Scandanavian Squeeze-in 2005

[Wrigglefingers]

It's 12.45am and I've just got home to Bath from the SSI this year. I've had a fantastic time all thanks to Louise, Pontus and Jim again. It's been great music, delicious food, brilliant weather and stellar company; I'm looking forward to next year already!

 

Regards, Jill

 

edited to revise some interesting speloling - I'm very tired!

Edited April 25, 2005 by Wrigglefingers

[JimLucas]

...all thanks to Louise, Pontus and Jim...

[edited to revise some interesting speloling - I'm very tired!]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Still one spelling typo there: That "all thanks" should be "small thanks".

 

Louise, Pontus, and I just arrange the opportunity. It's the arrival of the other participants that makes it into the wonderful experience that it is!

 

This year we saw many former faces again, welcomed a few new ones, and missed some old friends whom we hope we'll see again. (Samantha's name, in particular, was invoked many times. )

 

I, and I suspect others, will write more once we've rested a bit. In the meantime, I would like to say, "All thanks to all who particpated."

[Henk van Aalten]

I join Jill in thanking Louise, Pontus and Jim!! They organised a great SSI.

Certainly we missed Samantha, but what a company we had this year.

 

Last weekend this certainly was a "happy house".

 

 

I will post some more later, because I just arrived safely and very tired!

Edited April 25, 2005 by Henk van Aalten

[JimLucas]

Certainly we missed Samantha, but what a company we had this year.

Indeed we did. Truly wonderful music and companionship all around. (Henk, by the way, has evolved into a truly fine player of music from multiple traditions.)

 

I will post some more later, because I just arrived safely and very tired!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Glad to hear it. (At least the "safely" part. I saw Henk off early this morning, after which I went back to bed for a few more hours' sleep. )

[John Wild]

This year we saw many former faces again

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

SO The plastic surgery did not work!!! I did not know there was a reversal procedure

[Chris Timson]

For those who got a copy of the English Tunes CD after the English Tunes workshop, here is a copy of the sleeve notes:-

I don't know the names of all the tunes, but these are the ones I do know.

There were about 50 musicians present, and no amplification was used

by anyone. You can probably hear me quite clearly, since I was sitting

next to the recorder. Listen for the concertina on the right hand speaker.

 

1. Off she goes

2. Stop the cavalry

3. Seven Stars / ?

4. The Hornet

5. ?/ ?

6.  ?

7. The Coleford Jig / The Worcester Hornpipe / The Gloucester Hornpipe

8. Whose Jig / Major Mackie’s Jig

9. ?

10 ?

11. ? / The Curly-Headed Ploughboy / Galopede /Tannerman

12. LNB Polka / Dark Girl Dressed in Blue

13. Spirit of the Dance

14. Hare in the Long Grass

15. Redowa Polka

16. Waterloo Dance

Right, that's one job out the way.

 

We had a brilliant time too. A nice set of volunteer workshops with a real international air, great weather, great food and drink and great location are really only the window dressing. The joy of the weekend is the company, which as ever was friendly, helpful, amusing, talented, wise, musical, versatile (where's my thesaurus, I'm running out of words. Never mind, Jim can supply a few).

 

Thanks to Louise, Pontus and Jim for doing it again with style.

 

Chris

 

PS Erwin where were you when we needed you?

 

PPS Hope as many of the regulars as possible make it to the Arran Squeeze In

Edited April 26, 2005 by Chris Timson

[Henk van Aalten]

For those who got a copy of the English Tunes CD after the English Tunes workshop, here is a copy of the sleeve notes:-

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Chris for the titles. I will listen this afternoon to the music. Right now I took a day extra off and I'm making an inventory of the concert recordings. It really brings me back to Sweden! Although my body is here in the Netherlands, my mind is still in Torna Hällestad

[JimLucas]

SSI 2005 - An Outline Review

 

The SSI is not as big as the NESI, and while I would love to see more people there, the smaller size does have certain advantages.

