Did anyone go to the folk festival this weekend (Saturday) at Bradfield.
I was working and did not know about it anyway, until i went to the Plough for a meal with my wife on Sat night and sat a table.
In the other room which was empty i could hear music so after checking it out there were a few gents from the folk festival just playing there melodicas and a violin.
I suggested we go in a listen to them while having a meal.
They were joined by another 4 guys armed with melodicas and joined together playing french and Irish folk tunes.
What went from a quiet night together finshed up being a musical very enjoyable evening and its the best night I've had in ages.
You can't beat live folk music.

Do today's folk singers still cup their hands to their heads when singing traditional songs?

Well they did'nt actually sing, it was all music and the melodica took up both hands anyway.
Not to sure about the answer to that, not being a fan of folk music though live music is always worth seeing.

The reason I asked was in some of the Folk Clubs I used to visit it was the audience that cupped their hands to their ears.
I actually thought folk singing had gone the way of hula hoops and Elvis haircuts.Suppose it was hard to share the feelings of the gypsy laddies and fisherfolk on the salt salt sea.
Surely it's time to create a few more relevant songs about Nail Bars and DVD shops - there must be some funding streams anxious to help..
I feel inspired already ...Come all ye call centre workers and struggle nay more ..we're resiting the unit in Bangalahore..

Originally posted by Cycleracer
Well they did'nt actually sing, it was all music and the melodica took up both hands anyway.
Not to sure about the answer to that, not being a fan of folk music though live music is always worth seeing.

Are you serious! These: http://images.google.com/images?q=melodica&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi
are melodicas, the keyboards that you have to blow into through a straw to play!

I've been to literally hundreds of folk music sessions, festivals, concerts, etc. Never have I seen one of these played in folk - they're regarded on the same wavelength as, say, the kazoo!

Did you mean melodeon: http://www.castagnari.com/ ?

They cost a bit more :D



PS -

1) A violin's better name is a fiddle you know
2) I sing folk songs....never had the urge to do anything odd with my head/hands/finger-in-the-ear etc.

Sheffield's having it's own folk festival in October by the way, and I'm performing at it, wooh!

Originally posted by BAZZO
The reason I asked was in some of the Folk Clubs I used to visit it was the audience that cupped their hands to their ears.
I actually thought folk singing had gone the way of hula hoops and Elvis haircuts.

Hmm. Well, I guess if you don't know, you don't know. Try listenign to a few young folk singers that are writing new songs, singing traditional ones, and keeping the tradition going. There are estimated to be several hundred folk festivals in England alone, and I've been to about 6 already this year! Folk music is thriving and more and more young artists are emerging every year.

Try searching for these on Google:

Kate Rusby
Eliza Carthy
John Spiers and Jon Boden
Nancy Kerr and James Fagan
Jim Moray (he's playing at loads of mainstream festivals like Summer Sundae too)
The WItches of Elswick

and non singing,

Flook
Lunasa

and loads more...

Thanks for posting that Rosie I was just about to! The melodica is something Rolf Harris used to play, and very different to that good old folk instrument, melodeon. Glad you enjoyed it Cycleracer - you can't beat live folk music being played where it should be played - in pubs!
As you can probably tell from my name, I'm into clog dancing (and sword dancing, morris dancing, ceildih dancing) - all things folk. Looking forward to the Sheffield Folk Festival, about time we had one again - remember the good old days in the 80s when we had one every year.

Kate Rusby is playing the Lyceum in October - should be a great night!

Do I know you Chris?

Not sure! I dance with Yorkshire Chandelier and Gift Rapper, and in the past with Sheffield Celebrated Clog. I also call with a few Ceilidh bands round Sheffield - are you a dancer? Or a singer? Or a musician?

Originally posted by clogginchris
Thanks for posting that Rosie I was just about to! The melodica is something Rolf Harris used to play, and very different to that good old folk instrument, melodeon

It was a Stylophone that Rolf used to play, not a Melodica. They are quite different (but equally pointless) instruments.

The Stylophone was an early pocket-sized synthesiser made famous by David Bowie in Space Oddity. It looks like a box of chocolates with a pen attached to it on a wire.

