Musical genre; tradition of performing literary ballads (from medieval to contemporary popular ones) as a song

concept

Two homeless orphans (a girl and a young woman) singing ballads to a family. Engraving by J. Romney after W. Gill.

The enraged musician: a street crowd with a ballad singer is creating such a noise that the musician in the window has to put his hands over his ears. Engraving by W. Hogarth, 1741.

The enraged musician: a street crowd with a ballad singer is creating such a noise that the musician in the window has to put his hands over his ears. Engraving by J. June after W. Hogarth.

Verses composed on the disgraceful traffic at present carried on of raising and selling the newly buried dead / William Smith.

The lovely northerne lasse : VVho in this ditty here complaining, shewes vvhat harme she got milking he[r] dadyes ewes. To a pleasant Scotch tune, called, The broome of Cowdon knowes.

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Ballads

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Verses composed on the disgraceful traffic at present carried on of raising and selling the newly buried dead / William Smith.

The enraged musician: a street crowd with a ballad singer is creating such a noise that the musician in the window has to put his hands over his ears. Engraving by J. June after W. Hogarth.

The lovely northerne lasse : VVho in this ditty here complaining, shewes vvhat harme she got milking he[r] dadyes ewes. To a pleasant Scotch tune, called, The broome of Cowdon knowes.

The enraged musician: a street crowd with a ballad singer is creating such a noise that the musician in the window has to put his hands over his ears. Engraving by W. Hogarth, 1741.

Two homeless orphans (a girl and a young woman) singing ballads to a family. Engraving by J. Romney after W. Gill.