Matthew Heumann

Cecil Sharpe first published this folk song in 1916, calling it, and its earlier renditions from comic-dramas of the 1500s, the "First English Drinking Song of Any Merit". This is my arrangement for English Concertina. Some words may differ between the old audio and the printed arrangement, a change they refer to as "the Folk Process".

Written for our concertina friend Jim Besser, Anglo concertina player extraordinaire, in the style of composer Kerry Mills, who penned many fine Ragtime, Tin-Pan Alley, and other novelty tunes. Jim is a huge fan of his music.

I actually played a couple of tunes on the concertina he played on our video and found it very responsive, notes very even tempered, and the bellows easy to move. Though I'm known as an English player, I began on Anglo and can still crank off a few tunes. What amazed me most was that there weren't the usual free-reed harmonics, just very clean mellow tones.

I have contacted Frank. He's on stage performing at the moment, but will address this as soon as he can. I looked inside the New Model at the shop last week. It has steel reed in brass frames, 2 reeds per frame and were screwed down on a leather gasket, not slotted. What I can say is that I've played every model he's made and even a Dipper he had, and I think these reeds are the purest tone, even better than some of my Wheatstones & Lachenals. I'm sure he'll enlighten everyone when he gets into the forum soon.

The Video tells it all!

I composed this long ago, but seems a really important thought in today's world. Happy Solstice to Squeezers Everywhere! https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/uvfbo2cl6vzu9rdthi0up/AHUNDzfsREV8PRONuVKKjI0?rlkey=9quys9sbpgjp5rl8r2jyqlkvu&st=qz44nu6l&dl=0

This years group photo. Anglos, English, Duets, those scary big things (accordions), and many other instruments. I'm front row center in blue shirt. Click on image to enlarge

To some of us, one row off is enough after 50 years of finger memory. Guess I've gotten lazy & inflexible in my old age. I think we're done with this topic, just wanted to offer a box for sale................................

I have corrected the description in the original posting, of course I didn't take into account accidentals. So 8 total keys down & up from normal 48-key treble configuration, not an octave. But the important point for treble players is that the fingering remains the same as treble and doesn't do the "reversed side" predicament found on most tenor-trebles.

64 keys, exactly same layout as standard 48-key treble but one octave above & below. link to specs: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hkx3e9msjm0ebwpiexekl/64-key-models-19A-Aeola.jpg?rlkey=656q4nxv2delfl270f75xv7a4&st=75v6ec8c&dl=0

I recently found out I can't upload any videos to Youtube unless I disable ALL blockers. Once the download is complete, I turn them back on. But they don't interfere with links or viewing.

He's playing with Frank Jr. on Fiddle and my longtime friend & Irish music mentor the late Al Purcell on uilleann pipes. Frank's duet with son is at 13:20 minute mark. Were getting together in a couple of weeks after 5 years apart (Covid, border tightening, etc), so thought I'd dig up some old footage to tease him with, great stuff!

beautifully moody!

DECIDED FOR NOW TO TAKE THIS OFF THE MARKET, sorry.

Bushtraditions wiki is exactly where my version from Chris came from!