"Brigg Fair" is a traditional English folk song sung by theLincolnshire singerJoseph Taylor. The song, which is named after a historical fair inBrigg, Lincolnshire, was collected and recorded on wax cylinder by the composer and folk song collectorPercy Grainger. It is known for its use in classical music, both in achoralarrangement by Grainger and a subsequent set oforchestralvariations byFrederick Delius.
The song, which is listed asRoud1083, has only been collected from members of Joseph Taylor's family, as well as a Mr. Deene of Brigg.[1][2] Joseph Taylor learnt "Brigg Fair" fromgypsies camped near Brigg sometime around the year 1850. Initially, he spied on them from afar as they sat around their campfire singing, but theKing of the Gypsies invited him in and taught him the song.[3][4]
In 1907, Percy Grainger recordedJoseph Taylor singing "Brigg Fair" shortly after a music festival inBrigg, North Lincolnshire. The recording survives and is commercially available; it was digitised by theBritish Library and made available online in 2018.[5][6]
Taylor knew only two verses of what can be assumed to be a longer song:
It was on the fifth of August,
The weather hot and fair,
Unto Brigg Fair I did repair,
For love I was inclined.
I got up with the lark in the morning
With my heart so full of glee,
Expecting there to meet my dear,
Long time I wished to see.
Brigg Fair is an annual event held in the English market town ofBrigg, North Lincolnshire, on every 5 August since1205.[citation needed] It was primarily an event at which horses were bought and sold. While it is still held today, it is now celebrated primarily for historic and traditional reasons, and mostly organised by the travelling community.[7]
Grainger soon made an arrangement of the song for unaccompanied five-partchorus with atenor soloist. The original song was short, since Taylor could remember only two stanzas, and Grainger added three stanzas taken from two other songs, "Low Down in the Broom" and "The Merry King". The tune, in theDorian mode, is wistful, and the lyric is a happy one about true love.
The song has appeared in several different versions, including one set down by Taylor and members of his family. These are the words set by Grainger:
It was on the fifth of August-er' the weather fine and fair,
Unto Brigg Fair I did repair, for love I was inclined.
I rose up with the lark in the morning, with my heart so full of glee,
Of thinking there to meet my dear, long time I'd wished to see.
I took hold of her lily-white hand, O and merrily was her heart:
"And now we're met together, I hope we ne'er shall part".
For it's meeting is a pleasure, and parting is a grief,
But an unconstant lover is worse than any thief.
The green leaves they shall wither and the branches they shall die
If ever I prove false to her, to the girl that loves me.
The last three verses were collected by Grainger from two different songs found in different locations. Grainger added the extra verses to "complete" Taylor's original first two verses. Descendants of Taylor, including his daughter Mary, falsely believed that Taylor sang all five verses.[8]
Delius heard Grainger's setting, and was impressed by both the tune and the arrangement. With Grainger's permission, he used the song as the basis of an orchestral work, first performed in 1908. After apastoral introduction Grainger's setting is replicated by thewoodwinds. A succession of variations on the original tune leads to a joyous finale.
Joseph Taylor was a guest at the first performance.[3][9] While there is a popular story that he stood up and sang along,[10] this legend was denied by Taylor's grand-daughter, Marion Hudson.[9]
3flutes, 2oboes,cor anglais, 3clarinets,bass clarinet, 3bassoons,contrabassoon, 6horns, 3trumpets, 3trombones,tuba,timpani,percussion (bass drum,triangle,tubular bells),harp,strings
Marion Hudson was keen to deny the legend that Joseph Taylor got up and sang during the concert. Her comment to me was: 'Well he might have hummed the tune a bit, but he certainly didn't get up and sing.'
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