Jim Besser Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) Here in the Washington DC area, it’s too hot for outdoor activities. I'm betting it is where you are, too - which means it’s a great time to learn and practice new tunes. Here’s a selection of tunes for July’s TOTM; pick the one you’d best like to learn and record. English: Packington’s Pound I believe this is a 16th century English dance tune. On YouTube, most versions are played on guitar or lute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZiiCu4GHw8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbWzEA256fM&list=RDwbWzEA256fM But there’s also a wonderful version on Anglo concertina by Andy Turner on the CD Anglo International. And this one, I believe, by a c.net member (please, identify yourself) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBUqn62rWzc It has a real classical feel to it, and there's just a lot you can do with it on concertina. Oldtime / Canadian / Scottish : Balkan Hills Schottische I've heard this played by American oldtime fiddlers, but I've been told that it's actually French Canadian or Scottish in origin. It's definitely in the repertoire of Canadian fiddler Don Messer. Regardless of provenance, I like it a lot; it's one of those bouncy tunes that just feels so good to play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcNvEOmUvkI Irish: Sean Ryan’s Jig (The Castle) This Irish jig turns up sometimes in American contra dances as well as Irish sessions; it's a great concertina tune that really takes advantage of those resonant low notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjsVt_9mAfU Here it is real slow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsSb67wgJPQ French: La Sansonette I was all ready to reprise an American cakewalk tune from a previous poll when I remembered a friend playing this lovely schottische from central France, I believe. I particularly like the B part, with a kind of shuffley melody that will be a challenge to learn. Here are some samples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SztqTaku5s (but it takes a while for them to stop talking and get to the music!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flva0F-H8ZE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un0TXL4dZeg on melodeon If you have Spotify, there's a gorgeous version by fiddler Alasdair Fraser and cellist Natalie Haas that has a totally different feel to it. **** There you have it: hopefully, a nice summer selection that has something to tickle your fancy. As always, send along your suggestions for future TOTM candidates. Edited June 23, 2014 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Balkan Hills Schottische sounds like it's basically the same tune as the Scottish bagpipe tune, "Meeting of the Waters." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted June 23, 2014 Author Share Posted June 23, 2014 Balkan Hills Schottische sounds like it's basically the same tune as the Scottish bagpipe tune, "Meeting of the Waters." Hmmm. I see a little similarity, but they're different tunes. We sometimes play Meeting of the Waters for contra dances when the callers want a marchy set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sqzbxr Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 But there’s also a wonderful version on Anglo concertina by Andy Turner on the CD Anglo International. And this one, I believe, by a c.net member (please, identify yourself) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBUqn62rWzc That looks and sounds like Gary'Coover's Herrington Anglo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Fisher Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Here in the Washington DC area, it’s too hot for outdoor activities. I'm betting it is where you are, too - which means it’s a great time to learn and practice new tunes. 8 degrees C max today (46 F) and -5 C apparent temperature when the wind and humidity is taken into account. Still a good time to learn new tunes though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 ...or staying back from cold June rain... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cboody Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Balkan Hills Schottische sounds like it's basically the same tune as the Scottish bagpipe tune, "Meeting of the Waters." Seems like the same or a similar chord progression but I agree with Jim that it is a different tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 A note about Packington's Pound: if you have Spotify, search for this tune. Amazing the variety of melody and tempo variations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 (edited) Balkan Hills Schottische sounds like it's basically the same tune as the Scottish bagpipe tune, "Meeting of the Waters." Hmmm. I see a little similarity, but they're different tunes. We sometimes play Meeting of the Waters for contra dances when the callers want a marchy set. Seems like the same or a similar chord progression but I agree with Jim that it is a different tune. Sorry for the delay, just back from a week at Pinewoods Camp (Early Music Week). I still think the similarities are too striking to be coincidence, and it's more than just chord progression. BHS has three parts and MotW has two, but the A part of BHS is analogous to the B part of MotW and the C part of BHS is analogous to the A part of MotW. And by "analogous," I mean that if you consider every four measure phrase in the tune, the 3rd and 4th measures are almost identical between the two tunes, and the 1st and 2nd measures of the two tunes have a similar shape, although not "almost identical." As far as I can see, they must both be descended from the same tune. Edited to add a word inadvertently omitted. Edited July 4, 2014 by David Barnert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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