Chris Drinkwater
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Posts posted by Chris Drinkwater
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A very nice instrument, Richard. Judging by the seeming lack of wear to the plating adjacent to the thumb straps, it doesn't look as though it has been played very much in its life. I have one, also with Nickel-plated ends, slightly earlier than yours, serial number 28617, dating from October 1920. I bought mine from a friend some years ago, who had originally purchased it from Chris Algar, still it its original leather case which is in reasonable condition. (Most concertinas have passed through Chris Algar's hands at some stage in their more recent life!) Where did you get yours from? They are truly wonderful instruments and when you make chords with the lower notes, it can sound like you are playing a church organ! The only thing missing on mine, which would be useful, given the size and weight of it, is some wrist straps. I have the fittings for them but not the straps. Colin Dipper's wife Rosalie, was going to make some for me a while back but had no suitable leather in stock at the time.
Chris
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On 1/2/2019 at 8:24 PM, Geoff Wooff said:
I so much enjoyed the first time I took the Baritone Treble to an Irish session and found I could drop the ocatve on any tune , almost automatically, BECAUSE I had absorbed the finger paterns of, at least , the common keys.
Well, I don't play Irish music but as the fortunate owner of a 64 key baritone Treble, it does have its advantages, as Geoff points out above.
Chris
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The last time I saw Steve Turner playing a year or so ago, I also asked him about his unusual instrument and while I can't remember everything he told me about it, what Cohen has posted seems to fit in with some of what I remember he told me and especially it being still in old pitch and that it had previously belonged to a former salvation army musician from Doncaster. Of course, as he uses it solely to accompany himself singing, it doesn't matter that it is tuned to old pitch.
Chris
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I suppose, if you play the concertina, there's always treble ahead!
Chris
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Both my parents played the recorder a little bit when I was young, but I wasn't particularly encouraged by them to learn to play an instrument of any sort. It was only when I was in my early teens, after becoming interested in traditional folk music, that I bought a harmonica and learned to play some simple melodies on it by ear. This became the foundation for my liking for free-reed instruments but I didn't feel confident enough to upgrade to something bigger, like a melodeon or concertina, until I was in my forties. I then plucked up courage and bought an English concertina. When I first started to learn to play the concertina, I knew very little about the theory of music and couldn't sight read, so I began learning tunes by ear, as I had done with the harmonica. Over time, by training my ear, this ability improved considerably, and when I felt confident enough to go to local tunes sessions, I discovered that virtually no one else brought music dots along; everyone seemed to learn and play by ear. Since then, I have taught myself basic music theory and basic sight reading, which has helped me gain a better understanding of western music in general but I still prefer and find it easier to learn by ear. I see the dots of a tune as a starting point from which to make my own interpretation of the tune. My method is to get the dots for a tune I want to learn, score it up using Noteworthy Composer and then I can play it back to myself as many times as I like while learning it by ear but I also have the dots to refer to as a reference if necessary. Most traditional folk music tunes are 32 bars long with often repeated phrases, some of which are common to many tunes and thus not too difficult to memorise, compared to the long scores solo classical pianists have to learn to play without the dots, for example. Like learning any skill, it takes time, patience, determination and regular practice to master an instrument and make progress on it. Twenty years on and I am still learning and always will, as long as I keep playing!
Chris
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There must be a catch in it, somewhere!
Chris
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Nice!
Chris
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Very nice Mike.
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I have become obsessed with the door knockers of England. As you you know, I travel to the UK from the USA every year to perform at folk clubs. These gigs of mine are often in small towns and cities, Faversham, Chichester, Lewes, Whitstable, Harwich, etc.
Don't they have interesting door knockers in America Jody?
Are the English ones anything like these shown in Google Images?
Chris
PS If Google can get away with showing these pictures of door knockers, I am sure you can!
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Wool, I never?
Chris
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Recorded at one of our recent Scottish concerts, this is our attempt at adapting one of Sharp's beautiful piano arrangements for the recorder and anglo.
Adrian
Lovely, Adrian.
Chris
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I have problems recording for TOTM at the moment, so I thought I would reprise an earlier contribution to TOTM, Josefin's Dopvals, lovely baptism waltz composed by Roger Tallroth for the christening of his neice.
https://soundcloud.com/aeolaman/josefins-dopvals
Chris
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Nice, Jim. My wife, who has done a lot of calling, heard it with me and was dancing and singing the chorus at the same time!
Chris
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two Irish tunes I had learned over the years, Out on the Ocean and Calliope House
Calliope House was written in America by an Englishman who lives in Edinburgh.
two Irish tunes I had learned over the years, Out on the Ocean and Calliope HouseCalliope House was written in America by an Englishman who lives in Edinburgh.
Yes, it was written by Dave Richardson of Boys of the Lough, to be accurate and name after the house of piper and arts administrator George Balderose in Pittsburgh.
Chris
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I play the English concertina and my main repertoire is English traditional music. However, last year, I contributed two Irish tunes I had learned over the years, Out on the Ocean and Calliope House to the Irish on an English theme, which I uploaded to Soundcloud.
https://soundcloud.com/aeolaman/out-on-the-ocean-calliope-house
And then there's Rick Epping, a wonderful Californian player of the English Concertina, who often plays harmonica at the same time and who's repertoire is mainly Irish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOi6nY4JIMM
Chris
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I can't let this month's Theme slip away without having a go at "Elsie Marley."
