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Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown

25 Aug 10 - 04:02 AM (#2972343)
Subject: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: Les in Chorlton

Apparently Dan Brown ( Da Vinci Code etc.) may be basing his next novel on Cecil Sharpe House and its long association with the 'revival' of English Folk Dance & Song.

Plot lines, characters and associated mysteries in a short form please.

L in C#


25 Aug 10 - 04:10 AM (#2972346)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: GUEST,Mike Yates

I'd begin by getting the name right for a start! It's "Sharp" - no "e" on the end.


25 Aug 10 - 04:18 AM (#2972350)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: mattkeen

You're a bundle of laughs Mike (sigh)


25 Aug 10 - 04:25 AM (#2972356)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: Les in Chorlton

Ah but that's how these mysteries get going ...............

L in C


25 Aug 10 - 05:08 AM (#2972372)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray

It has long been suggested that The Cecil Sharp House is the repository of The Holy Grail. On one level the Grail is purely symbolic of the Sacred Bloodlines of the Oral Tradition as outlined in the Mystery Code enshrined in the 1954 Definition. This echoes much of that found in the Necronomicon of the 'Mad' Abdul Alhazhred whom certain authorities believe to have been Cecil Sharp himself. Less well known is that Sharp was a descendent of Jesus Christ - albeit of the so-called Dark Bloodline in consequence of The Messiah's ill-advised drunken canoodling with Joda Iscariot at the Feast of Canaan. Whilst Joda's brother would seemingly exact terribly revenge for this, the truth can be found in Secret Gnostic Scriptures (Codex Gluteo) lately unearthed in the Templar shrine at Garway presently awaiting translation by experts in the Ryland's Library in Manchester - itself a respository of much arcane lore appertaining to Sharp's sacred bloodline. Visitors may ponder the symbolism of the Green Men and Serpents that proliferate throughout this masterpiece of the Victorian Gothic, but more astute minds will focus on how such seemingly wanton Revivalism equates with that on offer at the Cecil Sharp House, though not, of course, in architectural terms. How all this leads to the 37-year-old Cecil Sharp modelling for JW Waterhouse is not exctly certain - but in a famous painting from 1896 to be found in The Manchester Galley, Waterhouse paints Sharp as Hylas, about to be seduced by the folk songs sung by several naked pubescent Nymphs. In the painting, he collects the songs in his famous water-jar, an early recording device which only he knew the secret of, which has since become equated with the Grail.


25 Aug 10 - 05:10 AM (#2972373)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: SteveMansfield

A secret society, the Esperancers, are biding their time, waiting to overthrow the hated Sharpistas and reclaim the folk revival for their own aims.

Their evil plan is centred around seizing control of the Olympic Games opening ceremony and taking the opportunity of a global television audience to reclaim the folk revival.

Robert Langdon gets wind of the plot thanks to an anonymous tip-off by a shadowy figure known only as 'The Squire', and starts to investigate.

However after one look at Mudcat, Langdon decides that the boggle-eyed ravings of global religious conspiracy nuts aren't really that bad after all by comparison, and washes his hands of the whole affair.

The book ends with the fourty-fourth consecutive committee meeting of the Esperancers STILL arguing about what colour skirts the women should wear, whilst the Olympic Games opening ceremony plays on a TV screen in the corner of the room ...

But hang on a minute, isn't that 'The Squire' lurking by the large inflateable Boris Johnson?


25 Aug 10 - 05:34 AM (#2972380)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: Les in Chorlton

Sean, thanks, I thought this might tempt your good self and a interesting counter tale from sfmans leads us deeper

L in C# (geddit?)
A 100% boggle-eyed raving global religious conspiracy nut, resting


25 Aug 10 - 05:53 AM (#2972389)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: MGM·Lion

It is often thought that the room called Trefusis in the basement of C#House is named after Violet Trefusis. It is not known whether Ms Trefusis herself was aware that her name amagramatised to "Ure stifs", a folk transliteration of "Your stiffs" ~~ a warning that that was to be the room under whose floor would be buried the bodies of those executed by order of the committee of the EFDSS for daring to commit a surplus 'e' at the end of the founder's name. In Chapter lxvi, investigations by the Special Anti-Contemp Squad of the Folk Police unearth the remains of 66 such offenders, all branded with the Mark of the Beast "Tradlover"...

~Michael~


25 Aug 10 - 06:31 AM (#2972403)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray

This is something Sydney Carter was all too aware of, as is evidenced by his song Up at the House of Cecil Sharp which gives an account of how a sinful Soho Stripper was redeemed by Folk Dancing following a visionary encounter with the Divine Folk Miasma, or some other such ectoplasmic manifestation the nature of which can only be comprehended through complex metaphor symbolised by the Star of Swords, the occult significance of which is so sacred it was actually unknown to the rapper dancers of North East England who originated it.


25 Aug 10 - 06:44 AM (#2972409)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: MGM·Lion

Drift, as the topic has arisen ~~

The Rappers' "Lock", as used on the EFDSS badge, is of course the same shape as the Star {or, more properly translated from the Hebrew, Shield} of David, symbol of Israel in both the political and religio/ethnic use of that appellation.

