View Full Version : Folk Songs of the British Isles
My experience with this kind of music is either the American folk versions of these songs, or through the Benjamin Britten collection/arrangement of folk songs, which is often used for singing competitions in American schools.
These are some of my favorites:
Salley Gardens:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_VtaD9Wchk
The Ash Grove:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az59BqslOAE
Early One Morning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd1tSv7p16A
Given a modern spin by the great Eva Cassidy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qLoUoywJOU
The New World versions are just as beautiful...
Barbara Allen
This is a beautiful traditional arrangement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk2sBFkZz3k
As sung by Emmy Lou Harris:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1z4rWpGUG4&list=RDa1z4rWpGUG4
Black is the color of my true love's hair (I believe it's a Scotch song)-Joan Baez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic7vQGrtOjc
Also by Joan, "Geordie"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWGDSWWDVpk
There was a movie called Songcatcher about a woman who recorded all the old folk songs of Appalachia and saved them for posterity. If you at all like this kind of music, the movie and the CD of the soundtrack are both great. (These very authentic performances may sound nasal to those unaccustomed to the style, but I think they're wonderful.)
I can say I will likely have quite a bit to post here....:smile:
I hope so, Hope. I love these folk songs...
I'm sure I've mentioned before my appreciation of Gareth Bonello, who goes by the stage name "The Gentle Good." He is, in my judgement, the best active Welsh folk musician.
Playing the Welsh folk song "Titrwm Tatrwm": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v6Qr2q2bbI
Playing an original called "Llosgi Pontydd": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dKmmJY2m8I
He also has some excellent English-language songs, and even an interesting experimental Welsh/Chinese fusion album.
In 1950 four Scottish students travelled to Westminster Abbey to steal back the Stone of Scone[ the Stone of Destiny]. They actually accomplished this and did return to Scotland with the stone. It was later found and taken back to Westminster Abbey but officially returned to Scotland in 1996. This song recounts the events and how, finding the stone missing, the minister ran around wondering what he was going to tell the Queen.
Òran a Cloiche,,Kathleen MacInnes...Gàidhlig.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W7QM8X2EdE
Very nice tunes. The ones that Angela posted remind me very much of Enya's voice.
Could be this is the most popular British folk song? (this one is arranged different but I like it very much)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmOb5H8kL30
I'm sure I've mentioned before my appreciation of Gareth Bonello, who goes by the stage name "The Gentle Good." He is, in my judgement, the best active Welsh folk musician.
Very nice tunes from Gareth especially sung in Gaelic (I presume). (Bonello is a very popular surname in Malta, probably of Italian origins :smile:)
Very nice tunes from Gareth especially sung in Gaelic (I presume). (Bonello is a very popular surname in Malta, probably of Italian origins :smile:)
Sung in Welsh, rather.
Not sure where his surname is from. Gareth is a common given name in Wales, and he is from Cardiff, but perhaps his father's family is from Southern Europe somewhere.
It’s a toss up for me which version of The Last Rose of Summer I like better, the one by Rita Streich, or that of Renee Fleming. They’re both lovely…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTHMZeU9QlA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzYUvAytrgI&list=PLMio_zVcH3JEZt70JARNQ9qYf8vRRTDW0
Fire Haired14
24-09-14, 02:11
This is the greatest song ever created in the British isles. In case people are wondering it's in Irish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZdRgQLLCgs
In 1950 four Scottish students travelled to Westminster Abbey to steal back the Stone of Scone[ the Stone of Destiny]. They actually accomplished this and did return to Scotland with the stone. It was later found and taken back to Westminster Abbey but officially returned to Scotland in 1996. This song recounts the events and how, finding the stone missing, the minister ran around wondering what he was going to tell the Queen.
Òran a Cloiche,,Kathleen MacInnes...Gàidhlig.
So far my favorite piece. I like the vocalist voice a lot, and she sings with no effort. Sign of a great talent.
From all the "Irish" artists, Canadian of Irish descent, I really like Loreena McKennitt. My apologies, I know I shouldn't place it here, but let's pretend Canada is a British Isle, afterall British queen is our queen too. I can delete it if needed. This is type of music that really grabs my heart and makes it a mush.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTpvA-pUG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CCf7gvmDEU
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_%28instrumental%29
So far my favorite piece. I like the vocalist voice a lot, and she sings with no effort. Sign of a great talent.