 

As has become the custom, we all gathered first at Louise and Pontus' home for tea and conversation until the last participant arrived. Then we distributed ourselves among the cars of those who had them, and drove the few kilometers up to Torna Hällestad, where we staked our claims on rooms/beds, then gathered in the main room for...

 

Our traditional Friday-evening meal of homemade bread and soup. This year it was nettle soup, something I've never seen in the soupermarket, but delicious. (I, who have lately been dieting, had three helpings. ) With our hunger satisfied, we then took suggestions for workshops, determined how much desire there was for each suggestion, found one or more persons willing to lead each workshop for which there was adequate demand, and worked out a schedule. We scheduled four time slots -- Saturday morning, a split Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning, -- with two workshops in each. Of course, this meant that noone could attend more than half of the workshops, but that will always happen when people have more interests than time. I myself consented to lead three of the workshops -- something I've managed to avoid at previous SSI's, -- which limited my own choices. (I also got drafted to do some minor repair work, but that was separate, and I wasn't alone in that.)

 

Workshops:

Beginning English concertina

English tunes

Learning by ear

Swedish & Danish tunes

Arrangements & accompaniments seminar

French tunes

Writing your own tunes

Dutch traditional music (tunes & songs)

 

There was also time for informal interactions, such as the repair work, a fiddle lesson, trying other people's instruments, walks in the woods, etc. As usual, I brought my various instruments and my collection of tutor books, old concertina arrangements, magazines, photos, etc. Since I no longer have a car, special thanks to Henk, who gave a lift to me and my "entourage".

 

In a moment, more about the non-workshop "events", but first a note of thanks to our caterers, Elizabeth and her children. Normally they would prepare everything at home and just bring it to be served, but they made deliberate use of the local kitchen facilities, so that they could listen to us play as they worked.

 

Friday night: After the soup and planning the workshops, we headed off for a session at the cafe-pub Tolvan, owned and run by the citizens of the village. This was our fifth year there, and we are now considered a regular annual event. This particular evening there was first a concert by some local youth and other musicians. That ran 7-10 pm, and we arrived in the middle, so we got to enjoy their guitar, drums, song, and more. Then we started playing and singing, with folks taking turns as they felt the urge, sometimes as solos but mostly with one or more others joining in. It wasn't all just concertina. We had whistle, harmonica, fiddle, various percussion... and Jamie Boorer played a rousing set on the piano. Even some of the local residents joined in on a few numbers. I think it was about 01:00 when we wandered the kilometer or so back to the scout house, where some of us continued in the same vein until about 03:00.

 

Saturday evening after dinner was similar to the Friday session, except that we played strictly for ourselves and each other. I think we also felt freer to experiment more. It was a wonderful mix, again not just concertinas. Singing ranged from a capella hymn to music hall to songs from various traditions. "Tunes" ranged among French, English, Irish, Danish, Swedish, baroque, and more... solos, duets, and larger conglomerations. We got to hear the English made to sound like an anglo and the anglo made to sound like an English. Really too much and too wonderful to describe properly. Jokes and stories were told, but they were part of the flow, rather than interrupting it. And there was almost no formality too it; individuals took turns when they felt like it, or occasionally when they were asked to. There was no sense of competition, but everyone wanted to hear everyone else, and everyone took part. I think a few folks went to bed as early as midnight, while the diehards again continued till 3 am.

 

Mealtimes were both more of the same and something else. Conversation ranged over every topic imaginable, and even some one wouldn't (shouldn't?) have imagined. Linguistics, politics, "dirty" jokes, personal anecdotes, puns galore, even music and concertinas. :-) And the food was most enjoyable, too.

 

After the Sunday morning workshops we gathered for the traditional group photo of ourselves and our instruments, then packed, cleaned, and headed off to Louise and Pontus', again. It's been a tradition that on Sunday afternoon we're sponsored in an impromptu concert, in return for which we get a free meal. This year we had the unsettling surprise of our sponsor backing out only a few days before the event. But ever-resourceful, Louise booked the community hall where she and Pontus live, advertised among friends and neighbors, and got Elizabeth (our caterer) to add one more meal for us and treats for our audience to what she had already agreed to. We got a reasonable turnout of a most appreciative audience, and I dare say we gave them a fine and varied show.

