Concertina Revival?

[stuart estell]

Maybe someday we'll be having a conversation about rock'n'roll in the same way we're (ostensibly) talking about concertina music--with wistful nostalgia?

 

Yes - I think you only need to look as far back as what happened with Punk, rather than Rock & Roll as a whole. For many people it was hailed as a Year Zero for popular music - the DIY ethic meant you didn't have to be technically competent and anyone could do it. Yet now that very idea, as you suggest Robert, is looked back on with a certain nostalgia (remember that dreadful "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker" song last year?), and any number of bands who claim "punk influences" miss the point completely by obsessing over the clarity of their studio sound for months on end. It's an idealised past viewed through corporate-tinted spectacles...

 

My own take on it is that a lot of people like to stick with what's familiar when it comes to music, regardless of what genre they like, so anything that's easy to market ("Barry and the Watering Cans are the new Coldplay!") will be picked up on by the record companies - and I think that it's that that contributes to the steady descent into more and more mainstream blandness. But for all that, I think the democratisation that the internet is bringing about is a really wonderful thing - much good will come of it, I hope.

[Alan Day]

Ps. I like large and angry Fairground Organs

 

 

The sound of a concertina band at close quarters really is like nothing else on earth, I think. I've played in both brass bands and the Hawkwood Concertina Band, and a big concertina band produces a sound you can completely lose yourself in, even more so than a brass band. It's a wonderful thing.

Playing in a big band is a wonderful experiance,but it does take a number of musicians time to knit into a tight unit.A weekend event where a number of concertina players get together to form a band is great fun and can create a reasonable sound at the end ,but cannot compare with the old concertina bands.These players practiced solidly in between gigs for the massive concertina competition annualy held at Belle Vue Manchester and Crystal Palace.Many of these players played in the band for years.The two main winners yearly were Ashton under Lyne and Heywood Concertina bands and the sound they produce is just fantastic.

Twenty plus players gives incredible depth of sound and does not really compare with Lea Nicholson's multi track ,even as enjoyable as it is.

I have suggested to Graham Bradshaw that we give you a snippet of one of the recordings so you can understand my enthusiasm.

Al

[Chris Drinkwater]

Al, I wouldn't go so far as to believe there is a concertina revival as such. That's a bit extreme but heartening and nice if it were true. I would say, however, that there does seem to be an increasing interest in our type of squeezeboxes. You only have to look at the increase in membership of Concertina.net to see this. And of the different types of instrument, the Anglo seems to be the most popular, followed by the English and then the Duet systems. All the established concertina makers seem to have full orderbooks and Colin Dipper has cut down on doing repairs and maintenance to concentrate on fulfilling back orders. And, now that we have reasonably priced entry level concertinas such as the Jackie and Rochelle being made, this gives would be concertina players the opportunity to try the instrument system of their choice out without spending a fortune, to see if it is an instrument they wish to continue learning and subsequently upgrade as they make progress. Sadly, I don't think we will see a revival akin to the heyday of the concertina, both as an individually played instrument and in big band form - would we want one? I have friends who play the concertina but who prefer to play in mixed sessions with other instruments rather than solely with other concertinas. Having said that, the WCCP (West Country Concertina Players), now celebrating their 25th anniversary are planning to form a WCCP band, following on from the success of the big band workshops held at their annual Kilve weekends. Under the direction of Claire Wren, a composer and arranger as well as a concertina player, they intend to get together and learn a core repertoire of about six band pieces to start with and follow on later with additional pieces when they are reasonably competent. They have booked Ruishton Village Hall, near Taunton in Somerset for saturday October 6th, from 11.am to 5.00pm to concentrate on this. The band's first outing will hopefully be at the Bampton Fair on thursday October 25th. So, if anyone living within striking distance of Taunton is interested, contact the WCCP and give it a go! And, who knows Al, by the time you get a big band CD set off the ground, they may be good enough by then to warrant being included on it.

 

Chris

[Alan Day]

Ps. I like large and angry Fairground Organs

 

 

The sound of a concertina band at close quarters really is like nothing else on earth, I think. I've played in both brass bands and the Hawkwood Concertina Band, and a big concertina band produces a sound you can completely lose yourself in, even more so than a brass band. It's a wonderful thing.

