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Springtime in Battersea (T.Williams)


Robin Harrison

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I've done a search for the notes but don't seem to be able to un-earth them.

Does anyone know if they are available anywhere or indeed does anyone have them written out.

Thanks for any help

Robin

 

 

I found the abc for it about halfway down the page at http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/SPRI_SRU.htm

Hope that is of some help

Pete

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Well I copied the below into that transposer and it didn't work. What did I do wrong ?

 

 

 

GA | B6 | A4 G2 | B6 | A4 G2 | (3GAG ^F2 G2 | e4 d2 | c6- | c4 ||

P:A

CD | E4 G2 | E4 G2 | E6- | E2D2E2 | F4 A2 | F4 A2 | F6- | F2 G2 A2 |

B4 f2 | B4 f2 | B6- | B2 A2 B2 | c4 e2 | c4 A2 | G6- | G4 CD |

| E4 G2 | E4 G2 | E6- | E2D2E2 | F4 A2 | F4 A2 | F6- | F2 G2 A2 |

B4 f2 | B4 f2 | B6- | B2 A2 B2 | c4 e2 | c4 e2 | c6- | c6 ||

P:B

c6 | B6 | d6 | c6 | c2 e2 f2 | A4 f2 | A6- | A2 G2 A2 |

B6 | A4 G2 | F6- | F2 E2 F2 | A6 | G6 | E6- | E4 G2 |

c6 | B6 | d6 | c6 | c2 e2 f2 | A4 f2 | A6- | A2 G2 A2 |

B4 B2 | A4 G2 | B6 | A4 G2 | (3GAG ^F2 G2 | e4 d2 | c6- | c4 ||

P:C

K:G

D2 | (3GAG D2B2 | (3GAG D2 B2 | A2 z2 F2 | D6 | D2 F2 A2 | d3c BA |\

B2 G2 E2 | D4 D2 |

(3GAG D2B2 | (3GAG D2 B2 | A2 z2 F2 | D6 | D2 F2 A2 | d3c BA |\

G2 B2 A2 | G4 :|

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Well I copied the below into that transposer and it didn't work. What did I do wrong ?

 

You need to copy the whole abc tune, from (and including) the X: number at the top to the last repeat symbol at the bottom, and plonk that into the converter.

 

Cracking tune BTW: not played that since my days with OliO so thanks for reminding me of it.

Edited by Steve Mansfield
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I've done a search for the notes but don't seem to be able to un-earth them.

Does anyone know if they are available anywhere or indeed does anyone have them written out.

Thanks for any help

Robin

 

 

Robin,

 

I seem to remember an accordion student of mine, long ago, bringing to me a German tune called Schnee Waltzer. As I recall, Tommy's "composition" is a close relative if not a version. :-) That tune can be found on the internet also.

 

-- A *devoted* fan of Tommy Williams, one of the best-sounding concertina players ever

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I've done a search for the notes but don't seem to be able to un-earth them.

Does anyone know if they are available anywhere or indeed does anyone have them written out.

Thanks for any help

Robin

 

 

Robin,

 

I seem to remember an accordion student of mine, long ago, bringing to me a German tune called Schnee Waltzer. As I recall, Tommy's "composition" is a close relative if not a version. :-) That tune can be found on the internet also.

 

-- A *devoted* fan of Tommy Williams, one of the best-sounding concertina players ever

 

It had German words put to it and became a very popular song in that country. Later the words were translated into English, and while not so popular, it was fairly well known under the name, the Snow Waltz.

 

I have the music notation in the key of C with chords noted, which I can email if that is of any use.

 

regards

 

John Wild

Edited by John Wild
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I have the music notation in the key of C with chords noted, which I can email if that is of any use.

 

I have just moved my brain up a gear and thought of this way to send it - as an attachment to this posting. I have however had to reduce the size to fit within the single upload size limit. If that is inadequate I can still send the original a4 image by email.

 

regards

 

John

 

 

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It had German words put to it and became a very popular song in that country. Later the words were translated into English, and while not so popular, it was fairly well known under the name, the Snow Waltz.

 

I have the music notation in the key of C with chords noted, which I can email if that is of any use.

 

regards

 

John Wild

 

 

Hi John,

 

I was returning here after having looked into this tune and found your interesting reply. I'm not sure I fully understand you, but are you suggesting that Tommy composed the music and it was picked up in Germany?

