Christmas Edition 2011

The Early Folk Band takes you on a Christmas journey through 14th and 15th century Europe.

In no other music is the exchange between the profane and the sacred so strong and present as in songs about Christmas. The shepherds in the stable, Mary and Joseph, the newborn child and the three wise men from the east are surrounded by stories passed from generation to generation. Already in the late Middle Ages this rich oral tradition was taken up by the courtly culture, and songs, dances and ballads were preserved, in the British Isles, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Spain and Italy. The members of The Early Folk Band come from England, Germany and Sweden and are specialists in medieval, renaissance and baroque music. Here, they take on the oldest traditional music. With them they have the folk music of their respective countries, as well as a considerable experience of performance, research and exploration in the field where "traditional" and "classical" music inspire each other.

"... enchanting singing, a strong sense of rhythm, varying instruments and a superb dancer – an experience! Through their interpretation the musicians show that it is perfectly possible to merge traditional and classical music from the 14th and 15th centuries..."

Susanne Ansorg – medieval fiddle, tamburello Gesine Bänfer – Northumbrian smallpipe, gaita (galician bagpipes), whistle, hammered dulcimer, cittern, drums Ian Harrison – Northumbrian smallpipe, gaita, Gothic harp, whistle, shawm, cornetto Miriam Andersén – voice, Gothic harp, rhythm bones Steve Player – renaissance guitar, dance