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Discussions => Tune of the Month => Topic started by: Clive Williams on February 01, 2016, 01:13:37 AM

Title: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Clive Williams on February 01, 2016, 01:13:37 AM
Here we are, by my reckoning this is the 4th of Andy Cutting's tunes we've tackled!

- The History Man; a slow piece written by Andy Cutting, and here played by the man himself... in 1993! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He6SdbpiCCs (Bristol Ron's youtube channel is full of great clips like this, by the way) ... just the first tune at the start, though you can do the song too (Roseville Fair) too if you like :-)

That's about as lovely a version as you're going to hear (of course); full of subtlety and nuance! For those who want to play it fairly close to the original, courtesy of Samson James, here's a nice shot at it... but much more clearly videoed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67WQqRiTDOQ

... and courtesy of Samson, this is it broken down into little chunks across 2 videos...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bHrOLv948U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwak0q4b5OA

Of course... we don't have to be that faithful and interpretation and putting your spin on it is part of the game... so off you go folks - good luck!

Cheers,

Clive




Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Peter Savage on February 01, 2016, 10:29:11 AM
I've always liked this tune, particularly paired with Roseville Fair.  Here's my interpretation: https://youtu.be/pIVn3A2wpKo.  Played on a Castagnari Sander D/G (LMM and thirds in the chords).  I prefer to play the A part in the lower octave as I think it sounds better, on this box at least.  Looking forward to hearing other people's interpretation of the tune. 
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Fsamuel on February 01, 2016, 08:42:54 PM
https://soundcloud.com/fsamuel100/the-history-man
my version recorded a while back, it really is pretty
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Fsamuel on February 01, 2016, 08:49:12 PM
The tune not the playing!
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: playandteach on February 01, 2016, 09:46:15 PM
Very nice, Pete.
I think we met in a car park in Suffolk / Cambridge once.
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Peter Savage on February 02, 2016, 06:23:48 AM
Very nice, Pete.
I think we met in a car park in Suffolk / Cambridge once.
Thanks! Yes, we did indeed.  It was Milton Tesco and it was raining.  I was trying to flog you a box...
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: butimba on February 02, 2016, 08:02:12 AM
I've always liked this tune, particularly paired with Roseville Fair.  Here's my interpretation: https://youtu.be/pIVn3A2wpKo.  Played on a Castagnari Sander D/G (LMM and thirds in the chords).  I prefer to play the A part in the lower octave as I think it sounds better, on this box at least.  Looking forward to hearing other people's interpretation of the tune.

Really lovely!
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Pequod on February 02, 2016, 09:17:56 AM
Is it possible to have a score or abc for this? Thanks  (:)
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Lester on February 02, 2016, 09:49:39 AM
Is it possible to have a score or abc for this? Thanks  (:)

This is I guess from The Session site as it is tagged as a 'barndance', not sure how accurate it is.

X: 1
T: The History Man
C:Andy Cutting
R: barndance
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
BA|:G3A BAGA|BG d2 de/2d/2BA|G3A BAGA|BGdB A2BA|G3A BAGA|BGd2 de/2d/2Bd|
e3f edBG|AGAB AGEG|c3B AGEG|AGAB AGEG|1A6 B/2c/2B/2A/2:|2 A3A AGAB||
|:c3d efg2|g/2a/2gfe d2Bd|efg2 gagf|e6 Bd|
efg2 f2ed|B2Bd BAGF|GAB A2 B/2A/2GF|1G3A AGAB:|2 G6||
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Steve_freereeder on February 02, 2016, 10:51:36 AM
Is it possible to have a score or abc for this? Thanks  (:)
As an aside, I posted it on the Playgroup thread, as an example of LH chords/basses notation. But I always thought it would be useful for this TotM so here is a link to that particular post (http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,17727.msg223216.html#msg223216). The music is a PDF file in an attachment.

Alexandra Browne's transcription is taken directly from Andy Cutting's playing, so I guess you could say it represents a definitive version at that time as a sort of 'snapshot'.

