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Welcome to our shop! You can buy CDs and merchandise directly from this page. The downloads will take you to Bandcamp. Please get in touch if you have any queries!

CDs

Cold Light: CD
  • Cold Light: CD

Cold Light: CD

In cart Not available Out of stock
£12.00

Our new release Cold Light combines ancient melodies and traditional dance tunes with newly-written songs which touch on personal stories. It features several guest musicians on double bass, accordion, English bagpipes, French horn, trumpet and percussion alongside our trademark fiddle-based sound.

"An album to treasure" - FATEA

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The Songs of Edward Capern: CD
  • The Songs of Edward Capern: CD

The Songs of Edward Capern: CD

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£10.00

"The Songs of Edward Capern" (2017) is a selection of poetry from the Victorian Postman Poet that we have set to music. It features guest musicians James Budden on double bass, Ellen Driscoll on French horn and Chris Braund as the voice of the poet! Additional instrumentation includes guitar, piano, ukulele, mandolin and glockenspiel as well as our

"The Songs of Edward Capern" (2017) is a selection of poetry from the Victorian Postman Poet that we have set to music. It features guest musicians James Budden on double bass, Ellen Driscoll on French horn and Chris Braund as the voice of the poet! Additional instrumentation includes guitar, piano, ukulele, mandolin and glockenspiel as well as our usual duo fiddle sound.

"This album is a delight from start to finish" - Bright Young Folk

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A Handful of Sky: CD
  • A Handful of Sky: CD

A Handful of Sky: CD

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£10.00

"A Handful of Sky" (2014) is released on Wild Goose Records. It also features James Budden on double bass and Ellen Driscoll on French horn.

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Beneath the Black Tree: CD
  • Beneath the Black Tree: CD

Beneath the Black Tree: CD

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£9.00

"Beneath the Black Tree" (2009) features Andy Seward on double bass, Keith Angel on percussion and Ellen Driscoll on French horn. "a masterpiece of English folk music" - FolkWorld

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Merchandise

Flying Fishes & Other Tunes - Tunebook
  • Flying Fishes & Other Tunes - Tunebook

Flying Fishes & Other Tunes - Tunebook

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£10.00

Our tunebook "Flying Fishes & Other Tunes" contains the music notation for many of the tunes we have composed. The tunes range from simple melodies written for workshops to the more complex pieces you hear on our recordings. Chords are included for most of the tunes.

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Bird Print Bag
  • Bird Print Bag

Bird Print Bag

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£3.00

Small shopping bag, the perfect size to carry CDs, books or your lunch! Printed with the bird logo from the Edward Capern CD on fair-trade cotton.

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Downloads

Cold Light

Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll

“Cold Light” reaches into the heart of the English tradition and brings to life old tunes from the archives, alongside instrumental compositions and newly written songs. The album’s refined arrangements feature intricate subtleties that build from a simple riff to cascading rhythms, stunning harmonies and dramatic crescendos.
This is the very
“Cold Light” reaches into the heart of the English tradition and brings to life old tunes from the archives, alongside instrumental compositions and newly written songs. The album’s refined arrangements feature intricate subtleties that build from a simple riff to cascading rhythms, stunning harmonies and dramatic crescendos.
This is the very essence of the music; allowing the past to inspire the future.
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The Songs Of Edward Capern

Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll

The new release from Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll features landscape- and life-inspired poetry from a renowned Victorian poet set to beautiful original music drawing on and evoking the folk melodies of 19th Century Devon.

Edward Capern was born in Tiverton in 1819, and his family moved to Barnstaple when he was a young child. He worked in a
The new release from Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll features landscape- and life-inspired poetry from a renowned Victorian poet set to beautiful original music drawing on and evoking the folk melodies of 19th Century Devon.

Edward Capern was born in Tiverton in 1819, and his family moved to Barnstaple when he was a young child. He worked in a lace factory from an early age but was forced to abandon the work due to failing eyesight and he later secured a job as a postman in Bideford. Capern’s post route took him on a 12 mile round trip to Buckland Brewer and back and during the journey and three-hour wait in the village he composed poetry. Over the years he published several volumes of poetry, including one collection “The Devonshire Melodist” which had 12 selected poems set to music; apparently the melodies were Capern’s own, transcribed and arranged by the musician Thomas Murby. In fact, many of Capern’s poems were probably intended to be sung as they include a “chorus” or there is a note saying “written to music”. In 1866 Capern moved to Birmingham but returned to North Devon in 1884 and lived in Braunton until his death in 1894.

This recording features a selection of Edward Capern’s poetry that we have set to music, including two pieces to his own compositions from “The Devonshire Melodist”. We have also included two instrumental tracks of country dance tunes that would have been popular in Capern’s time. Capern was also an amateur musician and apparently played both the flute and concertina so he may well have played or danced to these tunes!

Our thanks to Liz Shakespeare for introducing us to Edward Capern and suggesting this project to us. Liz’s novel “The Postman Poet”, based on the life of Edward Capern, is available from her website www.lizshakespeare.co.uk along with a selection of Capern’s poetry.

Thanks also to Chris Braund, James Budden, Ellen Driscoll & Rachel Marsh and to our families for their support and tireless childcare!

www.englishfiddle.com
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A Handful of Sky

Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll

A 2014 album released on the Wildgoose label. Mixing traditional songs and tunes with newly-written compositions, this album will take you on a journey from light-hearted songs, through the darker side of English folk ballad, to toe-tapping jigs and dance tunes.
With thanks to Doug Bailey for permission to release digitally.
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Beneath the Black Tree

Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll

A beautifully crafted album of tunes and songs from the English fiddle tradition, infused with atmosphere and passion.
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The Calling

Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll

An instrumental album of traditional and contemporary fiddle tunes, first released in 2006.
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Bridge over the River Brit

Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll

Our first EP. Completely instrumental, and played on 2 fiddles throughout, this is an exploration of some of the finest English Traditional tunes, as well as some newly written pieces.
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Environmental Statement

We have taken the decision with "Cold Light" and “The Songs Of Edward Capern” not to have the albums shrink-wrapped to avoid unnecessary plastic going to landfill. The cases are cardboard-only digifiles and can be composted at the end of their lives. The CD itself is not easily recyclable (sorry), but there are a few places they can be reprocessed. 
Your CD will be shipped to you in recycled and compostable packaging. 
Our back catalogue of CDs comes wrapped in various formats. When we need to refresh our stocks, we will update production methods to remain as environmentally sensitive as possible, and let you know the details!