Carole Pegg interviewed by Carolyn Landau. (1 of 3).

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Track 1 [1 hr, 27 mins, 43 secs] [Session one: 9 July 2010] Carole Ann Pegg [CP], born Nottingham, September 1944. Summarises working class family background and recalls early musical experiences. First sang in public at Nottingham University ‘House of the Rising Sun’. Joined Cambridge Folk Club. Formed trio with Bob Pegg and Gil Evans. Didn’t finish university, married Bob Pegg and formed folk rock band, Mr Fox. Wrote own songs using traditional themes. Unlearnt classical violin and took up fiddle. By listening to Morris fiddling created English fiddling style. Notes famous people use her style, mentions Eliza Carthy. Moved to Cambridge in 1972. Passed Cambridge entrance exam 1976.Outlines entry to Anthropology. First year studied Religious Studies because of psychic experiences. Second year changed to Anthropology and in final year did dissertation on the music of East Suffolk including film ‘Tune Up The Ship’. First time an anthropologist had used music. Supervised by Professor Jack Goody. [15:42] Discusses differences between ethnomusicology and anthropology. Mentions John Blacking. [19:25] Describes impressions of days at ICTM [International Council of Traditional Music] UK Chapter, first as committee member and then chairperson, along with Richard Widdess and David Hughes. Set up British Journal of Ethnomusicology. [21.40] [track paused while CP gets first issue of journal] Confirms journal was set up with John Bailey, David Hughes and Richard Widdess. Now called Ethnomusicology Forum and the organisation is the British Forum for Ethnomusicology. [27:00] Describes a film made in Cambridge of Laurence Picken, Fellow of Jesus College. Used university studio and dressed it using photos of his life in Turkey and China. Finished with music of the Tang Court. During filming Laurence introduced her to Mongolian music. [30:00]. Discussion of how no British university was then covering Mongolian studies. Cambridge Social Anthropology Department set up research unit into Mongolian music called Mongolia and Inner Asia Studies Unit. CP got research funding and went to Mongolia. [31:00] Outlines events relating to travels in Mongolia. In 1987 went to Tibet and Inner Mongolia. 1988 brought eleven musicians and dancers to tour United Kingdom. When her book came out 12 years later, she went again to north Mongolia and found people knew her work. Remarks that her career has been more outside of institutions and a mix of academia, music-making and film-making. Talks about the distinction between British ethnomusicology and and relationship to anthropology and desire to encourage British perspectives. Less interested in sameness, more in why people are different. [53:35] Description of her experiences of making recordings, including recordings of self at start of career, issues around failing equipment and techniques for recording interviews. Comments on anthropological difficulties of recording. [1:00:00] Outlines what she does with recordings after she has used them. Mentions World Oral Literature Project at Cambridge and its brief to save endangered oral literature. [1:05:30]. Reflects on her feelings about performers, rather than performances. Tells story as an example of 1988 tour of musicians from Tuva, Khakassia and Altai. Outlines how workshops were structured and purpose of that structure. [1:12:00]. Remarks on purpose of recording interviews, and what is not the purpose. [1:14:11]. Comments on desire to have pure knowledge when there are so many social and health problems in the places the recordings come from which are not known about in the west. [1:17:00] Remarks that British anthropologists do not embrace music and dance. Comments that this is why she went to the music faculty, but now wants to renew connection with anthropology and to have music involved with anthropology. [1:22:00] Mentions involvement with New Grove dictionary up to hard copy publication. Peggy Deusenberry asked her to join.

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2010-07-09