First Tune You Learned On The Concertina

[Helen]

Wow, this is great.

[RELCOLLECT]

Well, Helen, you started this thread. What about you?

[CaryK]

As a new learner, the first recognizeable tune that I could turn out was "Rock a-bye Baby" from the Mel Bay book for the 20-button Anglo. The first tune I've "somewhat" mastered (with few embellishments so far) is a Civil War tune called "The Battlecry of Freedom". The tune was in my head for years and I was able to put down on paper a reasonable approximation of it. It was written in 1862 and seems to demand a concertina (or fiddle) sound to express it best, whether played slow or fast. Love that tune.

[Robert Booth]

Discounting the Hershey's Chocolate jingle and the Big Ben chime, I think that the first real tune was "Red River Valley." Played along with Henry Fonda in some disremembered Western.

[Gerry]

Amazing Grace, from my daughter who played it on a D whistle. I played it on an old 20 button Lachenal I'd just bought of ebay. The tune had no C#'s or F#'s so I played it on the C row. It sounded bad because the Lachenal was way out of tune and worse because it was me playing it.

 

We had a chap moaning about the "funeral music" in the pub one night - I couldn't resist.

[John Wild]

I am not sure I can remember which tune was the very first I played, but Jimmy Allen came in very early.

 

- John Wild

[Animaterra]

I zipped down to the Button Box on Dec. 22, 2003, to rent a Stagi anglo. Picked out "Silent Night" in time to regale my mother on Christmas Day- I was also working on a few obscure Carolan, Bunting and Joyce tunes from my beloved's collection, so the Lamentation of Owen Roe O'Neill was coming along, but not ready by then (it's still my favorite slow air!).

[premo]

The very first tune I learnt on a concertina was 'Young Collins' on a nearly unplayable cheap chinese job. The first tune on my English was (probably) Jamie Allen as I learnt from Alistair Anderson's tutor. The first convincing melodeon tune was 'Willow Tree' (version as per Morris On)

[Charles_Mackay]

My first tune was 'Santa Lucia' on a C/G 20 key Stagi Anglo. Why? - because I really like the song. Only needs one accidental F#.

 

Since gravitated to a 48 key English (Wheatstone) and love the versatility of the English system.

 

Charles Mackay

[stuart estell]

I can't honestly remember what tunes I tried first. But I had the best possible teacher... a copy of Morris On

[David Barnert]

Ashokan Farewell.

 

I told the story here.

 

Edited to correct the link.

Edited May 18, 2005 by David Barnert

[Helen]

Sorry, I've been off for a few days. Well mentally and physically.

 

I am not sure what my first tune was. I have only played in public once and that was right when I was first learning. I played Silent Night and We Three Kings as two solos for a church. I must have been out of my mind.

[malcolm clapp]

First tune learned?

 

Probably Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star or something similar. Come on, be honest, I'm not the only one! Admit it. And it is "traditional" afaik....

 

First tune in public?

 

Bean Setting, Headington.

 

The regular muso couldn't get the rhythm change right, so I sang it to him, he threw a wobbly and said "You can #$%&@ play it yourself next week".

 

So I did!

 

We never saw him again! Perhaps some one shot him?

[jggunn]

After feeling my way around via things like Oh Susannah I settled on Greenland Fisheries as my first real tune.

[gretchen]

Kesh Jig... it was the only song that I could think of the tune for in the beginning section of the Bramich book (I had the book but no cd). I was pretty happy with myself once I'd got it and so I played it over and over... but now (around a month later) it's somehow become the worst of my 8 or so tunes.

[Helen]

Wow, this is so much fun.

 

Well Malcolm, if I sang at someone, they wouldn't come back either.

 

Bet you were happy your guy didn't return, though.

 

Cheers,

Helen

[Aquarussell]

My first tune not counting reduced length things in the Jackie tutor (it includes The Blue Danube, all on one page), was the Spanish Waltz Quadrille. I had tried and been defeated by Ashoken Fairwell, which I am still trying for. I was interested in learning to play SOMETHING for dancers, and you see I wanted a waltz. Got one, too.

 

Russell Hedges

[kiminca]

The Barrow's House Jig was my first tune (I think), It was easy and I knew the tune well. It was a fun dance to learn, so I also learn the music. I have found that most the dances I like I also like to tunes as well.

 

I have since come to the realization that I should learn to play the music to the dances I don't like to dance. This way I can dance what I like and play when I'm not dancing (at least someday when I can play good enough)

 

 

Cheers to Helen for doing a solo while learning, takes guts.

 

Kimberly