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Tune Of The Month For June: La Luna Dins L'aiga


Jim Besser

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A failed experiment: I wondered what this tune would sound like sorta hornpiped up.

 

I don't think it works, but here it is.

I concur in that judgement... :ph34r:

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... :D

 

If you want to try that though the first TOM, Firey Clockface, works pretty well as a waltz, a strathspey, and sort of even as a reel.

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.

 

Haven't recorded it, but did play through the tune several ways on the whistle sitting next to the computer. I'm up to my elbows in alligators, but sill see what I can do in the next week or so.

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As I understand it, it was the American, John McCutcheon, who first played "Star of the County Down" as a waltz.

 

Thank you for this further information!

 

I hadn't been aware of this person anyway... - now I am :)

Edited by blue eyed sailor
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A pledge.

 

Ok, I got behind on May's TOTM because I got so hung up on April's TOTM that I'll even get further behind on June's TOTM.

 

So whatamIgonnado? ...

 

Atrocious: COMBINE May's TOTM (Parson's Farewell) with June's TOTM (La luna) so I can do both of them at once.

 

Weird, of course. One is a heavy medieval lament in minor and the other a light Schottische dance in major; How can combining those two even have a remote chance of sounding reasonable together?

 

I believe it actually works. Listening to the set (Finale allows me to play the score as a MIDI so one can sort of getting the feel while arranging) I find that the transition sort of opens up the whole thing, making La Luna sound even more beautiful and light hearted than it already is while leaving the reminder of Parson's Lament (which also has a beutiful albeit tragic melody) with a slightly less sour taste on the tongue .

 

I attach the arrangement as a_) a teaser and b_) a kick in the butt for myself to deliver by the end of the month. The trick is to choose the keys: Parson's Farewell in A Minor would suggest transposing La luna as a follow up to either A Major or C Major - but in fact leaving it in G major makes most sense (at least to me).

 

So I'll promise to present this arrangement by the end of the month; otherwise any forum member who runs into me in July is entitled to douse me with water balloons legally, How's that for an incentive? :)

 

Needless to say, if there are any remarks and suggestions about the arrangement, I'm happy to hear them and weave them into it!

parsons farewell_la luna.pdf

Edited by Ruediger R. Asche
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So I'll promise to present this arrangement by the end of the month; otherwise any forum member who runs into me in July is entitled to douse me with water balloons legally, How's that for an incentive? :)

 

Needless to say, if there are any remarks and suggestions about the arrangement, I'm happy to hear them and weave them into it!

 

Cool. I don't see any reason why these two tunes wouldn't work together. Looking forward to your recording.

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Here is my version with the 40b C/G Wheatstone

 

https://soundcloud.com/erbafdavid/la-luna-dins-laigua-wheatstone

 

I played the tune twice, first in the octave-playing "heyday style" advocated by Dan Worrall, secondly with simple harmonies.

 

As always, not very happy with the recording. This time I did only one take. Anyway, I've noticed that repeated attempts only make things worse :)

 

Just after you will find my (late) contribution to last month's challenge (see the other thread...)

Edited by david fabre
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Here is my version with the 40b C/G Wheatstone

 

https://soundcloud.com/erbafdavid/la-luna-dins-laigua-wheatstone

 

I played the tune twice, first in the octave-playing "heyday style" advocated by Dan Worrall, secondly with simple harmonies.

 

As always, not very happy with the recording. This time I did only one take. Anyway, I've noticed that repeated attempts only make things worse :)

 

 

Been there, done that; recording is really intimidating, but as I'm learning it's an incredibly valuable exercise.

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As I understand it, it was the American, John McCutcheon, who first played "Star of the County Down" as a waltz.

 

First played it as a waltz, or first recorded it as a waltz?

 

Converting tunes to alternate rhythms is an old game*, and I'm pretty sure "Star" is one that friends and I used as a waltz before hearing it that way from anyone else. I'd be very surprised if others haven't been doing the same almost since the song was written... or before, if -- like so many song melodies -- it's an old tune re-used.

