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[Clive Williams]

We have a winner! Tune of the month is Orange in Bloom, a traditional tune from England, which typically appears in a couple of common guises - as a slow jig, typically used for morris, or as a waltz, when it is sometimes known as the Sherborne Waltz.

A lovely tune. If you haven't heard it before, have a listen to the following clips and ABC - you'll love it.

Here's a couple of videos to give you a rough idea (but note that the morris version in particular is just one interpretation - it can be played at different speeds, and the style of the slow music at the end, and indeed whether there is any slow music at all, will vary from dance side to dance side).

Here's a morris version picked off youtube at random, played as a jig:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlJrpYwP0-Q

... and here's a waltz version, played on guitar. I'm sure there are some nice melodeon versions of this on youtube already, but I came across this version and loved it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbdM5Obgxo0

And courtesy of Lester, here's an ABC of the 2 versions:

Code: [Select]

X: 1
T:Orange in Bloom
M:6/8
K:G
D | EGE DGA | BdB A2B | GEE DGA | BGG G2 D |
EGE DGA | BdB A2B | GEE DGA | BGG G3 ||
BAB/2c/2 d2B | AGA Bcd | edB AGA | BAG E2D |
EGE DGA | BdB A2B | GEE DGA | B2G G3 ||
M:4/4
L:1/8
BABc d2B2 |AGA2  Bcd2|edB2  AGA2 |BAG2  E3D|
M:6/8
E>GE D<GA |B<dB  A2B |G>EE  D<GA |B<GG  G3||


Code: [Select]

X: 1
T:Sherborne Waltz
M:3/4
K:G
D|E>GE|DGA|BdB|A2B/A/|GFE|DGA|BGG|G2 D|
E>GE|DGA|BdB|A2B/A/|GFE|DGA|BGG|G3||
B>AB/c/|dcB|AGA|Bcd|edB|AGA|BAG|E2D|
EGE|DGA|BdB|A2B/A/|GFE|DGA|BGG|G3||

These are just 2 possible interpretations of course - there are many ways of playing this tune, and frankly I was astonished with the variety of the Ashokan Farewell interpretations we had last month. It's quite an eye-opener just what's possible, isn't it?

Good luck - looking forward to seeing your contributions!

Cheers,

Clive

[Owen Woods]

One of my favourite tunes Might be worth finally getting round to buying something to record on

[theSmoiler]

... and here's a waltz version, played on guitar. I'm sure there are some nice melodeon versions of this on youtube already, but I came across this version and loved it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbdM5Obgxo0

Clive

Clive, the guy playing this is the father of young musical protege Dylan Cairns-Haworth, who cropped up in a past thread on a video busking with Sam Mabbutt in Sidmouth. He was camped just up from me at Sidmouth, and sat outside the tent playing. I just had to go up and compliment him - sounded lovely!

Diane

[Ziachmusi/Louise]

Great! I'm going for the Morris version as I need to Jig
Anybody fancy offering a few hints on what Bass notes to use to get me started (G on a G/C), I'd be very grateful.
Louise

[Chris Ryall]

Basic chords in G (for D/G)

A  |: Cpull  | Dpush  |  G  | Dpull |
        Cpull  | Dpush  |  G  | G¹ :|

B  |: G  | G² | Cpull  | G  |
       C  | Dpull   |   Em^3a   |  C pull^3b |
     .. continuing as per 'A' music

Louise: it's playable on the outer row, but inner row has rather more of the notes 'to hand'.


Some defo un-Morris-like substitutions, and crossed chords. Along with Alan Shepherd's mazurka  Rose of Raby - O&B has perhaps more scope for crossed left hand chords than most other other English tunes.  

1.  Try a pull Em, or Cmaj7 (Em chord on C bass)
     'Same chord' it would appear, on GbH's kit!  
2.  Try Bm7 (D push on B bass)
3a. Try Am7 (C pull on A bass)
3b   ..  resolve it to C on C bass .. at a point of your choice
3c(!).     .. and hold to the C of first bar 'A' music

You can play a Cmaj7 (Em/C) instead of C at most points in this tune. See what sounds good

I tend to build up the sus chord  - D G(inner row) A - on most D push bars rather then play these notes separately -  but it's a style issue. Somehow (to my ear) this tune is built round a Dsus.  Perhaps those Cotswolders were 'cool'?

I also love the effect of the C note/chord held on pull right through the last 2 bars of 'B' into the firist bar of 'A'.  You have 6 of the 7 notes of the G scale available on pull and can really experiment.  You'll need long arms  

Warning: Don't try any of this slushy minor 7th stuff opposite a Morris team!  (reason for edit = miscount  )

[Ziachmusi/Louise]

Thanks Chris

it's playable on the outer row, but inner row has rather more of the notes 'to hand'.

does this apply to a D/G or A G/C?

Louise

[Chris Ryall]

Same fingering (in theory) - IMHO it plays more fluently on the inner C row on G/C. But the story of TOTM has been to prove such notions wrong!

