Hi, folks - Just wondering if anyone with roots in D&G has picked up any folksongs from that area, or knows of any folk tunes or songs specific to the current area covered by Dumfries and Galloway in the southwest of Scotland? As a musician who works with folk music, some of the time, I would be interested to know what songs or tunes or fragments thereof have come down in your families, so I can try to find them both when I am in Dumfries at Christmastime and thereafter. I already have a few from the area, but am looking for more. In my definitions, a song has text as well as melody, and a tune has just the melody, no words. Also folk tales and superstitions from the area. I have a lot of Robert Burns already, though he was mainly considered from Ayrshire though he was often in Dumfries. And if anyone who lives in or near Dumfries happens to know who the current local music teachers, or music historians are, I would love to know that in case I could manage to have a chat with them over a cuppa when I am there. Thanks, Muff in Iceland

Hi, Muff-- Two years or so ago, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC featured Scotland in its annual National Folklife Festival. From each featured area, the Festival brings many artisans and artists, particularly musicians, and also a number of knowledgeable individuals to lecture, act as masters of ceremonies, and so forth. I spent a lot of time at the Festival. Other parts of Scotland seemed to receive more attention than D & G but a Ms. Valentina Bold seemed to be the Festival's expert on the folk music of southwestern Scotland. She is on the faculty of the University of Glasgow's Crichton Campus in Dumfries. Take a look at her Broadside Ballads website, at http://www.broadsideballads.gallowayfolk.co.uk/ If you like what you see, Ms. Bold's contact information is listed on that page as well. (I do not know her personally.) I envy you your Christmas-tide trip to D & G. Cheers. Dan MacMeekin ---- Muff Worden <muff@eldhorn.is> wrote: > > Hi, folks - > > Just wondering if anyone with roots in D&G has picked up any folksongs > from that area, or knows of any folk tunes or songs specific to the > current area covered by Dumfries and Galloway in the southwest of > Scotland? As a musician who works with folk music, some of the time, I > would be interested to know what songs or tunes or fragments thereof > have come down in your families, so I can try to find them both when I > am in Dumfries at Christmastime and thereafter. I already have a few > from the area, but am looking for more. In my definitions, a song has > text as well as melody, and a tune has just the melody, no words. Also > folk tales and superstitions from the area. I have a lot of Robert > Burns already, though he was mainly considered from Ayrshire though he > was often in Dumfries. > > And if anyone who lives in or near Dumfries happens to know who the > current local music teachers, or music historians are, I would love to > know that in case I could manage to have a chat with them over a cuppa > when I am there. > > Thanks, > > Muff in Iceland >

Hi Dan / Muff From what I gather, Valentina is on a sabbatical and her plans for a C-D rom have fallen by the wayside. She did do an excellent one of the North-East before she moved down here. Regards Ian. Researching Family History in Dumfries & Galloway ~ and beyond. Please visit my Website: http://www.imchad.freeola.com -----Original Message----- From: Dan MacMeekin [mailto:dan@macmeekin.com] Sent: 07 November 2004 20:51 To: DUMFRIES-GALLOWAY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [D-G LIST] D&G music, and teachers Hi, Muff-- Two years or so ago, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC featured Scotland in its annual National Folklife Festival. From each featured area, the Festival brings many artisans and artists, particularly musicians, and also a number of knowledgeable individuals to lecture, act as masters of ceremonies, and so forth. I spent a lot of time at the Festival. Other parts of Scotland seemed to receive more attention than D & G but a Ms. Valentina Bold seemed to be the Festival's expert on the folk music of southwestern Scotland. She is on the faculty of the University of Glasgow's Crichton Campus in Dumfries. Take a look at her Broadside Ballads website, at http://www.broadsideballads.gallowayfolk.co.uk/ If you like what you see, Ms. Bold's contact information is listed on that page as well. (I do not know her personally.) I envy you your Christmas-tide trip to D & G. Cheers. Dan MacMeekin ---- Muff Worden <muff@eldhorn.is> wrote: > > Hi, folks - > > Just wondering if anyone with roots in D&G has picked up any folksongs > from that area, or knows of any folk tunes or songs specific to the > current area covered by Dumfries and Galloway in the southwest of > Scotland? As a musician who works with folk music, some of the time, I > would be interested to know what songs or tunes or fragments thereof > have come down in your families, so I can try to find them both when I > am in Dumfries at Christmastime and thereafter. I already have a few > from the area, but am looking for more. In my definitions, a song has > text as well as melody, and a tune has just the melody, no words. Also > folk tales and superstitions from the area. I have a lot of Robert > Burns already, though he was mainly considered from Ayrshire though he > was often in Dumfries. > > And if anyone who lives in or near Dumfries happens to know who the > current local music teachers, or music historians are, I would love to > know that in case I could manage to have a chat with them over a cuppa > when I am there. > > Thanks, > > Muff in Iceland > ==== DUMFRIES-GALLOWAY Mailing List ==== FIND YOUR ANCESTORS http://www.directcon.net/tomas/Ancestry/index.html/ --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.788 / Virus Database: 533 - Release Date: 01/11/04 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.788 / Virus Database: 533 - Release Date: 01/11/04