Songs and Ballads [antikvár]

ii I iiÉÉiifiiri II Preface An age in which our lives tend to be controlled by ephemeral trends and fashions cannot help but leave its indelible mark on the arts, music included. It is, therefore, not surprising that those who have come to regard steadfast qualities as being vital to their everyday lives increasingly take refuge in the realms of folk music, a world in which tradition still abounds. Tunes such as "Greensleeves" or "Auld Lang Syne" have lost nothing of their originality or impressiveness. This perhaps accounts for the fact that public performances staged by folk groups always turn out to be a box-office success, and that new editions of folksong collections never fail to encounter enthu-siatic reception. It was not our intention to add just another song-book to the numerous publications of this type that have appeared on the market just lately. Bearing in mind the variety of international folk-songs in existence, no satisfaction would have been gained from providing a potpourri of tunes drawn from every corner of the earth. For this reason we decided to restrict our attention to traditional Englishspeaking areas which — it is hoped will contribute towards the appreciation of characteristic national elements that continue to withstand the whims and trends of passing generations. Apart from containing tunes all so familiar to us, the collection also features quite a number of songs, which, for reason unjustifiable, have imfortunately passed into oblivion. It is our sincere hope that they will provide a solid basis of individual stimulation and initiative. The harmonization is in keeping with the character of the music, special consideration having gone to the guitar as means of accompaniment for solo vocal performances. The settings will also serve as a basic source of reference to groups as regards instrumentation. Teachers of English literature wishing to supplement and enrich their curriculum will find a plentiful supply of illustrious ballads to cater admirably for the purpose. Folklore enthusiasts will welcome the sources appended to the songs and will te able to draw many an interesting parallel between the given versions and legendary accounts. Finally the contents of this volume will undoubtedly be appreciated by those whose task it is to provide or compile material for broadcasts etc. Klaus Buhé 15