Or is this Drift? Perhaps relevant to the thread after all?

~Michael~


25 Aug 10 - 06:53 AM (#2972412)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray

PS - The whole episode may be heard sung by a sultry Carole Pegg on the album And Now It Is So Early which you can either ask the universe for in the hope it crops up in your local Oxfam shop, or you might download for nowt HERE. The album takes its name from the song Run the Film Backwards which ceremonially inverts the life of a man in an alchemical transfiguration of natural law. A fine record, although listening closer to lyrics of Up at the House of Cecil Sharp it appears to tell the tale of an erstwhile Folk Dancer redeeed by becomning Soho Stripper!

You'll need Windows RAR to unzip it, and the password which is reynardine.


25 Aug 10 - 06:54 AM (#2972413)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: Les in Chorlton

Nothing is irrelevant here as people nearly always demonstrate. But, i hear a clash of 'swords' is the EFDSS symbol long or rapper, I think we should be told

L in C#


25 Aug 10 - 06:54 AM (#2972414)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: GUEST,Meggly

Robert Langdon is helped in his quest by a young, beautiful clog dancer whose breasts he can't help but notice EVERY time she gets mentioned, even when escaping from a band of evil Rappers who are in hot pursuit round the summer folk festivals.

Langdon gets to 'gun' several expensive cars round the byways of the Isles to the sound of 'Celtic' music (this is Hollywood after all and there is no folk but Irish). He and his beautiful, intelligent Clogger, who, did I mention, has a great pair of …, finally get to consummate their mutual admiration, under a star of swords, after blowing up the Shrewsbury ceilidh tent, with the evil Rappers in it.


25 Aug 10 - 07:07 AM (#2972420)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: greg stephens

Dan Brown has spotted, unlike anyone else, that Cecil Sharp House can be abbreviated to Sharp House, and then to S Ho. By inverting the second and third letters, according to the well known Cabbalist/Cathar formula, we arrive at SoH. By diligent use of the Reading Room at the British Library, and Google, it can be discovered that SoH stands for: Show of Hands! Is it becoming a little clearer now?


25 Aug 10 - 07:13 AM (#2972422)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: Les in Chorlton

Priceless Greg, all we need now is a live 'short performance' by masked morris dancers this weekend at Shrewsbury which as we all know is .......................

L in C#


25 Aug 10 - 08:08 AM (#2972456)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: The Sandman

all we need is someone to murder Dick Miles, while he was visiting the VWML.


25 Aug 10 - 08:38 AM (#2972473)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: Vin2

Electric Eden: Unearthing Britain's Visionary Music by Rob Young. From Cecil Sharp to the String Band and beyond, Rob Young gives a fascinating, enjoyable account of British folk's eccentrics.

Here's the link.......

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/aug/22/electric-eden-rob-young-faber


25 Aug 10 - 11:45 AM (#2972583)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: mattkeen

Did you realise its in London though Dick?
Thats a long way away


25 Aug 10 - 12:14 PM (#2972598)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: julian morbihan

Just to pop in for one word - not taking sides or passing opinion.

Sidmouth was started by Bill Rutter working as the regional officer for the EFDSS. As it became more and more successful it became more and more expensive but still totally at the mercy of the elements. The time came when the society realised that if there was another really wet year and continuing loses the financial bail out of the festival could sink the whole society. It then "sold" it on to Steve Heap and co who transformed the festival into a more commercially biased organisation. It then nearly sank Steve!

Your comments?


25 Aug 10 - 01:15 PM (#2972638)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: Desert Dancer

My comment: Wrong thread, Julian?


25 Aug 10 - 01:24 PM (#2972648)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: The Sandman

yes,it became more successful,after EFDSSran it for 33 years,
steve heap ran it for 18 years.
one has to ask the question why did it nearly sink the society and why did it nearly sink Steve Heap.
were good business practises used?
or was expenditure not kept down sufficiently, or was too much taken out?
I am not saying that this was the reason, I am asking a question?
when EFDSS ran it, was too much taken out to support the society?, however 33 years running a festival such as Sidmouth is a major achievement, and the EFDSS, have to be congratulated on that achievement


25 Aug 10 - 01:29 PM (#2972651)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: Les in Chorlton

Excuse me! I really think you have entierly missed the point of this imaginative and wide ranging thread.

If you have something serious to say get of my thread and start one of your own.

With all good grace

L in C#


25 Aug 10 - 02:34 PM (#2972698)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: Will Fly

The truth is that much modern, cutting-edge music originated in C Sharp House - House music and Rap(per) music, to name but two.

Much of this, of course, is hummed/chanted/rapped, etc., in the key of C#.

There's much cabbalistic significance in all this - and certainly several Dan Brown novels - but I can't be arsed to write further about any of it...


25 Aug 10 - 02:36 PM (#2972700)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: Les in Chorlton

Fair enoughski

L in C#


25 Aug 10 - 03:09 PM (#2972719)
Subject: RE: Folklore: C. Sharp House - Dan Brown
From: Stringsinger

I think it's about time they played the record backwards.