Bringing in the May

'Twas on a bright morning,

A morning in May,
When all the lads and lasses,
They all came out to play.

On Saturday, May 8th, we of the Colonial Revelers will forsake 18th century America to don the traditional white clothes and flowers of 19th century England as we dance around the Maypole. Join us at The Piazza at Schmidt's, 1050 North Hancock Ave., in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. Shows at 11, noon, 1 and 2.

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The ancient Celts celebrated eight holidays. Four were the solstices and equinoxes. The other four were halfway between each solstice and equinox. Of these, only Lughnasadh, the August 1 "first harvest" celebration has fallen pretty much by the wayside.

The November 1 "final harvest" holiday of Samhain is familiar to us now as Halloween/All Saints/All Souls Day. Imbolc, the February 1 holiday meant to hurry spring along, became the sacred holiday of Candlemas but retained its secular roots in the observance of Groundhog's Day.

Beltane, May 1st, was the Celts' second most important holiday, and has been known and celebrated as May Day for at least a thousand years. This served as a nice break after the back- breaking jobs of plowing and sowing. Once your seeds are the ground, you also want to assuage the powers that be to make your seeds grow, so the holiday was a fertility festival, a notion being helped along by the rebirth of spring, when all wild green plants bud, and birds and animals give birth. Humans welcomed a day to sing, dance, flirt and otherwise frolic with members of the opposite sex.

The Sports of May, a canon from Thomas Warren's Collection (1775), can be heard on Colonial Revelers CD Revelry, Reflection & Revolution. The single MP3 is available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/colonialrevelers .

APRIL: Yankee Doodles

Tradition has it that, on April 18, 1775, British troops on the road to Lexington and Concord, marched to a popular tune that was later published in London as "The Lexington March." We know the song as "Yankee Doodle."

A HISTORY OF YANKEE DOODLES
by Elena Santangelo

Brother Ephraim sold his cow

And bought him a commission,
And then he went to Canada
To fight for the nation;
But when Ephraim, he came home,
He proved an arrant coward,
He wouldn't fight the Frenchmen there
For fear of being devoured.

During the French and Indian War (1754-1763), a new fiddle tune reached hit parade status when British troops put words to it that made fun of the Colonial militias fighting alongside them. The verse above has been attributed to British army surgeon Dr. Richard Schuckburg and may be the earliest rendering of the song.

Soon colonial versions of the song cropped up, this one from the early 1770s:

There is a man in our town,
I'll tell you his condition,
He sold his oxen and his cow
To buy him a commission.

(Chorus:)

Corn-stalks twist your hair off,
Cart-wheel frolic round you,
Old fiery dragon carry you off,
And mortar pessel pound you.

A few years later, a verse popular with the Tories:

Yankee Doodle's come to town
For to buy a firelock,
We will tar and feather him,
And so we will John Hancock.

Edward Bangs was a Minuteman believed to have participated in the April 1775 battles. He wrote the most widely known version of the song, though no one knows when, but it had to be before July 1775 when Washington went from Captain to General. In all, he wrote 14 verses.

Father and I went down to camp
Along with Captain Gooding;
And there we saw the men and boys
As thick as hasty pudding.

(Chorus:)

Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step
And with the girls be handy.

And there we saw a thousand men
As rich as Squire David,
And what they wasted every day,
I wish it could be saved. (chorus)

Many versions of "Yankee Doodle" were ballads commemorating battles and events. In January 1778, during the British occupation of Philadelphia, David Bushnell (the inventor of the submarine) came up with the idea of floating incendiary mines (made from powder kegs) downstream to the British warships anchored in the Delaware River. On January 9th, the New Jersey Gazette reported that the Regulars had been mustered to fire upon the kegs:

"Every chip or stick that floated by was a target for the vigor of the British arms. The action commenced about sunrise and lasted until noon, when the kegs were ... put to flight .... The British withdrew and celebrated the occasion as a great victory, receiving congratulations for their bravery and valor!"

Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, immortalized the events in a parody called "The Battle of the Kegs." (11 verses)

Gallants attend, and hear a friend
Trill forth harmonious ditty,
Strange things I'll tell, which late befell,
In Philadelphia city.
'Twas early day, as poets say,
Just as the sun was rising,
A soldier stood on a log of wood
And saw a thing surprising.