Note that the music is written according to the perceived pitch as played on a 3-voice instrument using the LMM voices together. In practice, this means playing the tune an octave higher than written, so the A-music is well up in the so-called dusty end of the keyboard on a D/G instrument. The B-music then drops down comfortably into the more conventional, chin-end, part of the D/G box. Using the LMM voices in combination ensures that the A-music is not squeaky at that end of the keyboard, and also gives a nice contrasty, mellow feel to the B-music.
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Steve_freereeder on February 02, 2016, 11:04:24 AM
Is it possible to have a score or abc for this? Thanks  (:)

This is I guess from The Session site as it is tagged as a 'barndance', not sure how accurate it is.

It's a recognisable version which would work quite well for a 2-voice D/G box, but I don't think I've ever heard Andy Cutting play it quite like this. I'm always slightly wary of any tunes posted on The Session; so often the transcriptions are full of errors (and I mean real transcription/notation errors, not just a different version). It's as well to check other sources too.

As for 'barndance'?  Nooooo....!  :o
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: baz parkes on February 02, 2016, 11:39:54 AM
Very nice, Pete.
I think we met in a car park in Suffolk / Cambridge once.
Thanks! Yes, we did indeed.  It was Milton Tesco and it was raining.  I was trying to flog you a box...

He did that to me in a field in Oxfordshire... :|glug
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: folkbluesnbeyond on February 03, 2016, 12:29:04 PM
https://youtu.be/rnVGmjB62QU

A couple of interpretations, the second taking up the idea of coming upon the tune without history and described as a 'barn dance'.

All the best

Bill
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Roland Carson on February 03, 2016, 03:21:28 PM
A favourite tune for me so here are a couple of videos:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkueI4Srezc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALPMWqUg_hA

Roland
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Tone Dumb Greg on February 05, 2016, 11:37:28 AM
Is it possible to have a score or abc for this? Thanks  (:)
As an aside, I posted it on the Playgroup thread, as an example of LH chords/basses notation. But I always thought it would be useful for this TotM so here is a link to that particular post (http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,17727.msg223216.html#msg223216). The music is a PDF file in an attachment.

Alexandra Browne's transcription is taken directly from Andy Cutting's playing, so I guess you could say it represents a definitive version at that time as a sort of 'snapshot'.

Thanks for Alexanadra Browne's transcription, Steve. It works much better for me than the session version. Quick question: Is there more? I am intrigued by the "Cont..." note at the bottom of the page and I see that someone has asked this before.
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: deltasalmon on February 05, 2016, 12:27:48 PM
Is it possible to have a score or abc for this? Thanks  (:)

This is I guess from The Session site as it is tagged as a 'barndance', not sure how accurate it is.

[...]

As for 'barndance'?  Nooooo....!  :o

The session has a list of possible tune types: reels, slip jigs, hornpipes, polkas, slides, waltzs, barndances, strathspeys, three-twos, and mazurkas. If a tune is not one of those ten then tough luck you have to pick one anyway. It's how the database was programmed. It's been a big complaint on the site for posting slow airs that don't fit any of those tune types and will end up getting labeled "jig" simply because it's closest to a 6/8 time signature.

So just because it's listed as a barndance doesn't mean the transcriber actually thinks its a barndance.
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Tone Dumb Greg on February 05, 2016, 10:50:02 PM
The session has a list of possible tune types: reels, slip jigs, hornpipes, polkas, slides, waltzs, barndances, strathspeys, three-twos, and mazurkas. If a tune is not one of those ten then tough luck you have to pick one anyway. It's how the database was programmed. It's been a big complaint on the site for posting slow airs that don't fit any of those tune types and will end up getting labeled "jig" simply because it's closest to a 6/8 time signature.
[/quote]

To be fair to Jeremy, who's baby the session is, the omission of airs, when the site was set up, was deliberate and stated. It was an attempt to restrict the tune postings to the music generally found in his type of session: (Irish) dance music.
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Steve_freereeder on February 07, 2016, 07:30:06 AM
Thanks for Alexanadra Browne's transcription, Steve. It works much better for me than the session version. Quick question: Is there more? I am intrigued by the "Cont..." note at the bottom of the page and I see that someone has asked this before.

