Classical Anglo

[Dan Worrall]

Does anyone know of any classical music transcribed for the concertina? A web page? Suggestions for creating transcriptions from other instruments e.g. piano, violin?

 

Where is the Andres Segovia of the squeeze box?

Paulino,

 

You may have been born too late to hear him!

The place to look for classical anglo pieces is in the early (mid-nineteenth century) tutors for German and AngloGerman concertina...this was long before the instrument developed its current stylistic straightjacket (mostly English and Irish traditional music). If light classical music will do, there is lots of transcribed material in these works, along with popular songs and dances of the day. A first, easy place to look is the George Jones tutor, available for download at the Concertina Library (www.concertina.net). His last arrangement in that book is a Fantasia by Shapcott (one of the many 'bells' pieces).

 

I've scanned through my collection of early tutors, and found two that have quite a good mix of light classical pieces (Verdi, Rossini, Donizetti, Mozart, etc.). These are in:

1) Carlo Minasi's Instruction Book for the German Concertina, London, Chappell and Co., 1858, (Minasi was a popular 'classical' composer of the day who also wrote for both English and Anglo concertina). This one has by far the most light classical content. (Note: this is NOT the tutor by Minasi that I and Randy Merris included and discussed in the Concertina Library...that one was a decade earlier).

2) Russell's German Concertina Tutor, volume 1, London.

 

If your 'light classical' tent is large enough for the likes of Stephen Foster (a popular song composer of his day, of course, who is often heard in pops concerts today along with other 'popular' folks like Scott Joplin), there is a nice duet arranged for two german concertinas of 'Come where my love lies dreaming', in

3) Sedgwick's Improved and Complete Instructions for the German Concertina, Boston 1865 and 1893.

 

It is interesting to see how the early players were not nearly so typecast in their playing as most people (myself included) today....there is a lot of variety in these tutors. Concertinas were relatively new then, and people were experimenting. And no one had yet told them that anglos are for trad.

 

I realize those last three tutors will be difficult for you to find (I got mine in a roundabout way via Randy Merris, who along with Bob Gaskins looked these up in national libraries in London and Washington). If you are really interested in any of this early stuff, send me an email and I can help get you some copies.

If you want more information on the world of these fascinating and numerous early tutors, check out Randy Merris' excellent article on that subject in the Concertina Library http://www.concertina.com/merris/bibliogra...nglo-tutors.htm

 

Cheers,

Dan

[hugh]

Does anyone know of any classical music transcribed for the concertina? A web page? Suggestions for creating transcriptions from other instruments e.g. piano, violin?

 

Where is the Andres Segovia of the squeeze box?

Paulino,

 

You may have been born too late to hear him!

The place to look for classical anglo pieces is in the early (mid-nineteenth century) tutors for German and AngloGerman concertina...this was long before the instrument developed its current stylistic straightjacket (mostly English and Irish traditional music). If light classical music will do, there is lots of transcribed material in these works, along with popular songs and dances of the day. A first, easy place to look is the George Jones tutor, available for download at the Concertina Library (www.concertina.net). His last arrangement in that book is a Fantasia by Shapcott (one of the many 'bells' pieces).

 

I've scanned through my collection of early tutors, and found two that have quite a good mix of light classical pieces (Verdi, Rossini, Donizetti, Mozart, etc.). These are in:

1) Carlo Minasi's Instruction Book for the German Concertina, London, Chappell and Co., 1858, (Minasi was a popular 'classical' composer of the day who also wrote for both English and Anglo concertina). This one has by far the most light classical content. (Note: this is NOT the tutor by Minasi that I and Randy Merris included and discussed in the Concertina Library...that one was a decade earlier).

2) Russell's German Concertina Tutor, volume 1, London.

 

If your 'light classical' tent is large enough for the likes of Stephen Foster (a popular song composer of his day, of course, who is often heard in pops concerts today along with other 'popular' folks like Scott Joplin), there is a nice duet arranged for two german concertinas of 'Come where my love lies dreaming', in

3) Sedgwick's Improved and Complete Instructions for the German Concertina, Boston 1865 and 1893.

 

It is interesting to see how the early players were not nearly so typecast in their playing as most people (myself included) today....there is a lot of variety in these tutors. Concertinas were relatively new then, and people were experimenting. And no one had yet told them that anglos are for trad.

