Broceliande performs "Glouchestershire Wassail"

The ancient rite of wassailing trees was well known in parts of England. It generally took place on Twelfth Night. Farmers and their families would feast on hot cakes and cider, then they would go into the orchard.

A cider-soaked cake is laid in the fork of a tree and then more cider is splashed on it. The men fire their guns into the tree and bang on pots and pans while the rest of the people bow their heads and sing the special "Wassail Song." This custom is said to ward off bad spirits from the orchard and encourages the good spirits to provide a bountiful crop for the following year.

Eventually it grew to be performed by roving waissalers, then as general drinking song specific to the holiday season.

Performed at the Mission Roasting Company in Santa Clara, CA in December of 2007.

http://www.broceliande.org
The song is available on Broceliande's
"Sir Christemas" album.

View other Broceliande songs on the
kstoph channel, with ones that I filmed viewable here on CarolJWright.

Filmed and edited by Carol Wright

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Medieval
• Celtic
• music
• Wassail
• Christmas
• carols

[BlaiseCompton]

Great fun! Really glad to have caught this on Christmas Day ...!

[CarolJWright]

Glad you liked it. I am reuploading most of my videos in higher quality, so wish I had done this for Christmas. Check back soon, and you can see/hear it in better quality. Check out my Shirley's Silent Night Singalong video...or the Shirley's Christmas Storytime. Those are of my Mom, age 88. Merry Christmas!

[happylmc]

this version definetly kicks but! Awsome clip

[CarolJWright]

Yes, this is a gutsy performance. It's avail on their "christmas" album. This was shot just with my camcorder and camcorder mic. We've filmed what we hope will be better concert footage, with soundboard sound, two cameras. Stay tuned. Meanwhile the Broceliande group posts at the kstoph channel.

And see on my channel cellist Kris Yenney play some solo Bach, informally after said concert.

[devoxtc]

great. How nice to hear English music.

[SoVJasper]

Nice to see someone not completely murder the song for once...

[mearthy]

LOVE IT!!

*k