Songs inspired by 10th Century writing to be performed in Exeter
The clever perceptions and edgy humour of Anglo Saxon writers will reach a new audience when songs inspired by The Exeter Book are performed in the city’s Cathedral, writes Philippa Davies.
The Exeter Riddles anthology is thought to be the oldest surviving book of English literature in the world. It contains nearly 100 poetic riddles which are rich in metaphor, wordplay, symbolism and sometimes bawdy humour.
The manuscript, written in Old English, was donated to Exeter Cathedral by its first bishop, Leofric, in 1072 and has been kept in the Cathedral Library ever since that time.
The themes of the riddles include everyday household objects and tools, weather conditions, Christian beliefs and concepts, weapons such as spears and daggers, musical instruments, wild animals, livestock, and food and drink.
The writing style suggests that they were read aloud, inviting listeners to work out their hidden meanings – and laugh at the ‘double entendres’ that introduce an earthy or obscene element to a few of the verses.
But there’s still speculation about many of the solutions, as they are not included in the book. Now the work of those Anglo Saxon wordsmiths is being opened up to a new interpretation.
A Devon-based band and artistic collective, Jack Dean & Company, have created a musical called ‘The Book of Riddles’ and recruited a community choir who are helping to write songs for a performance at the cathedral.
‘We want to offer people a friendly, welcoming space to come together to sing, be creative and make some music,’ says Jack Dean. Image: Matt Austin.
‘Songs inspired by riddles in the Exeter Book’
‘We will be making and rehearsing songs inspired by riddles in the Exeter Book, some of which are humorous, some are religious, some are still unsolved; all of them are poetic and playful,’ says singer and writer Jack Dean.
‘We want to offer people a friendly, welcoming space to come together to sing, be creative and make some music. At the end of the project, we will celebrate what we have been making and rehearsing with a work-in-progress performance.’
Rehearsals began in mid-February, but people can still sign up to take part if they are interested.
To do so, email Izzy at Jack Dean & Company: [email protected]
The choir rehearsal period runs until Wednesday, April 23, and choir members are also given the chance to join dedicated research sessions exploring the Cathedral’s Library and Archive collections.
The project is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
