The Hawkwood Concertina Band Project

[Alan Day]

As many of you would know I became interested in Concertina Bands during my work on English International. Concertina Bands became very popular during the end of 1800 up to the second World War and regular competitions took place at Crystal Palace and Belle Vue Manchester.At the same time The Salvation Army also had active bands during this period.Since the War most Concertina Bands ceased existence and the Concertina World lost much by their absence.

A few however have tried to keep this band tradition alive, A few Salvation Army bands continued and I have recordings of The Plymouth Salvation Army Band (courtesy of Peter Trimming's Collection) for a future compilation. A number of bands have been formed at weekend concertina events and these are obviously great fun to take part in and there have been some excellent recordings taken of these weekend bands particularly at the Witney Weekend events organised by Dave Townsend .These however are for the enjoyment of all who take part and to experience the joy of being part of a big band ,playing music arrangements.Although every effort is taken to achieve a wonderful final day performance there is little chance that the result will be anything like what was achieved by the old concertina bands who practised for months and years.

There are a few who have tried to keep the tradition going Dick Miles and the rest of The Mexborough Concertina Band did a fine job with their recordings ,based on the arrangements of the original Mexborough Band. Some others have continued the tradition meeting regularly in large or small groups to enjoy making music together. I have some excellent recordings from Goran Rahm which feature a group of Swedish musicians the oldest being ninety eight.

This now leads me to Jenny Cox who has been enthusiastic about concertina bands and their formation since 1982. She was lucky enough to meet a couple of the surviving players of The Heywood Prize Concertina Band and actually visited the area where they lived,worked and practised.Jenny became very active in organising workshops ,groups of friends to get together to make music .In 1989 a weekend event led by Dave Townsend was organised for The West Country Concertina Players at Halsway Manor and Dave bought to that meeting arrangements for more modern pieces of music and not the normal Brass Band arrangements used by the early Concertina Bands.This meeting was memorable for Jenny who then went on to organise a residential weekend in 2000 the first weekend purely for Band playing.This was at Hawkwood College and for the last 8 years this event has been taking place ,conducted by Steve Ellis who is a professional music teacher. These events have been very successful and been enjoyed by all who have taken part. Jenny has now decided to take this a bit further and has arranged for a selected number of musicians, numbering 22 members, an exact replica of the old band numbers. Under strict supervision, of amongst those who include Dave Townsend and Robert Harbron, they will attempt to make a CD of their playing.

I would ask you to please support this historic event by purchasing a copy of the CD when it is available. After discussion Graham we have decided that we will shelve our planned Concertina Band and Group CD for a couple of years so that it does not clash with this CD.

I wish Jenny and all the players invited every success on the 19-24 April when they attempt these recordings.

This event is supported and partly sponsored by the ICA. Other sponsors would be welcomed.

Al

[LDT]

I would ask you to please support this historic event by purchasing a copy of the CD when it is available. After discussion Graham we have decided that we will shelve our planned Concertina Band and Group CD for a couple of years so that it does not clash with this CD.

I wish Jenny and all the players invited every success on the 19-24 April when they attempt these recordings.

This event is supported and partly sponsored by the ICA. Other sponsors would be welcomed.

Al

 

Do you know where the CD might be available from and what the price might be?

[Hereward]

Do you know where the CD might be available from and what the price might be?

 

I suggest that, as well as a hardcopy, a downloadable version be arranged with CDBaby. This will greatly increase the income because many people don't bother with anything but downloads these days.

 

In any case, I shall certainly buy one and encourage people I know to do likewise because this is a project I think is particularly worthy of support.

 

Ian

[Will Fly]

Do you know where the CD might be available from and what the price might be?

 

Just the question I was going to ask!

[Chris Timson]

This was what I was talking about on another thread. Jenny approached us (i.e. the ICA committee) for sponsorship for this project and frankly it was a no-brainer. We want to see this as much as anyone and it's difficult to think of a better use we could put the membership's money to.

 

I suspsect when the CD is released it will be all over these forums, but if not, then I will pass on availablity information as soon as we know in the ICA.

 

Chris

Edited April 3, 2009 by Chris Timson

[Alan Day]

Sarah ,Ian & Will, I have no idea at the moment where or when these CDs will be available,I think the first step is to make sure they are reasonable quality before their release and as Chris suggests they will be well advertised here when available.

