Cecil James Sharp

Cecil Sharp (1859-1924) was the most important of the English folk song collectors, gathering 4,977 tunes. He published 1, 118 of them and provided accompaniments for 501. His work led to a renewed interest in English art music and gave impetus to composers of the day, including Ralph Vaughan Williams. His influence on Vaughan Williams can be seen throughout The English Hymnal (1906).
Among Sharp’s publications is Folk Songs from Somerset issued in five parts from 1904 to 1909. Sharp was also an authority on the folk dance. During World War I, Sharp visited America gathering tunes and dances of English origin. After his death the tunes were published in a two-volume collection English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians edited by Maud Karpeles.

--The Presbyterian Hymnal Companion, 1993