squeezora

Hello Everybody, My mother Vicki is a painter and she is in the process of painting a series of Concertina art. She has completed 10 different paintings in the series. Right now we are offering cards and prints, but posters will be added shortly. We live near Limoges and intend to have them make mugs, cups and pitchers for us as well. I will take some samples of the cards and prints to the Bielefield concertina event in Germany, where I've been invited this next weekend. Any ideas or suggestions will be very much appreciated, Juliette http://www.juliettedaum.com/index.html

m3838 wrote > Would it be too much to ask you to record some of the music before excercises? Squeezora> I plan to do that at some time in the future. Right now, though, I'm working hard on a getting a full concert ready and so I don't have much extra time. m3838 I looked through some of the scores and found them to be quite typical, employing lots of playing in thirds, lots of music goes up high, where, to my opinion, Concertina doesn't sound too convincing. Very little in terms of counter-melody, and harmonizing is done very simply. Squeezora Some of it's quite nice, but remember that it is written in the style of the way the concertina technique was at the time (1880's). That is why I like to play a lot of classical guitar and Renaissance/Baroque lute scores, because the scores are already arranged in a way that works out well for me on the English concertina. I think some of your aversion to the high notes on the concertina might be the quality of the reeds of the concertinas you are familiar with. I like the tone of Aeola reeds, even up high. But I too, prefer the lower ranges, which I also prefer with most other instruments. I'm always on the lookout for new music, that suites my abilities, and would appreciate a glance on how it really sounds. Me too, that's one of the many reasons why I like to listen to other instruments like guitar. Juliette

I'm happy to report that I just put up another 21 pages of music from the "CONCERTINA BOOK" on my website at <http://www.juliettedaum.com/ > I'm getting close to the tutor part of the book and will be making videos of some of the special exercises. Juliette

I like to name things, so I name my hats and lot of other possessions. I call my treble Wheatstone that I have had from just about the beginning of my playing “Ophelia” because it is another tragic character in a Shakespeare play. My tenor treble is called Maxmilian a derivative of the name of the Scottish man who bought it originally and passed it on to his nephew who in turn sold it to me. My Bass/Baritone is called Neptune as it has a voice like I imagine Neptune to have and because I am from the Planet Neptune. Although, it is known by a different name to Neptunian’s. My busking tenor treble is called Louise because it has the same birthday as an old, long since departed, woman, Louise Juliette Bath, that I knew only from all her old papers strewn about on the floor an old abandoned mill. Since she was evidently forgotten, I decided to remember her with the music from this old instrument. These are explanations, but they are not rationalizations, as I think, anyone who tries to rationalize anything at all, in this crazy world of ours, is still crazier yet. Only fools try to make sense of their actions, I am, what I am, a mad “concertinistaneena.” Juliette

Hellon everyone, I just posted another 10 pages of the Concertina Book. Now we're up to page 70. I've been redoing my website and adding more artwork and photos of concertinas. Please have a look at: http://www.juliettedaum.com/index.html I will be regularly posting new drawings and paintings. I'm working with a company in Limoges to produce porcelain mugs, etc., decorated with concertina artwork. regards to all, Juliette

Hi, I just posted another 10 pages of the Concertina Book, including "GOD SAVE THE QUEEN", at my website: < http://www.juliettedaum.com/index.html > I'll try to get another 10 or 20 pages up shortly. Juliette

