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Good Waltzes For...waltzing?


Jim Besser

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For an upcoming all-waltz gig, I'm looking for some new waltzes.

 

At last year's event, we did a few really interesting and complex waltzes that sounded great, but the dancers didn't really care for them. I'm interested in finding some new tunes that dance well, as well as sound good.

 

Any ideas?

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For an upcoming all-waltz gig, I'm looking for some new waltzes.

 

At last year's event, we did a few really interesting and complex waltzes that sounded great, but the dancers didn't really care for them. I'm interested in finding some new tunes that dance well, as well as sound good.

 

Any ideas?

 

A pair of nice waltzes that I'm currently playing (on flute - so they also have to be simple) Marino waltz and Man in the Moon Waltz. (Try JC tune finder here)

 

I can't vouch for the dancing bit though ... two left feet ... but I do sway badly when playing them.

Edited by spindizzy
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My current favorite:

 

X: 45

T:En Avant Blonde

M:3/4

L:1/8

K:EMin

E2 G2 A2 | B4 B2 | D2 F2 G2 | A4 A2 |

A2 G2 F2 | E4 G2 | F4 D2 | E6 :||

B2 BAGA | B2 G2 E2 | A2 AGFG | A2 F2 D2 |

B2 BAGA | B2 G2 E2 | A2 F2 D2 | E6 :||

 

Just off to a band booking for a wedding so will be playing it for the bride and groom's waltz.

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When dancing, I like a waltz with some variation in it. A sparser section implies a different, more flowing dancing feel, then some nice triplet arpeggios can imply a carefree, spinning feel. When it gets quiet, I'll dance in a more reserved fashion, then when the band comes back in with gusto, I'll break into some broader, wilder moves.

 

Here's a waltz I liked well enough to transcribe and post to the Tune-O-Tron: Gateshead Waltz. I think the third section lends itself to a nice reserved feel, then back to a grander scale on the fourth section.

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I found a nifty Swedish waltz the other day: Vals efter Farfadern. I think it translates to Grandfathers' Waltz?

 

I've added chords to the original which can be found on http://members.yline.com/~zeiler1/abc_eng.html

 

X: 1

T:Vals efter farfadern

T: Grandfathers' Waltz

C:Herman Axelsson

N: Added Chords

M:3/4

L:1/8

K:C

"C"e3 c Gc|E2G2c2|"G"B2 BA FA|DF B,D G,2|B2 BA FA|D2 A2 B2|"C"c3 G EG|C2 CE Gc|

e3 c Gc|E2G2c2|"G"B2 BA FA|DF B,D G,2|B2 BA FA|"G7"D2 A2 B2|"C"c3c c2|1 c3 E Gc:|2"C7" c4 G2||

|:"F"F3 F F2|A2 G2 F2|"C"E2 G3c|e6|"G"d3d d2|f2d2B2|"C"c3c c2|"C7"e2c2G2|

"F"F3 F F2|A2 G2 F2|"C"E2 G3c|e6|"G"d3d d2|f2d2B2|"C"c3c c2|1 c4G2:|2 c6 |]

 

I play it on a Lachenal English with guitar and banjo backup. I'm sure that wasn't the original intent but we sure had fun!

 

Matt

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For an upcoming all-waltz gig, I'm looking for some new waltzes.

 

At last year's event, we did a few really interesting and complex waltzes that sounded great, but the dancers didn't really care for them. I'm interested in finding some new tunes that dance well, as well as sound good.

 

Any ideas?

 

Jim I think it depends what kind of waltz the dancers are dancing. French trad, swedish trad, old time, ballroom Viennese? The needs aof the dancers are different for each. Had you any particular type in mind?

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Jim I think it depends what kind of waltz the dancers are dancing. French trad, swedish trad, old time, ballroom Viennese? The needs aof the dancers are different for each. Had you any particular type in mind?

 

Good point. It's a mixed bag, at a big festival; there will be a lot of contra dancers there, but also folks who have come to do dancing in other traditions, including Scandinavian..

 

THanks to all for the good suggestions; I've copied the music and will distribute it to the others.

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Larry Unger has written some wonderful tunes for waltzing. His 'Waltz Time' CD has several very good waltzes for dancing. Two of my favorites to play and to dance to are Leona Tuttle and Steciak's. He has published a lot of his tunes in two different books that can be found on his website here www.larryunger.net.

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Larry Unger has written some wonderful tunes for waltzing. His 'Waltz Time' CD has several very good waltzes for dancing. Two of my favorites to play and to dance to are Leona Tuttle and Steciak's. He has published a lot of his tunes in two different books that can be found on his website here www.larryunger.net.

 

Right you are; he's one of the best. My favorite Unger waltz: Steve and Betty. But they're almost all nice. Ariel Julia is gorgeous. Ditto The Dancer and Two Rivers. The Dancer is particularly fun to play on C/G anglo.

