The atmospheric video for ‘Hare Spell’ is the perfect accompaniment to this striking song. It’s taken from Fay Hield’s new album, ‘Wrackline’, which is out on 11th September. This song follows Isobel Gowdie’s witch trial confessions from 1662 when she shared a spell to transform into a hare. It’s a compelling subject, matched by a mesmerising melody and rhythm.
Hield says of the new album: “‘Wrackline’ is split into 6 themes, including my interpretations of songs from within the tradition and contemporary responses. It’s my first foray into songwriting but it is firmly within the realms of folk music – drawing heavily on traditions but looking at how they are still relevant for us today. Perhaps in these strange times it’s particularly important to understand how stories can help us make sense of the world around us, both the world we can see and also those darker, less tangible things. In the run-up to the release, I will be sharing blog posts and podcasts which I hope will help you find a way into thinking about the mythical unknown. Maybe hearing how they’ve become important to me, can help you in this time of insecurity, to find some sense and beauty.”
Hield was a leading member of folk supergroup, The Full English, which featured the likes of Seth Lakeman and Martin Simpson. As well as being highly regarded on the folk circuit, Hield is a lecturer in music at Sheffield University with a specialism in the role folk music plays in the construction of communities. From: https://americana-uk.com/video-fay-hield-hare-spell
The idea of spell casting inspired me early on in this project. I was entranced by the thought that certain combinations of words, chanted in particular ways could bring about powerful changes. Whether that was brought on by the reciter’s belief and focus on the ‘problem’ or calling on an actual magic I was unsure, but I talked with Inge about the power of spells and the ability of music to come out of words rather than merely being composed to go with them. I asked around the group for spells and Jackie set me off with Isobel's hare spell. There follows a convoluted plan which brought forth simplistic beauty...
In western music, pitches have letter names - middle c, for example. I was intrigued to explore this linking of sound to language. I wrote out Isobel’s spell, (in an Anglicised version as I was the one to be casting it) and highlighted all the letters that fall into the octave scale. These were then taken onto the stave and placed into two 4 bar phrases, following the two lines of the spell. I selected a time signature of 9/8, as 3 sets of three has such magical potential.
Sheet music
The first phrase notes fell easily onto the accented beats, the second part had more named notes, so involved a bit of jiggling to make sure they all fitted in, in interesting places. I then started to fill in the gaps, the passing notes, with new material. There is nothing special about how I chose those, I just kept what seemed to fit when I brought the spell into the sonic sphere and gave it voice. My task was to introduce elements to make it an acceptable piece of music rather than a disjointed, technical exercise. As I hummed through the emerging tune, some things felt exotic, inciting the thrill of the unusual and unexpected, and as the passing notes linked the disjointed notes together a kind of sense emerged, we had a musical understanding. This phase was far more simple than I anticipated. At times I had to check I wasn’t losing the original pitches by moulding them to fit the passing notes, but the spell notes held firm and kept their framework clearly. Though it’s an odd sort of tune, it holds as music to my ears - I’d be interested to hear what you think of it below...
As I sang through the words, the tune shaped the spell and phrases were lengthened, repeated and extended to fit into the new melody - the music had come out of the words, and the words were being shaped by the music. I also tweaked some of the heavily Scottish words to suit my Yorkshire tongue, though meikle seemed such a central part of the phrase I wanted to keep that. A new spell was being born, and one that felt to be at peace with itself, and with me as a singer.
On taking the spell to the group we sang and played through it and moving away from the notation, the rhythm of the words took over as I taught it to the others, trying to emphasise the shape of the unusual melody. The pitches stayed the same, the time signature settled to a 6/8 - retaining the sense of three, but not forcing itself into ‘thryse over’.
Each time we play it, a new sound comes out - whether raucous and gritty, or plaintive and mellow - it was fascinating to see how the song settled when we played it at The Sage sharings at the end of April, and I'm really interested if anyone else wants to learn it and cast the spell around - do let me know if you do, I’m keen to hear its progress... -Fay Hield. From: https://modernfairies.sites.sheffield.ac.uk/blog/artist-of-the-week-fay-hield_1
