Celebrating a project that started with the work of Cecil Sharpe and continues today, the English Folk Dance and Song Society, along with The Magpie’s Nest, will be staging a concert on the 22nd October called The Ballad of Britain.
In 1903, early-twentieth century folk song collector Cecil Sharp began a decade-long journey to collect folk songs that, he believed, captured the spirit of Great Britain.
A century later, with the musical and cultural map of the country transformed, writer and journalist Will Hodgkinson set out on a similar journey to find the songs that make up modern Britain. The acclaimed resultant book The Ballad of Britain (Portico, 2009) documented this journey.
Norma Waterson, the much-loved elder sister of the legendary Watersons, performs with husband and vastly influential, great innovator of British folk Martin Carthy as he brings his impossible-to-replicate guitar style and powerful voice to traditional ballads and new material.
Leader of Welsh psychedelic giants The Super Furry Animals, Gruff Rhys, showcases songs that filter the Bardic tradition through his own imagination as the wonderfully expressive solo singer performs in Welsh and English.
Resonant voiced young folk singer Sam Lee performs with his acoustic band the Gillie Boys, whilst Stephanie Hladowski presents her Eastern-European influenced music within the range of traditional folk with her mature and ancient voice as she handles the great ballads with ease and grace.
More information (and tickets) from here.
