Where Beauty Moves and Wit Delights

 

I like bass voices. Basso profundo is even better. Singers like Paul Robeson and Thurl Ravenscroft get my attention. I tend to listen to a passel of Russian choral music, because the men’s choirs tend to be heavy on the bass. For higher voices to catch my ear, they have to be pretty stunning.

Here in Michigan, not too far from Detroit, we have a Renaissance festival that runs for seven weeks in the fall. It may have been the first or second year I was here that I first went to the festival. There was a recorder group there, which I eventually joined. There was other music and plenty of entertainment. But what caught my ear was a wandering minstrel. He had a light tenor voice, but it was of celestial purity. He would ask young ladies what language they would like to hear a love song in and then pull one out of his repertoire. He was fascinating to watch, not just because of his musical skill and voice, but because of his banter. I came back several times that year and got to know him.

He was not trained as a musician. He was not the polyglot he seemed from the list of his songs. His degree was in art, and he had made his living with a day job as a designer. He and his family owned and ran a maze at the festival that had reproductions of all sorts of Renaissance portraits and paintings. More surprisingly, he lived nearby. A lot of the entertainers in these festivals would go from festival to festival all spring, summer, and fall. They were from Texas or Ohio or God knows where. He was from Berkley, Michigan.

His stage name was Owain Phyfe. His real name was not terribly far from that. I bought both CDs and tapes, since my car only had a tape player at that time. I listened to them over and over.

As I started courting my wife, I made sure she was introduced to his singing. My wife, girlfriend at the time, was co-producer of a Saturday radio show. It was music that had brought us together. Somehow, even though Owain’s Renaissance music was a bit far afield from the main focus of her show, he still managed to show up in various themes over the years to come.

When we married, we had my band play at our reception, but we asked Owain to come sing as a prelude to the wedding as guests were being seated. It is amazing how suddenly I realized that many of his love songs were of unrequited love in that setting.

Owain passed on several years ago now, but his songs and voice still echo through my mind and through the Internet.

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  1. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    I know @grosseteste has been busy often lately, so I’ll go ahead and add a preliminary blurb about Group Writing.

    This is an entry in our Group Writing Series, an easy way for new and shy members to get their feet wet in starting conversations. Each month, a theme is chosen, and this month’s theme is Beauty. There are still plenty of openings for August, including tomorrow, so wouldn’t you like to at least take a look at the sign-up sheet and see if any beauty can move you to volunteer and to start a conversation?

    • #1
  2. She Member
    She
    @She

    Lovely, thanks!  No reverb, echo chambers or layers.  Just a beautiful voice.

    Also, I loved this line from his Wikpedia entry.

     . . . . he found himself favoring faire life over the automotive engineering company he had started in 1983.

    Who wouldn’t, if he had the chance?

    • #2
  3. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    She (View Comment):
    Who wouldn’t, if he had the chance?

    Indeed. I spent many a weekend out there, especially after I joined the Renaissance consort, Les Flutes Douces, who played out there.

    • #3
  4. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Arahant: I tend to listen to a passel of Russian choral music, because the men’s choirs tend to be heavy on the bass.

    Oktavists. Their range can be from an octave below baritone range (thus the name) to notes only whales can hear. Or C1, which is pretty low.

    • #4
  5. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Percival (View Comment):
    Oktavists. Their range can be from an octave below baritone range (thus the name) to notes only whales can hear. Or C1, which is pretty low.

    Yes, good stuff.

    • #5
  6. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    What a glorious way to start the morning, Arahant! I attended the Renaissance Festivals in CA and CO. What a delight, especially when they first started. But I never heard a performer like your friend. Thank you!

    • #6
  7. J.D. Snapp Coolidge
    J.D. Snapp
    @JulieSnapp

    That first song is a different version of the most beautiful song in the world (in my opinion). I was first introduced to it in concert band when we had a Gustav Holst themed concert. With or without words, it’s a truly beautiful melody.

    • #7
  8. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    J.D. Snapp (View Comment):
    That first song is a different version of the most beautiful song in the world (in my opinion). I was first introduced to it in concert band when we had a Gustav Holst themed concert. With or without words, it’s a truly beautiful melody.

    Many classical and modern composers have plumbed the depths of old melodies, such as this. The Renaissance is usually seen as starting in 1485 in England and ending around 1650-ish. So, the song has probably been around for hundreds of years. Holst was born in 1874, so he obviously borrowed the old tune.

