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Whistling Rufus


Boney

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I've been wanting to play the old cakewalk tune "Whistling Rufus" by Kerry Mills for quite a while -- over a year. On New Year's Eve, I decided to get started -- I had downloaded an old copy of the sheet music (out of copyright), so I transposed it from Bb/Eb to to C/F, learned the melody of part one (easy, since I'm pretty familiar with the tune), then fiddled around to try to figure out accompaniment. That was harder, I've been playing playing concertina for about 2 1/2 years, and haven't done much harmonizing besides mashing down some adjacent buttons and occasionally playing octaves. So I decided to harmonize it the way I'd like to hear it, instead of what was easy to play or came naturally. Anyway, I've been trying to get the thing under my fingers for a few hours a day the last few days, and I thought I'd share my early efforts, I'm excited at trying something new! I'm surprised at how well it fits on the anglo keyboard so far. Please don't post this to the recorded links page, when I get it down better and add the other three parts, I'll certainly post it!

 

http://concertina.JeffLeff.com/audio/rufus.mp3

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Guest Peter Laban

Jackie Daly plays that tune, I have played it with him often (learned it from him in fact) it's great fun doing it.

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I've been working on part 2...here's another early progress recording. Lots of takes, and a few edits, and still sounding pretty uneven and nowhere near "loose" enough...whew, this is hard work!

 

http://concertina.JeffLeff.com/audio/rufus12.mp3

Jeff

 

To me it sounds very good ;) Let me know when the tune should be included in the Links Page.

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I've been working on part 2...here's another early progress recording. Lots of takes, and a few edits, and still sounding pretty uneven and nowhere near "loose" enough...whew, this is hard work!

 

http://concertina.JeffLeff.com/audio/rufus12.mp3

Jeff

 

To me it sounds very good ;) Let me know when the tune should be included in the Links Page.

Hi Jeff

 

I really enjoyed listening to your playing - a great tune.

You are making excellent progress if you have only been playing for two and a half years. I particularly liked the bass runs.

Hope to hear more from you soon.

 

Martyn

Edited by martyn
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Bravo Jeff!!

 

 

Indeed! I think you have captured the essence of a cakewalk well. I love the base runs as well and am very pleased with your tempo. I have been working on another of Mr. Mills' cakewalks Colored Aristocracy. You have given me some food for thought. Thank you.

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Wow, thanks for all the kind words. You're getting me even more motivated! Part 3 is going well, and I'm polishing the other parts. I'll make another recording soon, to continue tracking my progress.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here it is, a new recording with part 3 at the end, which is in F. Still a bunch of edits to get a good sound file, although just a few on the first 2 parts. To edit, I restart a few measures back when I really flub it, and cut out the stuff in-between in an audio editing program. I left in some of the smaller mistakes. But I'm getting more comfortable playing it. It's strange, it seems to take me a long time to get comfortable playing even a very simple tune, maybe that has something to do with the somewhat chaotic layout of the Anglo. I'm sure this would have been easier on a duet, but it's fun exploring an instrument, limitations and all. My left pinky sure gets a workout!

 

The 4th part is the 2nd part transposed up to F, I'm not sure I'll arrange and learn that. Maybe I'll just stop here, or play part 2 again in C as before. But I think I'll be working on something different now...I have a nice Swedish waltz in mind.

 

Henk, you can link this one from the Recorded Tunes page, thanks!

 

http://concertina.JeffLeff.com/audio/rufus123.mp3

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Henk, you can link this one from the Recorded Tunes page, thanks!

 

http://concertina.JeffLeff.com/audio/rufus123.mp3

Jeff

Thanks for your link. I have included it in the links page.

Thanks even more for this complete thread in which you shared the progress of your playing ;)

 

B.T.W. after updating the page, I checked for broken links and found a few :( . I'm working on it.

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Jackie Daly plays that tune, I have played it with him often (learned it from him in fact) it's great fun doing it.

Peter, in case you're still reading this thread: Does Jackie play it on concertina or accordion, and in what key? Is it on an available recording? (I looked, but couldn't find one).

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Jeff,

 

Great tune, and I love what you are doing with it. Have you tried holding down the C (right hand index finger) for that first A section phrase? Popping it (short quarter notes) instead of simply holding it down works too. Right hand harmony (in addition to your melody) works well for this tune and the C button could offer you an easy way to smudge up what is a very clean arrangement. Just an option.

 

It really sounds good, keep it up.

 

Jody

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Great tune, and I love what you are doing with it. Have you tried holding down the C (right hand index finger) for that first A section phrase? Popping it (short quarter notes) instead of simply holding it down works too. Right hand harmony (in addition to your melody) works well for this tune and the C button could offer you an easy way to smudge up what is a very clean arrangement. Just an option.

Smudge it up a bit -- I like that. I just tried it a bit and unfortunately got my fingers tied in a knot and had to use a little melted butter to disentangle them. But I can hear what you're saying, good idea...it makes a nice variation and can add some drive and surprise. Just the sort of thing I'm trying to learn, thanks!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks to postings elsewhere, I've found quite a few on-line versions of Whistling Rufus. Here are some of my favorites:

 

by the Skirtlifters: http://www.aca-dla.org/WarrenWilson/image/2727.mp3

by the Jaudas' Society Orchestra: http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/mp3s/100...sb-cyl1021d.mp3

with singing! by Daniel W. Quinn: http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/mp3s/200...sb-cyl2511d.mp3

 

There are several more versions on the Digital Library of Appalachia website, mostly old-timey fiddle adaptations, with a reel feel, or a bluegrass flavor.

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