BS: Lark Rise to Candleford

Subject: Lark Rise to Candleford
From:
Date: 11 Oct 01 - 02:12 PM

Can someone tell me about this book?

Is it about folk music and is it worth my reading?

Thanks

Trevor

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: MMario
Date: 11 Oct 01 - 02:20 PM

from this url

Lark Rise to Candleford is the name of a trilogy by Flora Thompson. The titles of the individual volumes are Lark Rise, Over to Candleford, and Candleford Green. The village names are fictional but based on real places (Candleford was Fringford).

Keith Dewhurst transformed the three books intoplays.

Lark Rise to Candleford was also incidental music to two plays, both by Keith Dewhurst, both put on at the National Theatre, London: Lark Rise in 1978, and Candleford in 1979. The LP/Cassette was recorded and released in 1980. (It is credited to "Keith Dewhurst and the Albion Band" on the front cover and the tape, and to "Various Artists" on the spine, so either may be encountered in a listing.) Martin Carthy apparently played "Thomas Brown,Postman" in the stage production/s.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Greyeyes
Date: 11 Oct 01 - 02:34 PM

Off the top of my head I think John Tams was heavily involved with the music in the stage version.

The books are a personal evocation of Flora Thompson's life in rural England at the beginning of the last century, in a similar vein to "Cider with Rosie". Music is not at the forefront of the books, but became so in the stage adaptations. I notice MMario's link has a further link to a previous Mudcat discussion, which I haven't checked out.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Noreen
Date: 11 Oct 01 - 03:26 PM

Help: Lark Rise to Candleford is the previous thread which will tell you some more about the books, and the related music. Well worth reading, but don't expect it to be about folk music, music is hardly mentioned.

Noreen

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Noreen
Date: 11 Oct 01 - 03:51 PM

Poorly constructed posting there, from a tired student. My second sentence refers to the book, not the earlier thread, sorry.

What I meant to say was:

Lark Rise to Candleford is well worth reading, but don't expect it to be about folk music, music is hardly mentioned.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 11 Oct 01 - 05:06 PM

Two songs are mentioned specifically, and the lyrics given:
[1939:] But always, sooner or later came the cry, 'Let's give the old 'uns a turn. Here you, Master Price, what about [...] Lord Lovell stood, or summat of that sort as has stood the testing o' time?' [...] After that, they would all look thoughtfully into their mugs. Partly because the old song had saddened them. (Thompson, Lark Rise To Candleford 71f, with words)
[1939:] [There] would be calls for old David's Outlandish Knight; not because they wanted particularly to hear it - indeed, they had heard it so often they all knew it by heart - but because, as they said, "Poor old feller be eighty-three. Let 'un sing while he can." So David would have his turn. He only knew the one ballad, and that, he said, his grandfather had sung, and had said that he had heard his own grandfather sing it. Probably a long chain of grandfathers had sung it; but David was fated to be the last of them. It was out of date, even then, and only tolerated on account of his age. (Thompson, Lark Rise to Candleford 72, with words)

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From:
Date: 11 Oct 01 - 05:18 PM

Thanks everyone.

Susanne (skw),

The passages that you've quoted strike me as being very sad.

I don't need a sad book right now, so I might give it a miss.

Thanks for taking the time, anyway

Trevor

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Roughyed
Date: 11 Oct 01 - 05:52 PM

My memory of the books is that they are not at all sad, just full of fascinating insights into the world some of our traditional songs came from. I think I'll dig them out and re-read them.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 11 Oct 01 - 06:10 PM

On a similar vein was "Brother to the Ox" - A TV documentary and, I think, a book about itinerant farm labour in Yorkshire at about the same era. A bit of music in there was the 'hero' singing 'The farmers boy'. Worth checking out anyway.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: gnomad
Date: 11 Oct 01 - 06:33 PM

I can endorse the comments re interesting insights into rural life in early 20th century Oxfordshire. The CD is also well worth a listen for the more musically inclined.

DtG- Any author info on Brother to the Ox? Sounds worth a look if available.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Mudlark
Date: 12 Oct 01 - 01:52 AM

Dont know about Brothr to the Ox, but have read both Larkrise and Cider with Rosie and the latter is by far the more charming, INHO. Trevor, if you want a pleasant, sunny afternoon hammock read Cider With Rosie is the book for you....