I am sure Jenny will be pleased by your response.

Al

[Chris Drinkwater]

I have to say that I already knew about this project several weeks ago and, at the time, Jenny Cox was collecting names of people who might be interested in buying the resulting CD, as a guide to how many copies should be pressed first time round. So, I take it that every active member of C.net would like to buy a copy to support the project? Let me see now... how many is that?

 

Chris

[ragtimer]

I'd love a CD -- a real, hard plastic one, not just a download.

 

I arranged a song for an orchestra of at least 6 concertinas, and it was played at NESI 2004.

So I have some questions:

 

What type(s) of concertinas will be used in the recorded bands?

 

What are their pitch ranges? I arranged for Bass, Baritone, Treble (standard), and Piccolo ECs, but some ANglos and maybe even a Duet or two snuck into the group, and fit in just fine.

I hope there's a Bass, or a foot bass.

 

How many parts will there be? I've heard as few as three and I did 6.

 

Did the Salvation Army bands all use Crane DUets, or more likely ECs?

 

Are any bands looking for more arrangements, or is there plenty of sheet music lying around?

 

--Mike K.

[Alan Day]

I have had an Email from Jenny and has asked me to inform you that if you contact her on bandstand@coxboxes.co.uk just to her know you may be interested in a copy of the CD and she will notify you of the availability the current cost is estimated at £12 each.

I am absolutely certain that Jenny will be interested in the arrangements you offer Ragtimer.

The photos we have of the early concertina bands appear to be playing Anglo's .They changed over to the English System later however and the recordings on English Int are English System (1935). Peter Trimming reliably informs me that the Plymouth Salvation Army played a mixture of mainly English and Duet Systems.

The arrangements are normally for Treble Baritone and Base.

Al

[SteveS]

Came to my computer this morning, not fully awake & still bleary eyed and with my first coffee of the day and read

 

Hawkwind Concertina Band Project

 

Now that would be something!

Steve

[ragtimer]

I have had an Email from Jenny and has asked me to inform you that if you contact her on bandstand@coxboxes.co.uk just to her know you may be interested in a copy of the CD and she will notify you of the availability the current cost is estimated at £12 each.

I am absolutely certain that Jenny will be interested in the arrangements you offer Ragtimer.

Thanks, Alan. If my aging memory serves right, I believe it was Jenny Cox who bought a copy of my "City of Ships" arrangement (the NESI 2004 piece) a couple years ago, and had it played. I'd be delighted to have her put it on the album.

I'll send her some email -- thanks for hte contact address.

The photos we have of the early concertina bands appear to be playing Anglo's .They changed over to the English System later however and the recordings on English Int are English System (1935). Peter Trimming reliably informs me that the Plymouth Salvation Army played a mixture of mainly English and Duet Systems.

Wow! Sounds like they tried everything, and settled on EC and (Crane/Triumph?) Duets.

The arrangements are normally for Treble Baritone and Base.

Al

OK, much like mine but no Piccolo, which should not be a problem.

Thanks for the quick reply, Mike K.

Edited April 4, 2009 by ragtimer

[Nick Oliver]

The line-up of instruments will include probably half a dozen basses, of which a couple will go down to the G three ledger lines below the bass clef stave (that is two and half octaves below middle C) and the rest are the usual C basses (down to two octaves below middle C), quite a few baritones, and a couple of piccolos. All are English layout except for my trebles - I shall be using a Dipper C/G anglo for most of my treble parts, and a Dipper G/D anglo for one or two pieces. I also have been allocated several bass parts which I shall do on an English 56 Button single action C Bass. ( I have become 'bilingual' since I got the bass, but I confuse the hell out of treble EC players because I read bass clef onto it rather than treble clef transposed down two octaves! This has turned out to be very useful outside pure concertina groups - I play it in the Moseley Village Band alongside cello, trombone and bass clarinet.)

 

This is all derived from the regular January Hawkwood weekends, which recently have seen about 3 anglo players and a couple of McCann duets as well as the array of ECs listed above. We have yet to see a contra-bass at Hawkwood (Three octaves down from a treble), in fact I have never seen one at all, but I live in hope!

