snohomish

I am grateful for the free access to the melodies of composers as O'Carolan as well as traditional/folk songs on the web but it's taking me forever to figure the harmonies. Sheet music in treble stave with 'the extra notes' for harmony would accelerate my playing ability and satisfaction. The single melody lines are nice but harmony gives depth. Any clues? Thanks

To Galley Wench Sad to hear of your arthritis and the limitations that has come with it. I am also very interested in this sort of instrument having banged on a bone button Lachenal then spoiled after playing a circa 1939 Wheatstone (which was not for sale). It would certainly be played and taken care of on this side of the world. Competition for this instrument would not be such a bad thing for you. Please contact me at pvlindgrenb@yahoo.com with pictures and price. Thanks

Hi John Please indulge a bit of script but this might be interesting to you. I live in the Northwest as well and had a stroke of serindipity while examining an overpriced used Lachanal 48 English yesterday at a trad music shop not far away. A fellow looked at my fooling around with the thing, you know, trying to play the notes and turns out he plays English system, hallelulah brother! He played it, and said it needed work(and I agreed)and said he knew of a great tuner in Kent(no, not England) that doesn't have an eight month backlog. He also has an English Lachanal that he started practice with that he may part with so my search might well be over. I do not want to throw out his name for sake of confidentiality however he will be playing at Folklife in Seattle 'on the green' with his wife who will be playing a psaltry if the weather is nice enough...and he seems to be a great source of connections. I think you will be able to snag an Anglo player or two from one of the stages that will be playing Irish tunes and search out the 'sea shanty' spots as well. The schedule is out so you can look and see. I'm aware of and am abiding by the rules of the road here on the internet so I am not e-mailing you direct but we'll be in touch, I'm sure. regards Peter

Greetings Thank you for your replies. I did e-mail Tom Lawrence and though an avid player, he runs with the Anglo crowd and had known of only one other English player in the Seattle area. In regards to the "Boda Waltz", I believe there is also a "Boda Polska" which my wife and I have pleasured dancing together. Additoinally, there will be Folklife Music Festival here later this month of May. I'm gonna look for the squeezers. regards Peter

Greetings all. I enjoy Scandanavian music and would like to be able to practice this on an instrument portable enough to take to work(no, you can't have my job) . Yes, this traditional music is generally played on (sigh) violens and button accordians however neither is practical whereas a compact concertina would be. Additionally, the range scale of the treble English is comparable to that of a violen so it would be my hope to play alot of these beautiful lilting polskas. Anyone out there and wadayathink? Peter