English Folk-Song and Dance

Name: English Folk-Song and Dance
Author: Kidson, Frank

Kidson, Frank

Folk dancing, English; Folk music -- England -- History and criticism; Folk songs, English -- England -- History and criticism

ENGLISH FOLK-DANCE
          INTRODUCTION                                     97
       I. THE MORRIS DANCE TO-DAY                         125
      II. TUNES                                           130
     III. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS                             132
      IV. THE DRESS                                       136
       V. EXTRA CHARACTERS                                141
      VI. THE SWORD DANCE                                 145
     VII. THE FURRY DANCE                                 150
    VIII. THE COUNTRY DANCE                               152
      IX. THE PRESENT-DAY REVIVAL OF THE FOLK-DANCE       158
       X. CONCLUSIONS                                     167
          BIBLIOGRAPHY                                    173




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS


          FACING PAGE

    MORRIS DANCERS AT BAMPTON-IN-THE-BUSH, OXON.           97
       (By kind permission of _The Daily Chronicle_)

    ABINGDON DANCES, WHOSE TRADITION GOES BACK TO 1700    104
      (From _The Espérance Morris Book_, Vol. I.,
         by kind permission of Messrs J. Curwen & Son)

    MORRIS DANCERS IN THE TIME OF JAMES I.                120

    MORRIS DANCE AND MUSIC                                125

    (From the _Orchesographie_ of Thoinot-Arbeau,
        British Museum)

    WHIT-MONDAY AT BAMPTON-IN-THE-BUSH, OXON.             145
    (By kind permission of _The Daily Chronicle_)

    THE LOCK; CHARACTERISTIC OF SWORD DANCES              148
    (From _The Espérance Morris Book_, Vol. II.,
         by kind permission of Messrs J. Curwen & Son)




ENGLISH FOLK-SONG


                BY FRANK KIDSON

                  _NOTE_

    _I am indebted to Miss Lucy E. Broadwood
     for permission to use a folk-tune of her
     collecting, and for many helpful suggestions._

                                            _F. K._




INTRODUCTION


Writing two centuries ago, Joseph Addison tells us in the character of
Mr Spectator:—

“When I travelled I took a particular delight in hearing the songs and
fables that are come down from father to son, and are most in vogue
among the common people of the countries through which I passed; for it
is impossible that anything should be universally tasted and approved
of by a multitude, though they are only the rabble of the nation, which
hath not in it some peculiar aptness to please and gratify the mind of
man” (_Spectator_, No. 70). He further says:—

“An ordinary song or ballad, that is the delight of the common people,
cannot fail to please all such readers as are not unqualified for the
entertainment by their affectation or ignorance.”

It was not only the cultured Mr Addison who recognised the claims of
the people’s songs as expressive of sentiments that were worthy the
consideration of the more learned, for quotation upon quotation could
be given of examples where the refined and learned have found in the
primitive song that which appealed in the highest degree.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

English Folk-Song and Dance

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