Hi, The entire collection seems to be in the major keys except for some of the short pieces in the Tutor portion of the book. The book is a compilation of pieces and exercises and scales. It includes instruction on playing ornaments, playing staccato, etc.. For a person who reads music, or who is willing to put in the effort to learn to read music, it could be considered a very good tutorial and collection, complete in itself. It is a little strange, that it seems to be put together backwards, but then, it was a single person who had this bound for themselves and so they did it the way they wanted, without regard to the idea of it making sense to anyone else. I also mentioned a forthcoming tutorial that I will publish based in part on this collection. However the tutorial will include diagrams and photos as well as a greater variety of music including modern pieces and songs. So this might have been a little confusing in my original post. So I now intend to publish my own tutorial on my website, also free of charge. This is not because I am independent financially, don’t I wish, but because there was very little available for me when I started myself and I think I will ultimately benefit from encouraging as many people as possible to learn to play. The sun is out here in France and the old Templar Church is warming up and so I'm planning to record some more videos of my playing soon. I will include close ups of my hands, then you will see what I'm doing. The idea will be to offer videos of how to learn to play the English concertina. By the way, here is a little quote from the book. “ The 1st _ 2nd _ 3rd _ and 4th _ (or little) fingers being kept over the their respective rows of finger stops” I think people should play however it makes sense to them, but I play, more or less, according to the above rule. But, never-the-less, I don’t think anyone should advise others that there is but one path to playing well, there appear to be many. Just thought I’d throw this into the pot for stirring………. My father any I have developed a new kind of concertina tablature that works with the English concertina quite well. It allows players, who don’t read standard music notation, to pick out pieces with chords, etc. within minutes. Seems to work pretty well and is easy to print. I will offer some of this tablature as soon as we are sure of all the details as to the best way to proceed with it. I have lots of other new things going on with the concertina that I’m itching to tell about soon. I hope to put up another set of pages if this book in the next few days, Thanks for your support, Juliette

Today, March 12, I have added another 10 pages of the book which you can find and download for free at my website http://www.juliettedaum.com/index.html Juliette

Hi All, I've just added another 10 pages of music from the "CONCERTINA" book and I hope to have some move ready soon. Thanks for your encouragement and the kind remarks. I will record the excercises and post those in the near future, probably as Youtube videos so you can see how they can be played. I have several other old books, two from 1843, one from 1850, and one from 1854 that I will copy and put up on my website after I finish this book. I'm working on my own idea of an English Concertina Tutor which will be available on my website for free and will be followed up with Youtube examples. My regards to everyone, Juliette

Hello again, I've just uploaded 10 more pages and added the names of the songs next to the link to their page. Have a nice day, Juliette

Hello Seanc, On the main page of my site I put up a picture of the book and there is a link next to it. If you have visited my website before your memory might still have the old index page in it. Click reload and the updated page should come up. Thanks and Enjoy! Juliette

Thanks to the kindness of Alan Day for sharing this book with me, I have been able to scan and place on the internet, a wonderful collection of music for concertina along with excercises and other helps to learning and performing on the concertina. This book really shows the very high level of playing during the later part of the 19th century. I would have loved to have found such pieces available at the time I got serious about learning the concertina 8 years ago. My father searched but couldn't find anything like this. You can see and download the first 20 pages of music at my website and I will try to put about 20 additional pages up every day or so. There is no charge for any of the downloads. Please let me know here what you think of this book after you have a look and offer any suggestions you might think of. You will find the book at < www.juliettedaum.com > or click on < http://www.juliettedaum.com/index.html > My site is in both the French and English languages. Again we have Alan Day to thank for his foresight to save this collection for posterity. Enjoy, Juliette

Hi Neil, Here are some videos that show me playing an English concertina with thumb and wrist straps. They are red leather, so it should be pretty easy to pick them out. I have two other concertinas that had wrist straps and I took them off and I have one that never had wrist straps. I like them on the large Wheatstone Bass/Baritone, but don't use them on the treble or the two Tenor/Trebles that I play. The Bass/Baritone is kind of big and heavy, so it does give me a little security while playing, but I probably could manage alright without. I don't think it's a big issue whether you use them or not, it's more a matter of preference. So don't worry too much about this in the beginning, Juliette see me at: < www.juliettedaum.com > L'ENFANT DEMON <a href=" target="_blank"> Cancion de cuna <a href=" target="_blank"> Fandanguillo <a href=" target="_blank">

