Jim Besser Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 (edited) Concertinas aren't likely to displace various accordions as classic instruments for French music - traditional and modern - but a lot of it sure sounds good on our petite squeezeboxes, as our own Alan Day has demonstrated over the years. And especially the waltzes and mazurkas So this month let’s try our hand at a few of these great tunes. Just to make things more interesting, let’s not limit things to French of the continental variety; we’ll also include French Canadian and Cajun/Zydeco waltzes. Here are a few I’ve played on Anglo: Valse des Chevaux de Bois Sous les toits de la rue Tiquetonne Valse petit dejeuner L'Autre Bout De La Table La Gueussinette (French Canadian) Enrichez-Vous Valse le Revenant Valse De Criminelle (Cajun) Tourner a Trois (OK, it’s American, but it sounds French and it’s lovely.) And, of course, there’s the Rosbif Waltz, which so many of us learned from Alan in the early days of concertina.net. There are so many great French and French-inflected waltzes out there; I’m hoping to learn a few new ones this month! Edited February 1, 2014 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cboody Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I thought I had a version of Ma Mère Chantait around, but apparently it never got recorded. I'll try to get myself together and get it done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Good choice again, Jim! Never played one of those, but I almost certainly will now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I put this up on youtube a couple of months ago, but it hasn't gotten much notice. It is very much in the style of a French musette waltz, although written by the American, Larry Edelman. Mid-Winter Waltz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted February 1, 2014 Author Share Posted February 1, 2014 I put this up on youtube a couple of months ago, but it hasn't gotten much notice. It is very much in the style of a French musette waltz, although written by the American, Larry Edelman. Mid-Winter Waltz Very nice, David. I've heard this one before, but never on concertina. Great use of the duet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I put this up on youtube a couple of months ago, but it hasn't gotten much notice. It is very much in the style of a French musette waltz, although written by the American, Larry Edelman. Mid-Winter Waltz Wow, great playing - I guess that's m favourite from your recordings, David - as far as I know them... Best regards - Wolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 OK, I"m starting off with one I had a lot of trouble with a few years back when I first played it. This is a first take, and I'm still not happy with it - some sloppy mistakes, and it's not smooth enough; it seems choppy to me because I'm trying to remember the melody and the chords. But it's better than it was the last time I tried it! Valse Petit Dejeuner, played in Am on a Jeffries G/D 30 button Anglo. https://soundcloud.com/concertinist/valse-petit-dejeuner-take-1 I don't know the origin of the tune, but I've heard it on a few CDs and really like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cboody Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Looking for the history of petit dejeuner I came across this http://bladmuziek.dennisreidsma.nl/gonnagles/index.php A nice set of three collections of mostly Netherlands music. Dejeuner is in the first volume with a composer I've seen in other places listed (sorry, I've forgotten and it is too late here to go back and look). Lots of good things, some with parts and all with chords. First book is tunes common enough so that I recognized some. For those not faint of heart about rhythm try L'Orage in the third collection Written out in 4/4, but actually in 3 3 2|3 3 2| 3 3 3 3 2 2| You'll stumble a bit at first but soon the pattern gets built in! There are at least some midi and mp3 files for some of the tunes on the site too if you hunt around. My Niederlandish (is that the right name for the language or is it Dutch?) is pretty much non-existent so... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 (edited) Looking for the history of petit dejeuner I came across this http://bladmuziek.dennisreidsma.nl/gonnagles/index.php A nice set of three collections of mostly Netherlands music. Dejeuner is in the first volume with a composer I've seen in other places listed (sorry, I've forgotten and it is too late here to go back and look). Lots of good things, some with parts and all with chords. First book is tunes common enough so that I recognized some. For those not faint of heart about rhythm try L'Orage in the third collection Written out in 4/4, but actually in 3 3 2|3 3 2| 3 3 3 3 2 2| You'll stumble a bit at first but soon the pattern gets built in! There are at least some midi and mp3 files for some of the tunes on the site too if you hunt around. My Niederlandish (is that the right name for the language or is it Dutch?) is pretty much non-existent so... Dutch! Who knew? I just assumed it was French because I've heard French trad musicians play it and because of the composer's name, which sounds French: Jean Christophe Lequerre. Then again, my language skills have always been deficient. But it's a great tune even if it isn't actually French! Edited February 2, 2014 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 My Niederlandish (is that the right name for the language or is it Dutch?) is pretty much non-existent so... In English it's called Dutch. In Dutch it's called Nederlands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Dunk Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Erm, not wishing to throw a spanner in the works but I've know La Mal Aimable for some time, sounds a bit like your tune Jim! