Topic: Lass of Richmond Hill - Longborough (Read 5074 times)

Telemorris · « **on:** February 22, 2012, 09:34:58 PM »

Can anyone point me to a good recording of the Longborough version of "Lass of Richmond Hill?" My foreman just announced teaching the dance tonight and I need to learn the tune! All I seem to find is the Fieldtown version.

Thanks!

Ollie · « **Reply #1 on:** February 22, 2012, 09:37:34 PM »

It's the same tune, as it's an 'invented' (hate that term!) dance, by Hammersmith in the late 1960s. It has then been reinterpreted in different traditions, mostly Fieldtown. Unfortunately, very few people do the Longborough version, because very few people do Longborough!

The only difference will be in how you play the tune, and where the emphasis is in the slows (Fieldtown has emphasis on 2nd beat, Longborough 3rd).

IanD · « **Reply #2 on:** February 22, 2012, 09:46:33 PM »

Quote from: Telemorris on February 22, 2012, 09:34:58 PM

Can anyone point me to a good recording of the Longborough version of "Lass of Richmond Hill?" My foreman just announced teaching the dance tonight and I need to learn the tune! All I seem to find is the Fieldtown version.

Thanks!

There's a recording of me playing it on the Smiffs website, should be the right length and speed for the dance:

http://www.hammersmithmorris.org.uk/drupal/?q=node/11

Obviously this is the "right" version, by definition ;-)

(the Longborough one is the original, other traditions are adaptations)

Cheers

Ian

Lester · « **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2012, 09:46:55 PM »

So I typed Lass of Richmond Hill Longborough into YouTube and got this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EShCzdVrE5A

But they are Merkins, and there are only 4 of them

Thrupenny Bit · « **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2012, 10:05:34 PM »

IanD: A chap came to our practises a time back ( 15+ years ago? maybe 20? ) and was ex-Smiffs and said he was practising/active member when it was invented.
Can't remember the name, he was down the South Hams way ( in Devon ) . In the end it was too far for regular practises so he stopped which was a shame.
Q

Telemorris · « **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2012, 11:56:45 PM »

Quote from: IanD on February 22, 2012, 09:46:33 PM

There's a recording of me playing it on the Smiffs website, should be the right length and speed for the dance:
Obviously this is the "right" version, by definition ;-)

(the Longborough one is the original, other traditions are adaptations)

Thanks Ian! It's a great help. I'll work on this tonight with my Foreman.

Thanks again,

Ed

Graham Spencer · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2012, 06:33:55 AM »

Quote from: Lester on February 22, 2012, 09:46:55 PM

So I typed Lass of Richmond Hill Longborough into YouTube and got this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EShCzdVrE5A

But they are Merkins, and there are only 4 of them

That's supposed to be Longborough...?

pikey · « **Reply #7 on:** February 23, 2012, 09:14:08 AM »

That's not Longborough - the hand movements are completely wrong, theres a weird side step before the galley, the half capers are, well, different.....

THIS is Longborough!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvK8vVmOwg

And the same but a bit different .......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_JUsu_fRok

Lester · « **Reply #8 on:** February 23, 2012, 09:17:32 AM »

Hey, let's start a "What is Morris dancing?" thread

Tom · « **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2012, 09:42:32 AM »

Quote from: Lester on February 23, 2012, 09:17:32 AM

Hey, let's start a "What is Morris dancing?" thread

Nooooo!!!
[slow motion dive for cover as the bullets begin to fly]

baz parkes · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2012, 09:59:01 AM »

Quote from: Lester on February 23, 2012, 09:17:32 AM

Hey, let's start a "What is Morris dancing?" thread

This is....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTkvQnyHGJo&feature=related

Lester · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2012, 10:04:43 AM »

Quote from: baz parkes on February 23, 2012, 09:59:01 AM

Quote from: Lester on February 23, 2012, 09:17:32 AM
Hey, let's start a "What is Morris dancing?" thread

This is....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTkvQnyHGJo&feature=related

Ollie · « **Reply #12 on:** February 23, 2012, 11:21:14 AM »

Quote from: pikey on February 23, 2012, 09:14:08 AM

That's not Longborough - the hand movements are completely wrong, theres a weird side step before the galley, the half capers are, well, different.....

THIS is Longborough!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvK8vVmOwg

And the same but a bit different .......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_JUsu_fRok

It's evidently a variation on a theme; the hand movements aren't completely wrong at all, just a different interpretation of the shake - more stylised and together.

I'm almost of the opinion that none of that is Longborough... THIS is Longborough - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hslLqt_QrvU

pikey · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2012, 11:34:16 AM »

Not bad, but too pedestrian, and too fast an close to the ground - very 'Morris Ring' Longborough. (duck for cover too.......).

