Talk and performance by The Oxford Waits, a period music trio, on popular music in 17th-century Oxford, part of the Museum of Oxford's Sounds of the City exhibition.
The Oxford Waits are coming to the Museum of Oxford on Wednesday 9 December for a lunchtime talk and performance they've titled 'A-begging we will go': Popular music in 17th century Oxford. It's part of the museum's Sounds of the City exhibition and events programme, so it fits right in with what's on display there.
The trio takes its name from a real-life band of city musicians known as 'waits', who flourished in Oxford during the 17th century. Back then, they played ceremonial tunes in the streets, worked parties and banquets, and led alehouse singalongs, with ballad-sheet sales acting as the day's hit parade. The present-day group, who perform in period costume, reconstructs that world with street ballads, dance tunes, airs and rounds, alongside readings from diarists and poets. They play on a range of period instruments, including shawm, fiddle, hurdy-gurdy, hammered dulcimer, bandora and nyckelharpa.
On the day, the line-up is Tim Healey on narrator, vocals, shawm, recorders and bandora; Caroline Butler on vocals and violin; and Edwin Pritchard on vocals, violin, nyckelharpa and hammered dulcimer. It's a talk as much as a performance, so you'll get the history as well as the music. The group has played festivals, churches, theatres and arts centres, featured on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, and performed before the Queen at the Royal Opening of Oxford Castle in 2006.
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It runs from 13:00 to 14:15 — about an hour of talk and performance, followed by 15 minutes for questions. Tickets are £6, and there's complimentary tea and coffee available. The museum is on St Aldate's, OX1 1BX.
