Pippa

I think the only Irish association is that a lot of teams use Irish jigs for the dance. I played for Grand Union rapper for years, and we used mainly Northumbrian jigs - or jigs commonly danced to in Northumberland, which really drove the dancers on. Many teams look and feel as if they're dancing faster if you actually play a little slower, but make sure the rhythm's in there - if they have time to really mark the beat with their feet, the whole dance comes alive. We used to play at @ 148, or less; they were pretty hot at that speed, and won Dancing England (later DERT) at it. I could get round the tunes at 160, but it didn't sound so good and the dance went a lot better just a tad slower. We used Northumbrian tunes we a) liked and knew really really well and c) fitted both our instruments (fiddle and concertina). That made it easier to practise and practise until we could speed them up without sounding rushed. Concentrating on the phrasing of the tune rather than the speed really helped. Yes it helps to have tunes where there are quite a few notes in one direction; arranging the bellows change to come just before a note you want to emphasise helps, too. As far as I remember, the specific tunes we used - twice through each - were: Hexham Races in G (to start, finish, and steady us if we were racing - lovely swingy tune that sits easily on the anglo); then New Rigged Ship in D (it fitted the step they'd gone into by then - a ya-ke-ty DUH - duh, ya-ke-ty DUH - duh step); then One Horned Sheep in G again - it really soars up to the A music for the second time round; then Blackthorn Stick, in G to come out of it; then Blackthorn Stick in A; then Elsie Marley in G; then Biddy the Bowl wife in G; then Jump at the Sun in Gm (using the third row, on pull, mainly - it sits surprisingly easily on a C/G anglo); then back to Hexham Races to finish. I'd forgotten quite how long the dance is! If you're playing tunes you know really well, it's just as easy to mark the phrasing and emphasise the rhythm on an anglo - easier, in some ways, as you're pushing the bellows in with a whole width of hand on the wood under the handstrap, not your thumbs and little fingers, as on the English. Pippa edited to remove unwanted smiley replacing ""! and to add a signature

One other possibility might be to learn the odd common session tune in D from the playing of a fiddle player rather than a box player – it’s a good exercise in phrasing, which can sometimes get a bit muddy or stolid in a welter of chords. Fiddle players often drop in other notes to make 2-note chords to emphasis specific points in the tune –working out where they do it will help you really get into the rhythm of that particular tune and completely free you from the ‘oom-pah’ approach, which then gives you another technique to carry across into other tunes … and so on. When I started playing C/G anglo many years ago, I played mainly with fiddle players, and for dancing; although I used to be able to play with full chording etc, I found there was much more bounce when playing for dancing when I played mainly single-line melody, with the odd double-stop for emphasis. (D, F#, low A, E for an A chord – they all fall easily under the LH fingers, even when you’re playing the melody, if you’re only dropping the odd chord in; you can always add more as you get more familiar with the notes you’d be using in D. I’m well aware this is heresy – I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been told I don’t play the anglo properly. But it’s not mimicking an English concertina, because you’ve got all the possibilities of emphasis using bellows changes, and I think all the chords in D fall fairly comfortably in both directions. It’s a question of thinking of the instrument as doing the job of a fiddle (in a different way) just for a few tunes and cutting out too much chording and harmony, which tends to muddy the melody anyway as the lower notes usually sound louder (to my ears) than the melody notes. And you’ll be able to join in most English sessions. I also found it a very useful technique when I joined a TexMex band for a few years and had a shock when I found myself expected to accompany songs in E – but the 2- or 3-note versions of the chords actually fit the C/G box quite comfortably, and there’s a really nice bright tone to the key. Pippa

Hope you're better soon, Geoff! Pippa Sandford

There's a playlist at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/feature/pip/hp4fq/ I can't actually see any contribution from Colin and Rosalie, though (but there's plenty from John, and from Rob Harbron and other box players) Pippa

Is anyone interested in Issues 16-25 inclusive of "Concertina and Squeezebox" (@ 1987-1991) and/'or Issues 3-9 inclusive of Anche Libre (French magazine on Free Reed instruments) - Feb 85 - Mar 86? Pippa

My pleasure! Viona was delighted to find people were still interested in that style of playing. She's just trying to get the video copied for you. Meanwhile I'm really enjoying Anglo International - there's so much to savour on it, you've done a wonderful job. Thanks. Pippa

Hi again Alan! I've just checked with Viona (Tommy Elliott's daughter - the family toured as "The Musical Elliotts") and his miniature concertina was English system. I'll look out the recordings I have of him and let you have the details. Pippa

Alan, I have a few recordings from Tommy Elliott, who played the halls till @ the 50s or 60s - unfortunately the miniature he plays some mind-blowing pieces on is an Anglo system I think (fully harmonized versions of If I were a rich man - Nola - Gigi - Sound of Music). His daughter has the originals, and I could put you in touch if you're interested. Pippa

Hello Pippa, Nice to be in (indirect) contact with you again. I hope you are well. Best wishes. John Wild <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi John, Thanks, nice to hear from you again! I'm very well thanks, especially after a weekend festival which was effectively a Friday-night-to-Sunday-afternoon session, with some wonderful concertina players in the company. Best wishes Pippa

Does anyone want a copy of a 1980 Martyn Bradley LP called "Time can't stand still"? He's playing English concertina with Paul & Warwick Downes and a few other musicians. Tunes include a set of jigs, Sligo Fair, Helas Madame, a couple of hornpipes, Spot the Tune rag, Marches, a Handel sonata, the South Wind and Planxty Hewlet, Playfords, Empty Days. I'd be quite happy to give it to a good home (or small donation in a charity box of your choice). If anyone going to Bradfield wants it I could take it up there, which would save me looking for suitable packaging and trying to get to a post office - the next month is very hectic. email me off-list if you want at ps [at] pippasandford.com Pippa

"I found that when playing it in a session it's taking me longer to find my way around than my anglo, but then I've only had it for a week today, and even in the course of one session my playing got very much better. I'm still very pleased with it." And as one of the people sitting within earshot at that session, I can confirm that the sound's wonderful, warm and sweet - a lovely instrument!