PREFACE

Given the predilection many people today have for Newfoundland folklore and music, one would perhaps logically assume that a book entitled "A Newfoundland Songbook" must be about folksong. After all, the book which most probably comes to the minds of Newfoundlanders at the mention of the words "Newfoundland music" is Gerald S. Doyle's famous Old Time Songs and Poetry of Newfoundland, which is typically associated with folkmusic. This book, however, presents a variety of popular, patriotic, religious and even some serious music - music which was composed by persons living on the island who could read and write musical notation and in many cases had their music published.

Despite the possible semantic confusion which this title might engender, I have chosen it quite deliberately for two reasons; first, that it comes closest to describing much of the music within and its intended use - for people to play the various songs and tunes in their own homes - and second, that readers come to realize that this, too, is Newfoundland music! Like folkmusic it gives considerable insight into the Newfoundland condition prior to 1949.

The music contained in this book represents only a fraction of the total output of Newfoundland composers and was collected from a variety of sources. Special thanks must go to the staff of the Newfoundland Collection of the Provincial Reference and Resource Library and the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador for their patience and assistance in ferreting out countless items for my inspection. All of the music found in these pages (with one or two exceptions) was recorded by CBC Radio, St. John's for two series of music entitled The Flag of Newfoundland I and Il produced in 1984 and 1985. My thanks go to the many individuals who took part in those broadcasts from a performance or technical point of view for their interest and support. In many ways this songbook is an extension of those radio programmes.

Those readers wishing to know more about Newfoundland composers and musicians are advised to look for my forthcoming book by Creative Publishers on the history of written and composed music in Newfoundland and Labrador. This present work is intended to serve as a companion book to that history.

Paul G. Woodford

January 1987