    • #8
  9. J.D. Snapp Coolidge
    J.D. Snapp
    @JulieSnapp

    Arahant (View Comment):

    J.D. Snapp (View Comment):
    That first song is a different version of the most beautiful song in the world (in my opinion). I was first introduced to it in concert band when we had a Gustav Holst themed concert. With or without words, it’s a truly beautiful melody.

    Many classical and modern composers have plumbed the depths of old melodies, such as this. The Renaissance is usually seen as starting in 1485 in England and ending around 1650-ish. So, the song has probably been around for hundreds of years. Holst was born in 1874, so he obviously borrowed the old tune.

    Yeah I think he composed based off a folk tune originally. Every time our whole band played it together, it just gave me goosebumps and it remains my most favorite classical song today.

    • #9
  10. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    That’s awesome.  Thanks ‘Hant.

    (Still, I’m sure there’s gotta be a recording of him singing “Danny Boy,” you could’ve thrown that up there, too.)

     

    • #10
  11. Grosseteste Thatcher
    Grosseteste
    @Grosseteste

    Arahant (View Comment):
    I know @grosseteste has been busy often lately, so I’ll go ahead and add a preliminary blurb about Group Writing.

    Appreciate it!

    I especially like that live video.  Really gives an idea of what you attracted you at the festivals.

    Arahant: When we married, we had my band play at our reception, but we asked Owain to come sing as a prelude to the wedding as guests were being seated. It is amazing how suddenly I realized that many of his love songs were of unrequited love in that setting.

    Eh, we had a DJ, and had the same realization with our chosen playlists, more disco than Renaissance ballads (zero).

    • #11
  12. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Grosseteste (View Comment):
    I especially like that live video. Really gives an idea of what you attracted you at the festivals.

    Yes, although that video was many years later, and the recording not as good as his studio records. He may already have been ill by that time, too. I wanted to include a live video, which would capture more of his personality and performance, but couldn’t find one that showed his virtuosity.

    • #12
  13. Larry Koler Inactive
    Larry Koler
    @LarryKoler

    Very nice — thanks much. What a fine, fine voice. Nice to learn about him.

    • #13
  14. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    I should say it, I’m sure his family would still appreciate sales:

    http://www.nightwatchrecording.com/

    • #14
  15. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Oh, I see they found his first album and are releasing it. Here is one of my favorites:

    • #15
  16. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    That video has some of the older pictures, too.

    • #16
  17. Eugene Kriegsmann Member
    Eugene Kriegsmann
    @EugeneKriegsmann

    I fell in love with this type of music many years ago when Joan Baez released her first album. The purity of voice accompanied by a single stringed instrument is incomparable, particularly when recorded properly. I found several of his albums on iTunes and will start with the one you highlighted in your original post. Thank you. I am always looking for music which is both simple and pure.

    • #17
  18. Philopus Inactive
    Philopus
    @Philopus

    Arahant: I like bass voices. Basso profundo is even better.

    How about a play list in this category?

    • #18
  19. VUtah Member
    VUtah
    @VUtah

    Oh thank you for posting this. Over 20 years ago, my mother mentioned how beautiful Owain Phyfe’s voice was. I purchased “Where Beauty Moves and Wit Delights” as a cassette tape and listened to it over and over again. Who knows where that cassette tape is. I only had to listen to “Maid in Bedlam” to go looking for Owain Phyfe on the Google Play Store. There he was and I purchased this album. Again, thank you. His voice is truly amazing.

    • #19
  20. Larry Koler Inactive
    Larry Koler
    @LarryKoler

    Eugene Kriegsmann (View Comment):
    I fell in love with this type of music many years ago when Joan Baez released her first album. The purity of voice accompanied by a single stringed instrument is incomparable, particularly when recorded properly. I found several of his albums on iTunes and will start with the one you highlighted in your original post. Thank you. I am always looking for music which is both simple and pure.

    I, too, was smitten by Joan Baez years ago.

    • #20
  21. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Philopus (View Comment):

    Arahant: I like bass voices. Basso profundo is even better.

    How about a play list in this category?

    Thurl Ravenscroft, Paul Robeson (Yes, he was a commie, but he could sing!), Midnight in Moscow is an album that had several, there was also an album called N.T.A. (No Tenors Allowed). Beyond that, I suggest you look up basses and see what they have done. For instance, Isaac Hayes is another American bass singer.

    • #21
  22. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Oh, and Ezio Pinza, of course:

    • #22
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