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Song, in its many forms, surrounds us - and may have been a feature of life since the very beginnings of human history. It is practiced in every society in the world, its importance undiminished in modern times. The tracks on this album focus on English Folk singing, the traditions behind the songs, and the stories behind the traditions. Performances from folk singer Norma Waterson complete the fascinating journey through English folk heritage. This material is drawn from The Open University course AA317 Words and music.
Track 1: Norma Waterson: English Folk Singing
A short introduction to this album
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Tracks in this podcast:
| Track | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norma Waterson: English Folk Singing | A short introduction to this album Play now Norma Waterson: English Folk Singing |
| 2 | Becoming a folk singer | Norma Waterson remembers her childhood and reveals how she became a traditional English folk singer. Play now Becoming a folk singer |
| 3 | Telling a Story | Stories as the foundations of traditional folk music. Play now Telling a Story |
| 4 | Tradition and History | How traditional songs relate to other musical movements. Differences in gender within the music. Play now Tradition and History |
| 5 | Rituals and Ceremonies | The meanings behind the songs, where they originate from, dating back to the Vikings. Play now Rituals and Ceremonies |
| 6 | Wassails | The tradition of Wassailling, looking to it's roots, and how it is still being carried out today. Play now Wassails |
| 7 | "Green grows the laurel" – intro | The story behind the song 'Green Goes the Laurel'. Play now "Green grows the laurel" – intro |
| 8 | "Green grows the laurel" – performance | Norma Waterson performs the song 'Green Goes the Laurels'. Play now "Green grows the laurel" – performance |
| 9 | "Bright shiny morning” | Norma Waterson performs the song 'Bright shiny morning'. Play now "Bright shiny morning” |
| 10 | "The flowers of Knaresborough forest" | Norma Waterson performs the song 'the flowers of knaresborough forest'. Play now "The flowers of Knaresborough forest" |
| 11 | "Death and the lady" | Norma introduces the song 'Death and the Lady' explaining the meanings behind the words and where the song originated from. She then performs it. Play now "Death and the lady" |
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