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Theme Of The Month, July 2015: Unlikely Concertina Music


Jim Besser

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Well that's really lovely Jim, quite succesful as it is to my ears, and reminding me at Jeff's "Whisling Rufus" video. Maybe just the last theme could benefit from more sophisticated rhythm, but I'm not sure and will come back to this matter after repeated listening...

 

Best wishes - Wolf

 

You're right about the C part. I really haven't figured out what to do with it yet, and mostly just focused on not speeding up.

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How about tunes from video games? So far I've worked on Tetris, which could be a traditional Russian tune for all I know, and the Lost Woods Theme from (one of) the Legend of Zelda games.

 

I also came across this in looking up the song: Lost Woods on accordion...on a unicycle...in ths woods , which I find amusing.

 

 

 

Yes, a traditional Russian tune, I believe. I think this is the tune Alan Day recorded many years ago with Gig CB under the title "Alan Day Goes Quietly Mad as his Kids Play Super Mario." Right, Alan?

 

Nicely done!

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I rate this tune as "unlikely" for the sole reason that I've never actually heard anyone play it on a concertina, and hadn't thought of doing so myself until recently. But not long ago I was rereading an old thread on this forum entitled "Australian Concertina Cartoons" (http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=14688), and I found myself wondering just what that dapper gentleman with the "AGITATOR" sash might be playing.

 

Well, what else could it be?

 

Turns out that the famous melody and the instrument I play it on get on exceptionally well, possibly because they're very close contemporaries. Though on reflection I have a strong hunch that the fellow in the cartoon and I aren't the only people who've ever picked out these particular notes on a concertina. I'd like to hear his arrangement, just for comparison's sake.

 

http://youtu.be/DotvQ99yPB4

 

Bob Michel

Near Philly

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I rate this tune as "unlikely" for the sole reason that I've never actually heard anyone play it on a concertina, and hadn't thought of doing so myself until recently. But not long ago I was rereading an old thread on this forum entitled "Australian Concertina Cartoons" (http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=14688), and I found myself wondering just what that dapper gentleman with the "AGITATOR" sash might be playing.

 

Well, what else could it be?

 

Turns out that the famous melody and the instrument I play it on get on exceptionally well, possibly because they're very close contemporaries. Though on reflection I have a strong hunch that the fellow in the cartoon and I aren't the only people who've ever picked out these particular notes on a concertina. I'd like to hear his arrangement, just for comparison's sake.

 

http://youtu.be/DotvQ99yPB4

 

Bob Michel

Near Philly

 

 

Sublime. Really works.

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How about tunes from video games? So far I've worked on Tetris, which could be a traditional Russian tune for all I know, and the Lost Woods Theme from (one of) the Legend of Zelda games.

 

I also came across this in looking up the song: Lost Woods on accordion...on a unicycle...in ths woods , which I find amusing.

 

 

 

Yes, a traditional Russian tune, I believe. I think this is the tune Alan Day recorded many years ago with Gig CB under the title "Alan Day Goes Quietly Mad as his Kids Play Super Mario." Right, Alan?

 

Nicely done!

 

 

Thanks Jim; now that you mention it, at some point, I'll probably get around to playing Super Mario too.

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At a Georgia Camp Meeting was written in 1897 by Kerry Mills, who wrote lots of ragtime tunes and cakewalks. I play another of his tunes, Whistling Rufus.

That's one of those bits of trivia that's mysteriously satisfying to know. Along similar lines, I only recently learned that Henry Clay Work, whom I'd always thought of mainly as the composer of the Civil War song "Kingdom Coming," also wrote "Marching Through Georgia," "The Ship That Never Returned" and "My Grandfather's Clock." That's a significant slice of the Americana pie right there!

 

I enjoyed this arrangement a lot. I'm particularly fond of the C part, actually, but I like all of it. I have a ton of old ragtime tabs for guitar that I've struggled with off and on over the years, and I've vaguely intended to try a few of them out on concertina. Maybe this will light a fire under me.