Playing in a big band is a wonderful experiance,but it does take a number of musicians time to knit into a tight unit.A weekend event where a number of concertina players get together to form a band is great fun and can create a reasonable sound at the end ,but cannot compare with the old concertina bands.These players practiced solidly in between gigs for the massive concertina competition annualy held at Belle Vue Manchester and Crystal Palace.Many of these players played in the band for years.The two main winners yearly were Ashton under Lyne and Heywood Concertina bands and the sound they produce is just fantastic.

Twenty plus players gives incredible depth of sound and does not really compare with Lea Nicholson's multi track ,even as enjoyable as it is.

I have suggested to Graham Bradshaw that we give you a snippet of one of the recordings so you can understand my enthusiasm.

Al

Graham has agreed to this so we will shortly be posting The Heywood English Prize Concertina Band

for your enjoyment.

Al

[ceemonster]

maybe what's afoot is also viewable from a different angle---say, a new appreciation rather than a revival....certainly in my case, after getting the "anglo international" cd, i'm ready to start messing with adapting sidney bechet and other jazz stuff on anglo, as well as paris musette and other genres. the only limitation i can see to this cool little instrument is if you wanted to do super-complex counterpoint and stacked chords at all times (though it will still do both to quite a degree), but for somebody like me who finds it most beautiful as a pure melody instrument, hearing thelonius monk on it has opened many new windows upstairs....

[Alan Day]

maybe what's afoot is also viewable from a different angle---say, a new appreciation rather than a revival....certainly in my case, after getting the "anglo international" cd, i'm ready to start messing with adapting sidney bechet and other jazz stuff on anglo, as well as paris musette and other genres. the only limitation i can see to this cool little instrument is if you wanted to do super-complex counterpoint and stacked chords at all times (though it will still do both to quite a degree), but for somebody like me who finds it most beautiful as a pure melody instrument, hearing thelonius monk on it has opened many new windows upstairs....

I hope that English International will open more windows for players.

A manufacturing date has now been fixed for Early July for distribution in time for Sidmouth End of July.

Graham has a lot of work to do,but has to meet this.At last the end of the tunnel is in sight.

Chris Timson has kindly agreed to help with the posting of The Heywood Band.I hope you enjoy them.

Al

[Chris Timson]

Chris Timson has kindly agreed to help with the posting of The Heywood Band.I hope you enjoy them.

And here it is: WilliamTell.mp3. It's really, er, gosh!

 

Chris

[Woody]

Chris Timson has kindly agreed to help with the posting of The Heywood Band.I hope you enjoy them.

And here it is: WilliamTell.mp3. It's really, er, gosh!

 

Chris

Blimey!

[Peter Brook]

Well I think Stuart had the description about right. It sounds like a brass band in collision with a fairground organ . Wonderful.

[m3838]

I guess my taste differs from majority's here.

I found Wilhelm Tell's piece unappealing. Perhabs to me it's the feeling of many instruments that are unable to bend, don't have natural decay, straight forward aggressive honk, that doesn't cut it. Still think Concertina belongs to a band of many different instruments.

[Mark Evans]

I guess my taste differs from majority's here.

I found Wilhelm Tell's piece unappealing. Perhabs to me it's the feeling of many instruments that are unable to bend, don't have natural decay, straight forward aggressive honk, that doesn't cut it. Still think Concertina belongs to a band of many different instruments.

 

 

Micheal, I must dissagree with you. The William Tell overture never sounded better. It fondly reminds me of the many hours I spent with my then 4 year old daughter in Hull, MA riding the restored Merry-go-round with it's Wurlizer sound machine from the early 1900's.

 

What a fun bunch of gents these fellows must have been, for you can hear the joy in their souls just bubbling forth. Rossini would certainly have approved.

Edited May 18, 2007 by Mark Evans

[PeterT]

I guess my taste differs from majority's here.

I found Wilhelm Tell's piece unappealing. Perhabs to me it's the feeling of many instruments that are unable to bend, don't have natural decay, straight forward aggressive honk, that doesn't cut it. Still think Concertina belongs to a band of many different instruments.

