Dear All,
If you’re looking for an attractive and very original Christmas gift for yourself, or for anyone interested in the Romantic period, please consider Retrospect Opera’s CD recording of Charles Dibdin’s “Christmas Gambols” from 1795: http://www.retrospectopera.org.uk/GAMBOLS/CGambols.html
Astonishingly, this is the first CD / album ever devoted to Dibdin’s songs, despite his being the leading singer-songwriter of his time. His most popular songs were sung for generations after his death, on both sides of the Atlantic, and some have even survived until today, especially the beautiful “Tom Bowling.”
Dibdin (1745-1814) wrote the most successful English language operas of the 1770s, but from the late 1780s onwards concentrated more on the development of his own one-man musical shows, which he called “Table Entertainments.” For many years he had his own theatre in London where he presented these. This was a really seminal moment in the development of modern music and performance styles: here was one of the best-known composers in Britain choosing to present his music directly to the public, and to specialise, basically, in popular song. Dibdin stood at a fortepiano singing and speaking to his audience, hoping they would buy copies of the songs, which he printed himself.
Most of the “Table Entertainments” can no longer be recreated, as though the songs generally survive, the spoken parts connecting them don’t. Fortunately, though, there is a relatively complete manuscript of “Christmas Gambols” in the Houghton Library, Harvard University, and this has allowed us to reconstruct and revive this Christmas “afterpiece” from 1795. If I say so myself, it’s been absolutely brilliantly brought to life by Simon Butteriss, Britain’s leading comic baritone (Dibdin himself was a baritone), accompanied by Stephen Higgins on a replica 18th century fortepiano. You can hear some extracts on the Retrospect website: http://www.retrospectopera.org.uk/Listening_Rooms.html
As well as its great musical interest, “Christmas Gambols” has wider cultural importance. It’s a celebration of traditional Christmas games, hospitality, and festivity, and appears to be the fullest picture of an 18th century British Christmas to be found anywhere. That may seem a large claim, but it’s supported by the great social historian, Sir Keith Thomas; the 18th century British Christmas is in fact very little known, and this CD will be revelatory in that respect. The booklet contains the complete text of “Christmas Gambols” and introductory essays by Simon Butteriss, Jeremy Barlow, and myself.
“Christmas Gambols” can be ordered through Amazon.uk (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Gambols-Simon-Butteriss/dp/B077CMNY55/), though it does benefit us a good deal more if you buy it through our own website (needless to say). Because we believe it will make a great Christmas gift, we’re offering three CDs for the price of two for private purchases, post free in the UK. If any kind person would be willing to review the recording, or blog or write about it on some popular forum between now and Christmas, do let us know and we can send you a CD as well as lots of extra information about the work’s background and importance.
Retrospect Opera is a registered charity and all the profits from the sale of this recording will go toward making more such recordings. Much of the financial support that made “Christmas Gambols” possible came from Romantic period scholars, and we’re very grateful to them all.
All the best,
David Chandler
Retrospect Opera / Doshisha University
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