Wolf Molkentin

Don't try to learn reed tuning on the only instrument you have to play. There are many ways of getting it wrong, most of them not easily reversible. In fact Theo may have given you the better advice, albeit I dared that with my then only Melodeon some years ago (successfully, both in terms of reconditioning the instrument and acquiring the skills). Apart from that, you have it the right way, but filing a reed near the root will obviously not shorten it (but make it effectively flatter). WIth my EC (which I regard as a very fine instrument) I had to do that with just one reed - and everything was fine then! However, to make a reed sharper you would take material from the tip of it (without shorten it, which shouldn't be done because the reed just fits in with the slot). (edited to correct what had been confused in the meantime)

That's very nice Peter - both the tune and all the playing of Boldwood!

It seems to be one of the rare double-reeded Anglos (and has some extra notes), which might be great if required. The overall quality may be doubtful OTOH, but at least it reads like a pretty fair description. Thus not a great risk at the starting bid IMO,,,

Sarah, furthermore as to the balance between melody and chords: The techniques of constructing an instrument and then again recording it, as mentioned by Geoff, are of course of the highest importance. But in the hands of an accomplished person even a junk instrument might sound like heaven whereas in the hands of a beginner even the high end instrument might sound dull and bleak. I play an "Old Model" Lachenal (Excelsior). It has a level (not inclined) and thus unbalanced reed pan and might be lacking all the technical improvements as mentioned by Geoff (but hadn't been disimproved as well). At first touch I found it nearly impossible to make the melody well heard against the chording (consisting mostly of two additional notes). But the more pointedly and confidently I can play the melody (with the already mentioned features of attack, legato-playing of phrases, decay a.s.f.) the better gets the balance as well. Of course a certain restraint with the chords will make up the other part. It is quite important to be able to rely upon a great instrument (which I believe I can, despite the above-mentioned limitations). On this basis, there seems to be a wide open space to evolve the skils of one's musicianship...

For the meantime you might fix this by filing the untuned reeds (if their number is delimited), which possibly would be no good advice with "real" concertina reeds (as being of too high value for doing it yourself even if you are a handy person, albeit you might even then do single smaller corrections) but not with the reeds of a beginner's instrument like yours. As to a sharp reed you would file and thus remove small parts of material near the root of the reed, but rather extensive (broad) than intensive (narrow) in order not to cause subsequent breaking of the reed.

As discussed elsewhere, it's not even accurate calling it "anglo". It is rather called a "German" concertina, whereas the "Anglo" (short for "Anglo-German") means just the extension of the "German" concertina with additional keys (giving some accidentals, i.e. sharp or flat notes). Whatever! It is a member of the marvellous family of concertinas, which means you will enjoy playing it...

NIce delicate version, quite different again... As to the balance, I am content with my third version ("Twice through"), whereas others may be not. However, I believe I could improve on that. IMO It's a matter of attack and legato on the melody "side", or of achieving a personal "tone" in general. Anyway, it is possible to expand the first-touch-capabilities...

Just two more takes (from fellow CNet members) which had been (and still are) an inspiration to me: another Simon Thoumire, this time playing a self-penned air (inspired by famous words of his fellow countryman Robert Burns), and Randy Stein, with his cool rendition of one of the greatest songs of all time.

Or maybe New South Wales?

Glad that you like it, and thank you for the encouragement, Randy!

Yes, this had to be mentioned here for sure!

Work in Progress - continued...

The first time I came across that tune was the German opera "Martha" of Friedrich von Flotow. I seem to recall that there had been a maid (originating, well, from Ireland) singing "Die letzte Rose in uns'rem Garten...". As to turning it into a dance tune I really like playing it as a waltz, in a stately tempo (not just as slow as an air) but higly accentuated...

Hmm. The Last Rose of Summer is actually Irish... Well, that's what I'd been thinking too prior to meeting that Irish lady who told me otherwise...

As to Boeremusiek I used to like the playing of Piet Visser quite a lot ever since I came across this one...

Hmm. Could the difference between push and pull notes on the anglo really be a Doppler effect due to extremely rapid bellows movements in opposite directions? Maybe it's just the good ear of a clay figure (or even the good clay mike?)...

I have to correct myself. The concertina-playing sheep is missing the wool on his head and thus not Shaun himself, who had just been manning the crow's nest. Regarding the Doppler effect - Jim, this had kind of gone through my mind from the very beginning but it missed it however, until being enlightened by you!

That defintely makes sense to me - reminds me of the advice of our choir leader regarding the support ("Stütze") of tones being part of a descending phrase... Thank you again!

Geoff, thank you for the further advice! Albeit I am of the oppionion that some hesitations have been made voluntarily in order just to avoid even too early proceeding with the next phrase (whilst others may well be directly complexity-forced, as you say) I will slow the whole thing down until supremacy is won! Best wishes - Wolf

Albeit apparently not having made friends through my approach to this tune (and some other?) I'd like to provide a second take, which had been made * with Geoff's critique in mind * without changing much of the arrangement * but firmly targeting the melody * whilst playing the tune a bit more confidently than I did some days ago. Furthermore, I recorded it less directly but with the same notebook mikes. Again, any comment is appreciated.

Just glady received my copies of 80 episodes (including "Save the Tree") from the UK. What a nice and witty concertina-playing ball of wool he is... Thank you once more Hendrik for bringing this back to my attention!

Of course you're right - I hereby withdraw this comment which had been made in the face of that other labelling ("mental problem"). It's just that I'm sort of attentive as to pointing a finger to sb. in public. OTOH I hadn't been aware of your former experiences with that seller (and the instrument as well). Thus you may well be annoyed at him...

All of a sudden the count has taken a leap, for whatever reason... (maybe it's up-to-date now).

Neither do I, but it sounds very nice - like a merry-go-round, just asking to join, and diversify!

Interesting version with those sustained notes...!