Wolf Molkentin

Dirge - very nice! Besides, this little piece had made up the very first "real" music I had to play whilst learning to play the piano as a child. It has occupied a special place in my musical mind ever since...

and afterwards offer shares, won't you? Good luck with your new instrument - guess you'll be enthusiastic playing it...!

I was inclined not to strain the thread with my (already disclosed) view on the English, but... Never having had the chance to test a Duet it would nevertheless be my guess that you might lack sth. compared to the EC. What I really like about them (resp. the instrument that I have the pleasure to play) is kind of a solid, compact feeling of playing melody and harmony interwoven among each other, based on open fifth double stops. Of course any Duet will more likely be suitable for playing piano-like scores whereas the English (in my understanding) fits for, well, fiddling about with lines, ornamentations, harmony. The Duet players might claim their instrument as being capable of all that, too - and many more; and I wouldn't be the one to object. But if you're an "English" type of musician (or should I say: folkie; because regardless of its primal image as the instrument for the Victorian lady folk music is what the EC is really meant for IMO), the Duet does not necessarily have to be the system of your choice even if you don't want to confine your playing to single line melodies. Try out, if you can (albeit in my case it had been simply by inspiration that I decided to rely on the English, on that significant morning, when I instantly bought my Lachenal..., and was delighted, and continue to be so more and more).

Yes, brass reeds are commonly regarded as being more resistent; instruments for the Salvation Army had been "tropicalised" by the use of brass reeds if destined for countries with strong humidity. As to the Jackie, it might not be more resistant but make it easier for you to get over a damage...

- Farewell to Carlingford - The Bonny Ship the Diamond - Three Score and Ten - Leave Her, Johnny

Not being an Anglo player myself I nevertheless feel being able to answer as follows: The C/G (be it 20b German oder 30b Anglo) had been the most common (since cheapest) model as the concertina gained its popularity in and spreading over Ireland. In the keys other than C or G it requires playing "across the rows", which had led to that bouncy "ITM" style we all know. It is much discussed to which extent this style can be emulated on other instruments (be they a G/D Anglo or even an EC). If you want to stick mainly to Gmaj, Dmaj ant their relatives without playing of "ITM" in the stricter sense it might be natural to keep the order as is IMO.

Might depend on what you want to accomplish. I have no knowledge regarding original baffle materials. When I decided to attach baffles to my Lachenal (Excelsior) EC it was only for bringing out the beautiful fretwork and protecting the reeds from occasional dust grains. I'm very happy with my choice of thin silk fabric, which doesn't seem to affect the tone at all. OTOH, if you want some muting or dampening, you'll be looking for other sorts of material...

The "superior" (or whatever) seems to have a larger type and spacing... (so it might be as simple as that). ...and Jim, you made my day (or at least morning)!

"German (Nickel) Silver" Inlays at the corners of my Excelsior, just as Geoffrey has explained.

Thank you Michael! - It's a pity that you weren't able to make it this year - best wishes for the relocation and your recovery! After all John and I met ('twas nice, John; thank you!) and I can count myself as a fan of Kettle Bridge Clogs now... Rottingdean's Copper Family, Andy Irvine, Martyn Wyndham-Read, Irish Bishop (among many others) and nonpareil Shirley Collins - a great week to live on for a year...!

Thank you for the information, John! I seem to recall that in 2012 the weather hadn't been that friendly on the Saturday; as to this year BBC are saying that the worst is to come in today and might be already gone on Saturday - let's hope so! Guess I'll be present at the first round. Best wishes - Wolf

Too bad that you can't make it... Thank you for the hint anyway, I'll try to spot him!

Sorry for the late reply, had been cut off from the internet for a while unfortunately. So it's three Morris men then... Since I have planned to see some sites on Saturday this time we might get in touch there... Guess I will be around at least for the first two hours; let's see... Best wishes - Wolf

Hallo Wendy, I'm not sure what you want to do exactly. I can't see any significant note change in your files, and some chords seem not to fit the key of your transposition (look at bar 8 for instance). Might be you are shifting the tune towards the Mixolydian key. If so, I did a similar thing with my recording. Then you would either have to erase the accicental resp. change the key signature in the abc file from Gmaj to Gmix or to insert natural signs where needed (which solution to prefer would depend on how radical you would like to follow your approach). I had several attempts, stepwise mellowing it down to that certain ambiguity between the Major and the Mixolydian key as we know it from certain Irish tunes. Another advice would be not to change the notes schematically but sometimes simply to avoid the "problematic" notes by playing around them (I had tried that in bar 12 but finally had chosen another solution for this part of the tune). My apologies in advance if I have got you wrong entirely. Best wishes - Wolf (from England presently)

Thank you for the effort! As for me I have just cut out the first (melody) line since I don't really like the "Duet" arrangement. There are some nice moments, but OTOH I find bar 8 (with its Amin7-harmony) really distracting. Anyway, now I can work with the melody (not the chords thus far) on the "paper" - and have learnt how to write out a countermelody - and those who want to lean on the given arrangement will justity your work still more than I can...

...and finally the PDF from Felix' link (which gives mainly the same version of the tune, just some more notes in bar 7, one different note in bar 15 and one enharmonic change). Just one line, for a perhaps more convenient reading... XotisRomanes.pdf (edited to add one more difference which I noticed whilst playing...)

These three are playing just the dots (of the top line) and chords as supplied here (for those who are learning by ear).

Xotis Romanes.pdf

A welcome from me too. To the point: Playing a Lachenal EC myself (and having learnt how it compares to other "Lachenals") I can tell you that your concertina is looking pretty different. Can't judge on other makers, but a Lachenal it is not I'd say...

I hadn't found the time to go for Hop & Skip until yesterday, so this is rather a rehearsal recording, but it's made in England (and still in September)! To be improved (in October); it's really fun to play...!

That's good news since I seem to recall that eBay remained indifferent the last time...

Since I find myself trailed behind with having chosen "Zacanthos" (which I found quite appealing for that blending of west & east; reminded me of a version of Drowsy Maggie I once heard where the band created a middle section out of the "oriental" scale) there's some relief by your witty remark - but much more another last-day swing of the poll event (if only favouring that Katalan thing, to be realistic) would do... Yes Jim, that's a funny situation resp. movement...

Anyone else (other than Valmai who will surely show up...) this year? We are already here, having made it that early for a wonderful pre-festival Carthy/Swarbrick evening which had to be canceled last year and now actually happened at the Royal Oak! Looking forward to - among others - hearing Iris Bishop again, and perhaps meet some fellow concertinists... Lewes Folk Festival 2012 was truly great, and will be just as well this year! Best wishes to everyone - Wolf

All about the incident: "Are English Concertina buttons supposed to be loose" (Make sure having chosen "Forums" when doing a search run) Best wishes - Wolf

Apart from the ending - which I find a bit distracting - it's a very fine version for me too, primarily for having that extra smoothness which I'm still aiming at!