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Larry Unger has written some wonderful tunes for waltzing. His 'Waltz Time' CD has several very good waltzes for dancing. Two of my favorites to play and to dance to are Leona Tuttle and Steciak's. He has published a lot of his tunes in two different books that can be found on his website here www.larryunger.net.

 

 

Right you are; he's one of the best. My favorite Unger waltz: Steve and Betty. But they're almost all nice. Ariel Julia is gorgeous. Ditto The Dancer and Two Rivers. The Dancer is particularly fun to play on C/G anglo.

 

 

I like Steciak's a lot and have played it a few times, but find it devilishly hard.

Edited by Jim Besser
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Larry Unger has written some wonderful tunes for waltzing. His 'Waltz Time' CD has several very good waltzes for dancing. Two of my favorites to play and to dance to are Leona Tuttle and Steciak's. He has published a lot of his tunes in two different books that can be found on his website here www.larryunger.net.

 

 

Right you are; he's one of the best. My favorite Unger waltz: Steve and Betty. But they're almost all nice. Ariel Julia is gorgeous. Ditto The Dancer and Two Rivers. The Dancer is particularly fun to play on C/G anglo.

 

 

I like Steciak's a lot and have played it a few times, but find it devilishly hard.

 

 

I like the Dancer very much too. I would imagine Steciak's is quite difficult to play on the anglo since it is based on an unusual scale. Klezmer?? I play it on english.

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I like the Dancer very much too. I would imagine Steciak's is quite difficult to play on the anglo since it is based on an unusual scale. Klezmer?? I play it on english.

 

GEorge Marshall of Wild Asparagus does a wonderful version of The Dancer on EC. I don't find it real hard on AC. Steciak's is notier, a difficult scale, a real challenge. Last time I was in a group that played it, I played guitar instead.

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Waltz of the White Lilies here... and Waltz of the Little Girls ...here...are two of my favorites, frequently requested for weddings...

 

The name means "the owl" in Inuit...the waltz is called the OOk Pik Waltz...here..., and its made the rounds of music festivals and fiddle contests for years, and the scottish song/waltz The Dark Island ...Here... is also good, though this sheet music is a bit simplified...the two go together well.

 

...my daughter wants the Irish waltz called Inisheer here,... and Crested hens ...here is an interesting French/Breton waltz , all are reasonably concertina friendly...at least for 30 button anglo or better.

 

 

For something different, Stan Rogers wrote a song that makes a nice waltz...Tiny Fish for Japan is the name, and Tim O'Brien did another song with a waltzable melody......called Rod McNeil. I leave it up to you if you're interested in them...they're findable. I doubt anyone at the gig will ever have heard any of these except maybe Inisheer...let me know if you use them, I'd be curious as to how they're received.

 

 

Doug

Edited by paperpunchr
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The name means "the owl" in Inuit...the waltz is called the OOk Pik Waltz...here..., and its made the rounds of music festivals and fiddle contests for years, and the scottish song/waltz The Dark Island ...Here... is also good, though this sheet music is a bit simplified...the two go together well.

 

...my daughter wants the Irish waltz called Inisheer here,... and Crested hens ...here is an interesting French/Breton waltz , all are reasonably concertina friendly...at least for 30 button anglo or better.

 

I tried "Crested Hens," and it sure sounded familiar...turned out to be on our playlist already, but with a different name: on the Anglo International CD, it's part of a set labeled "Petit Valse/Mazurka."

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I tried "Crested Hens," and it sure sounded familiar...turned out to be on our playlist already, but with a different name: on the Anglo International CD, it's part of a set labeled "Petit Valse/Mazurka."

 

Ah...is there a Mazurka that follows it in your set? I'd be interested...we usually segue into a song...a Christy Moore number called Ride On...

 

Hope you try some of the others...they're very melodic and sentimental, and generally well received by a broad audience.

Edited by paperpunchr
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I went and loaded a few of these into my ABC player and found a good many errors in transcription...too bad, as they' are really pretty waltzes and you miss a lot of the beauty when parts are altered or omitted or there are glaringly wrong notes...Sorry. I'll try to find some other sources that play the melodies as they should be.

 

Doug

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Ah...is there a Mazurka that follows it in your set? I'd be interested...we usually segue into a song...a Christy Moore number called Ride On...

 

It's on Anglo international, CD 1; the playlist says "Petit Valse," which is a very pretty French waltz we play, and just "Mazurka," which is basically the same tune as Crested Hen. A very nice combination that dancers seem to like.

 

Thanks for the other suggestions. I am all-too-familiar with the problem of poor abc files, but the combination of abc and internet archives still represent a fantastic resource.

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