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11 Oct 01 - 02:12 PM (#569897) Subject: Lark Rise to Candleford From: GUEST,trevorharris5@aol.com Can someone tell me about this book? Is it about folk music and is it worth my reading? Thanks Trevor |
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11 Oct 01 - 02:20 PM (#569899) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: MMario 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. |
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11 Oct 01 - 02:34 PM (#569913) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Greyeyes 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. |
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11 Oct 01 - 03:26 PM (#569957) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Noreen 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 |
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11 Oct 01 - 03:51 PM (#569981) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Noreen 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. |
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11 Oct 01 - 05:06 PM (#570049) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Susanne (skw) 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) |
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11 Oct 01 - 05:18 PM (#570058) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: GUEST,trevorharris5@aol.com 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 |
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11 Oct 01 - 05:52 PM (#570074) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Roughyed 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. |
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11 Oct 01 - 06:10 PM (#570092) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Dave the Gnome 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 |
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11 Oct 01 - 06:33 PM (#570105) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: gnomad 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. |
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12 Oct 01 - 01:52 AM (#570283) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Mudlark 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.... |
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12 Oct 01 - 04:58 AM (#570338) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: nutty 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. |
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12 Oct 01 - 07:15 AM (#570385) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Gillie I think the ceilidh band, Peeping Tom did a tape backing the play. Available from roots music. |
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12 Oct 01 - 10:55 AM (#570500) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Bat Goddess 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 |
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13 Oct 01 - 02:47 AM (#571090) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Mudlark 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. |
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13 Oct 01 - 11:22 AM (#571214) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Bat Goddess Thanks, Mudlark -- I was totally unaware of that edition and WILL keep an eye out! |
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14 Oct 01 - 06:37 AM (#571674) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Fiolar 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. |
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14 Oct 01 - 06:41 AM (#571676) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: AllisonA(Animaterra) 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! |
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14 Oct 01 - 06:52 AM (#571681) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: DMcG 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. |
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15 Oct 01 - 04:35 AM (#572271) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Geoff the Duck 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! |
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16 Oct 01 - 12:48 AM (#573089) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Garry Gillard The official unofficial Copper family page gives you one way (the direct one) of getting hold of Bob Copper's book. Garry |
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16 Oct 01 - 06:51 AM (#573202) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Geoff, that book remains one of my all time favorites> "I saw something nasty in the woodshed!" |
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17 Oct 01 - 05:44 AM (#574040) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Dave the Gnome Sorry for the delay. Fred Kitchen wrote 'Brother to the ox'. I have not read it but the TV production was great. Cheers DtG |
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22 Jun 03 - 06:04 PM (#970576) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: GUEST,RICHARD ASTLEY-CLEMAS 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 |
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22 Jun 03 - 06:57 PM (#970603) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Leadfingers 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. |
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23 Jun 03 - 05:53 AM (#970809) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: rich-joy 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 |
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03 Nov 04 - 11:21 AM (#1315296) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: GUEST,piewacket881@aol.com 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, |
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03 Nov 04 - 11:35 AM (#1315311) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Peterr 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. |
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03 Nov 04 - 01:29 PM (#1315452) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: Selchie - (RH) 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 |
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03 Nov 04 - 05:08 PM (#1315663) Subject: RE: BS: Lark Rise to Candleford From: GUEST,Peter from Essex The books are in print (Penguin Modern Classics) and available from Amazon as is the " text of the play |