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Discussions => Teaching and Learning => Topic started by: docEdock on February 06, 2013, 03:09:36 PM

Title: Bass and Chord Notation on Perepau Ximenis' Site
Post by: docEdock on February 06, 2013, 03:09:36 PM
I'm struggling to understand Perepau Ximenis' convention for notating the left hand in the scores on his site.

For example in the .pdf for No n'hi ha prou https://sites.google.com/site/reialboc/bon-solstici-d-hivern (https://sites.google.com/site/reialboc/bon-solstici-d-hivern), is it as straight forward as the bass cleff implies? Just play the bass notes without any chords? When I listen to the .mp3 (on the same page as the pdf) I think he is playing chords in addition to the bass, but perhaps I'm hearing his right hand and thinking it is the left.

Also, is there a significance in some chord symbols being hand drawn (as in measure 1) and others typeset (as in measure 4)? I seem to recall a publication in which he explains the left hand notation -- in Catalan, of course -- but I can't find it now.
Title: Re: Bass and Chord Notation on Perepau Ximenis' Site
Post by: docEdock on February 06, 2013, 05:33:25 PM
I suspect that my answer is on page 6&7 of this publication Proposta de notació estàndard per a l'acordió diatònic http://www.ladiatonica.cat/sites/default/files/Proposta%20de%20Notaci%C3%B3%20Est%C3%A0ndard.pdf (http://www.ladiatonica.cat/sites/default/files/Proposta%20de%20Notaci%C3%B3%20Est%C3%A0ndard.pdf).

Google translate makes a mess of paragraphs in page 6, 2. Els acords. Perhaps someone familiar with Catalan can help?

Here is Google's attempt with a bit of rework by me:

Edited to remove Google gibberish after finding a better translation.
Title: Re: Bass and Chord Notation on Perepau Ximenis' Site
Post by: docEdock on February 09, 2013, 03:24:56 AM
http://www.ladiatonica.cat/sites/default/files/Encara%20com%20sones_0.pdf (http://www.ladiatonica.cat/sites/default/files/Encara%20com%20sones_0.pdf), pages 49-55 explains the Standard Notation used in many of the Catalan sites (and perhaps elsewhere), providing a summary of the more detailed explanation referenced in the previous post.

As I understand Google's translation:

In looking for an answer, I stumbled across an extensive literature about Catalan diatonic accordion http://www.ladiatonica.cat/articles-revistes-i-m%C3%A8todes (http://www.ladiatonica.cat/articles-revistes-i-m%C3%A8todes). Fascinating stuff though reading it via Google Translate is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle.
Title: Re: Bass and Chord Notation on Perepau Ximenis' Site
Post by: Chris Ryall on February 09, 2013, 07:14:22 AM
Gosh, a one man thread  ;) I'll chip in.

I made a field trip down there in 2011, predominantly Galicia and the two halves of the Basque region. Clutch failure in the old Mondeo kept me from crossing the Pyrenees a third time to sample Catalonia, but I had a week with a gifted young Catalan clarinetist a year ago.

These are all vibrant, very *living traditions, as I think the mp3 exemplifies. As such both rhythmic and chord variation reflects more of the accompanist's interaction with the dancers than anything written down on a stave, and these accordeon styles are as "right handed" as anything I've come across.

As such I think we should regard any left end notation as "indicative", perhaps merely a suggestion as to the direction of bellows travel! I think one has to see and experience the dances to half understand the rhythms going one. Hope this helps, but I've probably just made things worse.

  4.2. Aproximació al concepte de música tradicional

.. As (it would seem to) say in the source document  - which even has a section on tsheng ??? Yup, gotta go there.  Barcelona is a good "hub" for low cost airines. Fancy a field trip when you come to Europe?

* http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z2tzmxudcA  (see above)
Title: Re: Bass and Chord Notation on Perepau Ximenis' Site
Post by: Roger Howard on February 09, 2013, 10:26:14 AM
www,ladiatonic.cat does look to be a really interesting site, with lots of material, as you say. Everything from tunes and teaching materials to accordeon history and enthnography. It will take a good while to explore, but many thanks for the links. They really do open up a new area. Interesting that the only luthiers linked are Loffet, Castagnari and Yves Gaubert (who's near Carcasonne, so the most  "local"). :||:

Best wishes

Roger

Title: Re: Bass and Chord Notation on Perepau Ximenis' Site
Post by: Chris Ryall on February 09, 2013, 11:07:42 AM
Yves Gaubert is indeed very local (was disappointed to find him 'out')  :-\ but importantly is on the 'other' side of the mountain range.  The Basque nation reaches over that divide. 

I'm not so sure about Catalans.  Nationality is quite complicated down there. Had my car's clutch held up I'd have gone to Markku Lepistö's Spanish summer concert .. in a little town .. which was completely enclosed/"enclaved"  in French terroir!  And that's before one starts on their music and dance traditions.  :|glug
Title: Re: Bass and Chord Notation on Perepau Ximenis' Site
Post by: docEdock on February 10, 2013, 01:42:38 PM
Gosh, a one man thread  ;) I'll chip in.
Barcelona is a good "hub" for low cost airines. Fancy a field trip when you come to Europe?

Thanks for joining my one man band. It was getting lonely chatting about notation with myself.

As you say, the dots are only suggestive so that field trip is a possibility. I've been appreciating via YouTube the vibrant diatonic scene is in Spain and Portugal. It it looks as if the summer festivals are scattered about in smaller villages, but I'll bet there's a way to get from one to the next. I hadn't thought of coming or going via Barcelona, so thanks for the tip about the fares.

On a side note, the videos on http://www.ladiatonica.cat/videos-didactics/ (http://www.ladiatonica.cat/videos-didactics/) will download (right mouse click the video for a local menu) in WebM format, which can be converted to .mp4. It's better than a score for understanding the left hand -- stem up, down, sideways, who cares? -- makes it easy to loop a segment and no Internet connection necessary.
Title: Re: Bass and Chord Notation on Perepau Ximenis' Site
Post by: docEdock on March 12, 2014, 08:38:48 PM
http://www.diatonic.cat/index.php/noticies/465-la-notacio-estandar-al-forum-melodeon-net (http://www.diatonic.cat/index.php/noticies/465-la-notacio-estandar-al-forum-melodeon-net)

This discussion has clearly spun more than full circle. Diatonic.cat references melodeon.net's reference of diatonic.cat's Standard Notation. Whew, I'm dizzy.
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