Northumbrian Minstrelsy
| Author | John Collingwood Bruce and John Stokoe |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English, many in Geordie dialect |
| Publisher | Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne |
|
Publication date
|
1882 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 206 pages |
Northumbrian Minstrelsy is a book of 18th and 19th century North East of England folk songs and pipe music, intended to be a lasting historical record. The book was edited by John Stokoe and the Rev John Collingwood Bruce LL.D., F.S.A., and published by and on behalf of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1882. It was reprinted in 1965 by Folklore Associates, Hatboro, Pennsyslvania, with a foreword by A. L. Lloyd.
Northumbrian Minstrelsy was written with the intention of providing a historical record of some of the North Country songs and music. "A book for the collection and preservation of the old music and poetry of the North of England" was what Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland had suggested.
The book is divided into two sections; the first giving the lyrics (with some music) of local, now historical songs, and the second part giving the music to many Northumbrian smallpipes tunes with very few lyrics. The book was edited by John Stokoe and the Rev John Collingwood Bruce, with the help of committee members, and published by and behalf, of the Ancient Melodies Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1882.
The project first started in 1855 after Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland, patron of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne expressed a desire that the Society should turn its attention to the collection and preservation of the old music and poetry of the North East of England. A committee was appointed, consisting of Robert White, John Clerevaulx Fenwick, and William Kell (1797–1862); with Bruce, a member of the society, acting in an ex-officio role.
Robert White, was a farmer's son from Kirk Yetholm, Northumberland, worked all his life in a brass foundry in Newcastle. He was an avid researcher into Northumberland legends, folk lore and folk songs, writing regularly for local newspapers on local matters. John Clerevaulx Fenwick was the son of a lay-preacher, a lawyer by profession, a lover of pipe-music and author of a small (18-page) book "A few remarks upon bagpipes and pipe music". William Kell was the first Town Clerk of Gateshead, elected 1836 to 1854, and also a pipe-music lover, and collector of music relating to the Northumbrian smallpipes. Bruce was a pillar of society: a headmaster, a Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, a founder of the Y.M.C.A., a workhouse guardian, a respected antiquary, etc., etc., and consequently gave much credence to the committee and its work. He was possibly an influence in the omission of slightly bawdy ballads from the final works.
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