The Young Tradition
Encyclopedia
The Young Tradition were a British folk group
of the 1960s, formed by Peter Bellamy
, Royston Wood and Heather Wood. They recorded three albums of mainly traditional British folk music
, sung in arrangements for their three unaccompanied
voices.
, Sheffield
, Yorkshire
) (who was unrelated to Royston Wood). Most of their repertoire was traditional British folk music, sung without instrumental accompaniment, and was drawn especially from the music of the Copper Family
from Sussex
, who had a strong oral musical tradition. They augmented the pure folk music with some composed songs which were strongly rooted in the English folk tradition, such as sea shanties written by Cyril Tawney
, of which "Chicken on a Raft" was the most notable.
In the late 1960s, London
became the centre of the English folk music revival and The Young Tradition moved there, sharing a house with John Renbourn
, Bert Jansch
and Anne Briggs
.
They recorded three albums and an EP, on the Transatlantic Records
label. They also collaborated with Shirley Collins
on an album recorded in 1969 called The Holly Bears the Crown
. A single of the Boar's Head Carol was released from these sessions in 1974 (by Argo Records), but due in part to the band's 1969 break up, the full album was not released until 1995 (by Fledg'ling Records). Transatlantic also released a compilation record in 1969: The Young Tradition Sampler.
Their later work became more influenced by mediaeval music
. "Galleries", their last album released during the life of the band, was musically augmented by Dolly Collins
, Dave Swarbrick
, David Munrow
and The Early Music Consort
. It included a version of Agincourt Carol
.
In 1969, the group split up on account of their different musical preferences, with Bellamy wanting to pursue pure traditional music. Their final concert was at Cecil Sharp House, home of the English Folk Dance and Song Society
, in October 1969.
Royston Wood & Heather Wood continued to work together after the split with Peter Bellamy in 1969, but they didn't record again until 1977 when they released No Relation, an album which included Peter Bellamy as guest singer on three tracks and also appearances by guitarists Pete Kirtley and Simon Nicol and bass guitarist Ashley Hutchings.
Royston Wood sang briefly with Swan Arcade
and died after a car accident in 1990, and Peter Bellamy committed suicide in 1991. Heather Wood currently lives in New York City.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
of the 1960s, formed by Peter Bellamy
Peter Bellamy
Peter Franklyn Bellamy was an English folk singer. He was a founding member of The Young Tradition but also had a long solo career, recording numerous albums and touring folk clubs and concert halls...
, Royston Wood and Heather Wood. They recorded three albums of mainly traditional British folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, sung in arrangements for their three unaccompanied
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
voices.
Biography
The Young Tradition were formed on 18 April 1965 by Peter Bellamy (8 September 1944 – 19 September 1991), Royston Wood (born 1935 died 8 April 1990) and Heather Wood (born Arielle Heather Wood, 31 March 1945, AttercliffeAttercliffe
Attercliffe is an industrial suburb of northeast Sheffield, England on the south bank of the River Don.-History:The name Attercliffe can be traced back as far as an entry in the Domesday book -Ateclive- meaning at the cliffe, a small escarpment that lay alongside the River Don...
, Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
) (who was unrelated to Royston Wood). Most of their repertoire was traditional British folk music, sung without instrumental accompaniment, and was drawn especially from the music of the Copper Family
Copper Family
The Copper Family are a family of singers of traditional, unaccompanied English folk song. Originally from Rottingdean, near Brighton, Sussex, England, the nucleus of the family now live in the neighbouring village of Peacehaven.-History:...
from Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, who had a strong oral musical tradition. They augmented the pure folk music with some composed songs which were strongly rooted in the English folk tradition, such as sea shanties written by Cyril Tawney
Cyril Tawney
Cyril Tawney was an English singer-songwriter, proponent of the traditional songs of the West of England and traditional and modern maritime songs.- Biography :...
, of which "Chicken on a Raft" was the most notable.
In the late 1960s, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
became the centre of the English folk music revival and The Young Tradition moved there, sharing a house with John Renbourn
John Renbourn
John Renbourn is an English guitarist and songwriter. He is possibly best known for his collaboration with guitarist Bert Jansch as well as his work with the folk group Pentangle, although he maintained a solo career before, during and after that band's existence .While most commonly labelled a...
, Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
Herbert "Bert" Jansch was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle. He was born in Glasgow and came to prominence in London in the 1960s, as an acoustic guitarist, as well as a singer-songwriter...
and Anne Briggs
Anne Briggs
Anne Briggs is an English folk singer. Although she traveled widely in the 1960s and early 1970s, appearing at folk clubs and venues in England and Ireland, she never aspired to commercial success or to achieve widespread public acknowledgment of her music...
