Peter Dyson

Very nice. Is the sheet music for this arrangement available ? Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

As suggested, I contacted both SpringThyme music and Nigel Gatherer for more info on this tune -- no answer from either. Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

If you fancy having a go at this tune, there is quite a good transcription on The Session at: http://thesession.org/tunes/9072 The transcription is by Nigel Gatherer, the Scottish mandolin player, and he certainly knows a thing or two about playing slow airs. The tune is marked as a reel here, but that is a limitation of The Session, and not Nigel Gatherer's opinion. Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

This week I have been listening to the CD "Leaving Lerwick Harbour" by Shetland fiddler Willie Hunter, ably accompanied by Violet Tulloch on piano. One of the magnificent slow airs they play on the CD is called "David D MacKenzie of Sallachy", written by one I Sinclair, copyright Springthyme Music. It is a beautiful tune; very sad, a real wrist-slitter. Does anyone know who David D MacKenzie is/was, or anything about I Sinclair ? The usual searches have turned up nothing of interest. Thanks, Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

I have just added "The Gay Ladies Polka" to the Tune-o-tron (it's number 519). It's a grand tune, a traditional English measure or polka. Does anyone know anything about the tune ? It seems to me to resemble a Victorian music hall tune. I wonder if it ever had words. Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

I know this is thread drift, but can you explain what you mean by and how you play Simon Thoumire's one-button rolls (in detail please). Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

Without checking item by item, does anyone know if there are any similar arrangements for English concertina available in the Tune-o-Tron ? Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

I am working on some of them too. The tune "I've Got a Loverly Bunch of Coconuts" seems unusually suited to the concertina, and "Donau-Wellen"t just oozes along. Some of the other arrangements are pretty tricky, but it's all good fun, and when you get it right, it's wonderful. Peter Dyson Bellingham WA

The Duet Book, published by the Northumbrian Pipers' Society, is indeed still in print. Another source might be the set of Piper's Companion books published by Derek Hobbs. These books contain Northumbrian, Scottish and English tunes arranged for two or three parts. Guitar chords are also included. The series consists of Piper's Companion Books 1 to 4, Book 5 is subtitled Classics for Folk, Book 6 contains tunes only in the key of D, and Book 7, subtitled The Wild Hills o' Wannies contains tunes only in the keys of Em and Am. Each book contains 40 to 50 settings. In North America, many of these books can be obtained from Andy's Front Hall at: Andy's or from Dave Mallinson's web site at: Mallys Cheers, Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

Just a quick note -- I have reduced the price of this concertina to $500. Cheers, Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

What make and model of EC do you currently play ? Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I had forgotten Skinner's Pink Book. It contains some real finger-twisters, but also some lovely slow tunes such as "The Flower o' the Quern" and "The Music o' Spey". And for David who likes pipe tunes, have you looked at the out-of-copyright books sold by Unicorn at: Unicorn Limited They also have the Simon Fraser Collection and the Skye Collection too. Cheers, Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

Like Helen in the Irish tune book thread, I like tunebooks, and I was wondering if people would recommend their favourite books of Scottish tunes here. I have had a lot of fun with "Scottish Fiddlers' Session Tune Book" originally published in two volumes, now available in one from Taigh na Teud. It contains Scottish and Shetland reels, some jigs, hornpipes, and marches. "The Fiddle Music of Scotland" from James Hunter includes 365 tunes and an historical essay on Scottish music and composers. There are laments, waltzes, a ton of strathspeys, marches, airs, pastorals, reels and rants. Then there is "The Cunningham Collection" from the incomparable Phil Cunningham with 55 tunes including "The Ross Memorial Hospital", "Quendale Bay" and others. While it is pretty easy to pick up some of Phil's slower tunes by ear, the guitar chords included with each tune make it worth the price of admission. And finally, it is a lot more traditional (in the sense that people have been doing it for hundreds of years) to first learn a tune from the dots than it is to use computer software to slow down a digital recording. Cheers, Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

I was looking through Phil Hopkinson's excellent book "Dancing with Ma Baby" last night, and came across the picture of Charlotte Oliver playing Boris on page 35. What a monster. Does anyone know Boris' specs ? Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

Yes, this concertina is still available. Where are you located ? If you want to hear the concertina, I'd be happy to play it for you over the phone -- not ideal, I'll agree, but better than nothing. Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

Yes, you are right. In 1974 Topic Records issued an LP as a companion to Alistair Anderson's "Concertina Workshop" book. It has not been re-issued on CD. This LP (which you can still find on e-bay from time to time) is not a step-by-step companion to the book. It includes all the tunes from the book, but they are all played at speed with full backing arrangements. And that makes it as enjoyable to listen to as any of AA's other recordings. The book is a great place to start learning the English concertina; it's where I started, and I am sure many others did too. Peter Dyson Bellinham, WA

Without a doubt "Niel Gow's Lament for the Death of His Second Wife" from approximately 1806. If you search for this tune on the Internet, stay away from any transcriptions in 3/4; it should be in 6/8. Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

To tilt the balance back towards the English concertina a bit: Anything by Dave Townsend (Concertina Landscape) Sarah Graves (Black Boxes) Anything by Simon Thoumire (Big Day In, Solo1, March Strathspey Surreal, Keep it Up) and absolutely any recording by Alistair Anderson, from Concertina Workshop, through Dooking for Apples and Corby Crag, to The Grand Chain, Syncopace, and On Cheviot Hills which he recorded with The Lindsays, a string quartet. Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

Price reduced to $500. Six-sided Stagi 48-button treble English concertina, with seven-fold bellows, steel reeds, mahogany ends, and plastic buttons. This concertina starts at the G below middle C as its lowest note, and is fully chromatic with all sharps and flats over its three and a half octave range. It has approximately the same range as a fiddle. It also has an air button so you can close the bellows silently at the end of your performance. The instrument is in excellent condition, was professionally tuned and refurbished 18 months ago, and until recently was played every day. The only reason I am selling it is to finance the purchase of a Wheatstone tenor-treble EC. You can buy this concertina new from The Button Box for $722 (according to their web site); I am asking $550. The price includes a blocked hard-shell case, and the buyer pays shipping and insurance. Please contact me at peterdyson@nas.com if you are interested. Thanks, Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

I have just got my copy too. Not only has it improved my playing, it has also changed the way I think about my playing. Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA

You can read an article Simon Thoumire wrote about his own English concertina playing style if you go to the Footstompin Records web site at: www.footstompin.com and then click on Articles and follow the links to his essay. And Big Day In is brilliant, I agree. Cheers, Peter Dyson Bellingham, WA