How do Arts and Cultural Institutions approach ‘Research and Development’? Northumbria investigates ...

Here's a project that policy-makers and research-leaders in the arts will want to follow.  Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne has a new research question:-

'R and D for the Arts

'Defining and conceptualising ‘Research and Development’ for the Arts

'The aim of the study is to define R and D for the arts and humanities, as it happens in the arts, humanities and cultural sectors and articulate R and D concepts and values. Relatively little theoretical and empirical research has previously been undertaken into how arts and cultural institutions approach ‘Research and Development’. Consequently, rigorous definitions, evaluation methodologies and metrics for R and D in the cultural sector are lacking. This research seeks to focus on how, in general, R and D in the arts should be conceptualised, defined for policy purposes and evaluated. Find out more HERE.'

Principal Investigator is Dr Elizabeth Lomas, iSchool, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University. Contact details on project homepage.

The Lads Like Beer (Book and CD Review)

The Lads Like Beer: the Fiddle Music of James Hill's Tyneside

by Graham Dixon (2nd edition)

There are times in a librarian's day when they take a deep breath, smother a sigh, and try to pretend that they really, really enjoy cataloguing piles of books.  Amidst today's pile, the bright orange cover of Graham Dixon's The Lads Like Beer and its accompanying CD offered a diverting break from the classical and jazz repertoire on the desk in front of me.  And it blew my breath away.

A closer look (purely in the interests of establishing correct name and subject authority headings) revealed a fascinating book, with an extensive preface about fiddle music and fiddling styles in nineteenth century Newcastle upon Tyne, followed by a collection of the fiddle tunes written by James Hill, who originated from Scotland but spent his adult years on Tyneside.  Did you know there was a 'Newcastle Style' of bowing hornpipes?  (If you want to know more, you also need to read an old fiddle tutor by W. C. Honeyman - The Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor.  We have it in the Whittaker Library.  Just ask at the desk!)



Pipes on Tyneside, Pipes in Oman

Back from the Northumbrian Minstrelsy gig at The Sage, 'Whittaker' went online to see if Chris Ormston's virtuosic 'I saw my love come passing by' was anywhere to be found. Of course it was!  Take a listen - Chris's Northumbrian smallpipe playing is phenomenal.  Here ... 

And here's more - Chris playing music from the Clough Manuscripts (Soundcloud)

As I said, don't imagine pipes are solely in the hands of the Scots!  And - on that note - here's Bibliolore's latest blogpost on The Sultan's Bagpipes.  Good timing, Bibliolore!

Now to play those smallpipes tracks one more time ... good thing 'Whittaker' isn't in the library today, isn't it?!

Whittaker and Northumbrian Minstrelsy

In which the 'real' Whittaker goes Back to his Roots

We've blogged about William Gillies Whittaker before - how he was the first joint Professor of Music at the University of Glasgow, and Principal of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music. But while we're proudly claiming him as our own, let's not forget he was originally from Newcastle upon Tyne, and something of an authority on Northumbrian minstrelsy.

A 1965 edition of a book on the subject (the much earlier first edition of Northumbrian Minstrelsy was published in 1882) - cites Whittaker's opinions of it. Northumbrian Minstrelsy, ed. J. Collingwood Bruce and John Stokoe, 1882, (and 1965 foreword by A. L. Lloyd), can be read online in pdf here.

Fast forward to the present.   There's a Northumbrian Minstrelsy concert at The Sage, Gateshead, on Sunday 23 June 2013.  Details here.  It's organised by the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle.  The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland notified its members in a recent newsletter.  'Whittaker' (latter-day blogger on behalf of the Whittaker Library) decided to connect the circle by attending the concert.  'He' can hardly contain his excitement, and his minstrel jacket will undoubtedly get an airing.

Minstrels are evidently very much alive and well.  (Not that readers of this blog need any reminding of that fact!)

• Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle
• Society of Antiquaries of Scotland