That’s All Folkies

Belshazzar’s Feast is a wickedly inventive and beloved duo whose music is an inspired mix of folk, classical, pop and music hall. ‘Paul Hutchinson and Paul Sartin play like no-one else you’ve ever heard. Their music is breathtaking and wickedly inventive and the between-tunes interchange as intelligent and hilarious as the music. But don’t let me give you the impression they’re a lightweight comedy act: they finish the set with a haunting piece of oboe and accordion magic which has the audience spellbound.’ – BBC Radio 2 Mike Harding

‘Amidst the jesting and hilarity, they sit as fine an example of traditional English folk music as you’re likely to hear.’ – Mike Ainscoe, Bright Young Folk

BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST – That’s All Folkies! (WildGoose WGS437CD)

 

 

Herewith a commiseration of 25 long years together. One track each from our studio and live albums, plus three previously unreleased tracks (when you hear them you’ll understand why).

Happy Anniversary us. Try to enjoy.       P&P

 

 

Boda Waltz (trad.) /Far Away (Peter Juno)

Pretty much the first tunes we ever played together, we were joined by guest double-bassist James North, who we lured into the studio with the promise of fame and fortune. We haven’t seen him since.

One Too Many (WildGoose 276CD)

 

Four Babies’ Rants (Paul Sartin)    Drop the Reed

Written in celebration of the births of Seth (PH’s son), James (PS’s son), Daniel (PS’s family friend) and Kit (PS’s goddaughter), all of whom have graduated and are in their mid-20s now. At least they are still speaking to us.

Drop the Reed (WildGoose 293CD)

 

Neat, Mr. John (trad.)         

From Twenty Four New Country Dances for the Year 1718…by..Natl. Kynaston. J. Walsh, J. Hare. Assembled by modern dancing master Andrew Shaw, each track on the album is the correct length to be used for for dancing/pilates.   

Mr Kynaston’s Famous Dance Vol. 1 (WildGoose 314CD)         

 

Gathering Peascods (trad.) 

From our album celebrating the 350^th anniversary of John Playford’s The English Dancing Master, with guests Rob Harbron and Will Balkwill. We don’t know if these are danceable or not, and frankly, we don’t care.

John Playford’s Secret Ball (WildGoose 304CD)

 

Softly Good Tummas (trad.)           

Same as Neat, Mr. John  but also suitable for aerobics and lap dancing.

Mr Kynaston’s Famous Dance Vol. 2 The She Favourite (WildGoose 314CD)

 

Doll thy Ale (words trad., melody Graham Pratt)/Rumanian Dance (trad.)

An austere text on the perils of drink, which we have taken to heart. Followed by a tune collected by Bela Buttock in Rumania. Or Romania.

The Food of Love Studio Album (WildGoose 353CD)

 

Eine Kleine Nachtmusic (Mozart)/Spring from the Four Seasons (Vivaldi)

Our modern interpretation of some ancient and rather unremarkable tunes which we have rescued from obscurity.           

The Food of Love Live (WildGoose 353CD)

 

Hampshire Mummers’s Song (trad.)         

A jolly seasonal song about drinking and death, some people really hate this. Featuring guest musicians Pete Flood and Brendan Kelly, who didn’t like it either.

Frost Bites (WildGoose 366CD)

Bumpers (Paul Hutchinson)

PH’s inversion of the Buckinghamshire Thumper, itself a Spoonerism.

Stocking Fillers (Unearthed EARTHOL003)

 

Home Lad, Home (words Cicely Fox Smith, melody Sarah Morgan)                

Hailing from PS’s neck of the woods, this has become a signature song for us.

Find the Lady (Unearthed TPLP1080CD)

 

Beethoven’s Piano [Accordion] Concerto for Oboe (Beethoven)

After nearly 2 decades of working on this, we felt ready to reveal this masterpiece to the  world. In it we examine in depth Beethoven’s influences and decompositional processes.

The Whiting’s on the Wall   (Unearthed EARTHOL004)

 

Lover’s Vows/Dawson’s Delight (Paul Sartin/Paul Hutchinson)

Wedding anniversary tunes written for our friends Beth and Ian. The ones who always buy us drinks and loads of our merchandise, bring us presents, gift us holidays and Rolex watches and sports cars, etc. True friends and Belshazzar’s Feast supporters.

                       

Gethsemane/De’il Take the Warr (words Rudyard Kipling, melody Paul Hutchinson/trad.)

PH’s setting of a poem by Rudyard Kipling, paired with an older lament from Kynaston’s 1721 publication of dance tunes.

           

Staines Morris/Apple Tree Wassail (trad.)

Another offering from John Playford (who also invented washing powder), with a song from the Ruth Tongue collection which resides in Halsway Manor, Somerset, our spiritual home.

 

 

All tracks arranged by Paul Hutchinson and Paul Sartin