gibet_b' date='Jan 8 2008, I think that the concertina is a good choice for many types of music, not just "traditional" or "classical". It's good, when you have learnt the basics, and made further progress, to push the boundaries. It's my plan. I hope I will be able to "push the boundaries". I think it's perfectly possible : i heard somebody try to play "La valse d'Amélie" by Yann Tiersen (from the "Amélie Poulain" soundtrack) and it was very interesting... It's possible but if i will be able to match the challenge. For the moment, I seek for a repertoire of songs that i will be able to learn. I found for celtic music on this website (my favourites songs are here : Carrickfergus, Brian Boru's March, Morrison's jig ; only some of them miss : foggy dew, the town i love so well, and 2 or 3 songs. But I don't know french traditionnal music as well as celtic music, and i don't know where i can find a compilation of the most well known french traditionnal, especially auvergne's songs. I'm curious to learn this type of music, but i don't know it very well. http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showuser=6410 Member Group: Members Posts: 14 Joined: 28-December 07 Member No.: 6410 I'm in the "Puy-De-Dôme" county (like Juliette Daume, but if i'm no wrong, on the opposite point on a map), more precisely in an area called "Les Combrailles", and more again precisely in a village called Saint-Maurice Près Pionsat. I know that english people love Auvergne ! My wife is teacher in the village's school and 25% of the children are english !!! To be honnest, the only problem : it's now very difficult to buy a no so expansive house... Or we had to make it build, but it's not the same. But you are wecome ! Come in France, come in Auvergne ! For me, I'm proud to be an auvergnat, and i always happy to talk about it ! And to prove it and finish, some photos (on the 2nd : my sister, me and my wife) : Hi 'gibet_b' Actually I live just 70 kilometres from you and I'm planning to move just 2k from Pontaumur which is about 30k from you. Pontaumur is famous for it's beautiful Bach Organ which attracts people from all over the world to hear and to play it. I plan to open a music school there to teach the concertina and some related music forms. It is a perfect area to have a concertina festival with the lakes, and mountains and beautiful scenery. I will have a very wonderful setting close to hotels, restaurants, camping, etc.. This is only ½ hour from Clermont-Ferrand and so it is easy to access by plane or train. There is no more beautiful area in all of France and the people in the area are very friendly, generous, helpful and hospitable. They are very welcoming to my ideas. Only people who don't know the area ever have something negative to say about it. But, then, it may be a mistake to say too much nice about it here, better that it remains a special secret! I am also considering offering free lessons in concertina playing on the internet and I'll make some announcements about that idea on the Cnet shortly. I have this to say about various kinds of music for the concertina. There is lots of traditional music available here and in time you will connect up with plenty of that. You can only learn so much at a time though and so you shouldn't worry too much about that. People can write me in French or Spanish as well as in English, so don't hesitate to write me. Juliette www.juliettedaum.com

Hi Mark, I did mention in my original post on this thread that the sound wasn't the same as on my CD's. But I see that I didn't make it very clear that these were recorded, my CD's, with ribbon microphones and preamplifiers that were carefully placed to reduce the echo's of the recording chamber. So the sound won't be the same as in the videos and I think you will be able to hear the notes more clearly on the CD's. I was hoping that if people would like my playing on the videos, that they would go to my website at < www.juliettedaum.com > and there they could hear excerpts and better still, that they would order a CD from me. My music is my sole source of income and every CD that I sell really does put bread the table in my house. And it does make it possible for me to work harder and harder on my music to see where it will go. I am working very hard on a concert program that I will make available for booking by next spring. I love to play for people and I get a lot of energy from an audience, alive or via the internet. The sound effects on my recordings are all as natural as I can get them to be on a recording. There is no "reverb" as that is "an electronically produced echo effect in recorded music". It's interesting that in old times we used words describing natural phenomena to describe unnatural produced effects and now we have gone to using words describing unnatural effects to describe natural phenomena. Of course, I'm not offended by this, just pointing out a little twist in times! So thanks for the positive comments, it really is appreciated and they make me feel very happy, Juliette Hopefully I will figure out a way to get better sound on the videos in the near future.

Hi folks, I recorded several pieces yesterday and put them up on Youtube so you can see and hear me play. The sound isn't so much like on my CD's because it is just the microphone that is built into the video camcorder, but you'll get an idea anyway. You will also get an idea of the size of the instrument I play, it is a bit larger than a standard treble concertina L'ENFANT DEMON </a> Cancion de cuna </a> Fandanguillo </a> please visit my website at www.juliettedaum.com I plan to put a couple more on soon, and I really hope you like these Juliette

