"Mappamundi recently gave an outdoor concert in our historical park. They provided the community with the best musical performance we have had in five years. The musicianship of each member was incredible ... The Historical Park averages 150-175 people during outdoor performances. Mappamundi attracted over 240 people! for an entertaining, enjoyable, and informative performance."
Kenneth Hartsoe, Curator of Education, High Point Museum and Historical Park.
Early American music as we present it includes:
- Ballads, originally from the British Isles but enduring along the North Carolina coast and in the mountains until well into this century. The English collector of folk song, Cecil Sharp, came to North Carolina to collect ballads when he felt there were no more to be found in his native country! The most familiar compendium of Child Ballad tunes, the Bronson collection, includes vast numbers of tunes from our remote counties.
- Sea-shanties and work songs from British tradition
- Songs about important historic events and figures (like General Wolfe)
- Folk hymns, called "shape note" or "Sacred Harp" tunes. These, though following from a vernacular English harmonizing tradition, are native to our country. Crafted by self-styled "tunesmiths" such as William Billings and Jeremiah Ingalls, they have been the subject of a powerful revival in the last few decades.
- Fiddle tunes imported from the British Isles and gradually transmuted (with additions from other cultures, including African influence) into something indigenous - old-time music.
- Because North Carolina has a strong Scottish heritage (into the 19th century there were counties in which Gaelic was the first language of many of the residents!) we offer 17th and 18th century Scottish songs, focusing on Robert Burns. Ken can pipe us in (he has three sets of bagpipes for different occasions!) wearing his Highland Regimental finery.
Check out some songs from this repertoire.
With Ken's encouragement (see his bio for more on his "Living History" and re-enactment credentials) the whole band gets decked out in Colonial finery on special occasions like the Battle of Guilford Courthouse performances.
Our interest in English and Scottish country dances dovetails with the historical programs, as the Playford dances date back to 1603 and the eighteenth century is regarded as a golden age for Scottish composers (see dance page for more information).
Instrumentation
We like the following sounds for early American programs:
- Chamber strings: violin, viola, cello, and/or bass
- Lute-like plucked sound: bouzouki (cittern), mandolin, guitar, dulcimer
- A cappella vocals for ballads and shape-note hymns
- String-band sound (fiddle, bass, guitar, etc) for native old-time tunes
- A celtic mix for story songs, including any of the above, plus pennywhistle, concertina, and whatever else lies close at hand!
Sound clips of Mappamundi's
music.
Mappamundi: More-or-less traditional music home page.
Contact Mappamundi by email
or:
Jane Peppler
5301 Cedronella Drive
Chapel Hill NC 27514
(919)-383-8952 FAX: (919)-382-8601
|
| 
Mappamundi Home Page
Concert & festival formats
School performances
Workshops
Recordings
Ken's Living History Performances
Celtic music performances
Beth's bio
Jane's bio
Jim's bio
Robbie's bio
Weddings
|
