Wolf Molkentin

IMO this is a well balanced comment - no reason for sort of a witch hunt...

Here we go again!

I have revisited my playing of "La Luna" and found that I am sticking just to "my" open fifths for most of the time. In any event, there are rarely more then three notes sounding at a time (with the one exception of - dominat - Dmaj, where I seem to tend to adding the low A and the F#). OTOH my musical "thinking" certainly is harmony-orientated (and therefore possibly with more frequent chord changes as usual), and aside from that I had that fiddle sound in my ear all along, and thus wanted to play the way I'm presently following even prior to the EC having come into my view. Nonetheless I'm thankful for the critique. Since I can't deny you the perception as reported I will have to minimize the collateral damage or side effects of my approach for my own benefit.

That's definitely one of those I might have mentioned, too. Now that I actually don't have to I would point to just another one which I believe anyone has heard as well (and is not here as yet, or did I overlook that?): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqcosJHAepA Had been quite an inspiration albeit not having chosen the Anglo (or the Duet as he did later on as I seem to recall)...

I have taken the latest posts as kind of an inducement to take a picture of my Lachenal Excelsior (from the 1920ies) and provide it here: P.S.: It's waiting for its new bellow papers from Dave Elliot...

Checking you pace against my metronome would suggest that you are closer to the ideal mentioned by "maxou" that I am... however , it all dépends on the region and the dancing styles... so Yep you are in the frame. Perhaps this is due to my limited knowledge of the English langue - or just an ordinary misunderstanding? As to "pace" I had meant to refer not just to tempo but rhythmic subleties as well (maybe I had equestrian pace in mind...)

Of course I don't! Any advice is highly appreciated, and you are one of the guys I'd expect to be able to give me some... When listening to my TOTM renditions (and other soundfile tracks) in a line I have to say you're right that my approach on "La Lune" has obviously produced a particular "dense" chording. This has happened without intent, not as you say it sounds like I don't reflect that much on chording, it's more like occurring to me... and I was of the opinion that I don't (and didn't) include more notes than necessary to produce just the sound I want to hear within the flow of the tune. As to running out of air: I hadn't been aware of this as well. The bellows of my Excelsior are comparatively small, and I have to considers this throughout my playing - but I think it can be done without forced restrictions in the chording (albeit I agree on not wasting air for needless notes). I believe it is rather some nervous rushing (albeit having some air left in the bellows). Having said that, I'll go back to the tune with your remars in mind. OTOH: Do I get you right that the pace is alright (albeit differ quite a lot from yours)? Again, thank you for the attention you paid to my playing, Geoff! Best wishes - Wolf

Or perhaps more? What note name is stamped on the reed frame? If it is anything other than G it may have been tuned down even further. That's bright, Theo! ... and it might explain the rapid providing and failing ot the replacement reed...

So here we go, I just uploaded my first take in order to get feedback on whether a "Schottische" might as well be played in the manner that came to my (somewhat uneducated as to dance types) mind...

Well, shame on me then! I'm not that experienced with "Schottische", and you kind of set me on a track... As said before, I like the playing (and pacing) anyway...! And above all... congratulations on having defeated the MacCann beast!!

For me the tune has turned into a Polka, hasn't it? Works pretty well IMO! Besides, is this you playing the MacCann this time, Geoff?

That's what came to my mind too - but Woodsman reported it to happen with the replacement reed as well! Just strange coincidence?

I can't actually tell you - this is just to advise you not to apply more filing to that "poor" reed. You will have to solve the problem otherwise anyway, whereas a repeated (but needless in the end) loss of material will damage the reed irrevocably! Besides - good luck with your crossing from the Piano (?) Accordion to the English Concertina - I hit that trail myself two years ago ...

That's very nice both in terms of the sound of your "Mini Norman" and the liveliness of your playing! And as to replacing the recording... I'm well acquainted with that proposition...

Thank you for this further information! I hadn't been aware of this person anyway... - now I am

It had been discussed recently here.

I concur in that judgement... I think it works...the result just isn't a hornpipe. For me such an alteration would "work" if really adds something to the tune - which it doesn't in this particular case IMO. Its main virtue seems to be that particular "Schottische" flow which gets obviously lost in that horn-pimping... I might try that myself, but... maybe you'd like to record (or even have recorded) it, and provide us with the file? Regarding a successful transformation of a given tune into a waltz the apparently common (in the UK) version of "The Star of the County Down" (which Adrian thankfully made me aware of) might well serve as an example IMO.

I concur in that judgement...

That's damned elitist - those of us with 30+ buttons can play these if we so choose. I personally have little interest in playing this type of music on concertina, but I resent your inference that I can't. I had a recent look at the dots (of an already shortened version, which includes the middle section however). You will be right that the entire piece can well be played on an Anglo conertina - in the key of Gmaj just C#, F#, G# and Bb (with the exception of C# in two octaves) are required. Anyway, you may call my post sort of "ignorant" regarding the Anglo or Bach or both of them - but "elitist"? The EC eases certain things, the Anglo others - that's what I intended to mention regarding the accessibility of future TOTM exercises. Nevertheless, I apologize for apparently having offended you!

Of course I do! And regarding the "overplaying", IMO it's a challenge in its own right to reveal the substance of such pieces. I prize the Bach piece, albeit just acting as ostinato or countermelody in its original context, pretty highly. Besides playing this piece makes up a great exercise in timing and phrasing - quite similar to Prelude No. 1 of The Well-Tempered Clavier for the pianist: easy-peasy dots but that hard to play in a real appealing and adequate way...! If we would choose the BWV 147 the above-mentioned limitation would be required if only because the inclusion of Anglo players, wouldn't it?

I myself am just working on the latter (in order to make it sound as appealing as other pieces of music played on that little instrument of ours), whereas the former had been one of the first tunes for me to to approach the EC with. It's really fun to play (be it in single line melody or with bits of added chords or bass notes). For TOTM we would have to limit it to a shortened version though, because the middle section has "chromatic" modulations which are not that simple...

I myself found the tune kind of un-promising at first sight too, but since I choose a version (as mentioned before: from thesession.org, with just one minor change at the end of line three) I'm getting familiar with it however. I believe it is playable with taste and wit despite its insignifance (as two of us already did).

Yes indeed! And I believe this could suit our TOTM needs particularly well!

I'd rather find it minor - but anyway, somehwat diverting...

Nicely played Steve; I particularly like the third, more gentle way through! A more complex harmonisation is not necessarily to be developed on paper - it might emerge quite easily once one is familiar with chords (or for a start fifth) eligible (Geoff calls it "striding" over the keyboard). Respecting the latitude I'd guess I will be able to squeeze some more melancholy out of the tune - I'll come back to this issue after having recorded it myself...