GAoP Appropriate Music

[CrazyCholeBlack]

Silkie alluded to this in another thread & I thought it might be worth it's own consideration.

What songs & music do we *know* are documentable to the GAoP?

A heavy focus on shanties is good, but I'm interested in hearing all period appropriate music. After all sailors weren't completely disconnected from the rest of the culture at the time.

I've recently read some of that blue book, Sailors Songs & Sea Shanties (?). There is a lot of information however the arrangement makes it hard to find only the GAoP songs.

I have also ordered a copy of Playford's English Dancing Master and have been listening to some of the little tunes from that. I believe it's the 7th edition that is closest to GAoP appropirate but could be mistaken. I know it was reprinted several times through the years.

What do other's have to add to the list?

[blackjohn]

I believe I made mention of him once or twice in the past hereabouts, but I'm always willing to mention the name of good Tom D'Urfey again and again. Thomas D'Urfey is famous for his collection of songs Wit and Mirth: Or Pills to Purge Melancholy published between the late 1690s and 1720s. While not sea chanties, the collection ranges into the extremely bawdy, songs I expect would have been popular in many a tavern. The City Waites have a album of the same name. It is my absolute favorite album of all time.

There is a historical music thread around here somewhere. I remember Foxe and I exchanging (presumably bawdy) lyrics.

EDIT: here's the link to the thread I was thinking of...

https://pyracy.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7234

[CrazyCholeBlack]

*Gasp* bawdy lyrics, never sir.

My thanks Black John. I thought there might be a thread around here that covered much of what I'm looking for but for the life of me could not think of what terms to search to adequately find it.

[blackjohn]

My pleasure, glad to be of service. The Baltimore Consort usually has something period appropriate on there disks. And... argghh, their name escapes me at present... but they do have some good music as well, and as soon as I send this I'll remember there name!

And I guess it should come as no surprise that there is a Society for 18thC Music.

Happy hunting!

[blackjohn]

The Virginia Company! That's the other group I was trying to think of... though I believe they broke up some years ago, their cds can still be found for sale.

http://www.kitchenmusician.net/timelytunes/tt7v-z.html

Some of their tunes are a little beyond our period, but many are spot on.

[William Brand]

Bawdy music is appropriately inappropriate period music.

[Mad Matt]

I would assume a majority of the music for the upper class would be Bach, Handel, et al. I would also venture a guess that much at this time would have been folk music for the common folk. I surmise that this time period would have bawdy music synonymous with common people, not upper class.

Just my absolute conjecture. Take from it what you will.

Chole - here's a place you may look, although it's not separated by dates.

http://www.contemplator.com/folk.html

[Mad Matt]

This site is specific to the French (the bastards...), but it does list dates along with the musicians.

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~john-powell/theater/

Plus, the Costumer's Manifesto has a big section that you may want to (if you haven't already) explore.

[Red Maria]

Here some sites I have found useful

Tune of songs with notation tabulation and midis

http://www.8notes.com/digital_tradition/

No songs but tunes of tune with notation, differnt keys ertc.

http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/cgi/abc/tunefind

Site with many valuable links

http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/

Music was very much valued on pirate ships. If msuicians (especially fiddlers) were found a captured vessal they were often commandeered to serve aboard a pirate ship. Pirates love to party and music is necessary to party! They did not particpate in combat (must not damage those hands!) and were not required to sign articles.

[Duchess]

1600-1750 is considered the Baroque Era in music and culture. The music is typified by Vivaldi (at least today), but includes Scarlatti, Corelli, Bach the younger and a host of others. There is lovely large graphic with a time line and composer listing on wikipedia.

This era happens to be my first choice in "classical" music.

[Hester]

Broadside ballads!

The Bodleian library's collection is searchable by date, so you will be able to find ballads known to have been published during the GAoP:

http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/ballads/ballads.htm

You can also search by subject, and the search word "piracy" yields 104 hits. Many of these pirate ballads are from the 19th century (still very interesting), but there are also some lovely rare gems from the late 17th century, such as this one, published sometime between 1672 and 1696, called "The City Caper or The Whetstones-park privateer", sung to the tune of "Captain Digby's Farewell", about a "pickaroon" [lovely archaic word for a pirate ship!] named "The Jenny":

http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/ac...if&seq=1&size=0

The typeface is gorgeous, but a bit difficult to make out in places. I haven't been able to decipher the whole thing yet, but there seems to be a nice bawdy metaphoric representation of the ship "The Jenny" as a lusty wench. For instance, note wonderful the lines:

"The rustling [or ruffling?] silk of her Petticoat Sails

The wind had full blown with it's [sic] wantoning gales."

