News Story
For many people a firm fixture of the festive period, the combination of Steeleye Span’s Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band has offered a unique take on timeless Christmas music ever since they first came together in 1984.
“It was in the early 80’s. The Carnival Band had been asked to play on the BBC Program ‘Pause for Thought’,” recalls Maddy Prior when asked when she first got together with the Carnival Band. “This was an early morning slot each morning for five minutes. Towards Christmas The Carnival Band were asked to play a carol a day for 5 days.
Carols and Capers with Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band: The Farewell Tour
Tue 17 Dec | Town Hall | 7:30PM
The producer John Forrest knew of me from Steeleye and suggested that I would be ideal for The Carnival Band.” The was the beginning of what will prove to be a remarkable collaboration. “I was asked to sing ‘Angels from The Realms of Glory’. It was incredibly high and incredibly fast, it intrigued me, it was great. I sang with them that year, then the next and has done so ever since. We decided to record an album and follow that up with a tour. That was over 30 years ago now.”
“It makes for a very interesting way of working,” says Maddy. “They are all very skilled, mainly classically trained, musicians. They come from a different way of playing to Steeleye or myself. I am a slow learner, and it takes me time to feel comfortable with a song, but once it all came together it was special.”
Unsurprisingly, ‘Angels from The Realms of Glory’ is one of Maddy’s favourite carols. “It’s one of the most energetic carols, and the Carnival Band do a fantastic arrangement of it. The lovely ‘Angel Gabriel’ is also beautifully arranged.”
To mark the fortieth anniversary of their artistic relationship, Maddy and The Carnival Band returns to Birmingham’s Town Hall in what will be not only a celebration but also a farewell, the last time they will undertake such an outing. Together they will mix ancient and modern instruments and rich vocal harmony with a refreshing cavalier attitude and plenty of humour - putting their inimitable stamp on a range of familiar and not-so-familiar festive fare. This guarantees to be a Christmas Party to remember – a celebration of a unique partnership.
Don’t miss Carols and Capers with Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band: The Farewell Tour on Tue 17 December at Town Hall.
