Charles Causley’s “Images of Launceston”

Join The Charles Causley Trust for an evening of readings, awards and an update on the panoramic photography of Causley’s Launceston by Karol Kwiatek of The University of Plymouth. Prizes for the 2009 Causley Poetry Competition will be presented by The Revd. Dr. J. May, Rector of St. Endellion.

The event takes place at The Eagle House Hotel, Launceston, on Thursday 22nd October 2009, at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £7.50, to include admission and refreshments, and are available from The Bookshop, Launceston, telephone 01566 774107.

The evening is presented by The Charles Causley Trust, registered charity 1102459, and The Charles Causley Society.

Jim Causley & National Poetry Day

Jim Causley will be appearing at an Apples & Snakes and Exeter Central Library National Poetry Day event at Exeter Central Library on Thursday 8 October at 7.30pm, alongside Aoife Mannix and Janie Armour.

Since being asked to perform at the annual Trusham Charles Causley Festival, Jim has set over twenty of Charles Causley’s poems to music, using tunes suggested by Charles where possible, employing traditional tunes that sit comfortably with the poem and composing many of his own. Jim sings both unaccompanied and with accordion.

Tickets will be going on sale from Exeter Central Library on Monday 21st September, priced £5/3 concessions, but there are only 100, so be quick!

Natalie Clein to play at fundraiser for Charles Causley’s House

Photography: Ray Burmiston

The Charles Causley Trust is delighted to announce that Natalie Clein will be playing at a fundraising concert for Charles Causley’s House in July 2010. Natalie Clein’s exceptional musicality has earned her a number of prestigious prizes including the Classical Brit Award for Young British Performer of 2005, the Ingrid zu Solms Cultur Preis at the 2003 Kronberg Academie and in 2008, she was nominated in the Classical Brits’ Best Female Artist Category.

Natalie has released three discs on EMI Classics; her latest recording of the Elgar Cello Concerto with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Vernon Handley, CBE conducting was released in September 2007 to great critical acclaim including Editor’s Choice in the Gramophone.

More details on venue, programme and ticketing information will be released shortly.

Charles Causley and Siegfried Sassoon

Make sure to visit the fascinating War Poetry Blog written by Professor Tim Kendall of The University of Exeter, and especially if you are interested in the considerable correspondence between Charles Causley and  Siegfried Sassoon. Sassoon’s letters to Causley are kept in Special Collections at the University of Exeter.

Professor Kendall writes:

“Causley did a great deal to promote a poet who, in old age, felt himself to have been forgotten except as ‘the man who knew Wilfred’ … These letters to Causley have never been published, or until now, seen by scholars. I would be keen to hear from anyone who knows the whereabouts of the the other side of the correspondence: the letters from Causley to Sassoon.”

The Edwin Morgan Archive

We’re big fans of Edwin Morgan here at the causleyblog, and thoroughly recommend you take a look at a fantastic new resource at the Scottish Poetry Library. The Edwin Morgan Archive is an extraordinary site, and very much something that we aspire towards for the poetry of Charles Causley. It features a superb gallery, biography, poems and resources. We also think the design and layout is incredibly striking and powerful. All in all, it’s one of our favourite poetry places on the web. If you’ve got a moment, click here to dive right in.

Stretterworra gawl, gawl…

Inside Charles Causley’s House

In the first of an occasional series of images from inside Charles Causley’s House, you’re looking now at the conservatory. It’s one of the most evocative places in the house, Charles used to sit in the chair there on fine days, but it’s also one of the areas most in need of repair at the moment. Outside, crazy paving and a garden bench create a place of private, tranquil beauty and when the sun is high the conservatory is filled with brightness and warmth.

Mawkin:Causley & ‘I am the song’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mawkin:Causley’s stunning new album ‘The Awkward Recruit’ features a simply brilliant imagining of Charles Causley’s poem ‘I am the song’. The poem is a particular favourite here at thecausleyblog, and indeed we used to have a line from the poem as part of the banner on the old Cyprus Well Stories blog.

Jim Causley, the band’s charismatic frontman, says in the liner notes:

“One of my favourite of Uncle Charlie’s poems set to a tune I never intended to be a song tune but Mawkin insist it works, and I must admit I do love a bit of 5/4!”

The band is playing at the upcoming Sidmouth Folk Week and if you get a chance, you should definitely go see them. Mawkin:Causley also has a new website, and we have the link there to your left on the blogroll.

You’ll see Mawkin:Causley described as a folk boy band, but only with tongue in cheek because they’re so much more than that. We’re biased, obviously, but think that ‘The Awkward Recruit’ is amazing stuff: hotly played, passionately sung, wildly musical and fiercely intelligent.

Uncut  *****

The Guardian ****

The Telegraph ****

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mawkin:Causley talk about the new album.

The Scottish Poetry Library: Our friends in the north!

 

 

 

Drop along the blog of The Scottish Poetry Library when you get a chance, in particular this entry about Charles Causley. 

The Charles Causley Trust was there on other business, but delighted to get the chance to talk about Charles Causley and hear how popular and important a poet he is considered to be up in Scotland.

Visit the Scottish Poetry Library website here.

Charles Causley Trust link @ The Poetry Archive

 

 

 

We’re delighted to report that there is now a link to The Charles Causley Trust website from one of our favourite websites here at thecausleyblog: The Poetry Archive. The Poetry Archive is an amazing resource for poetry lovers everywhere, and features audio recordings of Charles Causley to listen to online and buy as a CD.

The Charles Causley Trust on BBC Radio Cornwall

The Charles Causley Trust is featured on BBC Radio Cornwall this week!