As in amaze he stood to gaze,
The truth can't be denied, sir,
He spied a score of kegs or more
Come floating down the tide, sir.
A sailor, too, in jerkin blue,
This strange appearance viewing,
First damned his eyes in great surprise,
Then said, "Some mischief's brewing."

In 1780-81, British General Cornwallis took the war into the Carolinas and Virginia, followed by American General Nathaniel Greene who used guerilla tactics to wear down the British troops. A version of Yankee Doodle titled "Cornwallis' Country Dance" resulted. (7 verses)

Cornwallis led a country dance,
The like was never seen, sir,
Much retrograde and much advance,
And all with General Greene, sir.
They rambled up and rambled down,
Joined hands, then off they run, sir,
Our General Greene to Charlestown,
The earl to Wilmington, sir.

Hundreds of other lyrics were concocted during the war, on both sides of the Atlantic. However, the one where the feather in the hat becomes "macaroni" wasn't published until 1852 and probably wasn't sung during the Revolution.

(Source: SONGS OF THE REVOLUTION, compiled and edited by Irwin Silber, Stackpole Books, 1973)

The Edward Bangs version of Yankee Doodle, with one additional verse, can be heard on Colonial Revelers's CD, REVELRY, REFLECTION & REVOLUTION.

Fish and Tea and Taxes

Ne'er let Corruption taint the Patriot's Name.

Poor Richard, March 1759

And so we come to March, with spring less than two fortnights hence. For many, thoughts need focus upon the year's planting, with little time left to ponder the philosophies of men.

Yet, 'twas in March 1775 that Mr. Patrick Henry spoke the words "Give me liberty or give me death!" The sentiment is not often echoed by American patriots in our own times. Indeed, Mr. Franklin would remind us that those unwilling to give up personal safety for liberty are not deserving of it.

This month, too, our thoughts turn to taxes. As well, in those the early months of 1775, in New England, an anonymous author penned these words to "Derry Down," a popular fiddle tune of the day:

What a court hath olde England of folly and sin,
'Spite of Chatham and Camden, Barre, Burke, Wilkes and Glynn!
Not content with the Game Act, they tax fish and sea,
And America drench with hot water and tea.

The names mentioned were all members of Parliament who were sympathetic to the complaints of the colonies. The complaint, of course, was against the taxation of fishing and tea, because those taxed were given no representation within the British government.

Note should be made that, unlike those who lately associate "tea party" with a desire for no taxes at all, American colonists of 1775 were not against taxes. They understood that for the British government to serve and protect them, and to encourage their economy--especially from an ocean's distance away, considering the costs of shipping--taxes were a necessary evil. They merely objected to having no say in where those tax revenues would originate. The tea parties of America in 1775 were a protest not against taxes, but against a lack of representation in Parliament.

The song "Fish and Tea" can be heard on Colonial Revelers CD Revelry, Reflection and Revolution.

Your humble servants,
HH

Midwinter & The General's Birthday

"If February give much snow
A fine Summer it doth foreshow."

The winter is half done, and despite what the wild creatures foretell, with their thick coats and tails, and the doubtful viewing of their shadows in the dawn hour, spring shall follow in less than four fortnights' time.

This month, General Washington shall observe the anniversary of his birth. In the year of his birth, England and her colonies still employed the Julian calendar, and the anniversary then fell upon February 11. In 1752, England converted to the Gregorian calendar, and the date converted to February 22.

This year, we shall celebrate the day 'twixt old and new calendars -- on Monday, February 15. Colonial Revelers cordially bids you to join us at the visitor center at Valley Forge National Historical Park on that day, for song and a slice of Mrs. Washington's famed Great Cake.

Children may engage in crafts and learn colonial dances, and the General himself will be present to lead young troops in marching and maneuvering.

The revelry shall begin at 10 in the morning and proceed until 3 in the afternoon. You may learn more at

http://www.nps.gov/vafo/planyourvisit/events.htm

Click on the 15th.