Lovely woodcut illustration of the two ships in battles as well!

Sometimes, it can be difficult to find the tune to which a particular ballad was sung. It may not be mentioned at all (as the printer thought it was obvious), or the tune may simply be named, with no melody given in musical notation, leading to a great deal of confusion as several tunes may have had the same name, or no known tune of the given name survives.

In this case, the tune is named as "Captain Digby's Farewell". The following webpage has a [cheesey] midi of a tune of that name and period playing in the background, along with the history of the tune and lyrics of the ballad to which it was first attached:

http://www.contemplator.com/england/drownlov.html

I'm not a musician, and only a very novice singer, so it's not immediately obvious to me how (or even IF) the Jenny lyrics can be matched to this tune.

For anyone really serious about reconstructing/reenacting the popular songs of the period, the Bodleian collection of broadsides is invaluable. However, as you can see, deciphering the typeface and matching the lyrics to the suggested tune can be a bit of a project, if you want to end up with a singable "song".

Cheers, Hester

[Red Maria]

I am serously surprised that your search didn't turn up the boardside ballad Captain Kidd. It was written in 1701 shortly after Kidd's execution. It has what seems to be a 100 verses! The tune was well known and even used for pro-Jacobite songs. The tune has a rock music sensibility to it.

[Hester]

Red Maria wrote:

>>>I am serously surprised that your search didn't turn up the boardside ballad Captain Kidd. It was written in 1701 shortly after Kidd's execution. It has what seems to be a 100 verses! The tune was well known and even used for pro-Jacobite songs. The tune has a rock music sensibility to it. <<<

Hi, Maria:

I'm not sure why the Bodleian's searchable index doesn't turn up that ballad. (I've tried various search words/categories, with no result.) It does seem odd that this well-known ballad would not be in their collection [unless perhaps the song survived only in the oral tradition, with no extant printed copy -- but that seems unlikely given the popularity of the song and the subject matter!]

I first heard the song in the very melancholy slowed-down version by the Cowboy Junkies, [apparently learned in turn from the singing of Pete Seeger]. And, of course, Great Big Sea do a rollicking live version.

Cheers, Hester

[Fox]

The Whetstones-Park Privateer.

Being a true relation how a small Pickaroon lately sail'd from the park, and Cruising abroad in the Night seiz'd on a rich merchant-man, whom she tempted to board her, and then she disabl'd his ship, took all his Cargo, spoil'd his tackle and burned his rudder.

The Jenny a small Pickaroon in the Park

Last night went a Cruising in the dark,

Her impudence was her commander in chief,

Her haven is Luff, and her Pilot a Thief:

As swift as a fish she did glide by the Strand,

well rigg'd and well trim'd but she lackt to be man'd

In her mouth a whole teer of Damme's there lies,

Granadoes were shot out of her rowling eyes.

The ruffling silk of her Petticoat Sails

The wind had full blown with it's wantoning gales

That wind which their meeting with contrary wind

Some times doth create hurricane behind:

Carren'd and new painted most curiously,

Her uppermost Deck did appear to the eye,

The curls of her Tower so like streamers do wave

Men of War to engage her they seem for to brave.

But look on her Stern, she's right for the trade,

Her lading betwixt wind and water was laid,

A Loofm and a Loof and most steady she steard,

Yet often to alter her courses apear'd,

To Star-board and Lar-board, a baft and before

She glances an eye and she creeps by the shore,

To look what unconvoyed Vessels there came,

That might help to add to her pilfering game.

At length from her main-top she gladly espies

A merchant-man far a head passing her by,

Oy'e straight was he, and ready to sinck,

His Hull was so much over-sowed with drink

She strait makes all Sails she was able, and plies

Her Oars to come up to so welcome a prize,

Though's head was so light, she was lighter than he

And had in an instant brought him by the Lee.

Her mobled hood she turn'd for a flag,

Sometimes she shears off & sometimes she doth lag

She hauld him with bums, but the dulpated Owl,

Would not understand her, unless she fell foul:

At last a salute with a Gun, in the poures,

Your serrvant she cry'd and he answering yours:

She boldly bore up, and for sometime they ride,

Yard-arm to Yard-arm, and each side by side.