 

After that we all returned to Louise' and Pontus' living room, from which we departed by ones and twos to make our respective homeward journeys. Those who stayed long enough shared snacks, tea, a pizza dinner, and the last of the Belgian beer that Henk had brought to the weekend. A few even stayed over (by prearrangement), and made their exit to the airport on the following day.

 

My next post will be a less structured accounting of a few of what for me were personal high points.

[JimLucas]

SSI 2005 - Highlights

 

My preceding post is a review that gives a general outline of what we did over the weekend. Here I'll describe what for me were some of the highlights.

 

1) Chris playing an English tune, which Rickard and Louise then demonstrated was essentially the same tune as a traditional Swedish song, which was further identified as the tune to the Shaker (American religious community) hymn "Simple Gifts", which is the tune that Sidney Carter used for his song, "Lord of the Dance."

 

2) Jamie Boorer, who not only did some wonderful songs from the English music hall tradition, accompanying himself on Crane duet, but also did a rousing solo on the piano in the pub, then backed me up on piano as I played an American fiddle rag on my concertina.

 

3) The brothers Chapman. Danny and his English concertina I've known for some time, and I'm somewhat jealous of both his repertoire and his control of the instrument, some of which you can hear (Danny is "Ratface") on Henk's tune links page. And I knew he also plays melodeon (English definition) and recently took up the cello. But it was a pleasant surprise when both he and his brother Sam -- a newcomer this year -- played Bach on the little foot-pump reed organ in Louise' and Pontus' kitchen.

 

I've mentioned before that both Jonathan and Henrik play Irish music on the English concertina in a style that even experts would mistake for an anglo. Sam turns that around. On a mediocre anglo, he plays so smoothly and lyrically -- even on lightning-fast reels -- that one would think he was playing a top-of-the-line English. And when the three of them played together, it was just wonderful! (Of course, sometimes others of us joined them, too.)

 

4) Helge, our first participant from Norway, who is an enthusiastic beginner on the English, but also brought his harmonicas and... a sheng, which many of us tried to play, with emphasis on "tried".

 

5) Henrik, with his fine banjo playing in additon to his concertina, a Stagi miniature to which he has added wooden-block extensions, to make it easier to hold. (He says the design is still under development, changing almost daily.)

 

6) The food: I'm a confirmed meat eater, and the menu was basically vegetarian, but it was delicious, and entirely satisfying. I didn't miss the meat at all. Three cheers for the caterers!

 

7) The weather: It was cool, but sunny the entire weekend, or at least during the daylight hours. So far, we've only had one rainy SSI out of six. I like to think it's the weekend we chose (the last full weekend in April), rather than just luck.

 

8) The music: The two most notable things about the music were the quality and the variety. I've mentioned a few bits already. We had solos, small groups, and "all-in" numbers. Songs -- in a variety of languages -- ranged from "mouth music" and a capella harmony to music hall and traditional songs accompanied in various styles and on all kinds of concertina. There were slow airs and dance tunes from England, Ireland, Scotland, The Netherlands, France, the Balkans, the USA, Canada, and more. For instruments we had anglos, English, and duets, whistles, bones, spoons, bodhran, banjos, fiddles, melodeon, cello,... and I've probably missed some.

 

9) The company: We were a wonderfully friendly conglomeration from a variety of backgrounds, with wide-ranging interests and talents. Topics of conversation included many that were potentially controversial, yet no one took offense, no matter how outrageous the opinions... or puns. Stories were met by more stories, in a spirit more of sharing than competition, and digressions were pursued with enthusiasm.

 

10) One and all: I could continue by naming specific things I enjoyed about each individual, from Rickard's style on his G/D anglo and Anne's singing to discovering the talents of each of the newcomers -- Helge, Jan, Sam -- and even some of the returnees -- Danny's and James' keyboard talents, and the fact that Henk has left the "beginner" label far behind. But I have to end somewhere, so let it be here.

