Anthems in Eden

Infobox Album |
Name = Anthems in Eden
Type = Album
Artist = Shirley and Dolly Collins

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Released = 1969
Recorded =
Genre = Folk
Length = 50m 30s
Label = Harvest Records
Producer = Austin John Marshall
Reviews =
Chronology = Shirley Collins
Last album = "Power of the True Love Knot"
(1968)
This album = "Anthems in Eden"
(with Dolly Collins, 1969)
Next album = "Love, Death and the Lady"
(with Dolly Collins, 1970)

"Anthems in Eden" was a 1969 album by Shirley and Dolly Collins, with The Early Music Consort of London, directed by David Munrow. It consists of a set of folk songs with musical arrangements that include early music instruments, such as viols, recorders, sackbuts and crumhorns. The musical arrangement is strikingly original, and nothing like it has been recorded before or since.

Recording history

The original recording of eight tracks was made in 1969 and was released as the original vinyl album. Track one is a suite, "A song-story", lasting 28 minutes, 7 seconds and is the centrepiece of the album.

In 1976, a further six tracks were recorded with musicians mainly from the Albion Band and a new version of the album was released, with the original "A song-story" suite on one side and the new recordings on the other. This album was issued under the name "Amaranth".

In 1993, a CD with all the tracks was issued. This whole album lasts 69:56.

Musical content

Side 1 of the original album consists of "A song-story", a suite of folk songs which depict the changes in rural England brought about by the First World War, and the disconnection that this created with folk traditions. Recorded with an ensemble of early music instruments, it was a completely unique approach to recording English folk music and was to be influential on bands such as Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span in the way that they addressed the traditional folk repertoire. The importing of early instruments into popular recordings is believed to have influenced other bands such as Amazing Blondel and Gryphon.

Musicians

Original 1969 album

Tracks 1 to 8: Settings by Dolly Collins, directed by David Munrow.

*Shirley Collins (vocals)
*Adam Skeaping (bass viol)
*Roderick Skeaping (rebec, treble and bass viol)
*Oliver Brookes (bass viol)
*Michael Laird (cornett)
*Richard Lee (descant and treble recorder)
*Alan Lumsden (sackbut)
*Christopher Hogwood (harpsichord)
*Dolly Collins (portative organ)
*Gillian Ried (bells)
*David Munrow (soprano and alto crumhorn, bass rackett, tenor sordun, treble recorder)
*Chorus: (on "The Home Brew"): Michael Clifton, Ray Worman, John Fordham) plus Royston Wood, Steve Ashley and John Morgan.

1993 CD

Tracks 1 to 8 as above.

Tracks 9 to 14:
*Shirley Collins (vocals)
*John Rodd (anglo-concertina)
*Chris Hogwood (virginals)
*Simon Nicol (acoustic and electric guitar)
*Pat Donaldson (electric bass guitar)
*Dave Mattacks (regal, drums)
*Roger Brenner (alto suckbut)
*Colin Sheen (tenor sackbut)
*Paul Beer (tenor sackbut)
*Martin Nichols (bass sackbut)
*John Sothcott (vielle, recorder)
*John Kirkpatrick (melodeon, button accordion)
*Terry Potter (mouth organ)
*Ashley Hutchings (acoustic and electric bass guitar)
*John Watcham (anglo-concertina)
*Chorus and bells by Albion Morris Men (David Busby, Mike Clifton, Dots Daultry, Stuart Hollyer, Roger Rigden, Ada Turnham).

Track listing

Original 1969 tracks

*1- "A song-story" (A Beginning/ A Meeting/A Courtship/ A Denying/ A Forsaking/ A Dream/ A Leavetaking/ An Awakening/ A New Beginning)The songs are: "Searching for Lambs", "The Wedding Song", "The Blacksmith", "Our Captain Cried", "Lowlands", "Pleasant and Delightful", "Whitsun Dance", "Staines Morris" All traditional apart from "Whitsun Dance" (words by A J Marshall)
*2- Rambleaway (Trad)
*3- Ca' The Yowes (Robert Burns)
*4- God Dog (Robin Williamson)
*5- Bonny Cuckoo (Trad)
*6- Nellie The Milkmaid (Trad)
*7- Gathering Rushes In The Month Of May (Trad)
*8- The Gower Wassail (Trad)

Additional tracks recorded in 1976

*9- Fare The Well My Dearest Dear (Trad)
*10- C'Est La Fin/ Pou Mon Cuer (Anon French 12th/13th Cent)
*11- Bonny Kate (Trad)
*12- Adieu To All Judges and Juries (Trad)
*13- Edi Beo Thu Hevene Quene (Anon Eng 13th Cent)
*14- Black Joker/Black, White, Yellow & Green (Trad)