{"id":7867,"date":"2025-06-30T20:31:53","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T19:31:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hosting.northumbria.ac.uk\/knowledge-exchange\/?p=7867"},"modified":"2025-07-18T11:36:24","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T10:36:24","slug":"catch-singing-and-british-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hosting.northumbria.ac.uk\/knowledge-exchange\/catch-singing-and-british-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Catch-singing and British Community"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Project summary<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Unlike today, in early modern Britain singing together was ubiquitous entertainment for all ages and classes. The popularity of ballad-singing is well known; however, singing in harmony has largely been studied as an elite practice. In contrast, this first in-depth study of\u00a0round\/catch-singing<\/a>\u00a0c<\/em>.1550-1650 (songs like \u2018London\u2019s Burning\u2019 for \u2018Frere Jacques\u2019 where everyone sings the same tune but starting at different times) demonstrates the vital importance of polyphonic song across the social spectrum, asking: who sang catches and how were singers regarded? What social functions did catch-singing play and how did their singing define different communities? How did catches traverse oral\/literate cultures, and how were they adapted for use in different settings such as homes, alehouses, ships, and stages?\u00a0<\/p>

This research aims to dispel notions of popular song as monophonic (everyone always singing one tune), redefine singing in harmony as socially ubiquitous not exclusive, and resituate such singing as a vital social practice in early-modern everyday life.<\/p>

The project is also working to engage new publics in catch-singing and think about what benefits a revival of such informal, social singing might bring for individuals and communities today.<\/p>

Find out more and access resources for catch-singing on the Sing You Now After Me project website<\/a><\/p>

The project welcomes new enquiries. Catches are diverse in subject and difficultly and so can be tailored for all ages and abilities, so do get I n ouch if you think catch-singing might be beneficial to your members and activities.<\/p>

Full project title<\/h3>

Sing You Now After Me: Catch-Singing and Community in Britain, c.1550-1650<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Project team<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Dr Katherine Butler<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Project highlights<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Catch-singing workshops for Converge<\/h3>

(COnverge are an organisation who work with adults experiencing mental health challenges. The workshops explored past practices of social singing and what we can learn from them to improve our wellbeing and sense of belonging today. Here\u2019s a playlist of their favourites (and their own composition) recorded at the end of the series:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Kiplin Hall<\/h3>

Bringing to life the catch-singing soundscape of Kiplin Hall, a Jacobean House near Richmond, with two all-age event days and an interactive multimedia resource for ongoing resources. We were even able to sing some of the catches found in the household archives<\/a>: Some of the catches sung can be heard here:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Reasons to Sing<\/h3>

We worked with the Arts Council funded \u2018Reasons to Sing\u2019 project for the anniversary of Tudor composer William Byrd in 2023 who included the catch \u2018Sing with now after me\u2019 was taught to year 8 pupils in Leeds, Newcastle and Birmingham in workshops led by Horizon Voices as an introduction to the style of Tudor imitative polyphony and sung by the pupils as part of interactive family concerts with Stile Antico. Short videos on music and the Tudors were also provided to support the school workshops.<\/p>

Working with rainbow, brownies and guide groups<\/h3>

So far, we’ve done 10 sessions with rainbow, brownies and guide groups across the city. They earned their \u2018Sing You Now After Me\u2019 badge for their uniform or camp blanket by learning new songs, building confidence in singing in parts, and creating their own unit\/patrol\/six catches.<\/p>

Creative workshops for schools<\/h3>

We held creative workshops for five middle and secondary schools in across Newcastle, Sunderland and Blyth. The workshops combined the singing and composition of catches. Themes have included building musical and ensemble skills, singing for wellbeing, exploring everyday life in Tudor England through song, as well as workshops for school choirs.<\/p>

Sacred rounds<\/h3>

Working with Newcastle Cathedral, we experimented using sacred rounds during Evensong with their choristers. They partnered to with us to deliver catch-singing workshops in five schools alongside their primary school singing programme.<\/p>

The Late Shows<\/h3>

Newcastle Late Show venue on \u2018Sound Travels\u2019 had a mini exhibition on how catches help us to understand the soundscape of Tudor England. It was an opportunity to learn a Tudor drinking song, and crowd-sourced ideas to create a \u2018Newcastle at Night\u2019 soundscape catch.<\/p>

Working with North Tyneside Music Hub\u00a0<\/h3>

We are creating two six-week schemes of work. They are \u2018Class X Catch Club\u2019 for Key Stage 1\u2019 and \u2018Singing the Tudors\u2019 for Key Stage 2\u2019. Piloting in Autumn 2025 and freely available for all teachers in 2026. We are working with Charlotte Law, Music Curriculum Support for North Tyneside Music Education Hub.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Project image gallery<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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