ENGLISH FOLK MUSIC.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16530, 14 September 1921, Page 4

ENGLISH FOLK MUSIC.

The first of a series of three lectures on English iolk music was* given, in the Canteroury College hall last night by Professor J. P. Gabbatt before a fair audience. Air J. D. Hall presided. Professor Gabbatt said that there was a good deal being done towards.tho encouragement of the study oi English iolk singing by the Christchurch W.E.A., and a permanent chair had now been established -Oy them. '±ne then went on to sav what the folk song was. It was not a popular song in th© sense that wo know it, but it was a song created by the people in ■ which the Words were all-important, a,nd the tune important to a very minor degree. The songs were the outcome of a gradual evolution until they finally represented the last© of the community, the version being changed considerably from its original form. Professor Francis Clark, in the London “Alercury,” had attempted to discountenance this theory by saying that nobody could show an improved revision of “A Long Way to Tipperary.” Professor Gabbatt showed the futility of this argument by demonstrating that ‘ ‘ Tipperary ” was almost tho same melody as “ Eileen Alannah ’ and “ A Wee Deoch an’ Doris,” songs that were popular in other da\*s. The only way to get a song to live is to writ© to an old-established tune. No tunes of the songs written by Dibden had survived, for the very reason that he had ignored this and attempted to be individualistic. The folk songs were the native wild-flowers of music, whereas the composed tunes were the production of conscious and highly trained artists. In composed music harmony and relation of parts were essential, but in the folk song melody alone mattered. To carry the difference further, the folk song could be likened to a pure line drawing, and a musical composition to an oil painting, with all its mass effects. Folk singing was unconscious, and the less education the singer had the better for his song. To the ordinary English peasant who sang the songs, the words were all that mattered ; he would recognise the song only by them. If the words were known, they considered the song was known, and a. folk singer could not hum th© air of his song. Professor Gabbatt gave some details of the general technique of the folk songs, and sketched the activities of those who had been engaged in collecting the folk songs in the various rural districts in England. Had their efforts been de layed another generation the songs would, in all probability, have been lost. Professor Gabbatt was fcitunate in having two excellent interpreters of folk songs in Aliss Alillicent Jennings and Air Charles Clarkson to assist him in his lecture, and their efforts were very much appreciated by the audience. Several folk song selections by a folk song singer, Joseph Taylor, were given on tho gramophone. Tho accompaniments were played by Airs J. P. Gabhatt. At the conclusion of the lecture, Professor Gabbatt was aoeorded a hearty vote of tranks. The next lecture of th© series will be given in tho college hall on Saturday evening, when Professor Wall will deal with the old ballad music.