 

I realize those last three tutors will be difficult for you to find (I got mine in a roundabout way via Randy Merris, who along with Bob Gaskins looked these up in national libraries in London and Washington). If you are really interested in any of this early stuff, send me an email and I can help get you some copies.

If you want more information on the world of these fascinating and numerous early tutors, check out Randy Merris' excellent article on that subject in the Concertina Library http://www.concertina.com/merris/bibliogra...nglo-tutors.htm

 

Cheers,

Dan

[hugh]

Hello chaps - I'm new to this so have a lot to learn about messaging, as well as the concertina. I like Jim Lucas' posting, very consstructive. I play a 30-button c/g anglo. I've been goin to an evening class/workshop for a year or so. The other 50+ people all play standard orchestral instruments, or classical guitars. We do small-group work for half the time, and full-group the other half - sort of, half chamber music, half orchestra. Its taught me that Yes, you can play classical on an anglo. And its also taught me a huge amount about counting and listening to what the others are doing (much more important than in most band work); and to be far more sensitive to how loud to play (not just loud and louder as in dance stuff); and to look and listen to the shaping of phrases ( how and when to get louder, quieter, etc); and to play normal, and more staccato, and more legato; and I've found out where all the buttons are, and what they do.I've also learnt some limits.

 

First, not to be too ambitious. I stick to what's written: which means sticking to one-line of notes. Music composed for keyboards of any sort, requires each hand to play a full chromatic range independantly - and that might be possible on a duet, but not on an anglo. I guess I could try and work out a variant sort of accompaniment for the left hand, but I'm not up to it.

 

Second, to listen out for the feel of the music. Classical has usually been written not just as a nice set of notes, but with particular sets of instruments in mind. This makes a huge difference to how the stuff sounds - pianos are great on attack in notes, but you can't shape a note on one; wind is less good on attack, but great on shaping; strings are similar. What works on one, doesn't always work on another - so, to me, classic ragtime only ever works on piano because it needs that brilliance and attack. I think its more useful to look at woodwind and strings music -though quite a lot of woodwind music is written for instruments which are tuned in B-flat, so it's written in a way which makes no real sense for the rest of us. I also think that having all the parts played by concertinas, gets pretty tedious - simply because all music is enriched by having a mix of qualities in the sound.

 

So I'd say, go for it - but with a bunch of other musicians, playing whatever stuff you all like; and making sure that at lest one of you is already good enough to be a guide.

 

Oh - recorder music for 2, 3, or more parts is a pretty simple and accessible place to start.

[asdormire]

Yes, I am reserecting an old topic from the groove yard of forgotten hits. I attended with my wife this afternoon the local monthly meeting of the guitar society. It primarily concentrates on classical guitar. At the end of the meeting one of the fellows asked if I could play the violin part in an arrangement for violin and classical guitar of a Vivaldi piece he had sent out earlier. As it was in D, I gave the first couple of phrases a try. At first just playing out the notes as written, then starting to arrange the buttons in my head to play most of the phrase with the bellows going mostly in one direction, using what I had read in Bertram's latest tutor as a guide. (An aside: I do plan to do the 30 exercises in the tutor now that my concertina is back from Bob having worked on it.) The gentleman listened to me work on it for a bit, an then told me that I had a very good start on the piece. Maybe I will see if my wife and I can play it together.

 

Alan

[Alan Day]

"Trumpet and Air" by Purcell is a nice piece to play on the Anglo

Nice start GGD or CCG

I am a bit biased, but have a listen to Anglo International(3 CD set) to see what can be done on the Anglo.(Button Box and Roots Records -Coventry have them in stock).

The Anglo can be played like a duet, but smooth playing requires a full understanding of the instrument.Write down all the notes and directions.See where the chords are and then try to fit the tune in with the chords.If air is a problem and only one direction available to you, a few grace notes in the opposite direction to drag in air is necessary.

Al

[cplayer]

hello all

There is also "Gigue" in jkps book all the dots,bit of a brain test for any one.

bryan

Edited December 22, 2013 by cplayer

[Alan Day]

hello all

There is also "Gigue" in jkps book all the dots,bit of a brain test for any one.

bryan

Played by JK on Anglo International

Al

[Jim Besser]

 

hello all

There is also "Gigue" in jkps book all the dots,bit of a brain test for any one.

bryan

Played by JK on Anglo International

Al

 

 

Also March from Scipio on Anglo International. I learned it a while back to play at a wedding. A classical piece that works splendidly on Anglo.