a song in Purslow's 'The Constant Lovers'