10 replies to this topic

[aybee]

Hi there,

I have been following discussions on these forums for some time, but up to now, I never felt could make much of a contribution. Nevertheless, I thought it a little rude to suddenly stick my head up and immediately start trying to flog CDs without some kind of an introduction. I am a recorder maker (the flute, rather than tape variety) in real life and an anglo player whenever possible. I live in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and play in a duo with my wife, the recorder player Susanna Borsch. Some of you will perhaps remember us from the last two German concertina meetings, where I’ve given some beginner’s anglo accompaniment lessons and we’ve played some songs and dances. Our repertoire is (perhaps strangely) based around English broadside ballads, country-dance tunes and other popular melodies from the 16-18th centuries, which we feel particularly suits our instrumentation. I guess it goes without saying that we make our own arrangements, but we always try to stay true to the material, even if we do take huge liberties with it on occasion. (and probably turn up the toenails of some of our Early Music colleagues…)
I play 38 button instruments (Jeffries system) in CG, BbF and GD, to give some variety to the sound of our programmes, and to suit the style of the piece and venue (we tend to go for the CG and sopranino recorder for street performance!) Susanna’s recorders are tuned either in the same register as I play on the concertina, or an octave above, depending on the effect we want in our arrangements.

Anyway to get to the point, we’re just releasing our first CD “Indoors” and if anybody’s interested, there’s more info about us here and excepts from the CD there Alongside our versions of more typical Dancing Master and Pills to Purge Melancholy tunes, there’s also a filthy broadside version of Purcell’s “ If love’s a sweet passion”, another song from The Fairy Queen, some Italian dances from Mainerio’s Il primo libro de balli, a Giles Farnaby piece from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, a couple of “Sybells”, three hornpipes for fiddle from Apollo’s Banquet, and a tear-jerking broadside version of Dowland’s “Now, oh now I needs must part” - not to forget the wonderfully named “Buggering Oates, prepare thy neck”…
We had hoped to get it out in time for Christmas, but have just learned it will only leave the factory on the 15th of December. So it looks a bit tight to get any delivered before the holidays, but you never know!

Thanks a lot,

Adrian

Edited by aybee, 10 December 2011 - 06:33 AM.

[JimLucas]

Some of you will perhaps remember us from the last two German concertina meetings, where I’ve given some beginner’s anglo accompaniment lessons and we’ve played some songs and dances.

I do remember, with great pleasure, and I've been wanting to hear more. Your repertoire and arrangements do beautiful justice to a largely neglected expanse of the anglo's musical potential.

Anyway to get to the point, we’re just releasing our first CD “Indoors” and if anybody’s interested,...

I've been waiting "impatiently" for this. Glad to know it's finally available.

I've listened to the samples, and now I have to decide who (besides myself) I'll gift with a copy.

Our repertoire is (perhaps strangely) based around English broadside ballads, country-dance tunes and other popular melodies from the 16-18th centuries, which we feel particularly suits our instrumentation.

Not at all "strangely", I would say.

Some American friends who specialize in the music and dances of the period have documented that tunes and dances flowed freely among Britain, coastal Europe (Holland, France, and more) and the American colonies, often with the same tune and dance instructions appearing under different names and attributed to different "authors" at dates separated only by the length of an intervening sea voyage.

One tune that particularly sticks in my mind was a version of "Black Joke" (titled "Blek Jock", if I recall correctly) in a tune collection dedicated to a French noblewoman, yet almost certainly printed in Holland. How else to explain that all the letters "y" were capped with two dots ("ÿ") as in the Dutch "ij" ligature?

[Chris Drinkwater]

Yes, I've been a fan of Dapper's Delight since coming across their YouTube videos some time ago. I will definitely buy a CD. Well done Adrian!

Chris

[michael sam wild]

Just ordered , nice samples , great!

[aybee]

Many thanks for your kind comments and the orders! I’ve just picked up a few CDs for myself this afternoon and have been assured the first ones will be posted tomorrow, so I hope you’ll like it.

Jim,

There are large concordances between the Dutch songbooks and English popular tunes, but I only feel qualified to speak about the recorder book Der Fluiten Lusthof by Jacob van Eyck (c1590-1657). Of the c120 melodies, about 50% were of French origin, 20% English, 10% Dutch, Italian, German and Spanish combined and the last 20% of unknown origin. Of the English pieces, most were ballads or theatre pieces, probably popularised in the Netherlands by travelling troupes of English theatrical players. Ten visits alone were recorded in the city of Utrecht between 1586 and 1645.

Thanks again,

Adrian

[michael sam wild]

Great CD very nice harmonies and countermelodies.

[Geoff Wooff]

My copy has just arrived! Not only would Dapper be delighted but I am also.

This is a fine direction in which to take one's Concertina playing. With exquisite performances by both Susanna and Adrian I highly recomend it.

It is also interesting to note that two of Adrian's Anglos are tuned to '1/4 Comma Meantone Temperament'... for which I have long been an advocat. I usually tune my Englishes like this too, only with a small compromise towards Equal Temperament (called 1/5th Comma) so that playing with other instruments in 'normal' ET does not cause too many note clashes.

So, another fine addition to the recorded Concertina.

Congratulations and thanks,

Geoff.

[michael sam wild]

I'd welcome an idiot's guide to all this. The recent ICA Journal article also had me foxed I'll admit. Has anyone a good source as a starter?

[Geoff Wooff]

I'd welcome an idiot's guide to all this. The recent ICA Journal article also had me foxed I'll admit. Has anyone a good source as a starter?

Well you could try a Googe search "musical temperament". There are plenty of pages to view and maybe one of them will make the right kind of sense.

[aybee]

Many thanks for the kind comments about our CD, I’m glad you liked it.

Michael: There are two hugely interesting and readable books on temperament:

Stuart Isacoff:
Temperament: How Music Became a Battleground for the Great Minds of Western Civilization

Ross W. Duffin:
How Equal Temperament Ruined Harmony (and Why You Should Care)

The latter has a preview version in google books, so you can have a browse first and see if you can get on with it.

Happy New Year to one and all…

Adrian

[aybee]

I'd just like to announce that on Sunday the 18th of March at 16h30, Dapper’s Delight will be holding a CD presentation concert, at the Pianola Museum, Westerstraat 106, 1015 MN Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tickets are €12,50, which includes a free CD. Since places are limited, it might be advisable to book in advance via the museum site.
Adrian