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Benjamin's Book


Chris Drinkwater

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So, my interpretation of this, is that ...

That's where it came unstuck, right there.

 

I was too lazy to google anything so I just asked the wife who assured me it's not as simple as that. I tend to respect her opinion in such matters, she is after all a lawyer. :rolleyes:

 

 

Just goes to show you can't always trust the opinion of a lawyer, unless they specialise in copyright law and protection, even if, in this case, she is your wife! :rolleyes: That'll learn ya to double check and Google for yourself, Pete. :ph34r:

 

BTW, how do you protect your music as a songwriter/composer? Currently, no official form of registration is available. In the UK, all original music is protected by copyright from the time it is recorded/written down in some format. It is important to be able to prove that you own the copyright of a particular recording/manuscript. To do this the following, is suggested:

 

Send a copy of the recording/manuscript to yourself by 'Special Delivery'. Clearly mark the envelope so you know what music it holds but keep it sealed and/or store a copy with your solicitor or bank manager. Remember to keep a receipt and be aware that this method is likely to cost you some money.

 

If you follow the suggestions outlined above you have a better chance of proving you own the copyright if any of your music is disputed. :)

 

Chris

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But, judging by the sample pages of Mr Rose's book, you hardly have to make an effort with his music. It's quite beautiful, extremely clear and far more painstaking than Stanley's for starters. I grant it's not exactly what most of us may be used to but I doubt the clarity could be much improved, frankly, looking at it, unless they have chosen the clearest pages as samples and the rest is of a spectacularly lower standard. Presumably this was also the opinion of Messrs Thompson and Laycock themselves, or they'd have organised a transcription instead of a facsimile.

 

By and large the music is clear and clean but always shows shadows of the music on the opposite page, like that of a book long closed; sometimes quite strongly which distracts the eye here and there. There are remarkably few musical errors and I've ploughed my way through the first hundred and seven tunes quite smartly although to be honest I've had to listen to Colin's playing in quite a number of tunes to sort out odd bits of archaic musical script. Did you for instance know that a crotchet rest was once signified by a reversed quaver rest?

 

I've suddenly ground to a halt at tune no. 108 out of 133. It's as if this is written by a different hand, both in a musical sense and in that of graphical style. Quavers and semi-quavers have developed ornate curlicues not previously encountered in this manuscript. It may take me many times longer to transcribe this single tune than any other, I may even have to hold my hands up and seek help elsewhere to make sense of it.

 

It's also worth pointing out that much of the music is written at about eight bars per stave line but is printed at a size no more than two thirds of the width of an A4 page (which is already narrower than traditionally printed sheet music) so it's pretty compact! I don't mind your organic approach if it suits you, but I still prefer bold printing with good contrast ta very much. B)

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Well, it's almost finished at last, thank goodness. Most of it was very straightforward but one or two tunes towards the end were really quite challenging. I await final proofreading and correction but that's me pretty much done. Colin and Tim aren't inclined to be too forthcoming with PDF copies of the music at this stage and I have to say I understand their point of view entirely. They bought the manuscript from the finder and spent three years on research before investing in a beautifully produced printed reproduction of the manuscript itself. Many hours were spent recording every one of the tunes, not just mechanically bashed out midi files but thoughtful, sympathetic arrangements by decent musicians. It's been fun and if Colin and Tim do a workshop within striking distance of me I'll be there.

 

Apparently there are two other manuscripts and the proceeds from Benjamin's Book will be ploughed back in to making these available too. I can't wait!

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A lovely book. The facsimile gives much more insight than modern transcription and the marginal and other notes give the living contaxt. I think the poems by Wm. Barnes add a great deal and show that traditional music and dance were integral to everyday life. The reference to the accompaniment on frying pan and rolling pin calls to mind rogue percussionists today!

Interesting that Rose didn't collect or play 3/2 hornpipes by 1820. The reference to stage shows and professional seems to coincide with the transition to 4/4 horpipes.

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A lovely book. The facsimile gives much more insight than modern transcription . . .

 

I couldn't agree more that this is a beautifully presented, wonderful reproduction of a handwritten manuscript that appears to be in remarkably good condition for it's age. It's only March and already I'm convinced this will be my music book of the year, possibly the decade although it's a little early to tell! Once again I have to say that the 'modern transcription' I made was to do with letting my eyes read the music at playing speed (rather less than that to be honest because given half a chance my eyes can read faster than my fumbling fingers can play!) and not because the print quality was poor. :ph34r:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Like Dirge, I enjoy looking at the handwritten music in Benjamin's Book......and a real connection to the man and the music he loved. But I'm with Tallship for reading it.

My sight reading is sketchy but passable if it looks like what I'm used to seeing.

So my solution has been to buy a very cheap transcription software (Noteworthy). Learning it it is no more effort than learning a new 4-part tune. I can then transcibe the tunes I like for my use.

I transcribed Jacks Alive today in maybe 5 minutes.

Not only was I delighted to recieve Benjamin's Book but I had a lovely hand-written letter (remember them ?) enclosed from Tim saying how pleased he was it was that mine was the first copy he had sent to North America.

Very nice...........Robin

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Not only was I delighted to recieve Benjamin's Book but I had a lovely hand-written letter (remember them ?) enclosed from Tim saying how pleased he was it was that mine was the first copy he had sent to North America.

Similarly, he told me that I was his first USA order, although that shipment seems to have gone astray. He offered to send another one, but I told him I would be in England soon (see this thread) so instead of shipping another one here, he sent it to my hotel in London where I received it.

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