Main: An English Country Summer

Today's programme celebrates Midsummer with an extensive collection of traditional English dance tunes, some of which go back many centuries. Revived today in the form of Morris dancing and related genres such as English Country Dance (ECD), many of the tunes are familiar and popular today once again, as they were in the 16th century when the dances that became ECD were developed among the gentry, influenced by the folk dances of the time.

We will be featuring some of the work of modern popularisers of these genres, notably Ashley Hutchings, including his Compleat Dancing Master and other albums such as most of the Morris On series, which often interleave (somewhat modernised) renditions of the pieces with readings from contemporary writings illustrating the attitudes of those in authority down the centuries to the popular pastime of dancing – many of which were downright hostile.

In addition we include our fine collection of English country dance music performed by the renowned American ECD Instrumental Quartet, Bare Necessities, and kindly donated to gullar sahir by the Caledon Library, along with some traditional dances from the Baltimore Consort, Childgrove, Brassworks and the Musicians of Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts – and many more.

Today's programme is presented by Elrik Merlin and produced by gullar sahir in conjunction with our friends at the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the programme in-world now at http://main.radioriel.org, or simply click here to start your player, if your browser is configured to do so. Listeners in the United States are encouraged to tune in using this link: http://loudcity.com/stations/radio-riel/tune_in

For more information on the Alexandrian Free Library, current exhibits and the work of Consortium members in general, please visit the Alexandrian Free Library website, or one of their branches in-world.

Main: From the Library - Music with Bells On!

Today's programme features a collection of traditional dance tunes, some of which go back many centuries. Revived today in the form of Morris dancing and related genres such as English Country Dance (ECD), many of the tunes are familiar and popular today once again, as they were in the 16th century when the dances that became ECD were developed among the gentry, influenced by the folk dances of the time.

We will be featuring some of the work of modern popularisers of these genres, notably Ashley Hutchings, including his Compleat Dancing Master and other albums such as most of the Morris On series, which often interleave (somewhat modernised) renditions of the pieces with readings from contemporary writings illustrating the attitudes of those in authority down the centuries to the popular pastime of dancing – many of which were downright hostile.

In addition we include our fine collection of English country dance music performed by the renowned American ECD Instrumental Quartet, Bare Necessities, and kindly donated to gullar sahir by the Caledon Library, along with some traditional dances from the Baltimore Consort, Childgrove, Brassworks and the Musicians of Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts - any many more.

Today's programme is presented by Elrik Merlin and produced by gullar sahir in conjunction with our friends at the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the programme in-world now at http://main.radioriel.org, or simply click here to start your player, if your browser is configured to do so. Listeners in the United States are encouraged to tune in using this link: http://loudcity.com/stations/radio-riel/tune_in

For more information on the Alexandrian Free Library, current exhibits and the work of Consortium members in general, please visit the Alexandrian Free Library website, or one of their branches in-world.

Music for Caledon's 5th Anniversary

This weekend marks the 5th Anniversary of the founding of our beloved State of Caledon in Second Life by Guv'nor Desmond Shang, and to mark the anniversary, many events are being held, especially in the garden region of Caledon Rothesay, between Friday and Monday. You can read more about them here; there may also be other events around Caledon during the weekend documented elsewhere. Do please join us for the festivities.

Thus, throughout the weekend we are playing music for the people and land of Caledon. Today, Elrik Merlin will be playing a wide selection of traditional Dance music, including English Country Dance, Morris and Folk Dance and much more.

Artists featured will include Bare Necessities, Childgrove, the Baltimore Consort, Spiers & Boden, Ashely Hutchings, and many more. A good time is guaranteed for all.

The ZBS Radio Hour

Then join us at 11am and 7pm Pacific Time, that's 19:00 and 03:00 GMT, for two brand new adventures from our friends at ZBS Foundation in the ZBS Radio Hour. At the top of the hour, Jack Flanders returns to where it all began - his aunt's mysterious Victorian mansion where all manner of strange goings-on unfurled and he discovered many other worlds both within and without, over 35 years ago, in Return to Inverness. Then at the bottom of the hour it's a new adventure with Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe, in Ruby 5. Take a break from the festivities and join us.

Today's programme is presented by Elrik Merlin and produced by gullar sahir in conjunction with our friends at the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the programme in-world now at http://main.radioriel.org, or simply click here to start your player, if your browser is configured to do so. Listeners in the United States are encouraged to tune in using this link: http://loudcity.com/stations/radio-riel/tune_in

For more information on the Alexandrian Free Library, current exhibits and the work of Consortium members in general, please visit the Alexandrian Free Library website, or one of their branches in-world.

4th Caledon Harvest Festival – Opening Dances!

It's that time of year again, and the Steampunk/Victorian region of Caledon in Second Life is hosting its fourth annual Harvest Festival – and this year it's bigger than ever, with stalls, special events, livestock exhibitions and lots of vendors. It'll be fun for everyone.

Most of the action is happening on the central square in Caledon Rothesay, but there are two special Harvest Festival Dances today that will be held on the stage next to Caledon Rothesay Station – do come by train as airship parking is limited.

The dances take place at 1pm and 8:30pm Pacific time – that's 21:00 and 04:30 UK time. Elrik Merlin will host the first and Gabrielle Riel the second. The music will be traditional English Country Dance – (well, Mr Merlin warns that he might interpret that a little liberally).

Do join us in person for an excellent time – but if you can't get there, you can tune in to the music on gullar sahir Reverie – http://reverie.radioriel.org.

Meanwhile on our Main Stream we'll be playing the Music of Caledon throughout the weekend. Tune in: http://main.radioriel.org.

Put on your dancing shoes

Today's From the Library program features music meant for dancing—English Country Dancing and Contra Dancing, specifically, with forays into other traditional dance idioms and a dollop of vocal harmonies for variety.

Today's program is from the library of Otenth Paderborn and is produced by gullar sahir in conjunction with the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the program now at http://loudcity.com/stations/radio-riel/tune_in; outside the US, tune to http://main.radioriel.org, or simply click here if your browser is configured to launch a player automatically.

For more information on the Alexandrian Free Library, current exhibits and the work of Consortium members in general, please visit the Alexandrian Free Library website, or one of their branches in-world.

(Photo: Montpelier contra dance, by Wikimedia Commons user SayCheeeeeese)