This is very interesting. I was discussing this very piece, with someone, last autumn. From memory, the music is listed in the ICA sheet music archive.

 

Like most people (I'm guessing), I'd previously heard it played by an orchestra. I'm assuming that, here, it is an arrangement for a concertina band, since I recall the piece being much longer. It's come out like "recorded highlights". It must have been a tremendous challenge to learn the piece to this standard of playing, and fun to record.

 

I just find it overpowering; all "light" and no "shade". It's played very much at the "gallop", but I presume that this is the correct tempo. Still, it's great that we have this archive recording, since it shows just what can be achieved with a band. I'd like to know how many instruments were being used (any info.?), as I'm assuming that most parts were at least doubled. Maybe a band of four musicians (I'm thinking "New Mexborough", as was) would be a more appealing sound.

 

Regards,

Peter.

 

PS - I will not volunteer to attempt this piece on Anglo!

[Dirge]

'Overpowering' is a good word, but it is fun too, I grinned like an idiot all the way through. I'm not sure I'd want to sit through a whole concert of it.

[Leo]

[And here it is: WilliamTell.mp3. It's really, er, gosh!

 

Chris

Gosh! er really. It's kind of pleasant to listen to.

 

Thanks

Leo

Edited May 18, 2007 by Leo

[Chris Timson]

I guess my taste differs from majority's here.

So no change there

Still think Concertina belongs to a band of many different instruments.

Actually, I agree with you. Though this particular piece is an absolute hoot from start to finish I have never been a concertina band type. It takes all sorts ...

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

[ceemonster]

i'm not a concertina-band type, either, except in vintage photographs. perhaps this is related to my aversion to concertina AS the band. i love it as a melody instrument (and i think it makes a fantastic solo-er), but need an alka-seltzer after about ten minutes of it as a full multi-part band, even though its capabilities obviously lend it to that employment.....it is indeed subjective.

[Alan Day]

I guess my taste differs from majority's here.

I found Wilhelm Tell's piece unappealing. Perhabs to me it's the feeling of many instruments that are unable to bend, don't have natural decay, straight forward aggressive honk, that doesn't cut it. Still think Concertina belongs to a band of many different instruments.

This is very interesting. I was discussing this very piece, with someone, last autumn. From memory, the music is listed in the ICA sheet music archive.

 

Like most people (I'm guessing), I'd previously heard it played by an orchestra. I'm assuming that, here, it is an arrangement for a concertina band, since I recall the piece being much longer. It's come out like "recorded highlights". It must have been a tremendous challenge to learn the piece to this standard of playing, and fun to record.

 

I just find it overpowering; all "light" and no "shade". It's played very much at the "gallop", but I presume that this is the correct tempo. Still, it's great that we have this archive recording, since it shows just what can be achieved with a band. I'd like to know how many instruments were being used (any info.?), as I'm assuming that most parts were at least doubled. Maybe a band of four musicians (I'm thinking "New Mexborough", as was) would be a more appealing sound.

 

Regards,

Peter.

 

PS - I will not volunteer to attempt this piece on Anglo!

 

Peter,just got back from Scotland (Chris they did let me in without a visa) hence the late reply.

There are 21 musicians in uniform on the photo and others standing in the picture .This peice is an excerpt from a much longer peice and concludes it.Anyone who knows this peice of music will hear that it is not the original score, but an arrangement written to conclude this selection of music.It is just a small example of the Concertina Band sound ,but not the best I have.The soloist sounds like J Eastwood who I have brilliantly playing with the band on another tune.

This is just one of the archive recordings that came from the Stephen Chambers collection to whom the Concertina World owes a lot of thanks.Other archive collections form part of English International and more details will be given when the final line up is completed.

Al

[Leo]

A nice picture of a concertina band:

http://users.bigpond.net.au/bunter/images/...rtina_Band1.jpg

 

The mouseover caption says: "JW Rooney - tallest in the back row, Harold Rooney with small drum".

 

The original Page with a little backround:

http://users.bigpond.net.au/bunter/ralph_rooney.htm

 

Thanks

Leo