 

My quick research had come up with a minor self-correction; although the tune is popular with the "German" button-box crowd here in the US, the music is attributed to Austrian composer Thomas Koschat, who died May 19, 1914:

 

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Koschat

 

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/k/o/koschat_t.htm

 

Paul Groff

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Hi John,

 

I was returning here after having looked into this tune and found your interesting reply. I'm not sure I fully understand you, but are you suggesting that Tommy composed the music and it was picked up in Germany?

 

My quick research had come up with a minor self-correction; although the tune is popular with the "German" button-box crowd here in the US, the music is attributed to Austrian composer Thomas Koschat, who died May 19, 1914:

 

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Koschat

 

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/k/o/koschat_t.htm

 

Paul Groff

 

That is the story I was told. I had no reason to disbelieve it. I am happy to stand corrected if that is the case. The English words of the snow waltz were I am sure a translation from the German.

 

regards

 

John

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That is the story I was told. I had no reason to disbelieve it. I am happy to stand corrected if that is the case. The English words of the snow waltz were I am sure a translation from the German.

 

regards

 

John

 

Hi John,

 

I am actually not in a position to correct you, since I really don't know the truth of the matter! I was just trying to make sure I got your meaning.

 

I would be delighted if it turns out Tommy Williams was the true composer of the Schneewaltzer. As I said, I am a devoted fan of his musicianship as reflected on the priceless recording released by Free Reed records. I wish I had had the chance to meet him or hear him play in person. As an anglo player (as well as a guitar, piano, and organ player) I can appreciate the musicality and rough-hewn charm of his challenging arrangements, which have inspired some of my own modest attempts.

 

But my long experience with many musicians, especially the self-taught players with a background comparable to Tommy's, and especially those who grew up in an earlier age when fact-checking was less convenient and powerful..... has led me to a good-humored skepticism about many of their claims of originality. In some of their traditions a certain amount of "telling lies," "spinning yarns," embellishing the truth etc. was not only tolerated, but enjoyed as part of the entertainment.

 

PG

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I was returning here after having looked into this tune and found your interesting reply. I'm not sure I fully understand you, but are you suggesting that Tommy composed the music and it was picked up in Germany?

 

My quick research had come up with a minor self-correction; although the tune is popular with the "German" button-box crowd here in the US, the music is attributed to Austrian composer Thomas Koschat, who died May 19, 1914:

 

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Koschat

 

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/k/o/koschat_t.htm

That is the story I was told. I had no reason to disbelieve it. I am happy to stand corrected if that is the case. The English words of the snow waltz were I am sure a translation from the German.

Pure speculation here, but is it possible that Tommy already knew The Snow Waltz, then renamed it when snow fell on a spring day in Battersea?

 

(Anybody here know how to access historical weather records for Battersea to see whether there was such a snowfall in an appropriate year?)

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Well I copied the below into that transposer and it didn't work. What did I do wrong ?

 

You need to copy the whole abc tune, from (and including) the X: number at the top to the last repeat symbol at the bottom, and plonk that into the converter.

 

Cracking tune BTW: not played that since my days with OliO so thanks for reminding me of it.

 

Yes. Well tried that. Still didn't work.

 

Not called Fidjit for nothing you know. ;)

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Well I copied the below into that transposer and it didn't work. What did I do wrong ?

 

You need to copy the whole abc tune, from (and including) the X: number at the top to the last repeat symbol at the bottom, and plonk that into the converter.

 

Cracking tune BTW: not played that since my days with OliO so thanks for reminding me of it.

 

Yes. Well tried that. Still didn't work.

 

Not called Fidjit for nothing you know. ;)

 

Sorry, didn't actually follow the link through - of course on looking at it the tool at http://www.sessionite.com/page.php?in=06 transposes the abc but leaves you with, er, more abc, so it's not the ideal tool for someone who doesn't know abc (so here's a link to my tutorial on abc).

 

Try pasting the abc into cnet's very own tune-o-matic here, however, and dots-on-lines shall be yours.

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I read somewhere that Tommy played this tune in the trenches in 1914 during the First WorldWar.

Dick,I recently read that he played his concertina in the trenches.................but no specific mention of this tune.I tried to find out when this tune was written, just speculating that he might have played it in WW1 if it was composed by then.

I have found a lovely,lovely tune called "Life in the Trenchs", in 3/4 time, that would make a splendid friend for "Springtime",and loved the possible serendipidy.

Cheers,Robin

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