Audio
Season 1, Episode 12: The Power of Music
Transcript
Jonathan Malriat
Hi, I'm Jonathan Malriat, lead park ranger here at George Washington Birthplace National Monument. Join us on our special holiday episode of Upon This Land: History, Mystery, and Monuments. For this episode, we've been celebrating the holidays here in the Northern Neck by having a bunch of different special events, including some musicians from the group, Ampersand. And these musicians, they interpret old classic American traditional music with modern instruments to bring that music to modern ears. They're led by Beth Lawton, Dick Hogle, and Topher Lawton, and they were presenting today, December 15th, here in the park. Now you're in luck if you missed it because we actually recorded the entire performance, and we're gonna be playing it for you in this special episode that rounds up our first season of Upon This Land: History, Mysteries, and Monuments.
Ampersand
[Music Playing]
Beth Lawton
Thank you. We're so glad you're here. Come on in. We won't make you stay a whole hour. We are ampersand. I am Beth Lawton. My partner, Dick Hogle, and son, Topher Lawton. We hail from the eastern shore of Maryland up near Easton. The song you just heard was called Bear Dance, and it was played on the hammer dulcimer, which is an early instrument that arose up from the, well, two places in China and also from the British Isles. And so we are more familiar with them as a Celtic instrument. For those listening who aren't actually here in the room, it's a large instrument with 71 strings, and it very much takes the place of a piano. You can't really haul a piano out to a dance. So this kind of is the same idea when you pluck a key on a piano, a hammer hits a string. And that's it's just like the inside of a piano pulled out. And you can carry it around. Keeps the beat. It's a lot louder than other instruments. The next song that we're going to do. Do you want to talk about this one?
Topher Lawton
Sure. So this is a song celebrating the tenacity of love. And it has really wonderful words. So this, hails from the broadside ballad tradition, probably in the early part of the 17th century. So in the, the early to mid-1600s, again, in the English tradition, very much and was a song that would have been played probably with a lute or a viol around. But we're going to do it on the, the penny whistle or the tin whistle, so which I'll talk more about in a bit, and listen to the words, because they're quite wonderful.
Ampersand
[Music Playing]
Topher Lawton
[Singing] Over the mountains and over the waves. Under the fountains and under the graves. Under floods which are the deepest, which Neptune obey. Over rocks which are the steepest, Love will find out the way. Where there is no place for the glow worm to light. Where there is no space for a seat of a fly. Where the gnat, there's not venture lest herself fast she lay, but if love comes he will enter, and will find out the way. Something to lose him by having him confined. Some do suppose him poor thing, to be blind. But if they're so close you all knew him do the best that you may, blind love. If so, you call him, soon will find out the way. There is no striving to cross his content. There's no contriving, it’s lost to prevent. But if once the message reach him, that his true love doth stay. If death should come and meet him, Love will find out the way.
Beth Lawton
Thank you. Let's see. You had this. This last one was also played on the Bouzouki, which is, another Irish instruments, also known as a Greek instrument. Play a tune like a, mandolin, but it's, voiced a lot lower. So you hear that deeper sound? Get a quick retuning here. You want to tell about this or shall I?
Topher Lawton
I'm happy to chat while you're tuning. So this is another love song, I guess. But a song of love gone wrong in some ways. And it is quite early. I mean, certainly solidly, 19th century, but perhaps even a little bit sooner than that. It talks about a steamboat, and steamboats, you know, I think I think it was almost on the Mississippi and things like that, but they were actually developed in England by the 1730s. There were steamboats, again, about a century before, I tend to think of them. And well into the US by the 1780s. And we know there was a demonstration. John Fitch demonstrated a steamboat, to the Continental Convention delegates in from Philadelphia on the Delaware River in 1787. Take it away.
Dick Hogle
Called “Handsome Molly” One - Two - Three - Four...