I am confused by this statement of yours [How do you get Spanish music?] I think that Mallorca is a part of Spain. Bartolome Calatayud was, I believe, a Spaniard and so how can the music he wrote not be Spanish? I think to most of the world, the sound of his music will be associated with Spain. However, please listen to the music first and then if it sounds Irish, I'll be glad to change my description of it and acknowledge my mistake. Juliette hoping to correct a possible misunderstanding, Hi tamborileru, I must apologize for my answer to your post. i think that I misunderstood it. If you mean by "Where do you get Spanish music?", where did I actually find the sheet music, I had some of it from my Father and some of it we found in music shops. I play a lot from classical guitar scores. For the most part, I can play all the notes that can be played on the guitar and sometimes more. Some of the music I find on the internet. I bought a CD of guitar scores from Italy that had lots of different composers from the Renaissance to the present. I print it out from my computer and then edit it to work on the concertina. I do the same thing with music written for other instruments that I adapt to the concertina. Otherwise the repertoire that exists for the concertina in music by various composers is very small. So this way I can play what ever I want. Learning how to read and write music was a really big help to me. I wouldn't have wanted to try to learn this music by ear, though I do play some by ear, for example, I learned to play "Für Elise" by Ludwig van Beethoven by ear, but this is not a very complicated piece when compared to many others. I would be happy to share some of my arrangements, but most of the details are in my head when I play, so when I have time, I'll have to sit down and write out some arrangements if anyone is interested. Please let me know. Juliette

I have long been interested in this but I wonder if the question is "how many of them have survived?" If you look at the old pictures of concertina bands they seem common there and there were plenty of bands in the North of England. In the post -band era,a bass or bass baritone would not have been a particularly instrument to have.Where could you play one if there is no band to play in..........I could imagine these large instruments just being put out with the junk. Regards Robin PS Lovely playing Juliette. Hi Robin, Thank you very much for the nice compliment. I don’t think the Bass-Baritone that I play was ever a band instrument. Bass, Bass-Baritone band concertinas usually had many fewer buttons. This concertina was formerly owned by a certain Mr. Herbert Ayers, who was a professional accordion/concertina musician during the first half of the twentieth century. It is a 64 button Aeola and I’ve never seen a photo of such a concertina. This type of instrument is not listed on any of the old Wheatstone price lists that I’ve seen. We carefully searched each and every page of the Wheatstone records and could only find one other 64 button Bass-Baritone made and 2 examples 56 button Bass-Baritones, so it seems that it was not a common instrument and it is possible that not all the four examples have survived. I think that this might have been a custom order for Mr. Ayers. I am including several photos so that you can see the size and configuration of the instrument. It is a little difficult to play, but I love the sound very much. It feels like playing several instruments at the same time. Juliette

I play the piece at approximately the recommended speed. But I know that there are others recorded it faster than I did. But maybe they never actually heard a real bumblebee the way I have. I have often sat in the garden where I live and listened to the bees and they buzz at about the speed I tried to capture. I did record it about twenty seconds faster, but chose the slower version instead. Some recordings I've heard just seem a blur of notes and also in some recordings it seems like a lot of the notes are missing. I have a copy of the Fayre Four Sisters playing the "Flight of the Bumblebee" and have listened to it several times. One of the big differences is that there are four sisters playing together to produce the piece and I am playing it solo. To my knowledge, my recording is the only solo recording of this piece. I've never heard a bumblebee throw sparse chords into punctuating its flight! But, I suppose it's possible, I'm young and have a lot to learn yet! I would have loved to hear Boris Matusewitch play the piece, but, if I am correct, there is no recording of him playing it. I really look forward to seeing and hearing the "Flight of the Bumblebee" being played on an Anglo concertina, that should be a lot of fun. Juliette

I would like to point out that my new CD includes an entire disc of Bass Baritone concertina being played. This is connected in a way to the thread that appeared here some time ago about a FOOT BASE concertina being played along with a treble concertina. The difference is that i am playing the base parts along with the upper melodies and chords at the same time and on only one instrument without a foot base. I believe there is no other recording in existence of a bass baritone concertina being played in this way. Actually i think there are only a few of these bass baritone concertinas that were ever produced. You will find that the sound of the bass baritone is very unusual and, I think, unique. You can find it here: <www.juliettedaum.com> Juliette

