Philip Spratley
THERE IS A FOUNTAIN for SATB choir
Bardic Edition BDE1182
A sequence of Carols for Passiontide for SATB choir a cappella.
In the early years of the twentieth century, with the English Folk Song Society in full swing, Lucy Broadwood encouraged musicians in all parts of Britain to send to her any songs they heard in their locality. Many of these are still untouched. In 2006 I trawled though the Broadwood collection to see if there were any seasonal carols that could be revived. Two of these, both from Herefordshire are included in this work. They are No. 2 ‘O Have you Heard’ which was sung by Mrs Caroline Bridges to William Burnett at Pembridge in 1905. No. 4 was noted by Annie Webb from the singing of Thomas Colcome at Weobley in 1904. The melody of No. 3, comes from Bourne, Lincolnshire and was noted by Cecil Sharp at the Workhouse in 1911. The singer was Joseph Jackson but his text was confused and incomplete. Rather than lose this fine mixolydian melody I have adapted it to a translation of ‘Maria’s Wandershaft’. The words of carol No. 1 are a selection from twenty-three verses by an anonymous author of the eighteenth century. The source of the melody is unknown but was restored by Stainer. Philip Spratley
Duration 15 minutes
In the early years of the twentieth century, with the English Folk Song Society in full swing, Lucy Broadwood encouraged musicians in all parts of Britain to send to her any songs they heard in their locality. Many of these are still untouched. In 2006 I trawled though the Broadwood collection to see if there were any seasonal carols that could be revived. Two of these, both from Herefordshire are included in this work. They are No. 2 ‘O Have you Heard’ which was sung by Mrs Caroline Bridges to William Burnett at Pembridge in 1905. No. 4 was noted by Annie Webb from the singing of Thomas Colcome at Weobley in 1904. The melody of No. 3, comes from Bourne, Lincolnshire and was noted by Cecil Sharp at the Workhouse in 1911. The singer was Joseph Jackson but his text was confused and incomplete. Rather than lose this fine mixolydian melody I have adapted it to a translation of ‘Maria’s Wandershaft’. The words of carol No. 1 are a selection from twenty-three verses by an anonymous author of the eighteenth century. The source of the melody is unknown but was restored by Stainer. Philip Spratley
Duration 15 minutes
