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Tune Of The Month For July 2013: Roslyn Castle


Jim Besser

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Indeed! It inspires me to wonder about being a brave bunny and seeing if I can manage something on the duet. :unsure:

Please, Please ,Please :) ..... it is really not so painfull.. just a bit time consuming.....

 

My method; start early in the day... make 25-30 Takes.. (that is after spending several days practicing)... then decide on the Take that best represents what you wish to achieve... then spend the rest of the day trying to up load to SoundCloud (because I have so far forgoten how , each time).

 

Go on you know you want to.

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Okay... here's what I've squeezed out, so far, on the baritone Geordie:

 

Roslyn Castle played by Bellowbelle

 

I think I could improve my counterpoint and make it sweeter. But, for now, that's that!

 

 

The dots I have, gathered from the start of this thread, I think, seem to be a bit different from what some of you are playing, in spots. But, online, I find both ways, so -- I guess it may be lost to antiquity, what was originally there, and open to interpretation.

 

 

linking trouble.... just a sec... okay, I think it's all set.

Edited by bellowbelle
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Dear TOTM,



I’ve posted Roslin Castle on youtube. http://youtu.be/W3f5BpvwEME


Two times through, molto rubato. What fun!



Thanks for choosing this tune. I wasn’t sure at first, but by the time I had worked out how I was going to play it, Roslin Castle became a new favorite of mine.



The following information is on the youtube, but I thought I would embrace redundancy and copy it here.



This performance features Jody Kruskal playing the lovely and pathetic Scotch Air, Roslin Castle on a Dipper G/D Anglo concertina.


www.jodykruskal.com



This tune was performed at London concert halls in the early 1800’s and according to Charles Nicholson, was “greeted by enthusiastic applause and rapturously encored by moved audiences”. Flautist, W.N. James wrote in 1826, that “Nothing can be finer than the deep pathos which pervades the whole of it”... “expressing the loftiness of grand and deep feeling”. Scottish composer, James Oswald published it in 1752, though it is unclear if he wrote the melody or adapted it from an earlier tune.



The 14th century castle itself is 9 miles from Edinburgh, in Midlothian, Scotland. Though partially in ruins, it is currently a guest house that sleeps seven. Mary Queen of Scotts visited on 31st August 1563 during her tour of the south-west of Scotland. The castle is said to be haunted by a “black knight on horseback and a phantom hound, whose eerie baying is heard in the woods around the castle on dark and stormy nights”.



The picturesque pleasures of ancient ruined towers rising high above a deep glen of the river Esk have long attracted poets, writers and painters. Illustrating the music are five 19th century watercolors, engravings and lithographs by:



J.M.W. Turner


W. Forrest after D.O. Hill


Picken after J. D. Harding


Aikman after D. McKenzie


F. Jukes after G. Walker



... mostly gleaned from the online University of Edinburgh Image Collection, © The University of Edinburgh.


Edited by Jody Kruskal
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Dear TOTM,

 

I’ve posted Roslin Castle on youtube. http://youtu.be/W3f5BpvwEME

Two times through, molto rubato. What fun!

 

Thanks for choosing this tune. I wasn’t sure at first, but by the time I had worked out how I was going to play it, Roslin Castle became a new favorite of mine.

 

 

Thanks, Jody - absolutely gorgeous. Love your use of basses. A lot of stuff to study in this version!

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We had tea at the garden at the castle.

 

Okay... here's what I've squeezed out, so far, on the baritone Geordie:

 

Roslyn Castle played by Bellowbelle

 

I think I could improve my counterpoint and make it sweeter. But, for now, that's that!

 

 

The dots I have, gathered from the start of this thread, I think, seem to be a bit different from what some of you are playing, in spots. But, online, I find both ways, so -- I guess it may be lost to antiquity, what was originally there, and open to interpretation.

 

 

linking trouble.... just a sec... okay, I think it's all set.

I like your tempo and phrasing.

very nice

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Okay... here's what I've squeezed out, so far, on the baritone Geordie:

 

Roslyn Castle played by Bellowbelle

 

I think I could improve my counterpoint and make it sweeter. But, for now, that's that!