I am confused by this statement of yours [How do you get Spanish music?] I think that Mallorca is a part of Spain. Bartolome Calatayud was, I believe, a Spaniard and so how can the music he wrote not be Spanish? I think to most of the world, the sound of his music will be associated with Spain. However, please listen to the music first and then if it sounds Irish, I'll be glad to change my description of it and acknowledge my mistake. Juliette

I’ve just recorded “The Flight of the Bumblebee|” by Rimsky Korsakov. I recorded it with a Wheatstone Aeola Tenor Treble made in 1925. It is available as a download at my updated website: < www.juliettedaum.com > It was fun, but a lot harder than I first thought it would be. Thanks to those who thought I could do it. I really appreciate any feedback from C.netters…….. Juliette p.s. I also recorded a video of ":The Flight of the Bumblebee" and I hope to have it on "YouTube" shortly.

Hi everybody, I’ve just recorded a new CD using a Wheatstone Bass Baritone Aeola. I believe this the first and only recording using this range of concertina in such a way. I really hope that you enjoy it. At the same time I also recorded the same music on a Tenor Treble Wheatstone Aeola from 1925. There is a lot of difference in the feel and sound of the two instruments and so the two CDs will each give a different musical experience as well as allowing aficionados to compare the two sounds of the instruments. The higher pitched recording I call Picante and the bass recording I call Dulce (or Hot and Sweet). I’m sure that you will understand why when you hear them played. I really had a wonderful time recording this music as I’ve heard it played by my father since I was a baby. The Cds are all Spanish music. Details are at my website. I’m happy to announce that I’ve updated my website at <www.juliettedaum.com > with more downloads available and in the next few weeks I hope to have a lot more of these. Thanks to everyone who has helped and encouraged me to keep playing. Juliette I very much appreciate every bit of feedback that I get from people on the forum, thanks again.

Hi C.net’ers, I have put two concertinas for sale on eBay. One is an old German or French Anglo that is very unusual and is decorated beautifully with hand engraved silver inlays inlayed into rosewood ends and sides. It will go off the auction in about two days. I hope this information might be of interest to someone here on C.net. It is very definitely a collector’s instrument and I think it should be on display in a museum somewhere though it could be restored. I think it is in B”flat and D, but don’t quote me on this. You can see it here……………. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 The other concertina is a 55 button Lachenal Maccann Duet with raised metal ends and ebony fittings, that need’s some fixing up, but is basically in pretty good condition and should be great for someone who wants a high quality duet for a bargain price. You can see it here….. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 Both of these concertinas were acquired by my father years ago in his quest to learn about the concertina. He knew the best way to learn was to have the actual instruments in his hands to study and play. Now I need to sell these to help my own quest. After this I only have a George Case Amboyna English concertina and a 1854 Wheatstone English that are left to sell. Then I will only have the two instruments that I play left. I am now recording a CD album of all Spanish Dance music and hope to have it done next week. It is very exciting music to play. I am especially happy and grateful to all those who have purchased my CDs and downloads. A few years ago I had not dreamed I would come love to play the concertina as much as I do. Juliette

New Concertina CD by Juliette: Hello Concertina.net! I want to thank all the people who have purchased my first CD “Juliette et la Concertina”. I really appreciate the support and the many encouraging comments I’ve received. You are all very important to me. Now I want to let everyone know my new CD, “Juliette’s Bachs of Truffles”, has just been finished and is available on my web site <www.juliettedaum.com>. There you will also find some downloads of my music including excerpts from my playing of J.S. Bach’s music. I think it is important to point out that this is solo unaccompanied concertina playing and that I play all the voices at the same time on one instrument. I am very grateful to the musicians who encouraged me to try to do this and said they thought it would be possible. I have made all my own transcriptions and arrangements. I think the concertina is a wonderful instrument for personal expression and that there is a very bright future for it to be played in this way. I can’t dream of anything more fun and fulfilling to do than playing the concertina.. I am now ready to start recording another CD entirely of Spanish dances, by the 20th century composer Bartolome Calatayud of Mallorca, Spain. These are wonderful spirited Moorish sounding dances including, sarabands, mazurkas, tangos, waltzes. A lot of Calatayud’s music is based on the Folk Tradition of Mallorca and so it has a very festive and happy sound. Thank you again for your kind support, Juliette