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Need some help, Pairing a tune with Scarborough Fair


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15 minutes ago, Little John said:

Whilst I'm no purist myself, I have some sympathy with Old Nic's viewpoint. As it's an English song my first thought would be to look for an English tune to complement it.

Hi John, I can easily sympathise with that too in a way. It’s again the apodictic manner of communicating a point of view...

Best wishes - ?

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18 hours ago, RAc said:

So, to paraphrase you:

1. I, having been born and raised in Germany, am not allowed to listen to, let alone actively engage in, folk music and traditions of other people (for example not English although 90% of my active repertoire consists of traditional English Folk) and are obliged to stick to wherever I was arbitrarily born into?

2. The folk ensemble I am a member of that is committed to bringing people together and help them understanding each other by embracing folk cultures all over the world is wrong (their repertoire contains music from South America, Asia, the Near East, Europe, Scandinavia, America, Russia and so much more)?

3. There should not be Morris dance groups or bagpipe societies outside the UK (or strictly speaking only parts of it)?

4. All the worldwide choirs, folk dance groups and bands that are open minded enough to enjoy music from many places around the worlds are illegal and should be forbidded or dismantled?

5. Music like this here should not exist?

I am asking in this provocative manner because I'm sure I habe misinterpreted your post (I can't believe anybody these days is as backwards as the post insinuates).

Thanks!

Not at all, it is the pairing that is the issue. 

Edited by Don Taylor
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George Fox, the major founding father of the Quakers, wrote that some words 'speak to thy condition'. That expression catches, for me, something of what I experience with certain traditional tunes from my native England and from many other different countries. The ones I am attracted to 'speak to [my] condition'. Currently, for instance, I'm working on a set comprising the Playford tune 'Bobbing Joe' followed by a Swedish tune, 'Slangpolska efter Juringius'. They are both in A minor and start with the same fifth interval but have differing rhythms; sufficiently similar but sufficiently different to fit together yet to have contrast. 

So, in answer to the original question, my view is put Scarborough Fair with whatever fits for you, no matter from where it originates.

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On 5/23/2018 at 8:28 PM, Little John said:

How about pairing it with John Kirkpatrick's As the sun was setting? Similar feel to both - I think they would blend well.

agreed - positively a match!

Best wishes - Wolf

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To muddy the waters in this discussion a bit: what version of Scarborough Fair are we talking about?  On this side of the pond most people would think of the Simon and Garfunkel version.  Does that now mean we should be matching it with an American tune?

 

i understand and respect the idea of trying to keep traditions pure, but I also think there is considerable interpenetration of repertoires across what used to be called the British Isles.

 

That said I also note that English repertoire stands somewhat more separate than Irish and Scottish.  As I said a tough pancake. (Five points to the first person to identify my source for that).

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1 hour ago, cboody said:

That said I also note that English repertoire stands somewhat more separate than Irish and Scottish.  As I said a tough pancake. (Five points to the first person to identify my source for that).

I vote for this here:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Policeman

 

He was Irish though (to make the waters even more murky).

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2 hours ago, cboody said:

As I said a tough pancake. (Five points to the first person to identify my source for that).

 

difficult as it doesn't even seem clear whether such a pancake would be a good or rather an awful thing to chew on... ?

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2 hours ago, cboody said:

...As I said a tough pancake. (Five points to the first person to identify my source for that).

 

Could this be what you mean?

 

"... the more you mix, the more gluten develops in the batter—meaning you'll

end up with tough, chewy pancakes instead of ones that are fluffy and tender..."

 

Probably not...

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 If the lead in were Fanny Power, Da Slocket Light, My Cape Breton Home or Westphalia Waltz, would you object to following with one of the myriad beautiful English traditional tunes?

Edited by wunks
didn't read page 2 and similar post
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6 hours ago, wunks said:

 If the lead in were Fanny Power, Da Slocket Light, My Cape Breton Home or Westphalia Waltz, would you object to following with one of the myriad beautiful English traditional tunes?

 

not sure about the purpose or intention of your post here, but to start with why not stick to the lots of beautiful O‘Carolan tunes when starting with one?

 

of course, you may want to surprise your audiences, but then we might discuss that in particular.

 

in summary: do what you like as long as it‘s making sense to you...

 

best wishes - ?

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