Canadian Folk Music, 46.4 (Winter 2013)
Serpent's Knee
Whenever I am asked what kind of music I listen to or what my favourite albums are, my usual response is something along the lines of preferring field recordings of elderly men or women singing a cappella ballads in quiet voices that are slightly off key. I say this for effect, but it is nonetheless completely true. I love these albums because they sound genuine, and totally from the heart. I can feel bored with the “produced” and “marketable” sound of most recordings because, while it may be musically perfect, it often lacks realness. Don’t get me wrong – as a musician, I cannot help but appreciate technical quality in other singers when I hear it. However, when I listen to a CD like Rosaleen’s, I breathe a sigh of relief and relax, as if I have just come home after a long trip.
I have seen and heard her sing in person and have always delighted in her steadfast approach to ballad singing. A couple of years ago Rosaleen told me about her idea of archiving some of her ballad repertoire. I was thrilled, because I am a big believer in archiving ballads, keeping the tradition of ballad singing alive and making them available to others. So it was with great anticipation that I awaited the final result of her hard work. I know how difficult it is to duplicate the spirit of a live performance in the studio. Not only has Rosaleen accomplished that task quite well, she has made it seem effortless, as though she has simply sat down in one’s living room and started singing.
I sense that it was a bit of a juggling act for Rosaleen to balance her traditional performance style (I have only ever heard her sing unaccompanied) with a product that might be better accepted by a public not acquainted with the ballad tradition. In her liner notes, she expresses hope that, through this and her other recording, Sheath and Knife, her love of ballads will be transferred to as many people as possible. This is a sentiment I recognize all too well. I am sure that, in making decisions regarding the arrangements and accompaniments of her ballads, Rosaleen had this hope very much in her thoughts. How does one remain true to the integrity of the ballad while attempting to make it appealing to a wider audience? It will remain to be seen whether this album will be as fully appreciated as it deserves to be by all music lovers, but it will certainly appeal to those of us already “converted”.
The CD begins with a version of “Dives and Lazarus” (Child 56). Like all of the tracks on her album, I had heard other renditions of this ballad, but was immediately grabbed by the life infused in her particular arrangement. The blending of singing with a variety of instrumentations sets the stage for most of the tracks to follow (all but two of the twelve tracks are accompanied). John Leeder delightfully supports the ballads and Rosaleen’s voice, alternating between octave mandolin and banjo. Other instruments – an Irish flute, hurdy-gurdy, whistles and pipes – are supplied by Derek Lofthouse.
Although I am generally fonder of a cappella balllad singing, the accompaniment for most of her material is well done and is careful not to detract from the ballad stories. The only real exception to this is “The Dowie Dens of Yarrow” (Child 214). I would have preferred hearing this ballad unaccompanied, as she sings it somewhat arrhythmically, making the mandolin and intermittent border pipes sound at times awkward and distracting. Perhaps she felt the length of the ballad would make an a cappella version sound too unvaried. However, I think the story of this ballad is quite enough to engage the listener. And when, in comparison, you hear her unadorned rendition of “The Daemon Lover” (Child 243), you know that some ballads simply do not need anything more than the voice.
I think my favourite track is “Queen Elinor’s Confession” (Child 156). I would never have imagined a banjo accompaniment for this ballad, but wow – it works! Unlike in “The Dowie Dens of Yarrow”, the pattern of periodic instrumental insertions, this time using the hurdy-gurdy, enhances rather than detracts from the spirit in this jaunty trickster tale. It certainly is an interesting combination of sounds!
Rosaleen’s love of each of these ballad gems clearly comes through in her voice. I know from experience how difficult it is to choose what will make it onto a CD (or into a performance), but I believe she has come up with a well-rounded variety of her favourites. She has done the ballads justice, and I highly recommend that this CD be included in every ballad lover’s collection. And if you are relatively unfamiliar with this genre of folk music, give this a listen. You may find that the power of the traditional ballad will grow on you.
Moira Cameron, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
I have seen and heard her sing in person and have always delighted in her steadfast approach to ballad singing. A couple of years ago Rosaleen told me about her idea of archiving some of her ballad repertoire. I was thrilled, because I am a big believer in archiving ballads, keeping the tradition of ballad singing alive and making them available to others. So it was with great anticipation that I awaited the final result of her hard work. I know how difficult it is to duplicate the spirit of a live performance in the studio. Not only has Rosaleen accomplished that task quite well, she has made it seem effortless, as though she has simply sat down in one’s living room and started singing.
I sense that it was a bit of a juggling act for Rosaleen to balance her traditional performance style (I have only ever heard her sing unaccompanied) with a product that might be better accepted by a public not acquainted with the ballad tradition. In her liner notes, she expresses hope that, through this and her other recording, Sheath and Knife, her love of ballads will be transferred to as many people as possible. This is a sentiment I recognize all too well. I am sure that, in making decisions regarding the arrangements and accompaniments of her ballads, Rosaleen had this hope very much in her thoughts. How does one remain true to the integrity of the ballad while attempting to make it appealing to a wider audience? It will remain to be seen whether this album will be as fully appreciated as it deserves to be by all music lovers, but it will certainly appeal to those of us already “converted”.
The CD begins with a version of “Dives and Lazarus” (Child 56). Like all of the tracks on her album, I had heard other renditions of this ballad, but was immediately grabbed by the life infused in her particular arrangement. The blending of singing with a variety of instrumentations sets the stage for most of the tracks to follow (all but two of the twelve tracks are accompanied). John Leeder delightfully supports the ballads and Rosaleen’s voice, alternating between octave mandolin and banjo. Other instruments – an Irish flute, hurdy-gurdy, whistles and pipes – are supplied by Derek Lofthouse.
Although I am generally fonder of a cappella balllad singing, the accompaniment for most of her material is well done and is careful not to detract from the ballad stories. The only real exception to this is “The Dowie Dens of Yarrow” (Child 214). I would have preferred hearing this ballad unaccompanied, as she sings it somewhat arrhythmically, making the mandolin and intermittent border pipes sound at times awkward and distracting. Perhaps she felt the length of the ballad would make an a cappella version sound too unvaried. However, I think the story of this ballad is quite enough to engage the listener. And when, in comparison, you hear her unadorned rendition of “The Daemon Lover” (Child 243), you know that some ballads simply do not need anything more than the voice.
I think my favourite track is “Queen Elinor’s Confession” (Child 156). I would never have imagined a banjo accompaniment for this ballad, but wow – it works! Unlike in “The Dowie Dens of Yarrow”, the pattern of periodic instrumental insertions, this time using the hurdy-gurdy, enhances rather than detracts from the spirit in this jaunty trickster tale. It certainly is an interesting combination of sounds!
Rosaleen’s love of each of these ballad gems clearly comes through in her voice. I know from experience how difficult it is to choose what will make it onto a CD (or into a performance), but I believe she has come up with a well-rounded variety of her favourites. She has done the ballads justice, and I highly recommend that this CD be included in every ballad lover’s collection. And if you are relatively unfamiliar with this genre of folk music, give this a listen. You may find that the power of the traditional ballad will grow on you.
Moira Cameron, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