Pretty straightforward approach, played very confidently and positive. Not quite an air then, but that's part of the game IMO: making the best of any tune from a personal angle...

 

The dots I have, gathered from the start of this thread, I think, seem to be a bit different from what some of you are playing, in spots. But, online, I find both ways, so -- I guess it may be lost to antiquity, what was originally there, and open to interpretation.

 

You have been, according to the dots, just sticking to natural minor (or the "Aeolic" mode) and its relatives (giving kind of a "Celtic" sound) - whereas Jody represents the other way round: strictly making use just of the harmonic minor scale (and the chords that emerge as a result from that).

 

My take (with some credits to Danny) combines these two approaches. There is a tradition (called "melodic minor") of having the major 7th of the harmonic minor scale where the melody is orientated upwards (thus providing the leading tone) but natural minor with the minor 7th where it is not ascending but descending. Of course this is in each case subject to interpretation too, and not at all self-evident here.

 

Thank you for "liking" my first take - and keep it up yourself!

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Okay, thought I was going crazy for a moment, then realized I'd grabbed the ABC file NOT from THIS thread, but from a previous thread, started for the polling option. My copy is in Em (or, G, depending on how you call it). The one at the start of THIS thread gave the dots in Dm, and with not quite the same notes (which probably works out to be simply a different form of the minor scale, as said).

 

 

We had tea at the garden at the castle.

 

Okay... here's what I've squeezed out, so far, on the baritone Geordie:

 

Roslyn Castle played by Bellow belle

 

I think I could improve my counterpoint and make it sweeter. But, for now, that's that!

 

 

The dots I have, gathered from the start of this thread, I think, seem to be a bit different from what some of you are playing, in spots. But, online, I find both ways, so -- I guess it may be lost to antiquity, what was originally there, and open to interpretation.

 

 

linking trouble.... just a sec... okay, I think it's all set.

I like your tempo and phrasing.

very nice

Thanks! :)

And I am even dreaming of the possibility of tea at the castle garden... if there are no mosquitoes!!!! I think mosquitoes are partly to blame for me playing an 'air' more like a... something underwater, maybe... because I don't want to BE in our air around here, lately. Bugs, heat, humidity. I don't spend much time outside without a spray bottle of water/vinegar/clove oil.

 

But, of course, that's my excuse. I really just should practice some more :wacko: .

 

 

Okay... here's what I've squeezed out, so far, on the baritone Geordie:

Roslyn Castle played by Bellow belle

I think I could improve my counterpoint and make it sweeter. But, for now, that's that!


Pretty straightforward approach, played very confidently and positive. Not quite an air then, but that's part of the game IMO: making the best of any tune from a personal angle...

The dots I have, gathered from the start of this thread, I think, seem to be a bit different from what some of you are playing, in spots. But, online, I find both ways, so -- I guess it may be lost to antiquity, what was originally there, and open to interpretation.

 

You have been, according to the dots, just sticking to natural minor (or the "Aeolic" mode) and its relatives (giving kind of a "Celtic" sound) - whereas Jody represents the other way round: strictly making use just of the harmonic minor scale (and the chords that emerge as a result from that).

My take (with some credits to Danny) combines these two approaches. There is a tradition (called "melodic minor") of having the major 7th of the harmonic minor scale where the melody is orientated upwards (thus providing the leading tone) but natural minor with the minor 7th where it is not ascending but descending. Of course this is in each case subject to interpretation too, and not at all self-evident here.

Thank you for "liking" my first take - and keep it up yourself!

 

Ah, so what you did was actually the melodic minor, then? (I'll have to listen again to really hear that distinction).

 

I'm no stranger to the details of tonal harmony, when it comes to music theory, having studied some on my own and some in college courses (did not and will not get a degree). But, I deliberately keep a divide between 'head knowledge' and practical knowledge, finding that one will eventually teach the other, over time, but that they don't really enjoy working together most of the time. (...If that makes any sense? :huh: )

 

It's been SOOO helpful to be doing this TOTM thing (-- thanks, Jim Besser!). I really enjoy reading everyone's input, especially the histories and pictures to go along with the tunes (-- Jody, and others). It's really been a big help to me in getting my concertina practice to a more 'conscious' level.

 

I think I said all I wanted....

