Songs of the North Woods as sung by O.J. Abbott and collected by Edith Fowke
By László Vikár and Jeanette Panagapka
$34.95 sc
Available Now
ISBN 1-55238-077-7
126 pp.
8.5" x 11"
Non-Fiction
About the Book
Edith Fowke (1913-1996) was a renowned Canadian folklorist, folk song collector,
researcher, writer, and teacher who during her long career recorded nearly 2000 songs. Awarded the Order of Canada in 1978,
and named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1983, Fowkeís legacy is recognized by folk singers and scholars alike as
the most comprehensive work in its field. Producing radio programs for the CBC throughout the 1950s and 60s, she was responsible
for discovering such eminent singers as LaRena Clark, Tom Brandon and O. J. Abbott. O. J. Abbott was one of Fowkeís most prolific
singers, as she collected and recorded over 120 of his songs, 66 of them transcribed for this collection. The songs, mostly of
Irish origin, were popular among settlers to the Ottawa valley and in the lumber camps of northern Ontario in the late 1800s. Born
in England in 1872, Abbott worked throughout Ontario and Quebec in lumber camps before settling finally in Hull, Quebec. He
recorded numerous records for the Folkways label and performed with such folk heroes as The Travellers, Ian and Sylvia, and
Pete Seeger at the 1960 Newport Folk Festival.
This never before published collection includes a detailed musical
analysis that outlines the meter, scale, and range of each song, an index that indicates where each song can be found
on the original source tapes, and extensive field notes, interviews, and recording details.
About the Author
Dr. László Vikár is an eminent ethnomusicologist, scholar, and retired
teacher from the Folk Music Department of the Institute for Musicology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest.
Jeanette Panagapka is a retired teacher and music educator from Waterloo, Ontario. She is the founding president and life
member of the Kod·ly Society of Ontario, and edited its journal Alla Breve from 1992-1996. Currently, she owns a bed and
breakfast in Gibsons, British Columbia.
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