Early One Morning: Folksongs and Spirituals

Notes & Reviews:

Recording information: New College Chapel, Oxford, England (1997-01-??&1997-04-??&1997-).

This is the recorded equivalent of those huge, well-worn books of 'Music All the Whole World Loves' with which many of us were raised. Although it comprises popular music, or folksongs, from the 13th to the present century, it has no pretense to musicological scholarship or to classically virtuosic presentation. Several of the arrangements are by Edward Higginbottom, director of these collegiate choristers, and others are by classical composers Ralph Vaughan Williams and Percy Grainger. The material ranges from the most famous of Medieval English rounds, "Sumer is icumen in" (presented here with only a fragment of the original text), to later English and Celtic tunes and a couple of American spirituals.

The Choir is generally posh and the arrangements sometimes unnecessarily likewise, in that the original folk flavor gets masked. On the other hand, some of the harmonic possibilities of such simple, lovely airs as "The Minstrel Boy" and "Steal Away" could use more expansive exploration. The disc may prove particularly valuable to younger students first familiarizing themselves with the vocal treasures of the Western World.



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Works Details

>Traditional, English : Blow the Wind Southerly (Northumbrian Folk Song)
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 2 min. 38 sec.

>Traditional, English : Early One Morning, folk song
  • Performer: Eamonn Dougan (Baritone)
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 2 min. 2 sec.
  • Written: by 1866

>Grainger, Percy : Irish Tune from County Derry "Danny Boy"
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Notes: Composition written: 1902-11.
  • Running Time: 4 min. 1 sec.
  • Period Time: Post Romantic
  • Written: 1902-1911

>Traditional, Irish : The Minstrel Boy, folk song
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 1 min. 48 sec.
  • Period Time: Renaissance
  • Form: Vocal
  • Written: by 1813

>Molloy, James Lyman : The Kerry Dance
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 4 min. 9 sec.
  • Period Time: Romantic
  • Written: 1875

>Vaughan Williams, Ralph : Linden Lea
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Notes: Composition written: 1901.
  • Running Time: 3 min. 12 sec.
  • Period Time: Post Romantic
  • Written: 1901

>Traditional, English : Down by the Salley Gardens, folk song
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 3 min. 5 sec.
  • Period Time: Romantic
  • Form: Vocal
  • Written: 1889

>Grainger, Percy : Brigg Fair
  • Performer: Philip Cave (Tenor)
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 2 min. 54 sec.
  • Period Time: Post Romantic
  • Form: Choral
  • Written: 1906

>Vaughan Williams, Ralph : Loch Lomond, folk song for baritone & male chorus
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 3 min. 39 sec.
  • Period Time: Post Romantic
  • Written: 1921

>Erb, James : Shenandoah, for chorus
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 3 min. 47 sec.

>Traditional, English : O No, John!, folk song
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 2 min. 38 sec.

>Anonymous, English : Sumer is icumen in
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 1 min. 12 sec.
  • Period Time: Renaissance
  • Written: 13th Century

>Traditional, English : O Waly, Waly, folk song
  • Performer: Eamonn Dougan (Baritone)
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 2 min. 57 sec.
  • Period Time: Baroque
  • Written: circa 1765

>Traditional, Scottish : Over the Sea to Skye (a.k.a. "The Skye Boat Song")
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 4 min. 7 sec.

>Traditional, American : Steal Away
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 4 min. 9 sec.
  • Written: by 1865

>Vaughan Williams, Ralph : Fantasia on Greensleeves
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 5 min. 6 sec.
  • Period Time: Post Romantic
  • Written: 1911

>Bairstow, Edward : Oak and the Ash, for chorus
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 2 min. 54 sec.
  • Period Time: Post Romantic

>Traditional, Welsh : The Ash Grove (The Master Has Come), song (a.k.a. "Llwyn onn")
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 2 min. 42 sec.
  • Period Time: Renaissance
  • Written: by 1728

>Traditional, Scottish : My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose
  • Performer: Ben Hulett (Tenor)
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 3 min. 36 sec.
  • Period Time: Classical
  • Written: circa 1794-1797

>Traditional Spiritual : Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
  • Conductor: Edward Higginbottom
  • Running Time: 2 min. 46 sec.
  • Period Time: Romantic
  • Written: by 1865