Our Heritage of Song: The People's Voice
Robin Burton
- Region:
- England
- Notice Period:
- Emergency (maybe less than one week's notice)
- Type:
- Professional
- Fee:
- Paid: 50
- Category:
- History
- Updated:
- 2nd April 2021
- Tagged:
- Music
We, the English, have a great treasure chest. It contains the songs of the people. This talk explores the contents of that chest. I use pictures, and songs, to illustrate the story. It is a romantic story of a history that was so very nearly lost to us; a history that was rescued from the brink by a dedicated band of song collectors.
The talk examines some of the most colourful of these characters. This includes Sabine Baring Gould, the writer of “Onward Christian Soldiers”, who collected songs from the farm workers in rural Devon in the 1870s, and who was also known as a prodigious author, travel writer and author of the definitive work on Werewolves! It looks at how some of these collectors, such as Ralph Vaughan Williams, used the songs to give their own compositions a unique character.
I cover how the songs have prompted the revival of traditions, such as the Stroud Wassail.
The talk uses some of the songs collected for the Gloucestershire traditions website: www.glostrad.com . Sometimes the audience likes to sing along with some of the songs….
Views: 1642 | Enquiries: 10About Robin Burton
I am a Trustee of Gloucestershire Traditions, Committee Member of Stroud Folk Weekend, and Chairman of Stroud Wassail. This work has included putting together a website of 1500 Gloucestershire songs and tunes and re-starting a Wassailing tradition which, in 2018, attracted 350 performers from around the country.
I also like travel, especially walking the highways and byways of England. I like travelling internationally on my own. That way I get to meet many different types of people and have had many interesting adventures. These have included getting involved in a raft race down the Tugela river in Zululand, going on a jeep safari to the Rock Palace in Yemen and taking part in a yodeling contest in the Black Forest.
I am very interested in all types of wildlife. A few years ago I drove round Botswana and Zimbabwe with a friend in an old Land Rover where we saw all manner of very interesting creatures (and went walking with lions).
I work part time for the IFRC (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) negotiating with mobile phone companies for air time. This has taken me to exotic locations like Nepal and Sierra Leone.
Several people have asked me, after seeing my presentation, if I can offer musical entertainment. I can offer myself as a solo act, as part of a duo or as a full blown 5 piece punk folk band. Please just make an enquiry through Speakernet and I will get in touch to discuss the options.
I am currently retired but was a marketing man by profession, working in the worlds of telecommunications and international aid.
My main hobby is music. I sing and play melodeon. I am the lead singer of the Swing Rioters.
Other Talks on SpeakerNet by Robin Burton
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