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: nutty
Date: 12 Oct 01 - 04:58 AM

I can also recommend THE LIFTING OF THE LATCH ....the life story of a shepherd in the Cotswolds in about 1930's

I borrowed it from a friend so unfortunately don't have any more information on the book.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Gillie
Date: 12 Oct 01 - 07:15 AM

I think the ceilidh band, Peeping Tom did a tape backing the play. Available from roots music.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 12 Oct 01 - 10:55 AM

Wonderful, wonderful books, which I discovered late and by accident. Wish I had read them much earlier than I did and had been re-reading them since.

They may be fictional, based on experience, but I have them filed under "Folklore" in my library. And having traditional music mentioned in them makes them even better.

Bat Goddess

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Mudlark
Date: 13 Oct 01 - 02:47 AM

I have a stunning matched set of these two, Cider in green cloth binding, Larkrise in red, called The Illustrated...etc. etc..... They are filled with numerous old sepia photos, colorful diecuts, and beautifully rendered full page reproductions of paintings of the era, all annotated at the back of each book ....published by Century Publishing, 1984. If you like the texts of these books and ever see these editions on eBay, etc., they are well worth the going rate, whatever it is.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 13 Oct 01 - 11:22 AM

Thanks, Mudlark -- I was totally unaware of that edition and WILL keep an eye out!

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Fiolar
Date: 14 Oct 01 - 06:37 AM

Another book well worth getting hold of is "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady" by Edith Holden. It is basically a facsimile reproduction of a naturalist's diary for the year 1906 and the observations she made around her home in Warwickshire and on her travel around England and Scotland.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 14 Oct 01 - 06:41 AM

At a yardsale I recently found a lovely copy of what I thought was the three books bound together. Got home to find that this was an abridged edition! It was charming, and I'd love to find a complete edition some day. I had no idea there was a film or recording though- thanks for the links above!

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: DMcG
Date: 14 Oct 01 - 06:52 AM

You might want to add 'Early to Rise' by Bob Copper (of Copper family fame). This is early 20th century memories rather than late 19th, but worth reading.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 04:35 AM

Whilst on books to read, don't forget Cold Comfort Farm (by Stella Gibbons?), which lampoons bodice-ripping tales of country life. It is hilarious!!!
GtD!

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Garry Gillard
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 12:48 AM

The official unofficial Copper family page gives you one way (the direct one) of getting hold of Bob Copper's book.

Garry

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 06:51 AM

Geoff, that book remains one of my all time favorites> "I saw something nasty in the woodshed!"

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 Oct 01 - 05:44 AM

Sorry for the delay. Fred Kitchen wrote 'Brother to the ox'. I have not read it but the TV production was great.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: GUEST,RICHARD ASTLEY-CLEMAS
Date: 22 Jun 03 - 06:04 PM

The perfect soundtrack to reading Lark Rise To Candleford is Virginia Astley's "From Gardens Where We Feel Secure",an album of piano/flute recordings made in 1983 with location SFX from the Moulsford area of Oxfordshire

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Leadfingers
Date: 22 Jun 03 - 06:57 PM

The books were the inspiration for a sort of Folk Opera a la Transports with a lot of good songs (Mick Tams as quoted above) and
some of the top names in the UK Folk scene involved in the National
theatre production.Still good books though.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: rich-joy
Date: 23 Jun 03 - 05:53 AM

Nutty mentioned "Lifting the Latch" earlier.
This is by Sheila Stewart, Oxford paperbacks, OUP, 1987 - the life of Mont Abbott, Oxfordshire farm boy, labourer and shepherd - thoroughly recommended!!

Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From:
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 11:21 AM

larkrise to candleford is the most lovliest books iv ever read igot it years ago from local libray ,id love to own the triology im always on the look out for them,

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Peterr
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 11:35 AM

Great books, I, like Bat Goddess, only read them recently though 40+ years ago some contemporaries had to do them for O level. I didn't, but it put me off them. Glad I waited a while, but not THAT long.

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: Selchie - (RH)
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 01:29 PM

I've just finished the Lark Rise to Candleford, after being reminded of it here a few weeks ago, I bought a copy & it's a charming & lovely book taking us back to a very different rural life in England. I've thoroughly enjoyed it.
M

Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford
From: GUEST,Peter from Essex
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 05:08 PM

The books are in print (Penguin Modern Classics) and available from Amazon
as is the " text of the play