New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-21
Interesting Chat and Stage Gossip for Playgoers
Chasing Folk
Songs ON the
Native Heath
Rosalind Fuller, of the
'sVillage Follies,' Would
Catch and Dramatic I'm

Rosalind Fuller, who is to be fea-
tured in "The Greenwich Village Fol-
lies" is a collector of folksongs.
my home was in Dorset, England
in the country made famous in Thomas
Hardy's novels" she says. at was tina
custom of my sisters and myself to
sing to the accompaniment of harm
just a tiny instrument, the quaint
ballads Of that romantic country.
1--WE never considered they were Of
any special value, and were quite sur.
prised one day when Cecil Sharp. au-
thor of a history Of folksongs, came tn
Sturminster-Newto where we lived
and, after hearing us sing, suggested
we give a recital in London. We were
quite surprised. The folksongs never
seemed of any special value to us. but
our success was so distinct in London
that we came to America, and here
these quaint old ballads delighted iust
as much as they had pleased in London
Collecting Folk
Songs of America
"Since have been in America I have,
been making an interesting collection
of American folksongs. Collectors of
folksongs can have a great JOY in their
work. They do not rob the man when
they take his song. 1t is quite diTsr.
ent from buying his grandmothers tea
pot or ancestral treasure. The folklore
collector makes the one from whom he
takes the song conscious that he owns
treasures.
Zone Of the odd things about the
folksong is that you may live within
a hundred yards of it and never sus-
pect its existence. The tale of these
songs astonishes even the one who
tells it. This is particularly true in
America. The American Indians seemed
interested and rather pleased when |
collected from them old folksongs.
The colored people of the South seemed
to take Ct as a matter Of course and
were hardly interested A folksong
cannot really grow old and never fails
in its charm. The heart of the man of
to-day can be stirred and touched just
as deeply as was done in the far-away
days of the folksong's birth. These
folksongs can turn the hearts of the
children back to the fathers and knit
past and present together with won
derful sympathy.
There is, in my Judgment a re-
markable and almost uncxplored field
songs both in this country and in Eng
land are so varied in story and senti-
ment they run the whole gamut OF
emotion. Perhaps the casual thinker
will say the folksongs are too old and
out of date for the dramatist of to-day,
but this is not my opinion. | am con-
WINGED there is splendid thought and
suggestion for a great drama in the
folksongs.
Difficulties of
Song Collecting
Zone day while in the West ! heard
an old man sing a strange song.
talked with him about it and found it
was an old Indian folksong. | per
suaded him to sing it that night at
charity entertainment my hosts were
giving, and it was the song of the
evening. l added this to my collection
and recently sang it for John Murray
Anderson, after rehearsal Of The
Greenwich Village Follies,' and in
moment Mr.. Anderson recognized It's
vigor and charm.
"Folksongs may be called the linger-
ing remnant of old village life-real-
ly survival of those times when
village was little country in itself
and enjoyed an independant existence.
The folksongs go back TO those days
when the village built its own houses
hanged rouges, made its own shirt
dresses and wedding rings and chant
ed its own tunes. Those days are gone
forever. We are not of generation
when folksongs are being written. Col
lectors must expect just as many dim
culties and discouragements as are
found in other spheres of endeavor. It
is not always easy to write down tune
correctly, and it is often difficult TO
transcribe the words. Folksongs are
always found in the country, and coun-
try cousins are usually somewhat re-
luctant to give one from the city the
story and music from their own songs
but the earnest collectors will find 81
difficulties can be overcome when the
country cousin realizes there is bond
of sympathy between himself and the
collector of oldtime songs"
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