Susanne

But you opened it up last year at the maintenance workshop. I even have a photo of you doing it .I don't have any photos left. But we can take new ones. Now I also have a better camera, and a macro lens, so we can get rather good details on photo for anyone who is interested. Also, I really want to sell the baby to someone who will actually play it. If you're interested in buying it for a fine collection, it can gather dust in my house too.... it really deserves to be played.

Hello concertina players! I have a nice Wheatstone end of 1800-ish 56-button (but one of the higher notes is missing) English concertina that I'm going to sell, preferably during the Scandinavian squeeze-in next week. I bought it in 2005 used, knowing nothing about concertinas (and the owner obviuosly didn't either), learned to play some, but later the strap screws broke, and during the time it was away being repaired, I lost the few English concertina skills I had, and bought an anglo instead. Now I only play the anglo and have no plans or patience to learn to play the EC again. My Wheatstone is gathering dust and I want to sell it to someone who will actually play it and give it some love and care. I'm a novice with concertina types and subtypes, or technical specifics, but Jim Lucas will be able to describe it more. He has even seen it on the inside. If you're coming to the Scandinavian squeeze-in you can have a look at it. If you're not coming but are very interested in it, let me know and if I don't sell it at the SSI I'll contact you.

I'm not sure if he is coming. I think in that case he'll decide in the last minute. So there's still hope .

Thanks people. I actually thought there was another thread, after the poll was over. But I was wrong. Thanks anyway . And I'll certainly have fun!

Where did the discussion thread go for this year's event? (feel free to move this topic to the correct place) When I checked my work schedule, it turned out that I've counted the weeks incorrectly, and I actually have that weekend off, yay .

It looks nice, very similar to the Morse Ceili I once wanted. I don't remember if I've posted something here. I've never had the money to buy a good concertina but about a year ago when we were in Ennis I finally did. The guy showed me different sorts of concertinas and the one I really liked (also because I didn't want to pay as much as I did once for my mandolin) was this one. It's made in England and I love playing it.

It's interesting how this tune has made it to other parts of the world. The best version in my opinion, although I'm Swedish, is the one by the Irish band Dervish. Jim, I really like your chords and harmonies. Very nicely and tastefully done. I usually think that simplicity is the best. Your higher octave doesn't disturb, by the way.

Nice playing, I really like those cheerful Morris tunes, I'd like to learn more of them.

David, I'm sorry but I don't know enough music theory or music theory lingo to know the difference between all that. I just hear that you play a little twiddle where I play a quarter note or similar. However, whether you made it up or not, it sounds good. I think the tune sounds rather Irish. Many Irish tunes switch mode like that. Of course it could be Scottish as well, or English....what do we really know about a tune's origins? This tune starts exactly like another Irish polka, by the way, but one goes in the key of D and stays in the major key. Confusing... sadly I can't remember the title of that one.

David: Very interesting!!! Yet another tune that I thought was Irish, and then I hear it in another tradition and under another name. I know this tune as Siege of Ennis, and I'm just in the process of learning to play it on the concertina. We play it in the session I join sometimes. Very nice tune, and I like the little triplet you throw in there. Lukasz: I think your playing sounds good in this video, I haven't heard the tune before but I didn't notice you got lost in the timing really. I have no idea how to categorise the tune either... what kind of music style does it come from, like with that band Beirut? I'm rather ignorant about music that isn't trad or country/bluegrass/oldtimey. And sometimes in those genres too...

How nice! My main goal with the concertina is to play Irish music, so that's a nice addition to my tune list.

I really like your way of playing that tune. So soft and beautiful.

It sounds great!!!!! I also like those chords, I'll have to start learning some chords on the concertina soon.

It's a very nice tune indeed, and I really wanted to join this month. But then I got sick and haven't been able to do much. Don't think I'll be able to learn it in just a few days, but you never know.. Very nice recordings so far from the rest of you though.

Graham, I really like your version. It definitely makes me want to dance.

Sarah, well done, I really like your recording.

Thanks Geoff and Chris! Chris, I had to go back to listen to yours again, since it's been a long time since I heard it. Yours is very nice indeed! That's about the tempo I hope to reach as well.

Ok, I decided to be stupid courageous and post my attempt here. I'm only a beginner on the concertina, and last weekend's fun at the Scandinavian squeeze-in gave me new inspiration and courage . And in addition, I hope some other beginners will be inspired to post too. Boda is close to where I grew up, and I've been there several times at the Gammelgård for dance and music events. It's a fabulous area, so if you ever decide to visit Sweden and Dalarna, do it in July so that you can join the dance events at Boda gammelgård. Ok, on to the tune. Sadly I had to do some cutting and pasting to have a recording with few errors (it takes me some time to learn a tune well enough to not mess up when recording), but I'm quite happy with it for now. http://youtu.be/WoNEsueppiw

Ok, I'll bring the D/G then I'm only going there by train but will go with Daniel by car home, so no problem. When I read midi melodeon my expectations weren't high. I once met a lad who played a midi accordion. It sounded awful, like a synthesizer of some sort. But these actually sounded like real melodeons. Cool!

Well, my plan was to only bring one melodeon...and the concertina. I'm coming by train and I'm sore all over my back so I want as little luggage as possible. If there will be others who play melodeons and opportunities to play together it would be nice to have the same tuning. That is on the Friday. My husband can bring the second melodeon when he comes on Saturday. Decisions, decisions, decisions.. What is a Streb by the way?

Should I take the D/G or G/C melodeon?

Nice and clear recording though, I'm looking forward to see what you'll do more with it.

That's very beautifully played, Jim. I had to laugh a little that your waltz book refers to Boda as a "town". It's rather a tiny village or area outside Rättvik. Their gammelgård (how to translate that??) is amazing. Good for you Steve that you have the opportunity to go there. I don't dance anymore so we don't go anymore but it's a beautiful place. However, I'll see if I can manage to do something with this tune. At least it doesn't have to be played fast.

I'm fascinated that the Boda waltz is actually leading! I think the second version, the plinky plonky one, was much better, for hearing what the tune actually sounds like, than the first one, and it sounds much easier to play too. It's a nice one. Boda is close to where I grew up and they have a very nice music tradition there, especially the typical Boda polska. It should sound good on the concertina.

I also think that mixing tune types sounds really cool. Nice job, also to Chris before this one. I've started on the tune and now I'm gathering courage to actually record it eventually. Just that I'm too busy until the month will be almost over .