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Diatonic Liaisons


Gary Chapin

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Alexandra Browne has re-released her Diatonic Liaisons tune book (last in print about 13 years ago). It features tunes by Frédéric Paris, Dave Roberts, Bruno le Tron, Alain Pennec, Alan Lamb, Andy Cutting, Trevor Upham, and Marc Perrone. The tunes are in sheet music (not tab), and in the various keys of various accordions, THUS, it seems like someone with a concertina would be able to make more ready use of this book than I can with my two row G/C boxes.

 

Here's a brief piece about the book:

 

http://accordeonaire.blogspot.com/2011/11/tribute-diatonic-liaisons.html

 

Here's an interview with the author:

 

http://accordeonaire.blogspot.com/2011/11/interview-with-alexandra-browne.html

 

Thank you!

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Here's a sample page, if you want to see what it looks like.

 

http://accordeonaire.blogspot.com/2011/11/tune-bay-tree.html

 

This isn't just another music book, it's a work of art too. Apart from the lines on the stave the whole thing is beautifully hand drawn. This would make a wonderful gift for any musician who treasures books. :)

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This is good news. The book is beautiful and Alex comes over as someone you would like to meet.

 

It is not designed for concertina playing though. It would be easy enough to pick out the melody but would miss a lot by doing that. Duet players may find more to go at.

 

Good to see it available again in any case.

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How can I buy a copy?

 

As a PDF download from Alex or in hard copy by post if there are any left. Roger Gawley has a point though, the book was written with diatonic button accordions in mind. Some of that (very little really) transfers to the anglo but precious little to the English. If you just love pretty music books and you're happy with the melody alone however ...

 

Should I summon her to answer your plea?

 

Pete.

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Roger Gawley has a point though, the book was written with diatonic button accordions in mind. Some of that (very little really) transfers to the anglo but precious little to the English. If you just love pretty music books and you're happy with the melody alone however ...

I disagree. As a tunebook (not a tutorial) I'm pretty sure I'd get much more use out of it on a three row anglo or an English than I do on my diato. I haven't done a tally, but very few of the pieces are written for G/C box ... all the C/F and A/D and three row tunes need significant alterations if I am to play them. I don't think this would be as much of a problem on either of the concertina types.

Edited by Gary Chapin
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How can I buy a copy?

 

As a PDF download from Alex or in hard copy by post if there are any left. Roger Gawley has a point though, the book was written with diatonic button accordions in mind. Some of that (very little really) transfers to the anglo but precious little to the English. If you just love pretty music books and you're happy with the melody alone however ...

 

Should I summon her to answer your plea?

 

Pete.

 

 

How can I buy a copy?

All of the information is at http://accordeonaire...c-liaisons.html

 

Thanks.

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Also the countermelodies are playable and the chords are useful for drone notes or simple chords. It's only the fingering advice that really doesn't work on EC ;)

 

I have the book, and an EC, but don't think I've ever tried playing anything from one on the other. The reason is that most of the tunes are pretty ideomatic - they're written by diatonic accordeon players for the diatonic accordeon and most of the info on each page is specific to playing them on the diatonic accordeon - accompaniment, counter melodies, ornamentation etc. There are some nice tunes in there, but if you just want nice tunes, there are much better tunebooks/sources. The benefit to the book is that it gives you an insight into how some great diatonic accordeon players turn dots into the music you hear when they play, and that particular benefit is going to be completely lost if you just pick it up for the tunes.

 

It is a pretty book, too, though :)

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