Ethnographic wax cylinders

Pretty Caroline / Noble man and the Thresherman

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Martin GraebeEllen Powell sings 'sat-ted a lovely one.' Later in the recording she sings 'Sailor-er lad.'
Posted by Martin Graebe on 02/10/2013

Martin GraebeThis cylinder is one of those sent by Ella Leather to Ralph Vaughan Williams for transcription (just four of these have survived). RVW used the tune of 'Pretty Caroline' as the second tune in the first movement of his English Folk Song Suite. Ellen Powell lived in Westhope, Herefordshire, near Ella Leather's home at Weobley. The song was recorded in1908. Mrs Leather's letter to RVW as well as her transcription of the words and his of the music are in the British Library collection and can be viewed online on the 'Full English' site
Posted by Martin Graebe on 02/10/2013

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  • Type

    sound

  • Duration

    00:02:49

  • Shelf mark

    C80/1586

  • Recording date

    1908.08

  • Recording locations

    England

  • Performers

    Powell, Mrs Ellen (singer, female)

  • Recordist

    Vaughan, Williams Ralph (1872-1958)

  • Description

    EFDSS Cylinder No.52. Two English songs, sung by Mrs Ellen Powell. 1. Pretty Caroline. 2. Noble man and the Thresherman. The word 'woman' is written on the cylinder box. Roud 19 [Nobleman and the Thresherman]. Roud 1448 [Pretty Caroline]. Poor quality recording with heavy surface noise. [Mrs Powell has a false start, and then after the last verse of 'Pretty Caroline' (which is actually a half verse) it goes straight into another song without a break. The false start may be explained by Ella Leather's comment to Ralph Vaughan Williams that Mrs Powell was a bit shaky and banged against the table that the phonograph was on.]

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User notes for this item

[0:34]

Ellen Powell sings 'sat-ted a lovely one.' Later in the recording she sings 'Sailor-er lad.'

Posted by Martin Graebe on 02/10/2013 14:56:00

[0:16]

This cylinder is one of those sent by Ella Leather to Ralph Vaughan Williams for transcription (just four of these have survived). RVW used the tune of 'Pretty Caroline' as the second tune in the first movement of his English Folk Song Suite. Ellen Powell lived in Westhope, Herefordshire, near Ella Leather's home at Weobley. The song was recorded in1908. Mrs Leather's letter to RVW as well as her transcription of the words and his of the music are in the British Library collection and can be viewed online on the 'Full English' site

Posted by Martin Graebe on 02/10/2013 14:54:00