folk music and songs

folk music and songs
Traditional British folk music has many different forms, including songs and ballads. Many folk songs relate to the lives of ordinary people in past centuries; others tell of famous love stories or celebrate nature. The verses may be sung by one voice alone, with the choruses sung by everyone present. Some folk songs are learned at school and are familiar to everyone, for example Greensleeves, The Ash Grove, Green Grow the Rushes O and Auld Lang Syne, which is always sung at New Year. In Wales and Ireland a harp may sometimes be used to accompany the singing, but most songs are now accompanied by a guitar or piano.
  A lot of instrumental folk music comes from Scotland and Ireland and ranges from laments on the bagpipes to lively dance tunes. Most dance music is traditionally played on the fiddle (= violin). Irish folk bands usually have flutes, tin whistles, string instruments, pipes and a bodhrán (= an Irish drum).
  American folk music was created by the combination of many folk styles brought to America by immigrants. Music helped keep alive the traditions and memories of people’s former homes. From the late 19th century many songs and tunes that had been passed down orally were collected together and written down. In America more than 10 000 old songs were collected by John and Alan Lomax, and in Britain Cecil Sharp (1859–1924) collected both songs and folk dances. Such collections influenced major works by composers such as Vaughan Williams and Britten. Dvořák used American folk music in his symphony From the New World (1893), as did Copland in Appalachian Spring (1944).
  In the US the Carter Family helped make folk music popular again in the 1920s. By the 1950s the recording industry had made folk music commercially successful. This interest in folk music also led to folk clubs being established all over the US.
  In the 1960s other styles developed, including the bluegrass of Bill Monroe and the country music of Hank Williams. The most important was folk rock which combined traditional folk music with features of rock and pop. The US created urban folk music which used the problems of cities as subjects for folk songs. By the 1960s, folk music was being used to encourage social change and it became the music of hippies and the civil rights movement. A new generation of singer-songwriters emerged, including Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Richard Thompson and Dick Gaughan. Folk festivals were popular. In 1963, just before the Vietnam War, performers at the Newport, Rhode Island, festival included Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, and Peter, Paul and Mary. They attacked the prejudices of society and the violence of war in songs such as Blowin’ in the Wind, The Times They Are a Changin’ and If I Had a Hammer.
  Folk music is still very popular. In Britain folk festivals are held regularly at Cropredy near Banbury, and at Warwick and Cambridge. Many towns still have a folk club for amateur singers and musicians, which meets regularly in a local pub.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance — The North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance is a non profit organization that sponsors an annual conference that is an industry focal point for folk music and dance. As of 2006, the Alliance had a membership of approximately 2000, and a… …   Wikipedia

  • Folk music of Ireland — The folk music of Ireland (also known as Irish traditional music, Irish trad, Irish folk music, and other variants) is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the entire island of Ireland, North and South of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Folk music — Folk song redirects here. For other uses, see Folk song (disambiguation). Folk music Béla Bartók recording Slovak peasant singers in 1908 Traditions List of folk music traditions …   Wikipedia

  • Folk Music — Folk [foʊk] (engl.: folk von Folklore; die Volkskultur, in diesem Fall Musik betreffend) ist ein Genre der populären Musik. Seine Anhänger begreifen es in der Regel als eine zeitgenössische Variante der Volksmusik. Besonders gebräuchlich ist der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Folk music of England — Pentangle performing in 2007 Folk music of England refers to various types of traditionally based music, often contrasted with courtly, classical and later commercial music, for which evidence exists from the later medieval period. It has been… …   Wikipedia

  • folk music — 1. music, usually of simple character and anonymous authorship, handed down among the common people by oral tradition. 2. music by known composers that has become part of the folk tradition of a country or region. [1885 90] * * * Music held to be …   Universalium

  • Folk Music of England — The Folk Music of England has a long history.HistoryLittle survives of the early music of England, by which is meant the music that was used by the people before the establishment of musical notation in the medieval period. Some surviving folk… …   Wikipedia

  • Folk music publications — Folk Review was a monthly national magazine devoted mainly to British folk music with occasional articles on folklore. It was edited by Fred Woods and started in November 1971 as Folk Country , becoming Folk Review from March 1972. Folk Review… …   Wikipedia

  • folk music — folk ,music noun uncount 1. ) traditional music from a particular country, region, or community, especially music developed by people who were not professional musicians 2. ) a type of modern popular music developed from traditional folk music,… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Music and politics — The connection between music and politics, particularly political expression in music. This expression can use anti establishment or protest themes, including anti war songs, although pro establishment ideas are also used, for example in national …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”