Ampersand
[Singing] Well, I wish I was in London, Or some other seaport town. Set my foot on a steamboat. I’d sail the whole world ‘round. Sailing on the ocean. I'm sailing on the sea. Think of Handsome Molly, wherever she may be. Remember, Handsome Molly, You gave me your right hand? You said whenever you’d marry, I would be the man. But you broke your promise, go marry whom you please. My poor heart is aching, You’re going at your ease. I wish I was in London, or some other seaport town, set my foot on the steamboat. I sail the whole world ‘round. Sailing on the ocean. Sailing on the sea. Think of handsome molly wherever, She may be. I went to Church last Sunday, But you passed me by. I could tell her mind was changin’, By the rovin’ of her eye. Her hair as black as a Raven, her eyes are bright as blue. She’s just like a Lily, out in the mornin’ dew. I wish I was in London or some other seaport town. Set my foot on steamboat, I sail the whole world round. Sailing on the ocean and sailin’ on the sea. Think of handsome molly, wherever she may be. Wish I was in London or some other seaport town, I set my foot on a steamboat, I’ll sail the whole world round. Sailing on the ocean and sailing on the sea. I think of handsome molly, wherever she may be. Think of handsome molly, wherever she may be.
Topher Lawton
And so in that song, the clicking noise that you were hearing is, an instrument typically called the bones or the rhythm bones. Although they're usually made out of wood these days. And that's an instrument that's quite old, likely from the West African tradition. And came over to the States, probably with some of the enslaved people who came, against their will from West Africa. But they make a lovely sound that gets included in a lot of sort of Celtic and Irish music, English music, and especially in the Appalachian tradition, these days.
Beth Lawton
So our next song is also a love song. It's called “Bonny Portmore”, and it's really a love song to a piece of property, and it's almost a 17th century money pit, what we would call a money pit. Now, this was, let me just make sure I get his name right. Lord Conway, he bought a piece of property. It was on the edge of a lake, and it was kind of castle like, and he thought he was going to dig out a moat and do all this great stuff, and it ended up collapsing into the lake. And it was Portmore lake, actually, in County Antrim in Ireland. And he had planted a beautiful ornament tree in his yard, like we might plant, a dogwood or something like that in the 1700s. This was, you know, a fine thing. But in addition to his moats falling into the lake, he. This tree got hit by a storm in 1760 and was destroyed. And to add insult to injury, the the tree was taken away to England to make boats, which was kind of an insult at that point. So this is a lament to a piece of property, Bonny Portmore. It also talks a little bit about that idea. Where will the bird's Nest? Because the trees are gone. At this time, England was supporting its shipbuilding industry and was basically deforested, which, you know, we kind of don't think about that. Where did the animals go? Where’d the birds go? So this song is that has that little underneath environmental message.
Ampersand
[Music Playing]
Beth Lawton
[Singing] Oh, Bonny Portmore. You shine where you stand and the more I think on you, the more I think long. If I had you now, as I had once before. All the lords in Old England would not purchase Portmore. Oh, Bonny Portmore I'm sorry to see such a woeful destruction of your ornament tree, it stood on your shore for many a long day to the longboats of Antrim did haul it away. All the birds of the forest, they now cry and weep say, Where will we harbor? Where will we sleep? Since Portmore fine buildings, they've all gone to decay. George is there, I wonder, is all cut away. Now, Bonny Portmore, Fare yee well, Fare yee well. Of your far-famed beauty, I ever shall tell. When my last day will come, I lie on your shore sweet will my dreams be of Bonny Portmore. Now. Bonny Portmore, fare yee well, fare yee well. Of your far-fame beauty I ever shall tell. When my last day will come, I lay by your shore sweet will. My dreams be of Bonny Portmore.
Beth Lawton
Thank you. Oh, Heading back- back to the hammer dulcimer. So, we're going to play a traditional Irish melody written by a harper, a harpist and named Turlough O’Carolyn. He was born in 1670, in Ireland. He was blinded by smallpox when he was 18, and his parents employer said, well, you know, you have to make a living. So they taught him music. He became a composer and a harpist, and they sent him off to travel the country with, man servant, a couple of mules off they went and they would come to your home and they would stay for a week or 2 or 3 and play music for you and of an evening. They would also play for your guests who might stay for a week or 2 or 3. So he was clever in that he was a wonderful musician, but he also composed, songs. Tunes for usually the lady of the house. In this case, it was the 19-year-old daughter of the house. Her name was Fanny Power. And this is a playing style, which is a type of dance. Let's see. Fanny power. Also on the hammer dulcimer with a double D whistle, which is a larger penny whistle and guitar.
