The Ground and the Glory is an essential listener's guide and academic survey that dismantles the traditional division between European art music and the native folk tradition. It presents the case that the musical landscape of the UK, from the late 17th century to the 1970s, is a single, unified continuum defined by shared structural principles.
The book traces two parallel narratives: the formal compositions of the Baroque (John Blow, Henry Purcell, Marin Marais) and the songs of the English Folk Revival (The Copper Family, Shirley Collins, Fairport Convention). Through detailed analysis, it demonstrates how seemingly disparate styles rely on the same fundamental techniques:
- The Ground Bass Echo: It reveals how the simple, repeating bass line-the basso ostinato that anchors Purcell's laments-is structurally identical to the low, drone-like harmonies preserved in the a cappella songs of the Copper Family.
- The Chamber Economy: It contrasts the elegant, intimate scale of the Baroque viola da gamba with the precision and restraint of acoustic folk masters like Nic Jones and Bert Jansch, showing both traditions prioritized clarity and emotional focus over instrumental scale.
- The Continuum of Fusion: The survey culminates in the 20th-century revival, showcasing how artists like Fairport Convention, Pentangle, and Van Morrison fused these ancient modal melodies with the virtuosity of classical and jazz arrangement, resulting in the high-water mark of electric folk.
This book is ideal for students of music history, folk enthusiasts, and listeners seeking to deepen their understanding of how simple melodic truth endures through the centuries, regardless of whether it is dressed in the ornamental lace of the court or the rough honesty of the pub.
This volume, The Ground and the Glory, extends the "field guide" concept to the
realm of deep listening, cultural reclamation, and intellectual craft. It treats the
arcane connections between Baroque and Folk music as a geological crosssection-
a hidden structure waiting to be mapped, understood, and applied. The
observations contained within are guides to the ear, inviting you to identify shared
patterns, structural DNA (like the ground bass), and the evolution of technique
across centuries, making the complexity of music history tangible and usable.
Carry this book with you. Let it be the small weight that anchors your attention, a
portable point of reflection. Let it get dog-eared, stained by soil, or marked with
your own insights. Use it to deepen your connection to the world around you, to
cultivate a quiet competence, and to rediscover the profound satisfaction that
comes from knowledge in hand, and practice in heart.
