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Ashley Hutchings, An Hour with Cecil Sharp and Ashley Hutchings
Dambuster DAM 014 (LP, UK, 1986) - Dambuster DAMCD014 (CD, UK, 2000)
Un'ora insieme a Cecil Sharp: si tratta dell'incontro immaginario tra Ashley e questo famoso etnomusicologo, vissuto verso la fine dell'ottocento. Sharp arriva con la sua fedele bicicletta e porta con sé dei cilindri di metallo; erano i registratori dell'epoca: su di essi Sharp ha impresso sonorità e voci di oltre cento anni fa. Ascoltati oggi, ovviamente denotano un forte rumore di fondo: chissà se, da nuovi, fossero migliori di molto! In ogni caso Ashley, con la collaborazione di Martin Carthy e Richard Thompson, ripropone alcuni di quei brani, che finiscono per acquistare nuova vita. In particolare è strepitosa la versione di "Turtle Dove". La copertina e le fotografie sono opera di Garry Owen.
Tracks: Among the New Mown Hay cylinder recording, possibly of Alfred Edghill, Chew Magna, Somerset, by Cecil Sharp Sharp arrives and observes starlings Among the New Mown Hay sung and played by Martin Carthy Hutchings introduces Sharp Bushes and Briars cylinder recording of Mrs Humphries, Ingrave, Essex by Ralph Vaughan Williams Sharp avoids being killed by a gypsy Banks of the Nile cylinder recording Sharp illustrates the evolution of a folk song on a bicycle wheel Sharp opens his case and relates its contents Martin Carthy, Richard Thompson and Dave Whetstone play a jig, learnt from the cylinder recordings, on three guitars Hutchings reveals a catalogue of Sharp's illnesses The cylinder recording of the previous jig, whistled by ``as good a whistler as ever cocked a lip'' Sharp finds his lunch and holds forth on vegetarianism, politics, collecting folk songs and the acceptance of popularisation More cylinder whistling Sharp extols the virtues of bicycle travel and meets a bird-starver Hutchings offers an opinion on moulding music to suit its audience's taste Rambling Sailor performed by Martin Carthy Sharp muses on John Short and the sea Rambling Sailor cylinder recording, possibly of Mrs Verrall, Horsham, Sussex by Ralph Vaughan Williams Richard Digance and British Telecom decide that Sharp has slept enough Sharp continues where he left off, then moves on to pipe-smoking ideosyncrasies in the Appalachians. He decides to smoke his pipe. His lungs object. Instead he turns to morris dancing. Black Joke morris tune played by Dave Whetstone on concertina
and Martin Carthy on guitar.
Cylinder recording by Sharp of Herfordshire fiddler John Lock playing a hornpipe Sharp believes that fiddlers are a strange breed and illustrates why. He also paints a picture of the Running Set on a moonlit Pine Mountain. All My Chickens Have Gone crows an authentic American string-band Sharp relates more adventures in the Appalachians Part of George Butterworth's Idyll for Orchestra,
The Banks of Green Willow.
Turtle Dove sung by Martin Carthy accompanied by himself and Richard Thompson on guitars Sharp laments the passing of old-fashioned songs and kindly manners Turtle Dove cylinder recording of Mr Pendfold, landlord of the ``Plough Inn'', Rusper, Sussex, by Ralph Vaughan Williams Instrumental version of Turtle Dove played on guitars by Martin Carthy, Richard Thompson and Dave Whetstone Hutchings sums up and gets himself off the hook A rousing instrumental Among the New Mown Hay to finish from Dave Whetsone, one row melodeon, and Martin Carthy and Richard Thompson, guitars
Tracks 1, 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 23, 30 Copyright EFDSS
Musicians Martin Carthy: guitar and vocals; Richard Thompson: guitar Dave Whitstone: concertina, one row melodeon, guitar |
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