Ampersand
[Music Playing]
Topher Lawton
So, at this time of the year, certainly several hundred years ago or even longer ago than that. You might take part in a wassail, which is a tradition, particularly from the southwestern part of England, in Cornwall and that area, where we sort of takes two forms, one very much like caroling. You would go from house to house with your friends and, some libations and demand while singing for the people of the house that they tip you, usually in food. And so, this is, you know, bring us some figgy pudding and things like that. It's demanding food of the people that you are serenading. There's a related tradition where you would wassail and go into the apple orchards and you would sing to the trees, usually in the wintertime, to ensure a good harvest, you know, again, for good luck. And, and these were seen as good luck traditions, in both forms. But this is a song that comes from the house-to-house tradition. From the village of Martha's in Cornwall.
Ampersand
[Singing] Now the harvest being over, and Christmas drawin’ in, please open your door and let. Us come in with our, Wassail. Wassail. Wassail. And joy, come to our jolly wassail. Here is the master and the mistress sitting down by the fire. While we pour wassail, Boys do trudge through the mire with our wassail. Wassail. Wassail, and joy, Come to our jolly, Wassail. This ancient old house. We will kindly salute. It is the old custom you need not dispute with our, Wassail. Wassail. Wassail and Joy, come to our jolly Wassail. Here is the master and the mistress sitting down at their ease. Put your hands in your pockets and give what you please, to our Wassail. Wassail. Wassail, and joy, come to our jolly Wassail. Here's the saddle on the bridle they're hung upon the shelf. If you want any more, you can sing it yourself. With our, Wassail. Wassail. Wassail, and joy, come to our jolly, Wassail.
Beth Lawton
Little rearranging on the stage here. So, this next song is more in the Appalachian tradition. And it's played on a mountain dulcimer, a lap dulcimer. You might see people sitting down with this, it's kind of an hourglass shaped instrument with four strings across it. Compared to the hammer dulcimer that has 71 strings, and this is played typically it's finger picked or played with a flat pick. And it was a lot of them were really handmade, kind of. They were an easy instrument to make at home, you could get a cigar box, you could just make one out of wood and put a string across it and there you have an instrument. So this is an old tune called “Say Darlin, Say” probably early colonial era, for sure, but some of the words you might recognize they're reused in other tunes over across time. So that's what happens with these early folk tunes.
Beth Lawton
[Singing] Say, little darling, won’t you be with me. Live over yonder in the old oak tree. Say, darling, Say that old tree will make our home. I'll never fall in this world to grow. Say darlin, say, hush, little baby Don't say a word. I'm gonna buy you luck in May. Say, darlin, say, if that mockingbirdie don't sing, I'm gonna buy you a diamond ring. Say darlin, say. Say little Darling, If you were mine, You wouldn't do nothin’ but starch and iron. Say, darling, say, starch and iron would be your drink, I get drunk and lay in the shade. Say darlin, Say. Say, little Darling, won’t you be with me? Live over yonder in the old oak tree. Say, darling, say, Live over yonder in the old oak tree. Children bouncing on mama’s knee. Say, Darling, Say. Say, little darling, won’t you be with me. We’ll live over yonder in the hollow tree. Say, darling say. That old tree will make our home. I’ll never fall in this world to grow. Oh, say darlin, say, say darlin, say.
Beth Lawton
Thank you. Then on the mountain dulcimer. And let's see, What else did we hear in that one? The cello, I think we hadn't talked about before. This next one is called “Dink Song” D.I.N.K, which was a woman's name. This was collected in 1904, in Texas from formerly enslaved woman named Dink. And, it seemed like she might have come from Mississippi area. Like, it's a little hard to find the provenance on some of the earlier songs. And this one, sings of some of the trials of women. And there's a lot of euphemisms in these early songs. She sings of her apron when she wore her apron low, she was fit and trim. And when she wore her apron high, she was pregnant. And the young man, of course, is happy when does come by when the apron is low. But he is nowhere to be found when her apron is high. So, Dink Song. A little rearranging on the stage.
