Help! (Traditional Welsh or Celtic Christmas folk song)

[Layne Gneiting]

Dear friends,

I'm begging your assistance this holiday season. My old mission president has commissioned a tale for his family Christmas morn, and I've pinned down the tale, but want to lace an old Christmas folk tune with it, preferably from England or Wales (where the dear fellow served as a missionary decades ago). Ideally, the tune would carry its own lyrics--something about giving, feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, or akin to it, but the lyrics aren't essential. It IS essential that the tune be authentic, a true folk tune. And preferably Welsh or English (though Scottish or Irish would do in a pinch).

A thousand thanks, and Joy to you all.

Layne

[Rachel Hedman]

Dear Layne:

Send a message to David Sharp, as he specializes in Celtic tales. He is on Professional Storyteller.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

[Layne Gneiting]

Ah yes. I'll shoot David a message and see what he might have. Forgot about him. Thanks, Rachel.

Layne

[Granny Sue]

What about a Wassail song, Layne? I posted one on my blog last year. Click here to go to it.

I found the melody on www.contemplator.com There are many good songs and ballads on that website, it's one of myfavorites.

[Layne Gneiting]

Thanks, Granny Sue. Nice blog post, by the way. The lyrics are precisely along the lines I seek, but I couldn't find the actual tune. Am I looking in the wrong place perhaps? The contemplator site is a fine one, but again I couldn't find the tune that matched your lyrics. I'll certainly keep looking, though. Good of you to introduce this valuable site.

Layne

[Bill and Kath Worsfold]

Hi Layne,

I don't think you can go far wrong with this one:

A-Soalin' by Peter, Paul and Mary (traditional English carol).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rleWR6_0mq4

It came to my mind immediately on reading this thread. I'll suggest any others as I think of them - I've been extensively involved in the folk scene for many years, and we had a Medieval Music quartet for some years, so we've done a lot of the repertoire.

Cheers,
Kathy Lamb Worsfold

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Bill & Kath - Kiwi Entertainers!
www.billkath.co.nz
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[Bill and Kath Worsfold]

Layne, would you mind telling us what the tale is that you will be telling? I might be able to suggest something more specific that would be a great fit for the tale itself if I knew what it was, or anyway the basic gist of the plot.

Also, are you looking for a recording that you can play in the background, or how will you use the song? This could affect your choice, as you'll need to be able to source the recording as well. Youtube is good, but the quality is sometimes very poor.

Cheers,
Kathy Lamb Worsfold

**************************************************
Bill & Kath - Kiwi Entertainers!
www.billkath.co.nz
***************************************************

[Bill and Kath Worsfold]

Aha! I had not done my homework properly. I have now read your profile, and I see that of course you will be performing the music yourself, since you are a musician/storyteller. I would love to see/hear how you weave the story and the music together - it's of great interest to me, as we are primarily musicians who have ventured into storytelling as part of what we do.

Good luck with finding the right tune! Keep us posted on what you have found, as we are all interested now.

Cheers,
Kathy Lamb Worsfold

**************************************************
Bill & Kath - Kiwi Entertainers!
www.billkath.co.nz
***************************************************

[Layne Gneiting]

Thanks for all the help, Kathy! I'm afraid Peter, Paul & Mary's A-Soalin' doesn't exactly fit the tenor of the tale, but it does offer ideas for an original tune. The tale I'm working up is a spin from Ruth Sawyer's version of Voyage of the Wee Red Cap. If you've read WAY OF THE STORYTELLER you know what a gem she (Sawyer) is. Well, some time back I contact the St. Catherine's College--the only place (I know) housing Sawyer's voice on audio recordings, and Voyage of the Wee Red Cap just happened to be upon it. I'll let you know what I end up with, but know that I feel the storytelling vibes coming from my storytelling friends across the ocean!

Cheers,
Layne

[Granny Sue]

Layne, call me and I can sing a little bit of it for you. I thought that was where I got the tune, but it must have been somewhere else. Here's my cell number 1-304-786-0008; or home 304-372-5861. I used it about 5 years ago for an event but not since, so I might be a little rusty, but enough for you to get the idea. Of course, you could just make up your own tune for it!

[Layne Gneiting]

Much appreciated. I'll give you a ring this morning (Tuesday).

[Reisa Stone]

Hi Layne,

I feel almost embarrassed suggesting this, as you've probably thought of it. But in case it slipped your mind, how about Good King Wenceslas? The lyrics were written by John Mason Neal of Sussex in the 1800s. The melody, however, is from a 13th century spring carol, Tempus Adest Floridum (It is time for flowering). It always makes me cry.

Reisa

[Layne Gneiting]

Actually, it hadn't even entered my mind. Your musical intelligence far exceeds mine, Reisa. Thanks for the tip. Hey, that spurs a thought: I'll head to the Christmas hymnal, someplace I should have looked first. Thanks!!!