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groeswenphil

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Posts posted by groeswenphil

    Concertina Case

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    Dear Group,

    Just ordered myself a new Marcus G/D concertina.

     

    Friend of mine.......who is into furniture restoration is keen on the idea of building me an antique looking case. He's offered to build me one in walnut. Judging by the furniture that he makes, I'll probably end up with a case that's far better than the concertina.

     

    We're wondering though....has anybody got a picture of one of those old cases? Particularly interested in seeing how the hinge and lid works.

    Phil

    Anglo For Sale In Buy And Sell

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    I've recently ordered a new concertina. My choice came down to a Marcus Music, or a Morse. Now, all the smart money in this group advised me to go for the Morse, particulalry as I play for Morris.

    In the end, I went for the Marcus....why?

    a) It's Welsh, and so am I.

    B) Having a dragon on it is cool.

    c) He lives just up the road so repair, should it be needed is no problem.

    d) Price was right.

     

    On the other hand, I get furious when I see the onward march of American globalisation...Starbucks and MuckDonalds everywhere. Then there's the war.....and yes, I know that the UK are involved in it as well, but it just doesn't feel right anymore supporting American businesses...

     

    As for why anybody would refuse to sell their concertina to the states........could it be that.

    a) Concertinas are nice things.

    B) They make nice music.

    c) The people that hear the music enjoy the music and become happy?

     

    and so :-

    d) Why would I want a concertina to go to the land that gave the world the Big Mac?

     

    Just a thought,

    Phil

    No Smoking

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    Is the atmosphere (craic) better or has the ban killed some of the fun? It has been said that some sessions have reverted back to people’s homes.

     

     

    Visited the Irish Republic last Summer, staying in a wonderful little fishing village; Port Magee, Kerry.

     

    The local pub, the Bridge Bar, was crowded almost every evening. A local duet held court most nights, with visiting musicians encouraged to join in. One evening, all of the locals, including school children joined in....and even though the room was crowded, they still found room for traditional dancing.

     

    Smokers...........well, I wouldn't exactly say that I felt sorry for them, but they certainly looked and acted like an under class. They either had to sidel out the front door into the street, or they went into a strange outdoor / indoor area around the back. This was in effect a sort of outdoor store room that had a few tables and chairs and sun shades..........and it didn't look very nice there at all. I wonder how smoking as a fashion will ever survive after the ban. It just doesn't look cool, fashionable, sociable or even practical when you're left skulking outside with all the fun happening inside. Also, I'm wondering how many young people are introduced to smoking in a pub. Will this cut down the numbers of young people taking up smoking?

     

    As for the music, and the craic.....fantastic. As for getting home later smelling clean.....even better.

    Personally I think it's a shame that we have to wait another year here in the U.K.....although Scotland gets its ban next month.

     

    And one other thing..........I wonder what passive smoking does to the lungs of a concertina?

     

    Phil

    Last Night's Fun

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    Shame you can't catch them live. As well as being great musicians, they're just so funny. There's a constant banter between Chris Sherburn and Nick Scott on Uillean pipes with subtle quips like..........How's the blood pressure..........are you inflated yet....and as he assembles his pipes, 'Anybody see Scrap Heap Challenge' last night.

     

    Personally, I really like Denny's voice........love the track , 'I'll go down to Sammy's Bar.'

     

    Still.......as a concertina player, Chris takes some beating.

     

    Phil Edwards

    Last Night's Fun

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    Hi group,

    Haven't seen any discussion here about this band. They're a three piece band....playing a lot of Irish style music, despite the fact that two of them are English. Chris Sherburn plays a Wheatstone Anglo and quite honestly, he's awesome. Beside him......Nick Scott plays Uillean pipes , Denny Bartley plays guitar and sings.

    Try to catch them live if you can as they are also very funny . You'll leave their concerts amazed by the music, but also with tears in your eyes from laughter. If you can't catch them live, then their CD is well worth reaching for the plastic.

    Phil

    The Anglo Concertina Demystified - Bertram Levy

    in Teaching and Learning

    Posted

    Anybody else come across this book? I discovered it at a festival last Summer on the P J Music stand. Quite honestly, I forgot that I'd bought it, then came across it whilst tidying the car the other day. (Not that I constantly drive an untidy car, it's just that my car has loads of little nooky cupboards and hide-aways. I think it was designed for drug dealers).

    Anyway, what a delightful book. Covers some quite unusual tunes as well as some of the old standards. Also, it comes with two CDs, so when you listen to them, it's almost as good as having a private lesson.

     

    Well worth a look.

    The Anglo Concertina Demystified - Bertram Levy

    Phil

    Barcarole 20 Button Concertina

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    Most music shops in the U.K. carry a few inexpensive concertinas. Just before the Iron Curtain fell, they were being produced in East Germany and imported to the U.K. by Hohner. I expect they popped up in a few other countries too.

    Back in the 80s they cost about £50 u.k.

    Lord knows what they cost now.

