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Frost, Fire and Figgy Pudding
Dec. 26th, 2007 05:49 pmLast Friday being the longest night, we went to Darlington for Waterson: Carthy's Frost and Fire concert. This was not a grand as last year's performance at the Sage, but more intimate: a smaller hall, less elaborate staging, fewer musicians (from left to right Saul Rose, Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Liza Carthy and the Devil's Interval: Jim Causley, Lauren McCormick and Emily Portman). It didn't lose by the comparison - the music was more immediate (and Martin was in better voice than last year).
Among the highlights was a fine version of Oh, come, Emmanuel, a controversial carol at the carol evening which we attend: it was included in the bound songbooks because it is a favourite, not of the hosts, but of the friend who put the booklets together - and I'm not complaining, as it's a favourite of mine, too, I love its low, solemn tune. I had not known until this year that the original words were in Latin, and date to the twelfth century, and the tune is almost as old. I can't say I'm surprised, though.
Eliza Carthy sang Mike Waterson's Jack Frost beautifully, simply, powerfully: the best thing I've ever heard her do, I think.
Just before the interval, Norma Waterson announced the next song, and that it would be followed by a break, when we could all go to the foyer and have a drink, or buy records and T-shirts, and the band would join us after they'd been backstage for a cup of tea. "Figgy pudding", said Eliza. "No, raspberry cheesecake," said Norma. All together, now:
Among the highlights was a fine version of Oh, come, Emmanuel, a controversial carol at the carol evening which we attend: it was included in the bound songbooks because it is a favourite, not of the hosts, but of the friend who put the booklets together - and I'm not complaining, as it's a favourite of mine, too, I love its low, solemn tune. I had not known until this year that the original words were in Latin, and date to the twelfth century, and the tune is almost as old. I can't say I'm surprised, though.
Eliza Carthy sang Mike Waterson's Jack Frost beautifully, simply, powerfully: the best thing I've ever heard her do, I think.
Just before the interval, Norma Waterson announced the next song, and that it would be followed by a break, when we could all go to the foyer and have a drink, or buy records and T-shirts, and the band would join us after they'd been backstage for a cup of tea. "Figgy pudding", said Eliza. "No, raspberry cheesecake," said Norma. All together, now:
Now, bring us some raspb'ry cheesecake;
Now, bring us some raspb'ry cheesecake;
Now, bring us some raspb'ry cheesecake and bring some out here!
And we won't go until we've got some...