The battle between them now warmer was grown,

And the grapling Irons were mutually thrown,

She gave him her broad-side of kisses so strong,

There was no hope left of his holding out long:

Yet on her design better colour to lay,

She pretended to tack, as if stearing away,

Then seemingly disabled to bear up again,

She offers her self unto him to be tane.

He sees her lye by, and then grows the more bold,

To venture abord, and to rumidge her hold,

She freely receives him asterrn and invites,

Him for to taste of her Cabin delights:

From prow unto poop he did grope her all o're,

And finding her Gun to be full Cannon bore,

For his Amunition he swore was at large,

And threatned to give her forthwith a due charge,

She flung off her Gloves as a flag of defiance,

And scorned to acept of his terms of complyance,

Come bully, quoth she, I will stand thy fierce shot

For already I've taken full many a knock,

With that below Deck then he thundred in,

And she to tumble and toss did begin,

As if that a tempest had rocked her pillow,

And danced her vessel aloft on a billow.

A calm then succeeded this storming her honour,

He soon had unladed his Cargo upon her,

Before hand he gave her his contracted Guinies,

And thought he ne'r sailed in so pleasant a Pinnace,

But quickly that fancy he curst when he found,

How damnable deep she had run him on ground,

For just in the hurry and heat of the job,

He ransackt Placket, she rifled his Fob.

With Watch, Gold and jewels she slipt out of door

Poor Voyager ne'r wqas so jilted beore,

His Cargo was lost, and his main-mast was torn

His Tacklings she spoil'd, and his Rudder did burn

Hence learn you young gallants that venture to sea

The danger of such Pickaroons for to see,

For vessels rich guilded with proud Silken Sails,

Oft fireships do prove & bear death in their tails

(I transcribed a load of the Bodlean manuscripts a couple of years back for the UKPB songbook)

[Hester]

Hi, Foxe:

Many thanks for that transcription!

But, given the bawdy double-entendres that pervade the song, I think that, rather than "Luff", her haven was "Lust".

What fun!

Cheers, Hester

[Hester]

>>>I transcribed a load of the Bodlean manuscripts a couple of years back for the UKPB songbook<<<

Hi, Foxe:

Is that songbook available for purchase somewhere? It sounds like many of the people on this thread would love it (including me).

And what do the initials UKPB stand for? [My guess -- United Kingdom Pirate Brotherhood.]

Cheers, Hester

[Hester]

>>>The Whetstones-Park Privateer. <<<

And doesn't the metre remind you of "The Night Before Xmas"?!

Cheers, Hester

[Fox]

Hi Hester, yup, UKPB is the UK Pirate Brotherhood.

There have been various editions of the songbook printed, I imagine we're about due for a new one by now actually. Tall Paul is the man to talk to, shoot him a PM.

[Hester]

Hi, Foxe:

Thanks! I've sent Tall Paul a query about the UKPB songbook.

And speaking of ballads, I'd like to take this opportunity to promote a current endeavour of mine, The Robin Hood Ballad project.

There are about 40 Robin Hood ballads in the Child canon, most of which are from the 17th century or earlier, and they would have remained popular into the GAoP and beyond. About half of these ballads lack any known tune and have thus become "orphaned" as unsung songs.

So, I've made an attempt to pair some of these venerable songs with workable trad. tunes (borrowed from other RH ballads and other sources). I'm quite a novice folksinger, but I've uploaded the results of my efforts at the following website:

http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1420/audio.php

I'd be thrilled if any of the singers here at the pub would also take up this project to revive these songs by adding some of these (or other) Robin Hood ballads to their repertoire.

The best source on the web for the texts of these ballads, along with annotations and academic analysis, is the Robin Hood Project at the University of Rochester:

http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/rh/rhaumenu.htm

Cheers, Hester

[Hester]

Oh, and there is a 17th century ballad set in the port of Scarborough, Yorkshire, called "Robin Hood's Fishing", in which Robin Hood gives up his outlaw life in the forest to try his hand as a fisherman. He turns out to be useless at fishing, but with his skill as an archer, he saves the ship, the crew, and their valuable catch from attacking French pirates.

Text:

http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/teams/fishing.htm

Analysis:

http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/teams/fishint.htm

I haven't yet tried to record a version of this song, but it would seem it goes with the tune known as "In Summertime", which I've also used for the ballad of Robin Hood and the Monk. [Although I don't personally read music, I do have the musical score for this tune, arranged for voice and piano, and if anyone is interested, I can scan and upload an image.]

Cheers, Hester