 

I gather that the CDs will be available from the people involved, particularly Jenny Cox, and probably Dave Townsend, and possibly from Rob Harbron who is doing the recording and production for us.

 

The music varies from about 5 to about ten parts - there are twenty two players expected - and is mostly what can loosely be described as Brass Band repertoire.

 

Now - back to practicing!

 

Nick

[Liz Ellison]

I hope lots of people will sign up to the cd. I am newcomer to concertina band but it's great fun, with lots of enthusiastic fellow players who are very encouraging.

I have only been to Hawkwood twice but it's great fun if hard work and allows you lots of opportuntiites to try other instruments. The sound of the mutlitultude of basses send vibrations through your body mixed with the full sound of all the other parts.

Steve Ellis is great at encouraging and trying to get the best out of us without getting too frustrated..... His wind band experience brings lots of valuable pointers to part playing and the final production sound requirements.

Dave Townsend has done some great arrangements together with others, and these are fun to play.

I am really looking forward to being part of this production and will try my best to play the right notes in the right order but please remember we are mostly amateurs but the sound will be the best we can deliver (with some tweaking frm Rob).

I wouldn't be playing in the 3 bands I play in without Jenny's encouragement and enthusisiam so let's all make it a sucess.

The band will make the best sound possibly and everyone will sign-up for a copy.

 

Back to practising I will get 'Easy Winners' right one day...

[AdrianJ]

Thanks, Alan. If my aging memory serves right, I believe it was Jenny Cox who bought a copy of my "City of Ships" arrangement (the NESI 2004 piece) a couple years ago, and had it played. I'd be delighted to have her put it on the album.

I'll send her some email -- thanks for hte contact address.

 

Yes I think it will have been Jenny. We played "City of Ships" one or two years ago at the Hawkwood band weekend, Very enjoyable - particularly nice to play some modern music.

 

Also to pick up on Alan Day's comment about the conductors at Hawkwood. Steve Ellis is not only a music teacher but a brass band conductor. This is invaluable, as apart from the very occasional archive recording of concertina bands, brass band performance is one of the few ways we have of getting much idea of a concertina band style.

 

Adrian

[ragtimer]

Thanks, Alan. If my aging memory serves right, I believe it was Jenny Cox who bought a copy of my "City of Ships" arrangement (the NESI 2004 piece) a couple years ago, and had it played. I'd be delighted to have her put it on the album.

I'll send her some email -- thanks for hte contact address.

 

Yes I think it will have been Jenny. We played "City of Ships" one or two years ago at the Hawkwood band weekend, Very enjoyable - particularly nice to play some modern music.

Thanks for the reply, Adrian. Glad you liked my piece. I did in fact email Jenny and she said that the album content was already firm, but that she'd be delighted to play City of Ships again in the future.

Also to pick up on Alan Day's comment about the conductors at Hawkwood. Steve Ellis is not only a music teacher but a brass band conductor. This is invaluable, as apart from the very occasional archive recording of concertina bands, brass band performance is one of the few ways we have of getting much idea of a concertina band style.

Adrian

Funny you should mention brass bands. I play baritone horn ("it's a bloody euphonium") in the town band here, have composed a march for them, and -- have been considering arranging City of Ships for wind band!

 

Yes, brass bands are a great British tradition, and one way to guess at how the concertina bands played.

--Mike K.

Edited April 15, 2009 by ragtimer

[David Barnert]

...maybe even a Duet or two snuck into the group, and fit in just fine.

That would have been me and Rich Morse, both playing Haydens. You and I hadn't met yet.

[ragtimer]

...maybe even a Duet or two snuck into the group, and fit in just fine.

That would have been me and Rich Morse, both playing Haydens. You and I hadn't met yet.

Sounds right -- of course Rich would have been there with his Wheatstone Hayden.

 

How did you guys handle it when the part dipped below Middle C? Switch to the left side (might as well, you're not chording, at least not fromt he score :-), or just take it up an octave?

 

I'd say that those notes from Fiddle G to Middle C are the bane of us Hayden 46-ers (and other mid-size Duets as well).

--Mike K.

[Alan Day]

Good luck to all who are taking part in this Weekends event.

A few postings of how you got on would be appreciated.

I understand that Barleycorn have also agreed to sponsor this event so a fine response to the project.

Al