CLARE,John MS

John Clare (1793-1864), a working class agricultural labourer, achieved considerable fame as a poet, and is still known and studied as such.

He was very interested in the vernacular culture of his village and left a very important record of this in his various papers.

His father is reputed to have been a singer of very many folk songs.

Clare was an enthusiastic fiddle player, who collected tunes from a variety of sources. These tunes include both dance and song tunes.

== "John Clare and the Folk Tradition" == (George Deacon. ISBN 0-86300-008-8) [1]

Deacon's book is essential reading for anybody interested in vernacular music, as it contains much from one of the few first hand accounts by an actual contemporary practitioner. This book is still in print and copies may be had from the author.

== John Clare's Music Manuscripts == VMP transcription

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