John Adey

I see on your eBay listing that you mention insurance with Royal Mail. I investigated insurance on posted instruments only last week and was told emphatically that, although they insure other items up to £2500, they will not insure any musical instrument. The only way to send it insured is to use a private courier it seems.

Rod, This is a real problem and one that I've faced in the past. I decided long ago that I'd never buy an instrument I hadn't tried and have consequently had to pass by several that looked good on paper. I'm in the process of 'buying' an instrument that is in another country, but I'm doing it through Concertina Connection who are selling it 'on consgnment' and the arrangement is that I get to try it for 3 days - after C Connection have received my money - and can return it for a full refund if I decide it's not right for me. Chris Algar will do something similar if you buy from him, as I think Theo Gibbs will also. But your problem is that this is a private seller. It seems to me that you either take a chance by not trying it, travel a long way in hope (and at expense) or you come to some similar arrangement with the seller to the one described above or involving some sort of trust account like escrow. Good luck!

Tim Laycock is a great admirer of Alf Edwards and plays quite a lot of his arrangements. He may be worth approaching and if he doesn't have it may be able to point you in the right direction.

Please see my P.M.

If you prefer the lower pitch then go for the Jack; having tried both there's very little difference in the ease of playing. So long as you accept you're in a different octave - one octave lower on the Jack - there is no difference in fingering. (BUT, if your finances can possibly stretch to a Morse Albion baritone that would be a far, far superior instrument for what you want!)

I spoke to Andrew Norman yesterday. He was very helpful and gave me lots of information about the construction - materials and method. His waiting time is 22 months and the cost of a tenor is £1595 - which seems very reasonable. If you look at the link Daniel posted you'll see Andrew mentions the tonal range.

Glad you love your Stagi, but I note that you also envy your friend his/her Wheatstone. Yes, those at Concertina connection are out of my reach too. AS someone said to me the other day, 'happy hunting'.

Thanks Greg; I had spotted those. I'm sure they are superb instruments. The problem is that with current exchange rates - with the Euro not far from parity with the UK pound, plus import duties, the cost of those two is prohibitive. I should also have said in my original posting that I'm looking for a vintage instrument. I know that Stagi do a tenor model.

I'm looking for a tenor English concertina. (Yes, I know they're rare.) Any leads would be much appreciated and, naturally, I've spoken to the man in Stoke-on-Trent.

A very nice looking and desireable instrument, and it will no doubt need some restoration work done on it. What exactly will need to be done can only be assessed by having a close look at the innards and playing it. So please can you reveal your location, roughly (!), for those of us who might be interested in following this up and, perhaps, making you an offer? John

I'd agree with that. It shows in the ledgers as being originally purchased on May 10th 1853. My interest was sparked by having today played a single action Wheatsone baritone from 1876 that is on loan to a friend. It is the most beautifully toned instrument I have ever come across, but is, sadly, not for sale.

I suggest you contact Wim Wakker at Concertina Connection. Wim wrote the tutor and should be able to help you.

Yep, that's the one, though the youtube clip is dated 2007 and we're in 2009. That's cheating to pretend that it is recent. Chris Chris, this is from well before 2007 - just look how young Simon looks! The original series were broadcast in the early nineties I think; I remember seeing them then. It was a stunning series. It was hosted by Ally Bain and Jay Ungar, with people like Emmylou Harris, the McGarrigle sisters, Mary Black, John Martyn, and the superlative slide guitarist Jerry Douglas as well as several brilliant session musicians who were new to me then. Just edited: You can apparantly get the original series on DVD now.

What a lovely sound Dick; it was worth waiting for!

I don't know the answer Dick, but prices of Aeolas are reported to be rising - due, experts say, to pressure from some guy in Ireland seemingly trying to buy them all.........

I don't have a telly so cannot confirm this refers to the scene you're talking about, but.......... I was talking to Alan Dyer at a WCCP meeting yesterday. He was telling me of his day's 'shoot' on 'Lark Rise'. If it's the same scene then I can confirm that the bellows were 'shot', there were two of the twenty keys missing and one key was jammed. There was no bellows resistance at all, and as Alan said, 'You try miming bellows action without anything to push or pull against''. Oh, and Alan actually plays English system - and extremely well at that - but had to make do with what the props department gave him on the day. Such is the veracity of these dramatisations. So that was Alan, playing? Amazing; I haven't seen him for many years. The last time I remember seeing him was in about 1987 at the session in Eynsham, near Oxford. We had a concertina "invasion", with Dave Townsend, Andy Turner, Pippa Sandford, Alan Dyer, and myself all turning up. Must have seen Alan since then, surely....... Oh; and the pub Landlord had gone to the same school as me, in Croydon! Regards, Peter. Hi Peter, Oops! Having watched the episode through the link provided by LDT I can confirm that is NOT Alan; he may have aged since you saw him, but not by that much!!. He said he thought 'his' episode would be in a few weeks time, so there'll no doubt be more comments when it's broadcast. Looks like it was the same box Alan had to contend with though! John

I'd guess it was a Lachenal (or similar) being played without reedpans. I couldn't get the bellows to move that fast with just air valve, unless the bellows were "shot". Regards, Peter. I don't have a telly so cannot confirm this refers to the scene you're talking about, but.......... I was talking to Alan Dyer at a WCCP meeting yesterday. He was telling me of his day's 'shoot' on 'Lark Rise'. If it's the same scene then I can confirm that the bellows were 'shot', there were two of the twenty keys missing and one key was jammed. There was no bellows resistance at all, and as Alan said, 'You try miming bellows action without anything to push or pull against''. Oh, and Alan actually plays English system - and extremely well at that - but had to make do with what the props department gave him on the day. Such is the veracity of these dramatisations.

Bookings are now being taken for the annual March Kilve weekend, 20th to 22nd 2009. Tutors attending will be: English system: Robert Harbron Anglo system: Andy Turner Duet: Pam Bishop Band: Claire Wren Contact, John Derricott 49 Medbourne Close Blandford Dorset DT1 17UA Tel: 01258 450927

The Dippers heh. Yep, I reckon my guess about the baritone was right. Happy Christmas Dick!

I'd like to hear it, sound very intriguing. Hear the version Pete mentions here. http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...endid=166435063

It's also on the CD 'Windy Gyle' by Northumbrian piper Anthony Robb and others, where it's played more slowly than the Syncopace version. Alistair is also on one track on that cd, playing concertina.

Pete, The notation I have for this - from one of Mr A's workshops - is in the key of A and there is a harmony line to the slow air. I think the the order of play on the 'Syncopace' cd and on the 'Windy Gyle' cd is the slow air solo, then slow air with harmony line, then the slip jig alone, then the slip jig with slow air and then back to the slow air played in unison. The Syncopace version is my favourite; it starts with a lone cello playing the slow air melody - shivers down the spine for me!

Nah, it's OK, put it towards the baritone. (I have a hunch about that 'cos I know where there is, or was, an Aeola baritone for sale.) Good luck!

Well, it's certainly firmly fixed in my head now and may well drive me insane at this rate. It kept me awake at about 3.00 am this morning; I just couldn't get it out of my head. Great tune Pete, thanks for sharing it!