The Lost Words - Spell Songs

The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, a remarkable response to the loss of everyday nature words such as "acorn", "bluebell", and "kingfisher" from a widely used children’s dictionary, inspired Folk by the Oak festival to commission Spell Songs, a musical companion piece to this astonishing book.

Spell Songs brings together eight remarkable musicians, whose music already engages deeply with landscape and nature, to respond to the creatures, art and language of The Lost Words.

Karine Polwart
Julie Fowlis
Seckou Keita
Kris Drever
Kerry Andrew
Rachel Newton
Beth Porter
Jim Molyneux

Spell Songs will enable these acclaimed and diverse musicians to weave together elements of British folk music, Senegalese folk traditions, experimental and classical music, and create an inspiring new body of work.

This performance takes place in Birmingham’s most iconic historic building. Since opening in 1834 Birmingham Town Hall has been a hub of civic and cultural life at the heart of the city, welcoming artists from all genres and gaining it a reputation of being the city’s most versatile venue.