well this might be interesting... a collection of music that pre-dates pop.

 

1 Laurel and Hardy - incidental music . oddly enough i like the background incidental music used on many of the laurel and hardy short films. theres no one track, but a collection of dance style melodies, including rumbas, waltzes, etc.

 

2 English Folk song suite - Ralph Vaughan Williams. i like rvw take on music, his way of expressing things from his beloved countryside. he was heavily influenced by the countryside and this shows in many of his works.

 

3 Pastoral Symphony - Beethoven . like rvw beethoven had a knack of capturing the essence of rural life and his pastoral symphony displays this perfectly. like rvw, listen to it and it transports you to that place and time.

 

4 The Weaver and the Factory maid - trad, steeleye span. im a big fan of the way steeleye span brought traditional folk songs to life in the early 70's. this great track highlights the difference in lifestyles between a working girl (factory that is!!!) and a northern boss who runs it..

 

5 The Blacksmith - trad, steeleye span story of how a blacksmith seduced a maid by lying to her, after he had his way with her he left her.... some things never change! 250 odd years on!

 

6 All Things are Quite Silent - trad steeleye span a beautiful lament dealing with the press gang. songs like this bring back to life the real lives of our ancestors.

 

7 Pastime With Good Company - Henry 8th a 'tudor' classic.

 

8 Tundernaken - Henry 8th credited to h8, but possibly wasnt his. a lesser known tudor classic.

 

9 Famous Flower of Serving men - trad , martin carthy a wonderful medieval story of wrong doing and revenge (see my album of accoustic tracks for a youtube vid).

 

10 King Henry - trad , steeleye span , ... but which king henry?.. lol, an odd song about a 'grisely ghost' that somehow became 'a beautiful maid' and became henrys wife after he had ceased hunting... very strange as hunting for food was life in medieval times..

Famous Flower of Serving Men

 

My mother did me deadly spite, for she sent thieves in the dark of the night

Put my servants all to flight, they robbed my bower, they slew my knight

 

They couldn't do to me no harm so they slew my baby in my arm

Left me nought to wrap him in but the bloody sheet that he lay in

 

They left me nought to dig his grave but the bloody sword that slew my babe

All alone the grave I made, and all alone the tears I shed

 

And all alone the bell I rang, and all alone the psalm I sang

I leaned my head all against the block and there I cut my lovely locks

 

I cut my locks and I changed my name from Fair Eleanor to Sweet William

Went to court to serve my king as the famous flower of serving men

 

So well I served my lord the king that he made me his chamberlain

He loved me as his son, the famous flower of serving men

 

Oft time he'd look at me and smile, so swift his heart I did beguile

And he blessed the day that I became the famous flower of serving men

 

But all alone in my bed at e'en, there I dream a dreadful dream

I saw my bed swim with blood and I saw the thieves all around my head

 

Our king has to the hunting gone, he's ta'en no lords nor gentlemen

He's left me there to guard his home, the famous flower of serving men

 

Our king he rode the wood all around, he stayed all day but nothing found

And as he rode himself alone, it's there he saw the milk-white hind

 

The hind she broke, the hind she flew, the hind she trampled the brambles through

First she'd melt, then she'd sound, sometimes before, sometimes behind

 

Oh what is this, how can it be, such a hind as this I ne'er did see

Such a hind as this was never born, I fear she'll do me deadly harm

 

And long, long did the great horse turn for to save his lord from branch and thorn

But long ere the day was o'er they tangled all in his yellow hair

 

All in a glade the hind drew nigh, the sun shone bright all in her eye

He sprang down, sword drew, she vanished there all from his view

 

And all around the grass was green and all around where a grave was seen

And he sat himself all on the stone, great weariness it seized him on

 

Great silence hung from tree to sky, the woods grew still, the sun hung fire

As through the wood the dove he came, as through the wood he made his moan

 

Oh the dove he sat down on a stone, so sweet he looked, so soft he sang

Alas the day my love became the famous flower of serving men

 

The bloody tears they fell as rain as still he sat and still he sang

Alas the day my love became the famous flower of serving men

 

Our king cried out and he wept full sore, so loud unto the dove he did call

Oh pretty bird, come sing it plain

 

Oh it was her mother's deadly spite, for she sent thieves in the dark of the night

They come to rob, they come to slay, they made their sport, they went their way

 

And don't you think that her heart was sore as she laid the mould on his yellow hair

And don't you think her heart was woe as she turned her back away to go

 

And how she wept as she changed her name from Fair Eleanor to Sweet William

Went to court to serve her king as the famous flower of serving men

 

The bloody tears they lay all around, he's mounted up and away he's gone

And one thought filled his mind, the thought of her that was a man

 

And as he's rode himself alone a dreadful oath he there has sworn

That he would hunt her mother down as he would hunt the wildwood swine

 

For there's four and twenty ladies all, and they're all playing at the ball

But fairer than all of them is the famous flower of serving men

 

Oh he's rode in, into his hall, and he's rode in among them all

He's lifted her to his saddle brim and there he's kissed her cheek and chin

 

The nobles stood and they stretched their eyes, the ladies took to their fans and smiled

For such a strange homecoming no gentleman had ever seen

 

And he has sent his nobles all, and to her mother they have gone

Ta'en her that did such wrong, they've lain her down in prison strong

 

And he's brought men up from the corn, and he's sent men down to the thorn

All for to build a bonfire high, all for to set her mother by

 

Bonny sang the morning thrush all where he sat in yonder bush

But louder did her mother cry in the bonfire where she burned close by

 

For there she stood all among the thorn and there she sang her deadly song

Alas the day that she became the famous flower of serving men

 

For the fire took first all on her cheek, and there it took all on her chin

It spat and rang in her yellow hair and soon there was no life left in

 

(as sung by Martin Carthy)

 

i think this a splendid piece of medieval songwriting :)

Wow, Rob you've really thought about this one :D , not sure I can say I know much about any of them, well apart from Laurel & Hardy (does Trail of the Lonesome Pine ....count :lol: ).

 

 

(does Trail of the Lonesome Pine ....count :lol: ).

 

not really, it aint the incidental music! lol..

No Nimrod by Elgar?

No Nimrod by Elgar?

 

is it listed in my selection?..... you can read i presume!

is it listed in my selection?..... you can read i presume!

well why isn't there?

 

It's the sound of an English farmer on a hill on a misty morning.

 

and is the post above this one in right place?

well why isn't there?

 

It's the sound of an English farmer on a hill on a misty morning.

 

and is the post above this one in right place?

 

:lol:... no it isnt!

 

ill move it somehow.

:lol:... no it isnt!

It so is! There's a picture of a feild and a farmer on my Enigma Variations album.

It so is! There's a picture of a feild and a farmer on my Enigma Variations album.

 

no you knobend, i was talking about the post id put in the wrong place...

should made that more clear then.... like keeping all the text in one line, that way it's still relevant to the same thing and doesn't look like you're making seperate points :)