From the first note of ‘When My Old Hat Was New’ to the last note of their encore, Peter and Barbara Snape had the Wighton audience in the palms of their hands!
Barbara’s voice is clear as a bell, and she has that wonderfully natural way of singing that tells the story, and reflects the mood, happy, sad, roguish, as required. Peter’s melodeon provides not just accompaniment but enhances the tale.
The North West of England has a rich and often undervalued song tradition, and it has no finer or more knowledgeable champions than the Snapes. (I have been reliving the concert, playing their CDs all week) – Sheena Wellington, The Wighton Heritage Centre, Dundee, February 2025
Peter and Barbara continue to keep the tradition alive, and trips for research are allied to a real understanding and affection for the songs. Peter is a fine melodeon player, a real master of his art, while Barbara’s voice sets the scene and mood of each song within the first few bars, a real gift. With aficionados like them around, the tradition is in very safe hands – David Jones, Folk North West, Winter 2019
Peter and Barbara Snape are entertaining, and their passion for performing their songs is infectious. The listener will be tapping their feet and joining in, while immersed in the story behind the song – Jacqueline Patten, English Dance & Song Magazine, Winter 2019
Peter and Barbara Snape present Traditional music in a way that will surely attract people to the very fabric that drives our lives. Too many artists who perform Traditional material do it in a way that may uphold the original traditions, but would never attract inside, those just looking through the window. Peter has a sensitive ear for song accompaniment and together with Barbara’s gift for interpreting a song’s true meaning, they create music that compels you to listen and take part – David Jones, Folk North West, Summer 2016
Barbara is a robust singer with a wide emotional range. She has the craft to haul you into a song. Peter is a melodeon player who provides subtle accompaniment to the songs and steps out in the tunes. They have the knowledge and skills to search out lesser-known material with a regional flavour, then put it across well. Many younger, more lauded performers could learn from them – Tony Hendry, The Living Tradition, Summer 2016
All in the song
After a couple of months of self-isolation because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was looking forward to hearing some new music or at least some new recordings of old music, and your CD fits the bill admirably. The songs are a good mix, obviously well researched, and the ‘delivery’ is excellent, with Barbara’s vocals complemented by Peter’s sturdy melodeon accompaniment. The useful, legible sleeve notes complete this impressive album’s presentation – Bruce Cameron, ‘Come All Ye’, Folk Radio Show, NSW, Australia
Listening to this album is bound to raise a smile. Peter and Barbara Snape are entertaining and their passion for performing the songs is infectious. The listener will be tapping their feet and joining in, while immersed in the story behind the song. Many of the songs were found on broadsides, others are from collections of ballads, and some from research done by contemporaries. This album portrays a picture of the English working class in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of the 14 tracks, ‘The Factory Girl’, ‘Collier Lass’, ‘Work Boys Work’ and several others focus on working life, while ‘Bonny Blue Handkerchief’ and ‘The Isle of St Helena’ focus on the people and their emotions. It is a lesson in social history. The Snapes empathise with their subjects, conveying to the audience what life may have been like in good and hard times. Their fresh and uplifting approach does not conjure up images of gloom and despondency as so often happens. Peter’s skilful melodeon playing is supplemented on many tracks by John Adams on trombone and Poppy Weatherall on violin. The arrangements compliment rather than detract from them – Jacqueline Patten, English Dance & Song Magazine December 2019
Upward Onward
Upward Onward is an album of mostly older songs and tunes from, and associated with, Lancashire and the North West of England. Many of the stories evocatively relate the challenges and resilience of “ordinary folk” as they get on with their lives in difficult circumstances. Very impressive, thought-provoking CD – ‘Come All Ye’, Folk Radio Show, NSW, Australia
Peter and Barbara Snape have put together a fine body of work since meeting at an East Lancashire folk club in 2004. Upward Onward is their fourth album. It’s another confident, well-researched mix of traditional and music hall songs, poem arrangements and dance tunes. The Lancashire focus is maintained. Barbara is a robust singer with a wide emotional range. She has the craft to haul you into a song. Peter is a melodeon player who provides subtle accompaniment to the songs and steps out in the tunes. They are well supported by John Adams on trombone, violin and viola; Kath Ord on violin and viola; and Sorrel Harty on piano. Peter and Barbara are mature performers with the knowledge and skills to search out lesser-known material with a regional flavour, then put it across well. Many younger, more lauded performers could learn from them – Tony Hendry, The Living Tradition Issue 115, www.livingtradition.co.uk
Upward Onward’s songs and tunes, predominantly from the Snapes’ native Lancashire, are virtually guaranteed to leave you in good spirits. The duo alone have a powerful sound, with Peter on melodeons and Barbara on vocals. But there are, through the album, fitting contributions from John Adams (trombone, viola and violin) and ceilidh band colleagues Kath Ord (viola and violin) and Sorrel Harty (piano). They feature a range of styles and moods but always in the voice of Lancashire. Barbara is equally at home on serious moving topics such as ‘The Fair Drummer Boy’ and the hymn ‘Hold The Fort’ as on comic material like ‘The Lawyer and The Cow’.
Their research is impressive. The joy that the Snape’s invest in the delivery of words and music is infectious – Colin Bailey, R2 Magazine, Issue 58
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