Push And Draw

[PaddyLosty]

Hey everyone

 

Im a fiddle player by trade, but I quite enjoy the sound of free-reed instruments and listen to them alot more than I do fiddle playing. My s/o plays button accordion in C#/D style, and I prefer the sound of that style of B/C. Ive been looking to buy a concertina to start teaching myself, as there are no other players around here (Hamilton, Southern Ontario). Two of my favourite concertina players are Kitty Hayes and Mary MacNamara, and from what I understand they both play in the old along-the-row style. If I wanted to play this style in sessions, I would need a D/A instrument, correct? I know they're a bit harder to come by, so I was thinking of getting a C/G and playing tunes in D/A fingering. There's at least one C session around here, so I could still get out and play once in a while, and the fiddle does me for most sessions. Are my assumptions correct? Are D/A boxes too hard to come by to bother? What are the limitations of that style of fingering? Thanks!

[Alan Caffrey]

I think you've got things mixed up there. I play an along the rows Irish style and use a C/G concertina. I play most tunes on the G row just picking up other notes as needed from the other rows. The Frank Edgley tutor is about the best way to go; I certainly got more tunes in my fingers and quicker from that tutor than I did from others I tried. I had the great pleasure to sit next to Chris Droney last year and watch/hear him play. He plays along the row I think, and yes, he plays a C/G.

Really, I don't know of anyone in session , what ever style they have, who plays Irish tunes on a concertina other than C/G.

Good luck, Alan.

[Greg Jowaisas]

I just did some repair work on Grey Larson's concertina which is a 12 sided Wheatsone anglo in D/A. Grey began playing in the 1970s and pretty much taught himself. He found a D/A anglo and set out to learn Irish music on it. He is a wonderful flute player and I'm sure flute ornamentation influenced his D/A concertina style.

 

It was very interesting to watch his setting of "The Drunken Landlady". On the D/A it sets on the same row if you were playing it in D modal on a C/G. Several of the ornaments seemed easier in his setting.

 

Grey's own take seemed to be that it is a wash as to what system holds any advantage. Lots of tunes lay down nicely on the D/A but you are pretty much on your own as to technique. C/G tutorials and teachers are abundant.

 

Styles evolve around the available instruments. C/G was the most common tuning when anglo concertinas invaded Ireland 130 years ago.

 

Good D/A instruments are rather scarce and teachers and systems as rare. Grey is another example of a musician who created his style around the available instrument.

 

Greg

 

PS. Although I have not heard his playing, concertina historian Stephen Chambers also plays a D/A.

Edited April 5, 2007 by Greg Jowaisas

[Michael Reid]

I play C#/D accordion and C/G Anglo. I play Anglo across the rows, mostly using the fingering system taught by Noel Hill.

 

Trust me on this: There will be more than enough "press and draw" action on a C/G to keep you happy, even if you learn to play across the rows. Or, to put it another way, you won't likely have to worry about your concertina playing becoming too legato.

 

I support playing what you have or what you can find, but if you have a choice, aim for a C/G.

[Daniel Hersh]

Well, this seems perhaps a bit rigid. Grey Larsen, mentioned in another post, plays a D/A. Sabra Daly, a great Irish-style player in my area, plays a G/D. I usually play a C/G myself, but I picked up a decent German 20-button D/A a while back and occasionally take it out and play Irish tunes on it in an attempt at a vague approximation of the Kitty Hayes style. There are definite advantages to being able to play in a concertina's home keys if you're trying for certain old-style Irish effects such as parallel-octave playing.

 

Daniel

 

I think you've got things mixed up there. I play an along the rows Irish style and use a C/G concertina. I play most tunes on the G row just picking up other notes as needed from the other rows. The Frank Edgley tutor is about the best way to go; I certainly got more tunes in my fingers and quicker from that tutor than I did from others I tried. I had the great pleasure to sit next to Chris Droney last year and watch/hear him play. He plays along the row I think, and yes, he plays a C/G.

Really, I don't know of anyone in session , what ever style they have, who plays Irish tunes on a concertina other than C/G.

[Tom Ryan]

With regard to lessons, once you acquire a concertina, you should try to put yourself in touch with Karen Light in Toronto, which is not that far from you. As well as being an excellent whistle player and teacher, Karen plays ITM on Anglo. I don`t have her contact information handy, but one suggestion I have is to go to the Chris Langan weekend in Toronto next month, and you`re sure to find Karen there. Besides, you`ll have a great time listening to some wonderful musicians and taking part in good sessions.

 

Cheers,

 

Tom Ryan

 

 

Well, this seems perhaps a bit rigid. Grey Larsen, mentioned in another post, plays a D/A. Sabra Daly, a great Irish-style player in my area, plays a G/D. I usually play a C/G myself, but I picked up a decent German 20-button D/A a while back and occasionally take it out and play Irish tunes on it in an attempt at a vague approximation of the Kitty Hayes style. There are definite advantages to being able to play in a concertina's home keys if you're trying for certain old-style Irish effects such as parallel-octave playing.

 

Daniel

 

I think you've got things mixed up there. I play an along the rows Irish style and use a C/G concertina. I play most tunes on the G row just picking up other notes as needed from the other rows. The Frank Edgley tutor is about the best way to go; I certainly got more tunes in my fingers and quicker from that tutor than I did from others I tried. I had the great pleasure to sit next to Chris Droney last year and watch/hear him play. He plays along the row I think, and yes, he plays a C/G.

Really, I don't know of anyone in session , what ever style they have, who plays Irish tunes on a concertina other than C/G.

[Frank Edgley]

I would second that. Karen is a good player who should be a valuable resource. I think she would be happy to share her expertise.

[PaddyLosty]

Yeah I'm quite close to Toronto, I just came in the door from the Dora Keogh's session 10 minutes ago.

 

I know Karen, she comes in from time to time, but always playing whistle. I'll mention to her next time I see her about picking up the concertina. I guess my draw towards the D/G or D/A concertina is that I really prefer the style of Kitty Hayes and Mary MacNamara to Noel Hill. Maybe its not a big difference, and that style will come out simply because its a bigger influence on me, and the benefit of tutor material and easier to find instruments would outweigh anything else. Anyways, thanks for the advice.

[Stephen Chambers]

PS. Although I have not heard his playing, concertina historian Stephen Chambers also plays a D/A.

Greg,

 

That may be jumping the gun slightly; he's been looking for one for a while, and the one he's at last managed to buy on eBay only arrived this afternoon ...

 

And he's got a house to buy/renovate before he'll be able to renovate the D/A.

 

But I bet Kitty Hayes will want to try it out when it finally is playable!

[michael sam wild]

I'm responding to this older post (oh the beauty of archives!) as i'm currently engrossed with playing 'old style' on a C/G Anglo. Kitty Hayes played a lot in F along the C row and it gives some lovely relaxed tunes that are more commonly played in G. The 3 CDs of Kitty Hayes and her friends are great and Peter Laban was a good friend to her. I'd like to hear more from people who think that D and G are not the be all and end all of Irish music

 

 

 

 

Here's a nice clip of a TG4 Geantrai programme

 

 

 

Note that she plays with both hands in octaves I suspect

Edited July 1, 2012 by michael sam wild