Ampersand
[Singing] If I had wings, like Noah’s dove. I’d fly up the river to the one I love. Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well. I got a love, long and tall. Moves my body like a cannonball. Fare thee well Oh, honey, fare thee well. One of these days, it won't be long, you'll call my name. And I'll Be gone. Fare thee well. Oh, honey, fare thee well. When I wore my apron low, I couldn't keep you from my door. Fare thee well, Oh, Honey, Fare thee well. Now I wear my apron high, scarcely ever see, you passin’ by. Fare thee well, Oh, Honey, Fare thee well. Remember one night, a drizzling rain. Round my heart felt an aching pain. Fare thee well. Oh, Honey. Fare thee well. If I had wings, like Noah’s Dove. I’d fly up the river to the one I love. Fare thee well. Oh, Honey, fare thee well. Fare thee well. Oh, Honey, Fare thee well.
Beth Lawton
Thank you. So, the next song we're going to do is called Three Ravens. And in this case, the ravens are emblems of death. They're talking about “what shall we have for breakfast today?” Meaning who is going to die today. And a lot of the early music is either about death or drinking or both. So that's just what was present, I think, in that time. So, in this one, you know, the Ravens are death, but it also talks about, life with loyal friends, protectors and love. So, it does have some redemption.
Topher Lawton
Oh, yes. And featuring the Irish drum or bodhrán. Yeah. So, you'll hear that.
Beth Lawton
With a basting brush.
Topher Lawton
Yes. A basting brush. Yes. I think, period. It might have been, you know, boar's hair or something like that.
Beth Lawton
Sure, sure. Why not?
Topher Lawton
And probably not pink.
Ampersand
[Singing] There were three raven sat on a tree. Down and down and down, and down. They were as black as they might be with a down. And one of them says to his mate, What shall we for our preference to take? With Down, derry derry derry down down. Down in yonder greenfield, down. down, down down. There lies a knight slain under his shield; with a down. (with a down) His hounds, they lie down at his feet, so well they do their master keep; with down derry derry derry, down down. His hawks, they fly so eagerly, down, down, down, down. No other fowl, dare come near nigh; with a down, but down there comes a fallow doe, as great with young as she might go; with the down derry derry derry down down. She lifted up his bloody head, down, down, down, down. Kissed his wounds that were so red; with a down. (with a down). She got him up across her back, she carried him to an earthen lake, with a down derry derry derry, down down. She buried him before his prime, down, down, down, hey, down. Dead herself ere evensong time: with a down. Now God send every gentleman, Fine hawks, Fine hounds, and such a long one; with a down derry derry derry down down. Now God send every gentleman, Fine hawks, fine hounds, and such a long one with a down derry derry derry, down down.
Beth Lawton
Thank you. Back to the penny whistle.
Topher Lawton
So, I think this is a good chance to talk about all of the various woodwinds that I'm playing today. Which are all in the class called Fipple flutes. So there's,
Beth Lawton
Fipple?
Topher Lawton
Fipple, because they have a mouthpiece F.I.P.P.L.E And so there's, there's basically two ways to make a woodwind. One is you, blow across it like a modern flute. You would hold it sideways. Fifes, in the revolutionary period where, that kind of transverse flute where you're blowing across the air hole, or you can use mouthpiece flutes and this goes way back. There are examples of both of those that are quite ancient, and certainly in the Renaissance and beyond. They have recorders are a classic, fipple flute that many, many people learn to play and, you know, elementary school and things like that.
Topher Lawton
But penny whistles or tin whistles were also, in that category and came about, particularly a little bit later. So, in the early part of the 19th century, they were sold for a penny by the Clark Company, in London and in England. But yeah.
Beth Lawton
And are we going on board ship?
Topher Lawton
We are going on board ship with the Sailors Hornpipe, although perhaps not one that that folks know. So horn pipes are dance tunes. That many sailors would be, encouraged to dance to keep them docile, shall we say? So, you you wear them out. Wear them out by encouraging people to dance the hornpipe. And this was made famous by, Ms. Esther Gayton, so sometimes called Ms. Gayton’s Hornpipe. But it was she did not write it. She just made it famous. About 100 years after it became first popular.
