The hidden musicians
The hidden musicians
Music-making in an English town
Ruth Finnegan
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY PRESS
Middletown, Connecticut
Published by Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT 06459
First Wesleyan edition 2007
© 1989 by Cambridge University Press
Preface to the 2007 edition © 2007 by Ruth Finnegan
All rights reserved
Originally published in cloth by Cambridge University Press in 1989
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Control Number 2007929707
ISBNs for the paperback edition:
ISBN–13: 978–0–8195–6853–3
ISBN–10: 0–8195–6853–8
The Library of Congress has cataloged the original edition as follows:
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Finnegan, Ruth H.
The hidden musicians: music-making in an English town / Ruth Finnegan.
p. cm.
Bibliography.
Includes index.
ISBN 0–521–36066–8
1. Music—England—Milton Keynes—20th century—History and criticism. 2. Musicians—England—Milton Keynes. I. Title.
ML286.8.M54F5 1989
| 780′.9425′91–dc 19 | 88–30031 |
Cover illustrations: “Folk on the Green” in 1981: the annual folk event on Horsefair Green in Stony Stratford.
To my parents
AGNES and TOM FINNEGAN
music-makers in that other fair city, Derry
Contents
Preface to the 2007 edition xi
1 The existence and study of local music 3
2 ‘Amateur’ and ‘professional’ musicians 12
3 Introduction to Milton Keynes and its music 19
2 Musical worlds in Milton Keynes 31
4 The classical music world at the local level 33
7 The world of musical theatre 71
9 The country and western world 90
3 Contrasts and comparisons 131
12 Performances and their conditions 143
13 Composition, creativity and performance 160
4 The organisation and work of local music 191
15 Music in the home and school 193
19 Small working bands and their organisation 255
20 Resources, rewards and support 273
5 The significance of local music 295
21 Pathways in urban living 297
22 Music, society, humanity 327
Appendix A note on methods and presentation 342
Illustrations