Your humble servants,
HH

DOWN AMONG THE DEADMEN

by Elena Santangelo

The title track in DOWN AMONG THE DEADMEN, Colonial Revelers second CD, almost sounds like it was composed for a Pirates of the Carribean movie, but actually it's 300 years old, dating from the reign of Queen Anne of Britain. (Some sources attribute the lyrics to John Dyer, and he may have contributed verses, but he would have been 14 when Queen Anne died, so chances are, some version of the song was already in circulation).

The original opening lines were

Here's a health to the Queen
And a lasting peace,
May faction end and wealth increase.

At the time, many factions were warring for control of Britain, especially since Anne had no children and did indeed die in 1714 leaving no heir to the throne. Later in the century, during the American Revolution, the song became popular with Loyalists on both sides of the Atlantic. "King" was substituted for "Queen" but the sentiments were the same--a plea for all sides to make peace and bring back prosperity instead of throwing money after costly wars (a lesson we could still learn today).

The verse goes on to urge

Come, let's drink while we have breath,
For there's no drinking after death.

But you might argue, what about the refrain? Isn't that a threat?

And they that won't with us comply,
Down among the deadmen let them lie.

Not much of one, it turns out. The "deadmen" were the empty bottles that piled up on the floor under tavern tables. The lyrics go on to toast women, food, drink and Bacchus, the god of pleasure himself. This isn't a song of war but of merrymaking.
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ELENASANTANGELO is the principal music researcher and arranger for Colonial Revelers.

Our Story


Twixt Christmas Day and Candlemas (February 2), if the roads be frozen enough for foot or carriage or sleigh, this is the season for visiting neighbors and friends--and of sitting by the fire and storytelling. Here, then, is ours:

Once Upon A Time there lived a talented troupe of performers known as The Philadelphia Revels. Each December they'd present a special show of music, dance and storytelling from a different culture or historical era. And each season a small group of cast members would perform in community outreach programs, bringing songs and dances of the season to children and elder citizens who could not attend the main show.

In the year 2000, The Philadelphia Revels chose "Christmas in Colonial Philadelphia" as their theme and, as usual, the group performing outreach programs took part of their show out into the community. Unlike other years, however, long after the main show was over and the New Year brought in, nursing homes, churches and historic sites were still asking for programs of colonial music. The songs may have been enchanted. Or possibly the proximity to Philadelphia and Valley Forge generated extra interest in colonial themes.

Whatever the case, two years later the small outreach group was still performing colonial songs, a capella and in costume, when they were asked to help raise funds for a beautiful old historic church. The ensemble's first full length concert was presented at the church in June of 2002, and the group adopted the name Colonial Revelers.

The Philadelphia Revels ceased operation soon after, but demand for the colonial concerts and workshops continued, so Colonial Revels was adopted in January 2006 by a brand new non-profit organization: Historical Harmonies.

Historical Harmonies stated purpose is "To educate the public by providing a fuller understanding of history, and in particular American history, through the performance of vocal/choral music of specific eras." Besides sponsoring all Colonial Revelers activities, the organization produces May Revelers and Victorian Carolers. The former troupe presents celebrations and workshops of May Day music and traditions. The latter performs seasonal music of the Victorian era as well as programs of Civil War era songs.

In January 2007, Colonial Revelers released their first CD, REVELRY, REFLECTION & REVOLUTION, featuring songs that might have been sung in colonial taverns, churches and military camps.

On January 1, 2010, look for CD #2, DOWN AMONG THE DEADMEN, a compilation of 17th and 18th century tavern songs.

Will they all sing happily ever after? Stay tuned.

Your servants,
HH

Courteous Reader,

Here comes the Orator! with his Flood of Words, and his Drop of Reason.
Poor Richard's Almanac, 1735

An almanac, by definition, is designed to inform the reader month by month throughout the year.

While those of us in Historical Harmonies cannot claim to be experts in, say, the best planting time for pumpkin seeds, we would like to share what we know of historical--in particular, 18th century-- vocal/choral music. Through this almanac, we can also keep you informed of our events and recordings, and give you an idea of who we are, what we do, and why we do it.

We hope to entertain you here
And delight throughout the coming year.

Your servants,
HH