Ampersand
[Music Playing]
Beth Lawton
Thank you. I don't think I know how to do the hornpipe.
Topher Lawton
Yeah. Sort of- (laughing)
Beth Lawton
Do you? Come on up! Dance to the Hornpipe!
Audience
I don’t think there is enough room on the stage, here.
Beth Lawton
Although every time I dance, the stage moves a little bit. So, we're just going to do a couple more. This one is called “Robin Adair.” In this case, Robin being a young man's name, these are real people. This was written a song written by Lady Caroline Keppel in London, and she is lamenting the fact that her family is not quite as wealthy and status as his family, and they are discouraging the match. His family is discouraging the match. It has a good ending, not in the song, but in life, they did eventually marry. These were not really people in different social status. They were similar, but not quite wealthy enough. So, it tells a little bit about what it was like at that time. And she talks about kind of like it feels very modern to me, It feels like this is how it feels if someone ghosts you, if you write to them or you call them and they never call you back, this is that same feeling. But just remember, it did have a good ending in real life.
Ampersand
[Singing] What's this dull town to me? Robin's not near. What was’t I wish’d to see what wish’d to hear. Where all the joy and mirth made this town heaven on earth. Oh, they’re all fled with thee Robin Adair. What made the assembly shine? Robin Adair. What made the ball so fine? Robin. He was there. What, When the play was, What made my heart so sore? Oh, it was parting with Robin Adair. What now thought called to me, Robin Adair. But now it's cold to me, Robin Adair. Yet he, I love so well, still in my heart shall dwell. Oh, I can never forget, Robin Adair. I can never forget, Robin Adair.
Beth Lawton
Thank you. So the whistle you heard on that one was an alto? Yeah. So a little bit deeper voiced one. So we're just going to do, one more and want to thank the George Washington Birthplace National Monument for having us. It great to be here. We were here I think six years ago was the last time pre-COVID, which seems like has shaken up a lot of things. And that's what happens. So, we don't do a lot of actual Christmas music, but this is one that we like to do, this time of year. Let me just turn the page, here... You know, focusing on goodwill towards each other and putting up with things you might not otherwise put up with or not be as happy about in this busy time. I know- Go ahead,
Topher Lawton
This is another, older song, initially published as a broadside ballad, so would have been, printed and distributed on, newsprint almost without that broadside. One single sheet could be packed up as a poster or shared, purchased that way as many song sheets were and this one traces back to 1625.
Beth Lawton
This is another one that feels really modern. So, one of the lines is, crossed out of thy books, malevolent looks, both beauty and youth decay like that one. There's another one, Old grudges forgot, are put in the pot. All sorrows aside they lay. And I think of those little ceramic pots that we've been around since the 1970s that say, worries like you open the lid jar, put your worry in there. But I love the idea of old grudges. Forgot are put in the pots. Fabulous. I guess that's all. Do you want to talk about this a while? Sailing, Also, we-
Topher Lawton
Indeed.
Beth Lawton
-We will sing for our separate sing.
Topher Lawton
For supper. And yes, lots of entertaining. This time of year. Certainly, Mostly. By choice. And some jingling too.
Beth Lawton
Oh, yes, our nod to the jingling.
Ampersand
[Music Playing]
Beth Lawton
Thank you so much. Thank you for coming and thanks for listening. We are Ampersand. We do have CDs available on our website, including, set from pre 1830 songs, many of which you heard today.
Audience Member
We really liked the concert.
Beth Lawton
Oh, Thank you.
Dustin Baker
Thank you for joining us, not just for this episode, but for this season of “Upon This Land: History, Mystery, and Monuments.” That was our last episode for 2024. We hope to see you again when our new theme for 2025 is “We the People.” See you next year.
Description
In this special holiday episode of our podcast, we are joined by Ampersand, a band renowned for their interpretation of early American music. Listen as musicians Beth Lawton, Dick Hogle, and Topher Lawton play festive selections from their album "Love Will Find Out the Way: Songs from Early America," featuring a variety of colonial-era and traditional tunes from before 1830. Their performance was recorded at George's birthplace during our 2024 Holiday Weekend in the Northern Neck. Intro music by Wolf Patrol
Date Created
12/19/2024
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