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John Langstaff

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Name
  
John Langstaff


Role
  
Musician

John Langstaff ecximagesamazoncomimagesI51YXETPM6JLSX300jpg

Died
  
December 13, 2005, Basel, Switzerland

Albums
  
Songs for Singing Children

Books
  
Frog Went A‑Courtin', Oh - A‑Hunting We Will Go, Over in the Meadow, What a Morning!, Making Music

Similar People
  
Feodor Stepanovich Rojankovsky, Ashley Bryan, Diane Hamilton, Anita Lobel

John langstaff lord of the dance


John Langstaff (December 24, 1920 – December 13, 2005), a concert baritone, and early music revivalist was the founder of the Northeast United States tradition of the Christmas Revels, as well as a respected musician and educator. He attended the Curtis Institute of Music as well as the Juilliard.

Contents

John Langstaff httpsiytimgcomvi0Sc8js1R4chqdefaultjpg

Langstaff's lifelong project, the Christmas Revels, began in 1957 with a show in New York. In 1971 began the longest-running Revels, at Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Revels, an eclectic mix of medieval and modern music and dance (primarily English in basis), involves the audience and the community in a continuation of pagan and older Christian traditions. Revels shows, now spread over the northeastern USA and the world, draw on local talent. Morris dancing, mummers, bagpipers and large choruses of men, women and children celebrate the turning of the Winter Solstice in a cheerful fashion.

John Langstaff John Langstaff sings American and English Folk Songs and Ballads

Throughout his adult life, Langstaff was a dedicated music educator. In 1955 he became the music director at The Potomac School in Washington, DC, and later taught at Shady Hill School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He wrote twenty-five books, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Frog Went A-Courtin'. He hosted the BBC-TV Schools programme Making Music for five years, and produced a series of videos called Making Music with John Langstaff for parents and teachers. He also published songbooks, teacher's guides, and production guides for the Revels.

John Langstaff Revels John Meredith Langstaff Founder

In the later 1970s and early 1980s, Jack, as he was addressed by some, was associated with the Young Audiences organization in the United States, which creates and presents performance arts in educational settings. Langstaff was Executive Director of Young Audiences of Massachusetts, and collaborated with many cultural, educational, health and community organizations in the Greater Boston area and New England.

John Langstaff Revels John Meredith Langstaff Founder

Langstaff's recording career was varied and long. Beginning with English traditional music in the 1950s, he continued with the founding of Revels Records, recording primarily children's and traditional music. Several of his early recordings were made in London with noted producer George Martin.

John Langstaff GooGooGallery Over in the Meadow by John Langstaff

In 1943 Langstaff married Diane Hamilton. They divorced in 1947. He was later married to Nancy Trowbridge, a pianist.

John Langstaff GooGooGallery Over in the Meadow by John Langstaff

On May 17, 2006 David Nath's documentary film To Drive The Dark Away, which chronicles Langstaff's life and work with the Christmas Revels, had its world premiere in Arlington, Massachusetts.

John Langstaff Revels John Meredith Langstaff Founder

Frog in the spring john langstaff with children chorus


References

John Langstaff Wikipedia


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