Dear Chris Coe,
A couple of years ago I was given an address of yours by my cousin Chris
Foster, when I was compiling a folksingers questionnaire. As far as I
can remember, the original letter was sent back unopened, so perhaps the
address was no longer valid. Your name certainly doesn't appear on the
reply sheets.
As the questionnaire is an ongoing thing - at least until I've finished
my elongating Ph.D.! - I wonder if you would be (a) prepared to fill in
a copy and return by e-mail and (b) forward it to others for the same
purpose. Respondents have to be people who were part of the 1970-1980s
folk scene (or earlier!). I would be verty grateful for your assistance
and participation.
I enclose the questionnaire both in the body of the message and as an
attachment.
Andy Rouse
Folk Singer Questionnaire
The following is a questionnaire to assist in the compiler's Ph.D.
thesis. It is very general, and is more like a written interview than
the usual answers required by questionnaires.
A large part of the thesis traces the social status of the
`professional folk singer' in England through different periods in
history, concluding with the postwar period(s). To this end, I would be
very grateful if you could briefly illuminate me on what you believe
your own status to have been during your career.
While non-English examples are also being used to provide comparison, I
have in my work deliberately kept away from other countries, including
the other countries of the British Isles, to prevent the work from
becoming unmanageable. However, if you are a singer in England whose
repertoire includes non-English songs, your contribution to this
questionnaire will be invaluable and gratefully accepted. You are also
invited to share this questionnaire with other singers.
Please send your reply to Andy Rouse,
MARTONFA
Petõfi u. 11
HUNGARY
7720
or fax it to 00-36-72-314714
or e-mail it to [log in to unmask]
**********************************
Name and address: (optional)
Gender:
Male Female
Age:
Nationality:
1) In the 1960s did you play an active part in the `folk song revival
movement'? YES/NO
2) In the 1970s did you play an active part in folk singing? YES/NO
3) In the 1980s did you play an active part in folk singing? YES/NO
4) In the 1990s have you been playing an active part in folk singing?
YES/NO
5) In the sixties/seventies would you have described yourself as
a) an amateur performer
b) usually amateur but occasionally being remunerated
c) semi-professional
d) a full-time professional (i.e. folk singing was for you a major or
exclusive means of earning a living).
Please underline
6) How did you become involved in folk-singing?
Family
Friends
From another genre
(Name genre: ........................................)
Because the folk song club allowed me to perform another genre
(Name genre: ........................................)
Other reason
(Name reason........................................)
7) Did your repertoire include
TRADITIONAL
BLUES
CONTEMPORARY
OWN
SERIOUS (`Classical')
MEDIEVAL
OTHER ( .............................)
8) Briefly describe your childhood/adolescent political environment.
(i.e. `poor but proud'/`activist shop steward'/`upper
middle-class'/`true-blue Tory'/`left-wing pacifist vegetarian'.) [You
may indulge in wit, but please be truthful and informative...max. ten
words!]
9) Were you aware of a conscious decision on your part to represent a
particular political stance in your singing? (Briefly describe it,
please.)
10) Were there songs that for reasons of politics, human rights etc. you
refused to include in your repertoire?
11) Are there still songs that you refuse to include in your repertoire?
Are they of the same type as in earlier years?
12) Were there songs that you deliberately and consciously included in
your repertoire for the above reasons?
13) Is this the case today? Are they, or could they still be in your
repertoire?
14) Are there songs that you have refused to join in the chorus of for
the same reasons?
15) Are there any songs that you ordinarily would not sing but that for
aesthetic reasons (i.e. a beautiful tune and/or words) you have learnt
and performed despite their verbal message?
Folk Singer Questionnaire
The following is a questionnaire to assist in the compiler's Ph.D. thesis. It is very general, and is more like a written interview than the usual answers required by questionnaires.
A large part of the thesis traces the social status of the `professional folk singer' in England through different periods in history, concluding with the postwar period(s). To this end, I would be very grateful if you could briefly illuminate me on what you believe your own status to have been during your career.
While non-English examples are also being used to provide comparison, I have in my work deliberately kept away from other countries, including the other countries of the British Isles, to prevent the work from becoming unmanageable. However, if you are a singer in England whose repertoire includes non-English songs, your contribution to this questionnaire will be invaluable and gratefully accepted. You are also invited to share this questionnaire with other singers.
Please send your reply to Andy Rouse,
MARTONFA
Petõfi u. 11
HUNGARY
7720
or fax it to 00-36-72-314714
or e-mail it to [log in to unmask]
**********************************
Name and address: (optional)
Gender:
Male Female
Age:
Nationality:
1) In the 1960s did you play an active part in the `folk song revival movement'? YES/NO
2) In the 1970s did you play an active part in folk singing? YES/NO
3) In the 1980s did you play an active part in folk singing? YES/NO
4) In the 1990s have you been playing an active part in folk singing? YES/NO
5) In the sixties/seventies would you have described yourself as
a) an amateur performer
b) usually amateur but occasionally being remunerated
c) semi-professional
d) a full-time professional (i.e. folk singing was for you a major or exclusive means of earning a living).
Please underline
6) How did you become involved in folk-singing?
Family
Friends
From another genre
(Name genre: ........................................)
Because the folk song club allowed me to perform another genre
(Name genre: ........................................)
Other reason
(Name reason........................................)
7) Did your repertoire include
TRADITIONAL
BLUES
CONTEMPORARY
OWN
SERIOUS (`Classical')
MEDIEVAL
OTHER ( .............................)
8) Briefly describe your childhood/adolescent political environment. (i.e. `poor but proud'/`activist shop steward'/`upper middle-class'/`true-blue Tory'/`left-wing pacifist vegetarian'.) [You may indulge in wit, but please be truthful and informative...max. ten words!]
9) Were you aware of a conscious decision on your part to represent a particular political stance in your singing? (Briefly describe it, please.)
10) Were there songs that for reasons of politics, human rights etc. you refused to include in your repertoire?
11) Are there still songs that you refuse to include in your repertoire? Are they of the same type as in earlier years?
12) Were there songs that you deliberately and consciously included in your repertoire for the above reasons?
13) Is this the case today? Are they, or could they still be in your repertoire?
14) Are there songs that you have refused to join in the chorus of for the same reasons?
15) Are there any songs that you ordinarily would not sing but that for aesthetic reasons (i.e. a beautiful tune and/or words) you have learnt and performed despite their verbal message?
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