The Melodica however, is a cross between a recorder and a piano

Originally posted by BAZZO
The reason I asked was in some of the Folk Clubs I used to visit it was the audience that cupped their hands to their ears.
I actually thought folk singing had gone the way of hula hoops and Elvis haircuts.Suppose it was hard to share the feelings of the gypsy laddies and fisherfolk on the salt salt sea.
Surely it's time to create a few more relevant songs about Nail Bars and DVD shops - there must be some funding streams anxious to help..
I feel inspired already ...Come all ye call centre workers and struggle nay more ..we're resiting the unit in Bangalahore..

What is the point of posting such a uninformed reply to something you obviously know nothing about?

Folk music is stronger and more popular than it has been since the 60s.

My knowledge of the folk scene may not be extensive but over the years I have visited many clubs in and around Sheffield.
Nobody has yet explained the "hand cupping" which seems an integral feature of most performances.
Val Doonican never adopted this action and his version of Paddy Mcginty's Goat became a worldwide best-seller.Neither did Roger Whitaker whose self-penned hits such as Durham Town and Leaving captured the hearts of my generation.Closer to home
the renowned Halifax tenor Walter "Tom Bowling" Widdup would have derided hand-cupping to enhance his captivating voice.Although as his output was largely confined to radio we cannot be absolutely certain.
On the contemporary folk scene that melodious quartet of ex-teachers, The Spinners ,still indulge in spasmodic cupping which may be connected with a hearing impairment associated with advancing years.Once I also detected the late John Denver of Country Roads fame,almost cup his free hand but prefer to think he was merely adjusting his trade-mark spectacles which had slipped during his show-stopping set.

Originally posted by BAZZO
My knowledge of the folk scene may not be extensive but over the years I have visited many clubs in and around Sheffield.
Nobody has yet explained the "hand cupping" which seems an integral feature of most performances.
Val Doonican never adopted this action and his version of Paddy Mcginty's Goat became a worldwide best-seller.Neither did Roger Whitaker whose self-penned hits such as Durham Town and Leaving captured the hearts of my generation.Closer to home
the renowned Halifax tenor Walter "Tom Bowling" Widdup would have derided hand-cupping to enhance his captivating voice.Although as his output was largely confined to radio we cannot be absolutely certain.
On the contemporary folk scene that melodious quartet of ex-teachers, The Spinners ,still indulge in spasmodic cupping which may be connected with a hearing impairment associated with advancing years.Once I also detected the late John Denver of Country Roads fame,almost cup his free hand but prefer to think he was merely adjusting his trade-mark spectacles which had slipped during his show-stopping set.

I've never heard of them, but the phrase 'ex-teachers' implies that they might be....how can I put it....getting on a bit, and therefore not as contemporary as you say?

Hehehe

Originally posted by BAZZO
My knowledge of the folk scene may not be extensive but over the years I have visited many clubs in and around Sheffield.
Nobody has yet explained the "hand cupping" which seems an integral feature of most performances.
Val Doonican never adopted this action and his version of Paddy Mcginty's Goat became a worldwide best-seller.Neither did Roger Whitaker whose self-penned hits such as Durham Town and Leaving captured the hearts of my generation.Closer to home
the renowned Halifax tenor Walter "Tom Bowling" Widdup would have derided hand-cupping to enhance his captivating voice.Although as his output was largely confined to radio we cannot be absolutely certain.
On the contemporary folk scene that melodious quartet of ex-teachers, The Spinners ,still indulge in spasmodic cupping which may be connected with a hearing impairment associated with advancing years.Once I also detected the late John Denver of Country Roads fame,almost cup his free hand but prefer to think he was merely adjusting his trade-mark spectacles which had slipped during his show-stopping set.

Ooh, you are a little tease Bazzo :thumbsup:

Originally posted by BAZZO
Nobody has yet explained the "hand cupping" which seems an integral feature of most performances.

It helps direct some of the sound of your voice back into your own ear, apparently. Useful when singing in 4 part harmony to help you hear your note over everybody else's.

Ian
(folk musician (http://www.derwenna.co.uk), dancer (http://www.feetfirstdance.co.uk) and very occasional singer)

edit: Sheffield Folk Festival is being held over the last weekend of October, see the website here (http://www.sheffieldfolkfestival.org).