Yes, there is a second page which notates further variations of Andy Cutting's playing.
I deliberately did not post it on the public forum out of respect for Alexandra's copyright protection (which I have infringed somewhat by posting the first part of the tune, but I hope she will forgive me); If it encourages more people to buy the book or the PDF version, so much the better. It is very worthwhile indeed. 

See Alex's post here:
http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,8450.msg111641.html#msg111641
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Tone Dumb Greg on February 08, 2016, 09:07:18 PM

Yes, there is a second page which notates further variations of Andy Cutting's playing.
I deliberately did not post it on the public forum out of respect for Alexandra's copyright protection (which I have infringed somewhat by posting the first part of the tune, but I hope she will forgive me); If it encourages more people to buy the book or the PDF version, so much the better. It is very worthwhile indeed. 

See Alex's post here:
http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,8450.msg111641.html#msg111641
[/quote]

Oh! sorry, apologies to both you. I had no idea there was an issue.
Congratulations to Alexandra on the quality of her transcription, though.

Greg



Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Steve_freereeder on February 09, 2016, 02:06:57 AM
Congratulations to Alexandra on the quality of her transcription, though.

Yes, indeed. 'Diatonic Liaisons' is really a quite extraordinary achievement, both for the mastery of listening/transcribing the nuances of the performances of all the tunes, and also for the painstaking artistry of Alex's music caligraphy. Other than the horizontal rulings of the music staves, every note, symbol and text item on the music pages is beautifully hand-drawn. This is not just a tune book, it is a work of art and love, comparable with A. Wainwright's famous guidebooks to the Lakeland Fells.*

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictorial_Guide_to_the_Lakeland_Fells
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: James Whitehouse on February 09, 2016, 09:07:16 PM
My version recorded last month.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2mSlydLJ58
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Lester on February 09, 2016, 09:13:22 PM
My version recorded last month.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2mSlydLJ58

Well played James (:)
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Helena Handcart on February 09, 2016, 09:54:37 PM
My version recorded last month.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2mSlydLJ58

Well played James (:)

Thanks also to you and Ethan for playing this for me in the Fleece at the weekend when I asked :)
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Julian S on February 10, 2016, 08:31:02 AM
After three weeks of dreaded lurgi and virtually no playing ( strange how picking up the box can bring on a horrendous coughing fit) I'm now completely addicted to this tune and can't get it out of my head. Each version I hear makes me think of different variations, fingering and chord patterns - so many of Andy's tunes are wonderful to learn from.
So pleased it's tune of the month.
As for Alexandra's book - I just hope the copy I ordered turns up !
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: heartshaped1 on February 21, 2016, 10:00:18 PM
Ok, here goes, my first big grown up TOTM....a few apologies in advance for:

a) The distracted look - I was in the middle of cooking a roast dinner and the Yorkshires needed to go in the oven
b) The echoey sound, I've just decorated and there are no curtains so it sounds a bit weird
c) The fact you can't see the bass end most of the time, this is because I had to balance my phone on a pear as it was the only thing to hand, but I am also blaming the chronic shortage of pull options in this tune (!)

https://youtu.be/iUPuFHw1hkc

Any good points are undoubtedly due to the wonderful tutelage of Steve Freereeder.  All mistakes (and there are a few) are entirely my own!
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Sebastian on February 21, 2016, 10:04:54 PM
a few apologies
No need for them. It sounds quite nice. (:)
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Mike Carney on February 21, 2016, 10:21:19 PM
Ok, here goes, my first big grown up TOTM....a few apologies in advance for:

a) The distracted look - I was in the middle of cooking a roast dinner and the Yorkshires needed to go in the oven
b) The echoey sound, I've just decorated and there are no curtains so it sounds a bit weird
c) The fact you can't see the bass end most of the time, this is because I had to balance my phone on a pear as it was the only thing to hand, but I am also blaming the chronic shortage of pull options in this tune (!)