Old Spot went back to the source, and I was told they based the style on quotes from Harry Taylor, who said something on the lines of 'if you're not knackered by the end of the first dance, then you're doing it wrong...'

Old Spot also went back to the original tunes and got the very essence of them - not the acordion wall of sound with far too many chords (duck for cover again......

Old Spot were exciting to watch (as were Ebor Morris in the late '70s and early '80s, as we based our Longborough style on Old Spot...)

Davy R · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2012, 11:39:49 AM »

Quote from: pikey on February 23, 2012, 11:34:16 AM

Old Spot were exciting to watch (as were Ebor Morris in the late '70s and early '80s, as we based our Longborough style on Old Spot...)

As were White Boar, from Heanor in Derbyshire, who also danced Longborough in a similar way to Old Spot.

Ollie · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2012, 11:52:31 AM »

Quote from: pikey on February 23, 2012, 11:34:16 AM

Not bad, but too pedestrian, and too fast an close to the ground - very 'Morris Ring' Longborough. (duck for cover too.......).

Old Spot went back to the source, and I was told they based the style on quotes from Harry Taylor, who said something on the lines of 'if you're not knackered by the end of the first dance, then you're doing it wrong...'

Old Spot also went back to the original tunes and got the very essence of them - not the acordion wall of sound with far too many chords (duck for cover again......

Old Spot were exciting to watch (as were Ebor Morris in the late '70s and early '80s, as we based our Longborough style on Old Spot...)

Westminster are a bit of a curates egg - I find their style (of anything) almost hypnotic to watch, but I can understand why some wouldn't enjoy it. I also think that their music fits their style perfectly (though, arguably it's the other way around...). Got to hand it to them; they're very neat and tidy!

I admittedly don't know much about the history of Longborough, but the Travelling Morrice collected some of the dances from Longborough (your quote comes from the TM), and we still dance it with the high inward twists, rather than the vigorous shake of the hands; this is, I'm told, how it was collected. I'd be interested to know how the Old Spot style developed and originated. My guess is that there was quite a bit of reinterpretation (which isn't a bad thing).

Both styles can look good, though the Old Spot style can look bloody awful; Stoney Stratford just looked utterly ridiculous.

Steve_freereeder · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2012, 02:07:47 PM »

Quote from: pikey on February 23, 2012, 09:14:08 AM

THIS is Longborough!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvK8vVmOwg

Not being a morris dancer, I can't comment on the fine details, but I really liked watching this video. The dancing seemed really tight to me and a really nice tempo. Lovely, economical playing from the musician. He made it look, and sound, so easy and laid back. I like the way he was directly involved with the dance, moving into and out of the set and playing for a couple of dancers in the slows, for example.

Davy R · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2012, 02:13:19 PM »

His topper had seen better days, mind...

IanD · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2012, 02:20:41 PM »

Quote from: Thrupenny Bit on February 22, 2012, 10:05:34 PM

IanD: A chap came to our practises a time back ( 15+ years ago? maybe 20? ) and was ex-Smiffs and said he was practising/active member when it was invented.
Can't remember the name, he was down the South Hams way ( in Devon ) . In the end it was too far for regular practises so he stopped which was a shame.
Q

That'll be "Buttercup" Dave Robinson, lovely bloke, lived in Morebath IIRC :-)

Ian

P.S. As opposed to "Daisy" Dave Armitage from the same era -- too many Daves at the time...

P.P.S. Can't find a video of Smiffs dancing Lass *anywhere* :-(

Graham Spencer · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2012, 05:41:07 PM »

Quote from: IanD on February 23, 2012, 02:20:41 PM

Quote from: Thrupenny Bit on February 22, 2012, 10:05:34 PM
IanD: A chap came to our practises a time back ( 15+ years ago? maybe 20? ) and was ex-Smiffs and said he was practising/active member when it was invented.
Can't remember the name, he was down the South Hams way ( in Devon ) . In the end it was too far for regular practises so he stopped which was a shame.
Q

That'll be "Buttercup" Dave Robinson, lovely bloke, lived in Morebath IIRC :-)

Ian

P.S. As opposed to "Daisy" Dave Armitage from the same era -- too many Daves at the time...

P.P.S. Can't find a video of Smiffs dancing Lass *anywhere* :-(

Blimey, that takes me back! I remember running across Buttercup at a VERY early Towersey, when the final show was on Dennis Manners's lawn - the same time as I first met John Kirkpatrick. A lot of very strong cider (brewed at the back of the pub) went down that weekend..........

Graham

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Author Topic: Lass of Richmond Hill - Longborough (Read 5074 times)