Edit: to save Lester some tears - transposed basic 'inner row' chords in C (for G/C box)

A  |: Fpull  | Gpush  |  C  | Gpull |
        Fpull  | Gpush  |  C  | C or Am :|

B  |: C  | C | Fpull  | C  |
       F  | Gpull   |   Am   |  Fpull .. |
     .. continuing as per 'A' music

If you want to play it on your outer row (in G) the chords will be as per 1^st post above. As Lester says you don't have them all. Try the others and see what sounds best - I find it better to play C chord on push and cross to inner row for it's music.

[Lester]

Thanks Chris

it's playable on the outer row, but inner row has rather more of the notes 'to hand'.

does this apply to a D/G or A G/C?

Louise

No, the chords suggested by Chris are not all available on a G/C. Unfortunately I don't have time to transpose, maybe tonight.

[Ziachmusi/Louise]

Thanks again for the help, I'll try my luck with the chords for G and see how I get on.

Louise

[ladydetemps]

I think I'll wait till a few have been posted...

[Bob Ellis]

Well, some poor fool has to be the first one over the top - I guess it might as well be me. This is more or less how I play it for our Morris side, although I would play it a bit slower for the dance and, since it is a corner dance, the B music should be repeated three times, but I thought twice through was quite enough for me to inflict on my fellow melnetters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3mJFPaZTHs

If anyone would find it useful, I could post the sheet music, which would give an indication of how I play the basses for this tune.

[Susanne]

Wow this one is a challenge. You say it's more playable in C on the G/C box - I absolutely suck at playing in C (unless I do it on the C organetto), I NEVER find the notes needed, I always play one-row instead. If anyone could tell me where I should be able to find a note on the G-row, I would be grateful.

[Bob Ellis]

Don't be discouraged, Susi. In fact, Orange in Bloom is quite an easy tune, a lot easier than Ashokan Farewell! Although, I play Orange in Bloom in G across the rows, it is all playable on the G row except the low E. I am not familiar with G/C boxes, but I assume that the low E can be found on the C row. Alternatively, you could play it an octave higher, in which case, all the notes would be available on the G row.

[Pete Dunk]

If anyone could tell me where I should be able to find a note on the G-row, I would be grateful.

Keyboard layouts can be found here. 

[Susanne]

Don't be discouraged, Susi. In fact, Orange in Bloom is quite an easy tune, a lot easier than Ashokan Farewell! Although, I play Orange in Bloom in G across the rows, it is all playable on the G row except the low E. I am not familiar with G/C boxes, but I assume that the low E can be found on the C row. Alternatively, you could play it an octave higher, in which case, all the notes would be available on the G row.

Thanks a lot for the encouragement! I'll try it on the G row, then. That makes it much more playable to me! I wouldn't mind starting to learn to play in C on the G/C box, but I'd start with an easy tune I know already... I'll listen to the tune and see if it gets into my head.

Tallship, I meant sort of where in the tune I should go to the G row for a specific note... I rarely use key layouts for the melodeon, since I mostly learn tunes by ear. The closest I've come to learn squeezebox tunes off sheet music, was to have the chords written down for Princess Royal. It was very helpful, actually, it helped me see what bellows direction to use, and when I needed to go to the C row. But I'll never have patience to start learning exactly where notes are and learn this stuff from written music, at least not while I'm a stressed student.

[labradornl]

[Lester]

Bob

How does your team dance the slow slows - seems from the music that you do a sidestep then two slows, whereas in the fast slows  music seems to say 4 kick capers and no side step. Just seems odd as I have never seen it danced that way, I have only ever seen 4 slow (upright) capers as well??
 

[Susanne]

Thanks a lot, I'll try this. But don't I ever use the C row?

[Bob Ellis]

Bob

How does your team dance the slow slows - seems from the music that you do a sidestep then two slows, whereas in the fast slows  music seems to say 4 kick capers and no side step. Just seems odd as I have never seen it danced that way, I have only ever seen 4 slow (upright) capers as well??
 

My previous teams all danced the second set of slows with four slows, but Crook dance it with two bars of sidesteps and then two slows, so that is the way I played it on the video. I thought it might be queried, but blame our foreman (Martyn Harvey), not me!

[juker]

Same fingering (in theory) - IMHO it plays more fluently on the inner C row on G/C. But the story of TOTM has been to prove such notions wrong!

Edit: to save Lester some tears - transposed basic 'inner row' chords in C (for G/C box)

A  |: Fpull  | Gpush  |  C  | Gpull |
        Fpull  | Gpush  |  C  | C or Am :|

B  |: C  | C | Fpull  | C  |
       F  | Gpull   |   Am   |  Fpull .. |
     .. continuing as per 'A' music

If you want to play it on your outer row (in G) the chords will be as per 1^st post above. As Lester says you don't have them all. Try the others and see what sounds best - I find it better to play C chord on push and cross to inner row for it's music.

Thanks Chris.