.
They recorded three albums and an EP, on the Transatlantic Records
Transatlantic Records
Transatlantic Records was a British independent record label. It was established in 1961. It started began primarily as an importer of American folk, blues and jazz records - by many of the artists who influenced the burgeoning British folk and blues boom. Within a couple of years, the company had...
label. They also collaborated with Shirley Collins
Shirley Collins
Shirley Elizabeth Collins MBE is a British folksinger who was a significant contributor to the English Folk Revival of the 1960s and 1970s...
on an album recorded in 1969 called The Holly Bears the Crown
The Holly Bears the Crown
The Holly Bears The Crown is an album by The Young Tradition with Shirley and Dolly Collins.This album was recorded in London in 1969. A few weeks later musical and financial differences caused the break-up of The Young Tradition. The trio "The Young Tradition" sang a cappella folk songs in a...
. A single of the Boar's Head Carol was released from these sessions in 1974 (by Argo Records), but due in part to the band's 1969 break up, the full album was not released until 1995 (by Fledg'ling Records). Transatlantic also released a compilation record in 1969: The Young Tradition Sampler.
Their later work became more influenced by mediaeval music
Medieval music
Medieval music is Western music written during the Middle Ages. This era begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and ends sometime in the early fifteenth century...
. "Galleries", their last album released during the life of the band, was musically augmented by Dolly Collins
Dolly Collins
Dorothy Ann Collins, known as Dolly Collins , was an English folk musician, arranger and composer. She was the older sister of Shirley Collins....
, Dave Swarbrick
Dave Swarbrick
Dave Swarbrick is an English folk musician and singer-songwriter. He has been described by Ashley Hutchings as 'the most influential [British] fiddle player bar none' and his style has been copied or developed by almost every British, and many World folk violin players that have followed him...
, David Munrow
David Munrow
David Munrow was a British musician and early music historian.- Biography and career :Munrow was born in Birmingham and was the son of Birmingham University dance teacher Hilda Norman Munrow and Albert Davis 'Dave' Munrow, a Birmingham University lecturer and physical education instructor who...
and The Early Music Consort
Early Music Consort
The Early Music Consort of London was founded by Christopher Hogwood and David Munrow in 1967 and disbanded in 1976 following Munrow's death. It produced many influential collections of early music, typical of which was The Art of the Netherlands issued as a 3-record set in 1976.-Selected...
. It included a version of Agincourt Carol
Agincourt Carol
The Agincourt Carol is an English folk song written some time in the early 15th century...
.
In 1969, the group split up on account of their different musical preferences, with Bellamy wanting to pursue pure traditional music. Their final concert was at Cecil Sharp House, home of the English Folk Dance and Song Society
English Folk Dance and Song Society
The English Folk Dance and Song Society was formed in 1932 when two organisations merged: the Folk-Song Society and the English Folk Dance Society. The EFDSS, a member-based organisation, was incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee in 1935 and became a Registered Charity The English Folk...
, in October 1969.
Royston Wood & Heather Wood continued to work together after the split with Peter Bellamy in 1969, but they didn't record again until 1977 when they released No Relation, an album which included Peter Bellamy as guest singer on three tracks and also appearances by guitarists Pete Kirtley and Simon Nicol and bass guitarist Ashley Hutchings.
Royston Wood sang briefly with Swan Arcade
Swan Arcade
Swan Arcade were a British folk music vocal group formed in 1970. "A leading light of the British folk revival" they sang a wide variety of songs, including blues, pop and rock and roll, as well as traditional folk music, mostly performed a cappella. Swan Arcade also performed with The Watersons...
and died after a car accident in 1990, and Peter Bellamy committed suicide in 1991. Heather Wood currently lives in New York City.
Discography
- The Young Tradition - 1965
- So Cheerfully Round - 1966
- Chicken on a Raft - 1968 (EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
) - Galleries - 1969
- The Young Tradition Sampler - 1969
- Galleries Revisited - 1973 (Reissue of Galleries with additional sleevenotes by Heather Wood)
- The Holly Bears the Crown - recorded 1969, released 1995 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holly_Bears_The_Crown
- Royston Wood & Heather Wood - No Relation - 1977
- Galleries/No Relation - 1997 (Reissue of Galleries and the EP with additional tracks by Royston & Heather Wood on a single CD)
- The Young Tradition/So Cheerfully Round- 1999 (Reissue of first 2 albums on a single CD)