https://youtu.be/iUPuFHw1hkc

Any good points are undoubtedly due to the wonderful tutelage of Steve Freereeder.  All mistakes (and there are a few) are entirely my own!
Well done Vicky!Good playing. Not my favourite tune I have to admit, but you play it with feeling and smoothness.
Mike
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: playandteach on February 21, 2016, 11:20:51 PM
Ok, here goes, my first big grown up TOTM....a few apologies in advance for:

a) The distracted look - I was in the middle of cooking a roast dinner and the Yorkshires needed to go in the oven
b) The echoey sound, I've just decorated and there are no curtains so it sounds a bit weird
c) The fact you can't see the bass end most of the time, this is because I had to balance my phone on a pear as it was the only thing to hand, but I am also blaming the chronic shortage of pull options in this tune (!)

https://youtu.be/iUPuFHw1hkc

Bravo. And doing the cooking and decorating, too. Makes me feel underskilled across many areas. I need a shed. Well played.
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Clive Williams on February 22, 2016, 01:04:44 AM
I say, that's really nicely done.

Here's my effort - never played this before, and it's from memory, so having listened to a few others I appear to missing a little subtlety! Never mind, here we are in C on a G/C/# Van der Aa....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDHIP99NWRs

Cheers,

Clive
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Steve_freereeder on February 22, 2016, 01:56:36 AM
Well done Vicky! No self-apologies needed, that was really nicely played!

Quote
the wonderful tutelage of Steve Freereeder
:|bl
Thank you, but you've put in all the hard work and practise. I'm pleased for you.  (:)


Ok, here goes, my first big grown up TOTM....a few apologies in advance for:

a) The distracted look - I was in the middle of cooking a roast dinner and the Yorkshires needed to go in the oven
b) The echoey sound, I've just decorated and there are no curtains so it sounds a bit weird
c) The fact you can't see the bass end most of the time, this is because I had to balance my phone on a pear as it was the only thing to hand, but I am also blaming the chronic shortage of pull options in this tune (!)

https://youtu.be/iUPuFHw1hkc

Any good points are undoubtedly due to the wonderful tutelage of Steve Freereeder.  All mistakes (and there are a few) are entirely my own!
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: heartshaped1 on February 24, 2016, 10:33:24 PM
Thanks to all who commented on my version, I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. It's a very nerve wracking thing to put yourself up in front of your peers for scrutiny and it's a great testament to this forum and all the people who post that it remains a safe, supportive environment to encourage and advise relative newbies like me. If only the rest of the world was like melnet. Well....er.....maybe ;)  :|||:
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Clive Williams on March 01, 2016, 12:38:15 AM
Time up folks - on to the next tune! Thanks to Andy for his kind permission to let us use it; much appreciated! As usual, any late contributions, just stick them on the end of this thread...
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Pequod on March 02, 2016, 10:16:58 AM
Grrr, another late reply by me >:( It's becoming a trademark...

Here it is: https://youtu.be/HSd3Owcr80w

I enjoyed a lot to learn this tune, it was very difficult to capture it in my head at first, and then it was also difficult to understand the right way to play it, buttons and bass. So thanks a lot to the ones who published videos and provided the music sheets!

I don't like the passage from A to B part, but now it's too late to change (:)
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Steve_freereeder on March 02, 2016, 12:42:42 PM
Grrr, another late reply by me >:( It's becoming a trademark...

Here it is: https://youtu.be/HSd3Owcr80w

I enjoyed a lot to learn this tune, it was very difficult to capture it in my head at first, and then it was also difficult to understand the right way to play it, buttons and bass. So thanks a lot to the ones who published videos and provided the music sheets!

I don't like the passage from A to B part, but now it's too late to change (:)

Very nice indeed! I think your A to B music changes are fine. 
It's great to see a Pokerwork (a) being played in upper octave, which this tune ideally requires for the A music, and (b) being played so sensitively. It just goes to show that a Pokerwork can do 'subtle'.  (:)
Title: Re: Tune of the Month for February 2016: The History Man
Post by: Pequod on March 03, 2016, 09:27:33 AM
Steve, thank you a lot for your nice comments  (:) It's important to have feedback, and if it's a good one, even better  ;)
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