    I actually spent some time working for Hohner, helping them to re-design the instruments. Some of the early ones had really thin hand straps that cut into the back of your hands. I even came across one that had a complete octave missing.....if you played a scale starting on the left hand, when you changed to the right hand to get the last two notes, it jumped a whole octave.

     

    They are awfully easy to learn to play. Harder to master. Back in the 80s, I tought a few school children how to play Anglo concertina. It was normal for them to have a concertina delivered by Santa, and be able to play Auld Lang Syne a week later.

     

    To learn to play it, I'd advise getting a copy of the Anglo Concertina by Roger Watson. It teaches you how to play a 30 button Anglo, but nearly all of the tunes are playable on a 20 button. By the time you get to the middle, you'll have decided whether this instument is for you or not........and I'm sure you'll be in favour.

     

    Major problem with these concertinas is:-

    The bellows is awfully weak.....and often develops leaks in the corners. I found that the fluid that fixes leaky airbeds sort of did the job.

    If the reeds go out of tune, it simply isn't worthwhile getting them fixed. Some have brass reeds fitted onto a wooded board,,,,almost impossible to re-tune.

     

    As for wheezy valves. Open the instrument up. Over each reed, you'll see a small leather flap...a valve. They should close when pressure is applied on pulls and pushes. My guess is that the leather has got a bit old, or has fallen out of position. I'm not sure how you could fix this.....try just leaving them with a book or something holding them down flat against the reed pan and leaving it like that for a while. Otherwise, consider improvising a replacement for the offending valve......thin leather or part of a rubber air-bed?

     

    Concertinas are strange instruments in that they hold their price so well. I think these instruments were designed to give young players a taste for the instrument....they certianly won't be any good for serious playing, although it is likely that they will last long enough to get you to the position where you will decide that you need a better instrument.

    Hpe that helps,

    Phil

    Anglo Concertinas In South Africa

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    I've got a South African concertina.

     

    I bought it from Marcus Music about 20 years ago.

    At the time, he had 2 of them in stock. They'd been imported by Hohner. One of them had a great big HOHNER badge on it and the other didn't....I bought the naked one.

     

    It has 40 buttons and six sides.

    I'd love to learn a bit more about it as I'm considering selling it.........not because it isn't any good.....it is actually a great instrument. It's just that I'm lusting after a G/D concertina because I've just started playing for a Morris side.

    Here's a picIMG_1017.JPG

     

    It really is amazingly well built...........I honestly haven't played it as often as it deserved to be played. After 20 years, it is still almost as good as new. I can's see any marks or signs of wear on the bellows. The metal just under the buttons that are most frequently used are just starting to look a little lacklustre, also I think one of the reeds is just starting to go out of tune.

     

    I'd really value some opinion here....who actually made my concertina?

    D/g Anglo

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    Hi,

    Anybody help?

    At the tender age of 50, I've finally got around to doing something that I wanted to do years ago....join a Morris side.

    This has been a steep learning curve. Despite loving Morris tunes and having worked on them for years, I'm experiencing a lot of frustration

     

    1) Sometimes, a tune that I know by a certain name is known by another name by the other musicians in the side.

    2) Sometimes they play a tune that I know really well in say G major, but they play it in E minor.

     

    I could go on.

     

    Another thing...and I should have said this earlier, is when playing for Morris I usually play button melodeon, however, I'm just as good playing Anglo.

    Now, another thing that I notice when playing melodeon is that frequently, the other musicians play different chords to the ones I'd normally play....which means that I usually end up just playing the tune.....which leads me to think that I'd be better off playing concertina anyway.

     

    Now, my concertina is a C/G model. Now, when I play in C, I can usually add a lot of accompaniment chords.

    However, I've never got the hang of doing this in the key of G.....also, whenever I try, I find I'm playing some really high notes.

     

    So.....and this is where I get to the point of the query.....should I buy a D/G Anglo for Morris work?

    At the moment, I fancy a simple 30 button....probably a Lachenal. I think I'd need a really bright sound......

    or, is there a way to play my existing Anglo in the key of G more effectively?

     

    Phil

    Lines From Songs That Stand Out

    in Tunes /Songs

    Posted

    At the school wwhere I work, none of the teachers ever get promotions or move to better jobs. Hence, we have a staffroom song....or at least a line from a song. It's by the Eagles, from 'Hotel California'.

    "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

    Phil

    Official Loony Campaign Song

    in Tunes /Songs

    Posted

    :P Wow ! The Official Monster Raving Loony Party....

     

    And the biggest joke concerning the Official Monster Raving loony Party is that they probably won the last two elections without even realising it.

     

    Personally, I hope they do really well.

    Phil

    Bold Gendarmes

    in Tunes /Songs

    Posted

    Hi. I was wondering whether anybody had a copy of the song, "The Bold Gendarmes" by Offenbach.

    Don't know why, but I started whistling it on the way home today and thought to myself," That would sound just great on my concertina".

     

    Best wishes,

    Phil

     

    www.btinternet.com/~groeswenphil/

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