The quintessential English ceilidh tune! Thanks.
And a great song too, hinny. Nifty playing.
A couple more for me on Crane before the month is out:
I had to play Sussex Cotillion recently at a historic dance workshop. New to me though I gather it's not uncommon in sessions. Rather slower here than was required for the dancing.
Some would argue that Bodmin isn't in England, especially when considering such customs as the Bodmin Riding March, but here it is, played in the key of C for Cornwall.
I can't let this month's Theme slip away without having a go at "Elsie Marley."
The quintessential English ceilidh tune! Thanks.
And a great song too, hinny. Nifty playing.
A couple more for me on Crane before the month is out:
I had to play Sussex Cotillion recently at a historic dance workshop. New to me though I gather it's not uncommon in sessions. Rather slower here than was required for the dancing.
Some would argue that Bodmin isn't in England, especially when considering such customs as the Bodmin Riding March, but here it is, played in the key of C for Cornwall.
I can't let this month's Theme slip away without having a go at "Elsie Marley."
The quintessential English ceilidh tune! Thanks.
And a great song too, hinny. Nifty playing.
A couple more for me on Crane before the month is out:
I had to play Sussex Cotillion recently at a historic dance workshop. New to me though I gather it's not uncommon in sessions. Rather slower here than was required for the dancing.
Some would argue that Bodmin isn't in England, especially when considering such customs as the Bodmin Riding March, but here it is, played in the key of C for Cornwall.
Very nice, indeed, Chas.
Chris
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And as I thought I remembered (but didn't say, because I wasn't sure), the concertina isn't even metal-ended. Danny, do you have any recordings showing the difference in sound between baffled and un-baffled?
I don't have any controlled experiments, unfortunately!
These are definitely without the baffles:
http://rowlhouse.co.uk/concertina/music/GanivelleImprov.mp3
http://rowlhouse.co.uk/concertina/music/Beveridge.mp3
This is definitely with:
http://rowlhouse.co.uk/concertina/music/ACoyToy.mp3
I don't use them any more, having "gone off" the sound a bit.
Now, that's left me completely baffled!
Chris
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Just a quick shout out, that I will be one of the tutors, along with Tim Laycock, Brian Peters and Dave Townsend at concertinas at Witney on the 26th and 27th of September in Witney near Oxford.
Both the teachers and the topics have me greatly regretting that scheduling conflicts prevent me from being there. I'll just have to hope for further opportunities in the future.
Just to add that I have worked with John in the past and he is a very inspiring tutor. Sadly, I am otherwise engaged that weekend.
Chris
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Gardiner - Houlgate are holding a two day sale of musical instruments, starting on September 17th. There are five concertinas amongst the lots, 2 English and 3 anglos, including a C Jeffries anglo. The lot numbers are from 654 to 658. See the link below:
Chris
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For auction by THOMSON RODDICK of EDINBURGH on 03 rd September.
Lot 284Victorian Wheatstone 56 button concertina serial no 29004, with foliate pierced silver plated grills and buttons, in a velvet lined tan leather case, 19cm dia.Estimate: £700 - £900
There is a little lever by the right thumb.
It has rings for a neck strap and wrist straps already fitted.
If the number is correct then it is from 1921??
Jake
Jake, you obviously haven't seen my earlier posting about this concertina!
http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=17972
Chris
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Here's a quick take from a Squeezers rehearsal last night - Randy Stein on Wheatstone English, me on Jeffries G/D Anglo. I heard the set on the new CD by Leveret, and we thought we'd try it.
The first, New Anything, is from the Playford Dancing Master; the second, St. Catherine's (also My Lord Cutt’s Delight) apparently is a Northumbrian tune. Both published in the late 1600s.
Far from a finished product, still playing with chords and arrangements. But OK for a first go.
Absolutely gorgeous, Jim and Randy. I bought Leveret's New Anything CD last autumn, after seeing them live in London and it has become one of my all time favourite music CDs. They are without doubt, three very fine virtuoso musicians, who gel incredibly well together and write some fabulous tunes of their own, as well. In addition to the above two tunes, tracks 1 and 2, Bagpipers and Sam's Gallons of Cognac, are two of my favourites on the CD, both of which I want to learn.
Chris
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"700 - 900 GBP ... clearly a 'come & by me' price Chris, to attract the buyers." Couldn't agree more, Dick!
Chris
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No idea, Geoff. A bit later on, they do away with the separate column, and place the letter at the beginning of the description. In addition to the letters R, O and M, they now include N and E! Also,from page 137 onwards, there is an extra date column on the right, which I presume, is the date the concertina was finished and the first column now contains the date the concertina was started.
Chris
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Sandra Kerr concertina & song workshop & evening, Lewes Saturday Folk Club
in Public News & Announcements
Posted
I don't suppose Sandra has ever considered recording some teaching videos, like Pauline de Snoo and Simon Thoumire and posting them on Youtube, to give an insight into her style of playing the English concertina. I was lucky enough to do a weekend of workshops with her when she was a guest tutor with WCCP some years ago.
Chris