From all the "Irish" artists, Canadian of Irish descent, I really like Loreena McKennitt. My apologies, I know I shouldn't place it here, but let's pretend Canada is a British Isle, afterall British queen is our queen too. I can delete it if needed. This is type of music that really grabs my heart and makes it a mush.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTpvA-pUG0
Loreena McKennitt is the best folk/Celtic singer and the best harpist ever. Seeing her perform live is one of my fondest memories. I think her first two CDs, Elemental and Parallel Dreams, are her best CDs.
This is a nice one from Karan Casey called "Roger the Miller". Roger asks for the hand of beautiful Kate and her father agrees. Kate`s dowry consists of a plot of land and £500 along with Kates silks and golden rings. Seeing the dowry and thinking luck was on him, Roger became greedy and said he would take Kate but her fathers gray mare must also be included in the dowry whereupon he is promptly put out of the house. Several months later Roger and Kate meet each other in town and Roger says he surely recognises Kate. Kate, obviously still angry, retorts she thought he did remind her of someone... a man who lately came courting her fathers gray mare!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUYzHx5jero
Angela, I admit this is not a great favourite of mine, but I don`t mind this version. I know you said you like the traditional songs, see what you think of this.
Méav Ni Mhaolchatha...She moved through the fair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB4Gjcy-5ao
Loreena McKennitt....As I Roved Out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC4uTJpmEIE
So far my favorite piece. I like the vocalist voice a lot, and she sings with no effort. Sign of a great talent.
From all the "Irish" artists, Canadian of Irish descent, I really like Loreena McKennitt. My apologies, I know I shouldn't place it here, but let's pretend Canada is a British Isle, afterall British queen is our queen too. I can delete it if needed. This is type of music that really grabs my heart and makes it a mush.
Very nice Lebrok. Have you ever heard of Clannad. They are an Irish group with kind of similar music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuSkbBSGvsE&list=RDIuSkbBSGvsE&index=1
I love Clannad. And Enya.
So far my favorite piece. I like the vocalist voice a lot, and she sings with no effort. Sign of a great talent.
From all the "Irish" artists, Canadian of Irish descent, I really like Loreena McKennitt. My apologies, I know I shouldn't place it here, but let's pretend Canada is a British Isle, afterall British queen is our queen too. I can delete it if needed. This is type of music that really grabs my heart and makes it a mush.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTpvA-pUG0
Yes, Kathleen McInness has a certain unique sound, I agree.
I`m a big fan of Lorenna McKennitt as well and this one is about no.4 on my favourites list. Hayley Westenra does a good version of it too but I prefer this one.
@ABERDEEN..agree about Elemental, but I put The Wind That Shakes The Barley as my choice... great album.
Yes, Kathleen McInness has a certain unique sound, I agree.
I`m a big fan of Lorenna McKennitt as well and this one is about no.4 on my favourites list. Hayley Westenra does a good version of it too but I prefer this one.
@ABERDEEN..agree about Elemental, but I put The Wind That Shakes The Barley as my choice... great album.
The Wind That Shakes The Barley is a really great album, and Loreena McKennitt's voice still sounds wonderful on it, but IMO it's not quite the same flawless, clear as a bell voice that she had on Elemental or Parallel Dreams.
Gives me goose bumps...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PD4k0v4cOM
Also,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWU07oVhF_4
Angela,check post no.14. I put a video there rather than have empty space..tidier.
Angela,check post no.14. I put a video there rather than have empty space..tidier.
I can't say that would be one of my favorites, but I think part of it is that I'm put off by the arrangement and/or the presentation. For the really old ones, the simpler the better for me.
I don't know if it's traditional or not, but when I heard Kate Winslet sing this snippet from "The Lark in the Clear Air", I was touched by it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-9Xh8_0bfk
I remember I tried to find the whole song on youtube, but didn't like any of the performances. I just looked again, and I still don't like the vocal performances, but this instrumental version is nice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK5bONcTvrE
I love lullabys, and this one is very well known here. I don't know how traditional it is, but I've always thought it's a very lovely song. This is the Bing Crosby version. Not Irish I know, but he has such a wonderful voice. (Yes, he was way before my time! http://cdn.eupedia.com/forum/images/smilies/main/smile.gif)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw9B49epS_M
Oh, I liked the Roger the Miller song, too. I like funny as well as sentimental. A girl after my own heart...there are plenty of young men in this town...now you have neither girl nor mare! http://cdn.eupedia.com/forum/images/smilies/main/grin.png
Such a pity there isn't a section for New World stuff. I love, love, love American folk songs.
John McDermott....Barbara Allan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D4NRcNrJiU
A fine piece of music IMO and this is a nice version of it.....
