|
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZCOLLINS, Dolly(b Dorothy Ann Collins, 6 March '33, Hastings, Sussex; d 22 Sept. '95, Balcombe) English keyboardist, composer of folk revival. Studied under composer Alan Bush (b 22 Dec. 1900, London; d 31 Oct. '95; worked with Workers' Music Association) after recommendation from her uncle, author Fred Ball (A Breath Of Fresh Air '61); he told her 'to look at the material presented to you, like the tune of a folk song, find out what there was in it and use the material that's already there in the accompaniment, so that you don't actually bring any alien material into the work'. Came to fame through work with her sister (see Shirley, below); worked with the Incredible String Band on their Chelsea Sessions 1967 (finally released '97) and Hang- man's Beautiful Daughter '68, her portative pipe organ a hallmark of many fine albums; also with the Young Tradition on Galleries and The Holly Bears A Crown, both '69 (the latter eventually released '95); on Peter Bellamy's Transports '77 her arrangements re-created the sound of an 18th-century village band. She also worked on albums by Chris Darrow, Mark Ellington, Matthews' Southern Comfort, Tony Rose. Adieu To Old England '74 is noteworthy for the simplicity and fidelity of the arrangements, yet For As Many As Will '78 (both with Shirley) was one of the first records to integrate a synth into folk music. Illness prevented her playing for several years from late '70s, but she continued to write on commission, incl. advertising jingles and the music for clock chimes in Nottingham shopping centre. Her song suite Anthems In Eden (recorded with Shirley '69) was revived '86 for the Summerscope Festival in London. She also composed a secular mass based on Maureen Duffy's 'Missa Humana' (first published '68), and settings of six poems from WWI. |