Ian Russell (folklorist) explained

Ian Russell MBE (born 1947) is a British Folklorist, most noted for his research into singing traditions in the English Pennines.

Research

Beginning in 1969, Russell has conducted extensive fieldwork in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire, particularly on regional folksong and traditional drama.

Whilst working as a teacher, Russell undertook a part-time PhD through the Institute of Dialect and Folklife Studies, at the University of Leeds.[1] His thesis was titled 'Traditional singing in west Sheffield, 1970-2' and was completed in 1977.[2]

Russell has made a particular study of village carolling in the Pennines. The emergence of carol singing in this part of England has been dated to the eighteenth century and consists of a style and repertoire very different to the conception of carols which emerged in the Victorian period.

Copies of Russell's recordings have been placed in the British Library Sound Archive.[3] Russell has also compiled edited volumes of carols and compiled CDs of carolling from the Pennines.[4]

Since 1994 Russell has directed a biennial Festival of Village Carols at Sheffield.

Between 1980 and 1993 Russell was editor of Folk Music Journal, published by the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS). His editorship was praised for "raising the stature of the Journal": widening the range of its contributors and increasing in size its reviews section.

In July 1998, Russell was one of the convenors of 'Folksong: Tradition and Revival', a conference at the University of Sheffield, organised by the National Centre for English Cultural Tradition, which marked the centenary of the founding of the Folk Song Society (later EFDSS).[5]

Elphinstone Institute

Russell became Director of the Elphinstone Institute at the University of Aberdeen in 1999, a post he held until retirement in 2014.[6]

During Russell's time as Director of the Institute, he convened conferences for the British Forum for Ethnomusicology in Aberdeen in 2004 and 2008 and the 27th meeting of the European Seminar in Ethnomusicology (ESEM) in September 2011. In 2013, Russell co-edited a published collection of papers from this conference, Taking Part in Music: Case Studies in Ethnomusicology.[7]

Russell was also key to the creation of the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention, conferences of which were held at the Elphinstone Institute, with proceedings from them appearing in print, co-edited by Russell.[8]

The Elphinstone Institute "specialises in the ethnology and folklore of Northern Scotland" and whilst Director, Russell's broadened his research interests into the traditional cultures of North East Scotland, including sacred singing, flute bands in coastal communities and notions of festivalisation relating to community practice.[9]

Recognition

The Folklore Society awarded Russell its Coote Lake Medal in 1987, for "outstanding research and scholarship".[10] In 1998, he was awarded the Gold Badge of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, the Society's highest honour.

In 2016 Russell was named a Point of Light, by British Prime Minister Theresa May in recognition for his work with Village Carols.[11] The Points of Light award "recognises outstanding individual volunteers who make a positive change in their community and inspire others".

In 2020 Russell was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday honours.

Selected publications

Related material

Benjamin Botkin folklife lecture, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, 'The "Hidden" carols: a Christmas singing tradition in the English Pennines', 7 January 2014

Notes and References

  1. Russell. Ian. 2006-04-01. Working with Tradition: Towards a Partnership Model of Fieldwork. Folklore. 117. 1. 15–32. 10.1080/00155870500479877. 142914051 . 0015-587X.
  2. Traditional singing in west Sheffield, 1970-2. University of Leeds. 1977. phd. en. Ian. Russell.
  3. Web site: Recording of the week: Sheffield's pub carols, a secular tradition. 2021-11-13. blogs.bl.uk. en.
  4. Web site: Village Carols > Publications. 2021-11-13. www.villagecarols.org.uk.
  5. 2005. Russell. Ian. Atkinson. David. Folk Song: Tradition, Revival and Re-Creation. Béaloideas. 73. 184–186. 20520890 . 0332-270X.
  6. Web site: Professor Ian Russell People The University of Aberdeen. 2021-11-13. www.abdn.ac.uk.
  7. Web site: Elphinstone Occasional Publications Series Elphinstone Institute The University of Aberdeen. 2021-11-13. www.abdn.ac.uk.
  8. Web site: North Atlantic Fiddle Convention (NAFCo) Elphinstone Institute The University of Aberdeen. 2021-11-13. www.abdn.ac.uk.
  9. Web site: Professor Ian Russell Elphinstone Institute The University of Aberdeen. 2021-11-13. www.abdn.ac.uk.
  10. Web site: The Coote Lake Medal. 2021-11-12. The Folklore Society. en-GB.
  11. Web site: 2016-12-21. Professor Ian Russell, Village Carols. 2021-11-12. Points of Light. en-GB.

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