 

Bob Michel

Near Philly

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At a Georgia Camp Meeting was written in 1897 by Kerry Mills, who wrote lots of ragtime tunes and cakewalks. I play another of his tunes, Whistling Rufus.

That's one of those bits of trivia that's mysteriously satisfying to know. Along similar lines, I only recently learned that Henry Clay Work, whom I'd always thought of mainly as the composer of the Civil War song "Kingdom Coming," also wrote "Marching Through Georgia," "The Ship That Never Returned" and "My Grandfather's Clock." That's a significant slice of the Americana pie right there!

 

I enjoyed this arrangement a lot. I'm particularly fond of the C part, actually, but I like all of it. I have a ton of old ragtime tabs for guitar that I've struggled with off and on over the years, and I've vaguely intended to try a few of them out on concertina. Maybe this will light a fire under me.

 

Bob Michel

Near Philly

 

 

I used to play ragtime tunes on guitar, and it was loads of fun, even if my skills were lacking. More fun on concertina, and take an equal or greater amount of work figuring out arrangements suitable to the instrument. When I get some free music time, I'm going to binge learn ragtime tunes and cakewalks.

 

I knew about Henry Clay Work because I'm the fill-in musician with a civil war band - used whenever they do reenactment dances - and we play several of his tunes.

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I only recently learned that Henry Clay Work, whom I'd always thought of mainly as the composer of the Civil War song "Kingdom Coming," also wrote "Marching Through Georgia," "The Ship That Never Returned" and "My Grandfather's Clock." That's a significant slice of the Americana pie right there!

 

Funny. To me, he was always the composer of "My Grandfather's Clock." That's all I ever knew about him. But I have since heard a performance of a Civil War song called "Poor Kitty Popcorn" that he also wrote.

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But I have since heard a performance of a Civil War song called "

" that he also wrote.

Oh, dear. Learning that song is suddenly a matter of some urgency. As in, quite possibly before I go to bed.

 

Bob Michel

Near Philly

 

 

I can't wait to hear your version!

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http://jodykruskal.com/tune_of_the_month/page106/page106.html

“Blu Box” is a collaborative concert work by composers Jody Kruskal, John Morton and the Gamelan Son of Lion ensemble. Conceived as an experiment in blues improvisation for modified and processed music box, A/E Anglo concertina, violin, alto recorder and gamelan orchestra of pitched percussion, this recording is from a live premier performance on May 3rd 2009 at the Tarrytown Library, NY.

The A/E Anglo concertina (Jody Kruskal) and the gamelan have only a few notes in common, which makes it a tightrope walk to play as there are very few “in-tune” notes on the instrument. The violin (Barbara Benary) and recorder (Laura Liben) are better equipped to play the gamelan pitches which mostly fall between the cracks of Western equal temperament.

“Blu Box” is based on the sound world of an actual music box mechanism that was modified by sound artist John Morton. He takes standard music boxes and retunes them, alters the pin barrels by removing pins or reversing the direction of travel. By use of a contact mic he processes the live sound through his laptop in real-time and is a fully performing member of the ensemble. The music box plays throughout and it is plain to hear the repeated crunchy clicking as John winds it up.

The lower gamelan instruments play a slow ostinato while the upper instruments play non-metric polyrhythms in relation to the eccentric repeated pattern of the music box. The concertina, violin and finally the recorder perform an arrangement of improvised blues related motifs in this unusual orchestral arrangement for Gamelan, Music Box and Western instruments.

 

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http://jodykruskal.com/tune_of_the_month/page106/page106.html

 

“Blu Box” is a collaborative concert work by composers Jody Kruskal, John Morton and the Gamelan Son of Lion ensemble. Conceived as an experiment in blues improvisation for modified and processed music box, A/E Anglo concertina, violin, alto recorder and gamelan orchestra of pitched percussion, this recording is from a live premier performance on May 3rd 2009 at the Tarrytown Library, NY.