Composed by Dougie MacLean..."The Gael"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_R7bJahcwc
This is the version of "The Song of the Silkie" with which I'm most familiar"-Joan Baez
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zZy2Q3QY0Q
And this is, for me, the nicest "Annie Laurie"-Deanna Durbin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fhe2TQOy-g
The heart breaking "The Ballad of Mary Hamilton"-Joan Baez
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs99oZcnhGs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q38wBcVdJXM
A traditional Scottish song from the 19th century entitled "Erin-go-Bragh" tells the story of a Highland Scot who is mistaken for an Irishman. The first two verses[10] are:
My name's Duncan Campbell from the shire of Argyll I've travelled this country for many's the mileI've travelled through Ireland, Scotland and a'And the name I go under's bold Erin-go-braghOne night in Auld Reekie as I walked down the streetA saucy big polis I chanced for to meetHe glowered in my face and he gi'ed me some jawSayin' "When cam' ye over, bold Erin-go-bragh?"
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Ed Sheeran performing The Parting Glass (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXczes9UhoU) Very nice
"The Parting Glass" is a Scottish and Irish traditional song, often sung at the end of a gathering of friends. It was purportedly the most popular parting song sung in Scotlandbefore Robert Burns wrote "Auld Lang Syne"
The earliest known printed version was as a broadside in the 1770s and it first appeared in book form in "Scots Songs" by Herd.[1] An early version is sometimes attributed to Sir Alex Boswell. The text is doubtless older than its 1770 appearance in broadside, as it was recorded in the Skene Manuscript, a collection of Scottish airs written at various dates between 1615 and 1635.[2] It was known at least as early as 1605, when a portion of the first stanza was written in a farewell letter, as a poem now known as "Armstrong's Goodnight", by one of the Border Reivers executed that year for the murder in 1600 of Sir John Carmichael, Warden of the Scottish West March.[3]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q38wBcVdJXM
A traditional Scottish song from the 19th century entitled "Erin-go-Bragh" tells the story of a Highland Scot who is mistaken for an Irishman. The first two verses[10] are:
My name's Duncan Campbell from the shire of Argyll I've travelled this country for many's the mileI've travelled through Ireland, Scotland and a'And the name I go under's bold Erin-go-braghOne night in Auld Reekie as I walked down the streetA saucy big polis I chanced for to meetHe glowered in my face and he gi'ed me some jawSayin' "When cam' ye over, bold Erin-go-bragh?"
_____
Ed Sheeran performing The Parting Glass (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXczes9UhoU) Very nice
"The Parting Glass" is a Scottish and Irish traditional song, often sung at the end of a gathering of friends. It was purportedly the most popular parting song sung in Scotlandbefore Robert Burns wrote "Auld Lang Syne"
The earliest known printed version was as a broadside in the 1770s and it first appeared in book form in "Scots Songs" by Herd.[1] An early version is sometimes attributed to Sir Alex Boswell. The text is doubtless older than its 1770 appearance in broadside, as it was recorded in the Skene Manuscript, a collection of Scottish airs written at various dates between 1615 and 1635.[2] It was known at least as early as 1605, when a portion of the first stanza was written in a farewell letter, as a poem now known as "Armstrong's Goodnight", by one of the Border Reivers executed that year for the murder in 1600 of Sir John Carmichael, Warden of the Scottish West March.[3]
Very nice. As I mentioned upthread, I think, I'm very fond of these songs, partly, no doubt, because they're in the repertoire of American high schools for voice competitions. I sang then and then my daughter did as well.
This is a very nice collection of them that I own.
http://www.discogs.com/The-Kings-Singers-Annie-Laurie-Folksongs-Of-The-British-Isles/release/5101693
Maybe my favorite of them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_VtaD9Wchk
That's a very nice collection.
I'm very fond of them because of that whole silly 'cultural identity' thing we've talked about in another thread! :)
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Julie Fowlis is a Scots Gaelic singer from Uist, and she's wonderful.
It's important to her to help keep Gàidhlig alive. I tried to teach myself, but haven't been disciplined enough.. It's fairly difficult..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19mPAueup9Y
Ged A Sheol Mi Air M' Aineol - Julie Fowlis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCpCQumN9xE) One of my favourites of hers.
Of course, I have no clue what she's saying!
Lovely evocation of Camelot by Loreena McKennitt : The Lady of Shalot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-71gWjeqEM&list=PLwNYi5PVb6TOvR2exdPGxJe7S-W6Flzgb&index=4
I love traditional British Isles Ballads, I love her voice, and as a teenager I was obsessed by the Camelot and Arturian legends.
If only we could look to The Return of the King. :)
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