The Bows

Additional Information

This is an interpretation of a London folk song which I hope captures the mood of the original, even though it’s drifted far from its moorings. The bows in the title are the bends in the River Thames but could also refer to bows of a violin. In the original folk song (titled "The Cruel Sister" or "The Bonny Bows"), a woman drowns when she’s pushed into the river by her sister. Downstream, her body is dredged out of the water and her breastbone, finger bones and hair are used to make a fiddle. Whenever anyone tries to play this fiddle, it speaks, revealing the identity of her murderer. Vocals by Emma Kilbey

Details

Year

Recordings

Date recorded
2014
Performers
Sarah Angliss, Emma Kilbey
Title
The Bows