Swan-Upmanship

Home
There Are Many Voices
A Gallery One
Lost Empires: the music halls
Ralph Vaughan Williams 1872-1958
In the Fen Country and Norfolk Rhapsodies
A Song Of The High Hills
Frederick Delius 1862-1934
Along The Downs: The Countryside Collection
Ashley Hutchings 1945-
The English Music Festival
The Proms
By Footpath and Stile
Gerald Finzi 1901 - 1956
English Light Music
Peter Warlock 1894-1930
The Spirit Of England
Sir Edward Elgar 1857-1934
The Spirit Of England. (Opus 80)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 1875-1912
The Romantic Violin Concerto - 5
Sir Arthur Somervell 1863-1937
A Treasury of English Song
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford 1852-1924
The English Anthem - 8
Percy Whitlock 1903-1946
The Salley Gardens
On Wenlock Edge
Bredon Hill
Roger Quilter 1877 - 1953
Ivor Gurney 1890 - 1937
Songs by Roger Quilter
Severn Meadows
Sir Arthur Bliss 1891-1978
A Knot Of Riddles
Sir Granville Bantock 1868 - 1946
Sappho and Sapphic Poem
Sir Arnold Bax 1883 - 1953
Symphony No. 5 and The Tale the Pine-Trees Knew
Herbert Howells 1892 - 1983
The St. Paul's Service
Coope Boyes and Simpson
Triple Echo
Old Swan Band
Swan-Upmanship
Edgar Bainton 1880 - 1956
Orchestral Works Vol 2
Tiger Moth
Show Of Hands
The Path
More English Folk
Media

Swan-Upmanship
Old Swan Band
Wild Goose WGS 320 CD 2004

OSB @ Sidmouth Folk Festival 2004

The Old Swan Band are John Adams - trombone, fiddle;
Martin Brinsford - percussion; Paul Burgess - fiddle;
Fi Fraser - fiddle; Jo Freya - Tenor Saxophone, whistle; Neil Gledhill - bass saxophone; Flos Headford - fiddle; Heather Horsley - keyboard.

In 1995, I concluded my sleeve notes to the Old Swan Band's compilation CD Still Swanning … by saying 'The Old Swan Band was the leader of the pack'.  Ten years later, with the issue of their new CD, I see no reason to change my opinion.  To the CD's sub-title 'Memorable Tunes with Sensible Titles' should be added 'Played Properly', for this is an object lesson in how to play English dance music.  True, there are tunes here from Ireland, Australia, Sweden and America as well as from England, but, as you should well know, it's the way you play 'em.
An immensely enjoyable album is of a working dance band with a well-played-in repertoire who enjoy what they are doing and do it well.  This is no CD that could be used in place of a band - hardly any of the tracks are dance length and often we only get twice through each tune.  It doesn't matter - this is a studio version of the Old Swan Band's current repertoire and a clear example of 'what you hear is what you get'.  This is a great dance band, all the tunes are memorable and they have all got sensible titles.  One final word of praise for the percussion work of Martin Brinsford - spot on every time, and each track different.  Wonderful!
 
From an article and review by Dan Quinn in
Musical Traditions:The Internet Music Magazine.
dated 18 August 2005

Musical Traditions

Memorable Tunes with Sensible Titles
Wild Goose WGS 320 CD 2004

The Green-Clad Hills /
Jimmy Garson's March
 
Jack Robinson /
William Irwin's No 3 /
The Tipputs
 
Steamboat Hornpipe /
Gloucester Hornpipe
 
False Start
 
General Ward /
The Day Room
 
Winster Gallop /
Four-Hand Reel /
The Dark Girl Dressed in Blue
 
Church St /
Redwing /
St Mary's
 
Flowers of Edinburgh /
Soldier's Joy /
Morpeth Rant
 
Wenlock Edge /
Summer Waltz
 
Flowers Of Edinburgh
 
 Schottis fran Havero/
Another Fine Mess

'George Green's College Hornpipe'.
 
 Basquet of Oysters and Sally Sloanes

Freedom of Ireland /
Kitchen Girl

Beatrice Hill’s Three-Hand Reel

Ger The Rigger/
Mickey Chewing Bubble Gum

Wild Goose Records
.

albion's music website is
© 2005/2006/2007/2008/2009
albionchronicles
all rights reserved