 

The A/E Anglo concertina (Jody Kruskal) and the gamelan have only a few notes in common, which makes it a tightrope walk to play as there are very few “in-tune” notes on the instrument. The violin (Barbara Benary) and recorder (Laura Liben) are better equipped to play the gamelan pitches which mostly fall between the cracks of Western equal temperament.

 

“Blu Box” is based on the sound world of an actual music box mechanism that was modified by sound artist John Morton. He takes standard music boxes and retunes them, alters the pin barrels by removing pins or reversing the direction of travel. By use of a contact mic he processes the live sound through his laptop in real-time and is a fully performing member of the ensemble. The music box plays throughout and it is plain to hear the repeated crunchy clicking as John winds it up.

 

The lower gamelan instruments play a slow ostinato while the upper instruments play non-metric polyrhythms in relation to the eccentric repeated pattern of the music box. The concertina, violin and finally the recorder perform an arrangement of improvised blues related motifs in this unusual orchestral arrangement for Gamelan, Music Box and Western instruments.

 

 

That was very cool.

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http://jodykruskal.com/tune_of_the_month/page106/page106.html

 

“Blu Box” is a collaborative concert work by composers Jody Kruskal, John Morton and the Gamelan Son of Lion ensemble. Conceived as an experiment in blues improvisation for modified and processed music box, A/E Anglo concertina, violin, alto recorder and gamelan orchestra of pitched percussion, this recording is from a live premier performance on May 3rd 2009 at the Tarrytown Library, NY.

 

 

 

That is so cool. I've always wondered if I'd get to see something reflecting your involvement in both Gamelan and concertiinas.

Edited by Jim Besser
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I can't wait to hear your version!

Be careful what you ask for, Jim!

 

http://youtu.be/FvyRk77brp0

 

Many thanks to David Barnert for pointing me to this yesterday. It's as wry and edgy an American Civil War song as I've ever heard, and it's made me realize that, much as I like him, I've somewhat underestimated Henry Clay Work. I confess that I'd run through it two or three times before I realized I wasn't singing a sentimental Victorian Era tribute to a cat.

 

Bob Michel

Near Philly

Edited by Bob Michel
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I can't wait to hear your version!

Be careful what you ask for, Jim!

 

 

Many thanks to David Barnert for pointing me to this yesterday. It's as wry and edgy an American Civil War song as I've ever heard, and it's made me realize that, much as I like him, I've somewhat underestimated Henry Clay Work. I confess that I'd run through it two or three times before I realized I wasn't singing a sentimental Victorian Era tribute to a cat.

 

Bob Michel

Near Philly

 

 

I'm glad I asked. Really good.

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Be careful what you ask for, Jim!

 

Many thanks to David Barnert for pointing me to this yesterday. It's as wry and edgy an American Civil War song as I've ever heard, and it's made me realize that, much as I like him, I've somewhat underestimated Henry Clay Work. I confess that I'd run through it two or three times before I realized I wasn't singing a sentimental Victorian Era tribute to a cat.

 

That's amazing that you worked that up in less than 24 hours from when you'd never heart of the piece. Kudos!

 

I must admit I'm still at the stage of thinking the song's about a cat. I'll have to listen more carefully.

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Of course, what is considered "unlikely" depends on who is doing the considering, but I'll try to throw a few things into the mix. Right now I'm having trouble with recording, so I'll resort to hunting down some things recorded in the past... maybe even the distant past.

Here's my first one, a simple classical piece arranged for two flutes and double-tracked using two different concertinas (both treble English). I have it marked as #16 in the book of duets, but since I don't have the book handy, I can't say more right now. If I find the book, I'll try to remember to come back and edit this post to add the details.

flute duet #16 on two English concertinas (twice through)

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