Hello Dave Whilst that was being penned there was a thriving and continuous aural tradition in various parts of Northumberland especially in the north. I only began to appreciate it when I moved there myself at the end of 1976. None of the best players could read dots and they could trace their music heritage back through the generations. It is true they all wished they could read and so expand their repertoire more quickly but they couldn't and that may well be why their music was so distinctive. Cheers Anthony --- On Wed, 27/5/09, Dave S <david...@pt.lu> wrote:
From: Dave S <david...@pt.lu> Subject: [NSP] Re: Style/dots To: "Anthony Robb" <anth...@robbpipes.com>, nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Date: Wednesday, 27 May, 2009, 9:23 PM Hi Anthony, let me quote a passage showing that perhaps todays tradition started from the dots ---- and yes I agree "Keep your ears open" ciao Dave A LETTER TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND ON THE ANCIENT NORTHUMBRIAN MUSIC, ITS COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION. BY THOMAS DOUBLEDAY. *' Nor rough nor barren are the windings ways Of hoar Antiquity, but strewn with flow'rs." Thomas Warton. LONDON : NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE : ANDREW REID, 40, PILGRIM-STREET. 1862. Such are the relative positions of the old, natural, and the modem, mathematical music. It seems clear that this posi- tion can never be altered. To expect a simple expressive melody to be appreciated, or even listened to, amidst the harmonious din of contending orchestras and oratorios, that count performers by himdreds, would be to expect a miracle. The Ancient Music, then, must remain in those "harbours of refuge" amongst the mountains of Northumberland, Scotland, Ireland, Beam, Corsica, Sicily, the Tyrol, Calabria, and Spain, to which it has been driven ; until amidst the muta- tions of society it may, probably, at length, finally disappear and be lost to the world, unless noted down, collected, and put on record. Such a fate I have long anticipated for the Ancient Music of Northumberland, which, being less in volume, much sim- pler, and only an offshoot of the music of Caledonia, may be expected soonest to perish. When, therefore, I learned, as I did some months since, that this subject had attracted the attention of the learned Society of Antiquaries of the town of Newcastle and its vicinity, my gratification was as great and sincere as it was unexpected. I had, in years gone past, sometimes dreamed of venturing upon the undertaking of collecting it single-handed. It was but a dream. A brief con- sideration was amply enough to convince me that to atchieve success in such a quest an expenditure of time and money must be involved far beyond that which any individual in a private station could, for such an object, be expected to incur. When, therefore, I became acquainted with the fact that the Society ol Antiquaries had taken the first step, by the appointment of a sub-committee, for the purpose of taking such measures for the collection and preservation of those interesting musical rehcs as might seem to be most efficient, To get on or off this list see list information at [1]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html