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I apologize for having brought coals to Newcastle... B)

 

As to theory and praxis it's just what you call "one eventually teaching the other" what does it for me; not at all constantly bearing harmonics in mind, but playing on the fly in a somewhat educated manner (and I'm pretty glad that this evolved over the years...).

 

Best wishes - Wolf

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I apologize for having brought coals to Newcastle... B).............

First time I've ever heard that phrase, so not only did I look it up, I've added it to my new list of "Learned Something New Today." :)

 

Really, not at all put off by any advice or lecture, other than not feeling like sitting at the computer or reading a screen, a lot of times (so, I come back later).

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My version is heavily influenced by Danny Chapman (RatFace on c.net, ProfRat on youtube). His 2006 video of this tune may well have been the first ever concertina video on youtube. It is certainly the first one I was ever aware of.
When I first heard it, three thoughts came to mind in rapid succession:
  • It is hauntingly beautiful.
  • It is the kind of thing I would like to play.
  • While two-voice arrangement displays impressive technique on an English system, it would be much easier on my Hayden.

 

I quickly wrote down what I heard and learned to play what I had written, making some minor changes (a little more ornamentation in the first 8 bars, adjusted voice-leading in the final measures of both A and B parts).
There are places where Danny's version diverges from generally accepted versions of the tune (the 4th note, for instance), but I have stuck with the way he plays it. I've also gone with his spelling.
Here, then, is my first "cover."
BTW, I've seen many spellings for the name of this tune: Roslin, Rossline, Rosslyn, etc. I'm sure each is as correct as the others, but there must be a single correct pronunciation. Anyone know what it is? ROZ-lin? ROSS-line? ROSE-something? Any ancient Scots care to speak up?
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My version is heavily influenced by Danny Chapman (RatFace on c.net, ProfRat on youtube). His 2006 video of this tune may well have been the first ever concertina video on youtube. It is certainly the first one I was ever aware of.
When I first heard it, three thoughts came to mind in rapid succession:
  • It is hauntingly beautiful.
  • It is the kind of thing I would like to play.
  • While two-voice arrangement displays impressive technique on an English system, it would be much easier on my Hayden.

 

I quickly wrote down what I heard and learned to play what I had written, making some minor changes (a little more ornamentation in the first 8 bars, adjusted voice-leading in the final measures of both A and B parts).
There are places where Danny's version diverges from generally accepted versions of the tune (the 4th note, for instance), but I have stuck with the way he plays it. I've also gone with his spelling.
Here, then, is my first "cover."
BTW, I've seen many spellings for the name of this tune: Roslin, Rossline, Rosslyn, etc. I'm sure each is as correct as the others, but there must be a single correct pronunciation. Anyone know what it is? ROZ-lin? ROSS-line? ROSE-something? Any ancient Scots care to speak up?

 

Beautiful version, Dave!

And yes, 'RatFace' -- in both videos that I saw (one with the harpist) -- does an amazing job.

 

Me, I do play mostly just to be learning the tunes, at this point, and for myself. Once they're really 'in my files' then I'll feel more comfortable with them.

 

Re the spelling... did you catch this post, below? Check out the link, and scroll down on that page.

 

I have a couple of versions of it, and some associated stories, in my collection of music relating to the Edinburgh area:

 

http://www.campin.me.uk/Embro/Webrelease/Embro/12clubs/12clubs.htm

 

I really dislike what Fraser did to it. No earlier version uses weird keys - it was originally for the flute, in E minor. And "Miss Gordon of Gight", which he played as a companion piece, was clearly intended at the time it was written to be an all-out reel, taken at manic speed. Instead, thanks to Fraser, we get doomy draggy renderings these days that entirely miss the point.

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Re the spelling... did you catch this post, below? Check out the link, and scroll down on that page.

 

It seems in fact to be "Roslin", rather than "Rosslyn" (whereas "Roslyn" appears just from the US, NZ asf.).

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Re the spelling... did you catch this post, below? Check out the link, and scroll down on that page.

It seems in fact to be "Roslin", rather than "Rosslyn" (whereas "Roslyn" appears just from the US, NZ asf.).

 

Call it "House of Glamis" and duck the whole thing. =)

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