Originally posted by clogginchris
Thanks for posting that Rosie I was just about to! The melodica is something Rolf Harris used to play, and very different to that good old folk instrument, melodeon. Glad you enjoyed it Cycleracer - you can't beat live folk music being played where it should be played - in pubs!
As you can probably tell from my name, I'm into clog dancing (and sword dancing, morris dancing, ceildih dancing) - all things folk. Looking forward to the Sheffield Folk Festival, about time we had one again - remember the good old days in the 80s when we had one every year. Yes I took a look at the links Nosey Rosey put in and it was not the melodica after all but the only way i can explain the instruments they had were a strap on both ends which you put your hands in and you have little silver buttons to change the notes and inbetween the handles was a constitina which they pushed in and out.
Hope that makes sense.
They lads sis not sing, to be honest a singer was not needed because the music was so good.

At last!
I am grateful to IanR for explaining why folk singers cup.It's so obvious. It helps the singer isolate his own sound from his fellow performers.But err many of them cup when singing solo.
And isn't it curious that there is a total lack of cupping in such vocal groups as the Luton Girls Choir or those wonderful singers who bring such festive joy each year -the KIngs College Choir.
Anyway let's look forward with glee to the Sheffield Folk Festival .

Originally posted by Cycleracer
[B]Yes I took a look at the links Nosey Rosey put in and it was not the melodica after all but the only way i can explain the instruments they had were a strap on both ends which you put your hands in and you have little silver buttons to change the notes and inbetween the handles was a constitina which they pushed in and out.B]

Oh. That's a concertina.

Looks like this: http://www.concertina.net/

Haha....melodica....titter

There is also a Folk festival coming up at Wombwell in Barnsley in early Sept

Details
here (http://freespace.virgin.net/wath.folk/copy-of-festival.htm/odyframe.htm)

looks like some good artists and weekend tickets only £15:o

probably sold out by now

Originally posted by BAZZO
At last!
I am grateful to IanR for explaining why folk singers cup.It's so obvious. It helps the singer isolate his own sound from his fellow performers.But err many of them cup when singing solo.
And isn't it curious that there is a total lack of cupping in such vocal groups as the Luton Girls Choir or those wonderful singers who bring such festive joy each year -the KIngs College Choir.
Anyway let's look forward with glee to the Sheffield Folk Festival .

Yes, very droll Bazzo.

Unfortunately, you're barking up the wrong tree. The singers you refer to are not simply cupping a hand to their ear. They are actually closing off one ear by inserting a finger therein.

Why do they do this? Well when singing harmony or unaccompanied pieces, it helps them hear their own voice better and helps them pitch the notes. Try it, it really works.

As to why the Morman Tabernacle Choir et al don't do this, who knows? They aren't folk singers, so it makes no odds either way.

Thanks for the advice Mojoworking about inserting fingers in the ear.And apologies for the delay in getting back but I was waiting for my mother to go out before I tried it.She has always warned me never to put anything smaller than a man's thumb in my ear. Advice that is endorsed by staff at casualty departments who deal with the extraction of an unbelievable assortment of foreign bodies from the auditory canals of careless patients.
Anyway I am happy to report that my rather toneless baritone voice was miraculously transformed into -well,modesty aside -pure melodic magic.I swear the wallpaper was applauding as my madrigals and cantatas soared heaven-wards amidst the mute domesticity.
So enraptured was I by my unfettered repertoire - and with my finger still nestling in my ear - I did not hear my mother
return.She gazed at me pitifully and said "Son you sound just like one of those dreadful folk singers".

Just to let you know that the Sheffield Folk Festival website is now (as of 17/8/04) bang up to date with all the currently confirmed artists, workshops, concerts etc.

Tickets are selling well but there are still plenty more - so come on Sheffield, support your local Folk Festival in it's first year, let's make it a real success.

http://www.sheffieldfolkfestival.org/

O.

Originally posted by BAZZO
Thanks for the advice Mojoworking about inserting fingers in the ear.And apologies for the delay in getting back but I was waiting for my mother to go out before I tried it.She has always warned me never to put anything smaller than a man's thumb in my ear. Advice that is endorsed by staff at casualty departments who deal with the extraction of an unbelievable assortment of foreign bodies from the auditory canals of careless patients.
Anyway I am happy to report that my rather toneless baritone voice was miraculously transformed into -well,modesty aside -pure melodic magic.I swear the wallpaper was applauding as my madrigals and cantatas soared heaven-wards amidst the mute domesticity.
So enraptured was I by my unfettered repertoire - and with my finger still nestling in my ear - I did not hear my mother
return.She gazed at me pitifully and said "Son you sound just like one of those dreadful folk singers".

Well, I can see it must be difficult waiting for your mum to go out before you can explore your body! :)