Today my copy of Ralph Vaughan Williams and Bert Lloyd's classic book 'English Folk Songs' arrived. Trying to learn to sing and play the first song in the book, 'All Things Are Quite Silent', has involved learning to play in Dorian mode (it's like playing in a minor key except the 6th note is raised a half tone). Apparently a lot of old English folk songs were in this mode. It's not easy to set a guitar accompaniment to - and in fact Williams and Lloyd say that it's best to sing these old folk songs unaccompanied.
After learning the song from the music in the book I found this unaccompanied version on YouTube. This singer alters the tune slightly from the version that Williams and Lloyd collected, but I think he does a great job.
I've heard of Dorian mode before, but before tonight I've never really understood it or consciously tried to sing or play in it. So thank you to these two dead guys, Bert Lloyd and Ralph Vaughan Williams, who've given me a brand new musical experience!
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