 

... Except to say that I also hope to have some pictures available in a day or two.

[Helen]

This sounds like a lovely weekend. Thanks especially to Jim for taking us right there with your narrative.

[Henk van Aalten]

SSI 2005 - Some photographic impressions

 

In addition to Jim's impressions and highlights of the SSI, I post some pictures below:

 

Saturday evening at the dinner table

 

From left to right: (a tiny slice of) Jörgen, Jim, Danny, Rickard, Chris, Anne and Jonathan

 

From right to left: Jamie, Sam, Henrik, Louise, Pontus, Helge, Johan, Maria

 

Desert with Louise's famous chocolate cake in the center. Helge's after dinner speeching and showing the oldest free reed instrument, the Chinese Sheng.

 

Henrik and Jamie have a close look at the Sheng

 

Jim gives it a try!

 

Meanwhile Chris and Jill are repairing Maria's EC

 

A painstaking inspection by Jill

 

Saturday evening/night event with singing, playing, drinking and talking

 

Danny playing, while Maria and Louise listen

 

Henrik playing Irish tunes on his heavily modified mini-stagi EC, called "Frankenstein"

 

Louise singing a Swedish song

 

More to follow tomorrow (it's sleeping time )

Edited April 28, 2005 by Henk van Aalten

[Henk van Aalten]

SSI 2005 - Some photographic impressions - part 2

 

Some more pictures:

 

Sunday - the "exhibition"

 

Building up the exhibition.

 

Every instrument is shown: Helge's harmonica's and sheng, Jim's vast collection, Henrik's banjos, etc. etc.

 

Just before the final group-photo: everyone is making his/her own picture.

 

Sunday afternoon - the concert

 

Jonathan and Henrik playing a set of Irish tunes (you should hear those two playing Irish on EC!)

 

Jamie playing and singing "Henry does not eat no meat". At the end of the concert Jim sings a Russian song, while playing his bass EC.

 

Sunday afternoon/evening - at Louise's and Pontus's place

 

Jim, having a look at Maria's concertina, while James is watching.

 

Knowing Jim's love for the concertina, he could kiss a concertina. In fact he is checking leakage of the pads

Edited April 28, 2005 by Henk van Aalten

[Mark Evans]

Thank you Henk. That was really enjoyable. What an nice gathering. I assume that wayward trumpet was Jims.

 

Jim, thank you for the report. Lovely, lovely event.

 

Makes me feel empty that I was not there.

Edited April 29, 2005 by Mark Evans

[Chris Timson]

Makes me feel empty that I was not there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And makes me feel very glad I was. Come and fill that void next year!

 

I've been to every one except the very first, so far, and while I am not going to try and pick a very best, this one was definitely vintage.

 

Chris

 

PS Jim doesn't mention that the very late sessions on Friday and Saturday consisted of two bottles of single malt and a pile of glasses placed in the middle of the floor, surrounded by everyone that was still up. The result was gentle and mellow conversation that was one of my personal high points. Oh, and Henk's Duvel!

[Jamie Boorer]

Greetings, thanks and congratulations to all attendees!

 

I agree with you Chris : though the music, food and location are all exquisite, the best bit of the SSI is relaxing in the company of a diverse group of witty interesting and generous people (all of whom happen to play the concertina). All made possible by the efficient and unobtrusive organisation of Messrs Lucas, Lundberg and Thuvessen.

 

More power to everyone's elbow

 

- James

 

ps funny, I didn't miss Samantha in the slightest

[JimLucas]

... funny, I didn't miss Samantha in the slightest 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, you do have the advantage of us in time already spent in her company. No?

[Samantha]

... funny, I didn't miss Samantha in the slightest 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, you do have the advantage of us in time already spent in her company. No?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not if we can help it . Why do you think I moved to Scotland!!!!!!!

[Chris Timson]

Why do you think I moved to Scotland!!!!!!!

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Because it's closer to your brother than Moscow?

 

Well, maybe not ...

 

Chris