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 (edited) Erm, not wishing to throw a spanner in the works but I've know La Mal Aimable for some time, sounds a bit like your tune Jim! Hardly unusual to find a tune with confusion over the name! Definitely a French sounding name. I've now seen authoritative looking notation with both tune names - but the same composer. I love her playing, BTW; I've watched a lot of her videos, all very nice. Edited February 2, 2014 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cboody Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Looking for the history of petit dejeuner I came across this http://bladmuziek.dennisreidsma.nl/gonnagles/index.php A nice set of three collections of mostly Netherlands music. Dejeuner is in the first volume with a composer I've seen in other places listed (sorry, I've forgotten and it is too late here to go back and look). Lots of good things, some with parts and all with chords. First book is tunes common enough so that I recognized some. For those not faint of heart about rhythm try L'Orage in the third collection Written out in 4/4, but actually in 3 3 2|3 3 2| 3 3 3 3 2 2| You'll stumble a bit at first but soon the pattern gets built in! There are at least some midi and mp3 files for some of the tunes on the site too if you hunt around. My Niederlandish (is that the right name for the language or is it Dutch?) is pretty much non-existent so... Dutch! Who knew? I just assumed it was French because I've heard French trad musicians play it and because of the composer's name, which sounds French: Jean Christophe Lequerre. Then again, my language skills have always been deficient. But it's a great tune even if it isn't actually French! The tune is french. The collection is Dutch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tona Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) Here is a link (in french sorry) about this tune and Jean Christophe Lequerré (rip). The real name is "p'tit dej" which is the contraction of "petit déjeuner" (which means breakfast). The title became "mal aimable" but only Jean Christophe knew the story of this changing... http://www.diatojo.com/tablatures/la-mal-aimable/jean-christophe-lequerre.htmIMHO, even if Jean Christophe Lequerré was french, this tune has more to do with a cross fingering diatonic style tune than a real "french" tune. Here is a short sample to show that the B part is very similar to "Flatworld" by Andy Cutting... In France, the cross fingering style owes a lot to Marc Perrone and Serge Desaunay. I think that the cross fingering style was a way for them to put up more advanced harmonic left hand with long bass notes. la mal aimable 2.mp3 Edited February 3, 2014 by tona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) Here is a link (in french sorry) about this tune and Jean Christophe Lequerré (rip). The real name is "p'tit dej" which is the contraction of "petit déjeuner" (which means breakfast). The title became "mal aimable" but only Jean Christophe knew the story of this changing... http://www.diatojo.com/tablatures/la-mal-aimable/jean-christophe-lequerre.htm IMHO, even if Jean Christophe Lequerré was french, this tune has more to do with a cross fingering diatonic style tune than a real "french" tune. Here is a short sample to show that the B part is very similar to "Flatworld" by Andy Cutting... In France, the cross fingering style owes a lot to Marc Perrone and Serge Desaunay. I think that the cross fingering style was a way for them to put up more advanced harmonic left hand with long bass notes. You're right; I see the resemblance. I've played Flatworld and considered recording it this month, even if it isn't "French." It's a wonderful tune, like so many of Andy Cutting's. Now that I think about it, I'm going to have a hard time remembering which is Flatworld and which is Valse Petit Dejeuner. One reason this theme interested me is the way so many tunes have been influenced by French music, starting with English ceilidh. Lines get blurred - which makes things all the more interesting. Edited February 3, 2014 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Stein Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 So at the Squeezers rehearsal yesterday I played this for Jim who recorded it and then asked me to post it. A few burps here and there.This is an Edith Piaf tune, Padam...Padam. Written by Henri Contet and Norman Glanzberg. 1951. https://soundcloud.com/concertinist/padam-padam-mp3-mp3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted February 4, 2014 Author Share Posted February 4, 2014 So at the Squeezers rehearsal yesterday I played this for Jim who recorded it and then asked me to post it. A few burps here and there. This is an Edith Piaf tune, Padam...Padam. Written by Henri Contet and Norman Glanzberg. 1951. https://soundcloud.com/concertinist/padam-padam-mp3-mp3 Well heck, I asked you to post it because it was so darned good. Those chords make an Anglo player green with envy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defra Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Lovely playing and arrangement Randy, and Jim, those chords make this English player go green with envy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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