The Folk Archive: Recent Episodes

Lally MacBeth

The Folk Archive is an archive of folk traditions, costumes, art and beyond. The Folk Archive's podcast explores through found sounds, poetry, and music on various folkloric themes. Think of it less as a podcast and more as entering a dreamscape.

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A collection of musings on owls through poetry, music, field recordings and essays. 

Thank you to Ithell Colquhoun, George MacBeth, Penny MacBeth, Kareni Lowes, Matthew Shaw, C.C.Vyvyan, Rupert White, and the owls of Ashridge, Greenbottom and Hawkwood.

0:00 - A section on owls from the chapter Birds of the Valley, The Living Stones: written by Ithell Colquhoun, read by Matthew Shaw

5:05 - Owl Song by Penny MacBeth

6:23 - A section on owls from A Cornish Year: written by C.C. Vyvyan, read & played by Penny MacBeth 

14:23 - Spectral Owls: written and read by Lally MacBeth with music by Matthew Shaw

17:26 - The Owlman of Mawnan Smith: written and read by Rupert White with music by Matthew Shaw

25:52 - To My Lord Wisdom, The Centurion Owl: written by George MacBeth, read by Matthew Shaw

27:52 - Owl: written by George MacBeth, read by Lally MacBeth with music by Penny MacBeth

29:35 - Reply to Owl: words and music by Penny MacBeth, sung by Kareni Lowes & Penny MacBeth

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The Folk Archive presents a celebration of Midsummer through chants and fire. 

The Drowned Forest: Tilly Craig (0.55)

An Alchemical Chant: Phoebe Placement read by Penny MacBeth (3.41)

A Celebration: George MacBeth read by Lally MacBeth (9.06)

A Chant for Love: Lally MacBeth (11.23)

Monks on 45: Marcus Williamson (15.53)

Spell from the Stone: Folk Pile

“We held our microphone up to the mouth of the stone and asked him how he has grown so old without death ever sneaking upon him. In a broken language – one built of licked, sap, foam, froth and time – he told us the spell he recites to keep himself from ceasing”  (25.38)

Song of a Slow Worm: Amy Lawrence (28.32)

All additional music by Penny MacBeth

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The Folk Archive's second soundscape on the theme of incantations.

Track listing:

0.00 - Summon Salad Vertumnus: Mollie Goldstrom read by Lally MacBeth

3.00 - Borlowen: Daisy Rickman

10.37 - Incantation for Earth Connection: Alice Ellis-Bray

14.18 - Penny MacBeth

18:54 - Borelesyow bleujyowa: Daisy Rickman

24:54 - An Initiatory Incantation to be recited by whomsoever desires admission to The Order of Women at Windows: Committed to writing by Kyneburgha, First Abbess of the Order: Hannah Saunders

27:45 - Incantation for a New Version of My Old Self: Lally MacBeth

30:28 - A Ritual for Integrating Demons: Tëan Roberts

34:40 - Hoelanmor: Daisy Rickman

All music by Daisy Rickman.

credits

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The Folk Archive's first soundscape on the theme of incantations.

Released for Imbolc, February 1, 2021

With thanks to Kelly Stevens, Rachael Clark, Penny MacBeth, Eythin Island, Sam Horton, Natasha Kozaily, Steve Foster, Champy Bennet and Hector Nit.

Credits

00:17 - Incantation Spoken Along a Cornish Lane: Penny MacBeth read by Champy Bennet

03:40 - A Spell for Hope: Kelly Stevens & Rachael Clark

04:55 - Kitchen Spell: Natasha Kozaily

07:44 - An Eythin Spell: found in a book on Eythin Island and read by Sam Horton

09:51 - A Very Long Spell (to be used for enchanting): Lally MacBeth

Gemshorn, Recorder & Shruti Box: Penny MacBeth

(all words read by Lally MacBeth unless otherwise stated)