The Music of Dickens and His Time / Giles, Healey

American Record Guide, July / August 2012
This is one of the best programs I've seen that connects music with literature. The music is a delight as a glimpse into the 19th Century even if one doesn't know or care about the literary background.

Notes & Reviews:

This collection of vocal and instrumental music is made up of pieces associated in one way or another with Charles Dickens' life and work. The majority of them are popular tunes he refers to in his novels, including the familiar College Hornpipe, the country dance Sir Roger de Coverly, and songs like Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms, and Home, Sweet Home. Another category included is songs from operettas for which Dickens wrote the texts, mostly in his youth. There are also several instrumental pieces by his contemporaries written in homage to the novels, including the Christmas Carol Quadrilles and polkas named for characters from David Copperfield. Much of the music reflects the sweetness and gentility of Victorian sensibilities, but there are also examples of rowdy, comic, or gruesome ballads that would have been popular with the working classes. The Seven Dials Band, an ensemble of singers and instrumentalists, many of whom both sing and play, delivers delightful performances. The singing is clean, expressive, and pleasantly unmannered. The ensemble, which includes oboe, clarinet, serpent, trombone, tuba, fiddle, cello, harp, concertina, piano, and percussion, plays with grace and spirit, without overdoing the kitsch of some of the material. The album is loads of fun; the performers draw just the appropriate sentiment from the music, whether it's earnestly sincere, boisterous, or just plain silly. The sound of the CD, recorded in 1996, is clear and natural. ~ Stephen Eddins

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Works Details

Traditional, American : College Hornpipe

Performer: The Seven Dials Band
Ensemble: The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 1 min. 29 sec.

Hullah, John Pyke : Some Folks Who Have Grown Old, song

Performers: The Seven Dials Band; Margaret Knight (Voice); Margaret Knight (Harp)
Running Time: 2 min. 50 sec.
Form: Vocal

Traditional, English : The Rat Catcher's Daughter

Performers: Ian Giles (Tenor); The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 3 min. 31 sec.

Warren, Joseph : Home, Sweet Home, song

Performer: The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 2 min. 55 sec.
Form: Vocal

Traditional, English : Begone Dull Care, folk song

Performer: The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 1 min. 51 sec.

Burnett, Henry : The Ivy Green, song

Performers: Christopher Watson, (Voice); The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 3 min. 20 sec.
Form: Vocal

Dibdin, Charles : The Young Jolly Waterman, song

Performers: Ian Giles (Tenor); The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 3 min. 13 sec.
Period Time: Classical
Form: Vocal

Bayly, Thomas Haynes : The Soldier's Tear, song

Performers: The Seven Dials Band; Margaret Knight (Harp); Margaret Knight (Voice)
Running Time: 3 min. 46 sec.
Period Time: Classical
Form: Vocal

O'Keeffe, John : Old Towler, song

Performer: The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 3 min. 7 sec.
Period Time: Classical
Form: Vocal

Townsend, Dave : The Fine Old English Gentleman, song

Performers: Tim Healey (Voice); The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 3 min. 25 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary
Form: Vocal

Wilson, W. : The David Copperfield Polkas, for ensemble

Performer: The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 4 min. 42 sec.

Braham, John : All's Well, song

Performers: Giles Underwood (Bass); Paul Sartin (Baritone); The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 3 min. 56 sec.
Period Time: Romantic
Form: Vocal

Townsend, Dave : A Country Life, song

Performers: The Seven Dials Band; Margaret Knight (Harp); Margaret Knight (Voice)
Running Time: 3 min. 32 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary
Form: Vocal

Beuler, Jacon : Shiver and Shakery, the Man Who Couldn't Get Warm, song

Performers: Ian Giles (Tenor); The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 3 min. 37 sec.
Form: Vocal

Beuler, Jacon : Mr. Wardle's Carol, song

Performers: The Seven Dials Band; Paul Sartin (Baritone)
Running Time: 4 min. 14 sec.
Form: Vocal

Merriott, Edwin : The Christmas Carol Quadrilles, for ensemble

Performer: The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 5 min. 42 sec.
Form: Christmas

Moore, Thomas : Believe me if all those endearing young charms, song for voice & piano

Performers: Margaret Knight (Voice); Margaret Knight (Harp); The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 2 min. 28 sec.
Period Time: Romantic

Traditional, English : The Workhouse Boy, folk song

Performers: Ian Giles (Tenor); The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 2 min. 39 sec.

Townsend, Dave : A Child's Hymn, song

Performers: Rachel Eddy (Voice); The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 2 min. 28 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary
Form: Vocal

Langford, Gordon : Sir Roger de Coverley

Performer: The Seven Dials Band
Running Time: 3 min. 14 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

The Music of Dickens and His Time / Giles, Healey, Hill, Humphries; The Seven Dials Band

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