Sheet Music Request. "Stream to River Flows" by Alan Day

[Anglogeezertoo]

A few years back - 2012 actually - Alan Day introduced us to one of his compositions, "Stream to River Flows"  in this thread, ...  https://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?/topic/13740-stream-to-river-flows/&tab=comments#comment-132262

 

I wonder if anyone has the sheet music for this & is willing to share it??

 

Jake

[David Barnert]

As we learned many years ago, Alan doesn’t think in terms of sheet music. And if he hasn’t written it down, I doubt anybody else has. I transcribed all the tunes for his Anglo tutor 18 years ago. It was a lot of work and involved a lot of back-and-forth between me and Alan because he doesn’t feel a need to play a tune exactly the same way each time (and rightly so!). I think you’re going to have to learn it by ear or learn to take musical dictation (both worthwhile and rewarding goals).

[David Barnert]

I just reread the introductory note I wrote all those years ago (we published it in January, 2004) and I think it’s worth reproducing the first paragraph here. It makes the point I was trying to make just above.

 

Quote

Note from the Transcriber

 

I love the way Alan plays the concertina for the very reasons that make transcribing his music frustratingly difficult. He plays in a way that clearly is not bound to a paper version of the music. He plays what he hears, what he feels. He is free with ornamentation and never plays anything quite the same way twice. He and I agree that the tunes on the accompanying recording ought to be learned by ear. It will not only lead to a kind of learning of the tunes that will be more meaningful but will foster a facility with listening and learning by ear that will be of great value in the future.

 

   ...

 

[Alan Day]

Thank you David for your comments .

Certainly playing by ear gives you freedom that strictly to the written music does not give you.

I used to play trumpet in a Glen Miller type band and could not play a note without the music in front of me. When I took up the concertina I realised that playing for Morris Dancing outside a pub ,possibly in a howling gale meant that playing to music would be a no go,so that is why I have always played by ear. Only twice on a special project ,playing Anglo to a Duet arrangement have I used sheet music ., but even then I memorised it after I learnt it.

I am happy Jake to do a slow version of this tune and a guide where possible if that would help. I am flattered that you want to play it so do not hesitate to ask.

Al

[Anglogeezertoo]

Hi Alan, thanks for the offer of a slowed down version, it would be most helpful.

I'm always on the look out for new tunes to stretch the members of a beginners/easy session that I work with and this one is particularly restful & enchanting.

 

Jake

[RAc]

I have transcribed a few of Al's tunes before and would volunteer to do this one as well unless someone else has already done it (Kautilya's link appears not to work anymore). Can be a couple of weeks though before I get around to doing it.

[Alan Day]

Kautliya sadly died a few years back.

Al

[Alan Day]

https://youtu.be/aWc6GxTO-_Y

 

David was actually spot on with his comments on my playing different versions of the tune each time ,but in this case it is intentional. Here is a slower version for Jake as promised.

Al

[David Barnert]

OK, how’s this, made from what I hear Alan playing in the above? Even as deliberate as Alan’s playing here is, I had to make an editorial decision or two, and someone else might transcribe it differently, but this should get you going. “D.C al Fine” means go back to the beginning (Da Capo) and end where the “Fine” (“end”) is.

 

 

Added a day later: At the moment, my browser is only showing me the first 2 lines of the tune, with the bottom inch grayed out. If you click on the image, you’ll see the whole thing. DB

Edited September 29, 2021 by David Barnert

[Anglogeezertoo]

Thanks to Alan Day for the slowed down version and to David Barnert for the transcription

I'm of to a flying start!

 

Jake

[Alan Day]

This tune is unlike any I play because it is supposed to initially represent a little trickling stream and gradually building in depth (by adding base notes ) as it becomes a river and eventually flowing out to sea. What a job to try and transpose this and many thanks once again for David writing it down. 

You are a star.

Al