Make Merry In Step and Song: A Seasonal Treasury of Music, Mummer's Plays & Celebrations in the English Folk Tradition

By Bronwen Forbes

"See the blazing Yule before us..." This is just one of the many ancient British folk songs we all know and love. Other tunes and symbols that tug on our memories have similar historical roots, hearkening back to a shared Pagan past. These dances, songs, and theatrical plays in the English folk tradition are now little known to most of the modern Pagan community. Reviving these vital traditions can bring new life to Renaissance festivals, neopagan rituals, and community events. Introducing the lively music and homegrown entertainments of times long past, this descriptive how-to is designed for twenty-first-century joviality. The songs, dances, and plays of old are explained in their mythical, seasonal, and historical significance and outlined for easy reenactment. Simple-to-follow instructions detail six dances including the popular Abbots Bromley Horn dance, six full scripts for dramatic performances of Mummer's Plays (folk plays of death and rebirth), and over thirty songs with lyrics and music. Kick up your heels, hold high your skirts, and make merry the year through.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 073871500X
• ISBN13: 9780738715001
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Absolutely Delightful

Definitely a book I will come back to over and over again. Wonderful stories are told with published songs to match. The stories and songs in this book can easily be adjusted for your own practices, or kept as-is.

The Long Awaited Treasury Has Arrived!

A must-have reference guide that's destined to become one of the most beloved of reference texts, outlining these time-honored mythic dances for all to enjoy! This glorious collection of native British dances is a treasure-trove of simple, easily understood directions and music. Oriented to the seasons, Bronwen Forbes leads us through the colorful traditions of British music history. And as a delightful surprise, tucked in the back are additional little dance gems, for a myriad of celebrations. Brownwen Forbes has delivered to the pagan community the quintessential text on the songs, dances and folk plays of old Britain.