 

* And not just a game. As I recall, Francis O'Neill, in one of his books about Irish music, gives versions of at least one tune as slow air, hornpipe, jig, and reel.

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Well here is my first attempt for this month. I have tried something different and I wonder if anyone will spot what it is?

 

http://soundcloud.com/geoff-wooff/

 

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?

Edited by blue eyed sailor
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Well here is my first attempt for this month. I have tried something different and I wonder if anyone will spot what it is?

 

http://soundcloud.com/geoff-wooff/

 

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?

 

Hmmmmmmm!

No flies on you Wolf !!

 

Yes it is the Maccann... but no this is still Schottishe... or in France "Scottish".. well leastways that is the sort of pace and Rhythm people use around here... I think.

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but no this is still Schottishe... or in France "Scottish".. well leastways that is the sort of pace and Rhythm people use around here... I think.

 

 

Well, shame on me then! I'm not that experienced with "Schottische", and you kind of set me on a track... :rolleyes:

 

As said before, I like the playing (and pacing) anyway...!

 

And above all... congratulations on having defeated the MacCann beast!!

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Thanks Jim and Wolf,

I really enjoyed playing this one on the MacCann. The main problem I had was that I could not remember how it went and had to keep refering back to the recordings that had already been posted. The scores that I found were less than inspiring. I do read music but really I have always been an EAR player.

 

Pace is easier on the Duet than the EC ( I think) because one hand can be dedicated to that function, or at least one hand at a time. With the EC the timing and rhythm have to be more internalised.

 

The Duet is a 67key metal ended Aeola from 1922 that I got from Dirge last summer... it is the one he used for his post of the Mascagni Intermezzo some years ago.

 

I have been learning to play the Maccann for two years and I hope to be able to " defeat" it one day -_- but I am far from that, yet !

Edited by Geoff Wooff
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Needless to say, if there are any remarks and suggestions about the arrangement, I'm happy to hear them and weave them into it!

I'm puzzled by the chords you include over the notation. Is it your intention that these be played in addition to what's notated below, or is it merely intended to be a shorthand description of what line 2 is doing? The E minor near the end of the first page would be nice if played in addition to what's in the notation, but it's unfair to expect our ears to presume an E minor chord if all you're playing at the time is B and G in the context of G major.

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Another take. I wanted something a little more subtle than my usual Morris dance thumping.

 

The first few tries, I realized I was speeding up badly on the B part and beat myself with a metronome until it became more even. Still lacks the satisfying smoothness of the tune played on English.

 

Played on a 30 button Jeffries G/D.

Edited by Jim Besser
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Needless to say, if there are any remarks and suggestions about the arrangement, I'm happy to hear them and weave them into it!

I'm puzzled by the chords you include over the notation. Is it your intention that these be played in addition to what's notated below, or is it merely intended to be a shorthand description of what line 2 is doing? The E minor near the end of the first page would be nice if played in addition to what's in the notation, but it's unfair to expect our ears to presume an E minor chord if all you're playing at the time is B and G in the context of G major.

 

 

Thanks for the follow up!

 

The chords for me have three purposes: 1. Finale Songwriter (which I am using to set the score) allows me to add the chords which will result in them being played along as I play the score via MIDI. That gives me an impression of whether the chord progression makes sense, sometimes making me modify the accompaniment notes; 2. I sometimes use them to create a backing guitar score for accompaniment, and 3. since the Crane layout naturally leads itself to thinking in chord patterns, they provide a "road map" for the fingering. Thus when I eventually play, I have the chords in the corner of my eye and think "E minor chord," which may make me play a different (chordal) note than written up in the score.

 

Your observation about the E minor is of course absolutely correct. Thanks for pointing it out; I should definitely change the left hand score to include a note native to E minor!

 

Thanks again!

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