English Folk-Song and Dance

This study surveys English folk songs and dances, defining folk-song, tracing origins, and analyzing musical construction, variation, and diffusion. It categorizes forms—narrative ballads, love, pastoral, drinking, criminal, military, sea, hunting, labour, carols, and children's singing-games—and discusses printed broadside tradition and collecting practices and notation. The dance section examines Morris, sword, furry, and country dances, associated tunes, instruments, costume, and extra characters, and describes revival efforts and contemporary practice. Discussions are illustrated and accompanied by bibliographies to support further research.