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Discussions => Tunes => Topic started by: arty on August 26, 2017, 06:13:57 PM

Title: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: arty on August 26, 2017, 06:13:57 PM
Can anyone suggest some nice tunes, in 2 parts, which would be suitable for a G/C Melodeon and a Tenor Concertina? I am looking for sheet music for tunes with a contrechant, or harmony part.
I have made a new friend who plays a tenor concertina really well and we spent a happy couple of hours learning a duet by Florence Pinvidic last night. The tenor concertina and my G/C Laura compliment each other beautifully, so we are anxious to find some more duets.
I know that Florence Pinvidic has published more duets but it appears that her website is down at the moment.

Any suggestions ???
Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: playandteach on August 26, 2017, 09:25:28 PM
What's the range of the concertina? Pete
Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: arty on August 26, 2017, 09:30:45 PM
I'm sorry P&T, I can't answer that but it has a hell of a lot of buttons! My friend has been playing all her life and she did say that she has never used some of the very highest notes. It is an English concertina and is a tenor, that's all I know really. Sorry.
Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: howard mitchell on August 26, 2017, 10:22:14 PM
Tenor concertinas are quite rare. Is it perhaps a tenor treble?  If so, it will have 56 buttons including the high notes of the treble but extending downwards with the extra 8 buttons.

A normal treble goes from G3 (below middle C) to C7 (3 octaves above middle C). A bit like a violin.
A tenor goes from C3 to F6. A bit like a viola.


Mitch

Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: Theo on August 26, 2017, 10:57:56 PM
There is a book of mainly Northumbrian tunes called Airs for Pairs by Matt Seattle which might give you a straying point.
https://www.hobgoblin.com/local/sales/products/GM07084/airs-for-pairs-by-matt-seattle/
Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: Pete Dunk on August 27, 2017, 12:53:48 AM
A 48 key tenor concertina has a range from the C below middle C to the G two above the stave, a range of four and a half octaves. Tenor concertinas are quite rare, and the 56 key tenor/treble models are more common.

Pieces written for violin and viola encompass the same range and should suit your needs although they may need transposing from tenor to treble clef for the second voice.
Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: arty on August 27, 2017, 10:12:59 AM
There is a book of mainly Northumbrian tunes called Airs for Pairs by Matt Seattle which might give you a straying point.
https://www.hobgoblin.com/local/sales/products/GM07084/airs-for-pairs-by-matt-seattle/

Thank you Theo for that link, I shall enquire about that. I have found sheet music for a couple of nice pieces, after looking at Anahata's You Tube page, where he is playing with Mary Humphries. He kindly gives links to the sheet music.

Mitch and Pete....sorry, I know nothing about her concertina but I will ask when I see her again. This lady has been playing all her adult life, (she is now in her early 70's), and she told me that this tenor English concertina was left to her by her grandfather when she was a young girl and she thought she had best learn to play it! She told me that she also has a baritone concertina, which I haven't seen yet. She is obviously very knowledgeable, in fact some of you may know her - her name is Jane Edwards and she used to organise the Swaledale Squeeze, - a fascinating video here, showing clips of many players including John Kirkpatrick no less -  from 2010: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMfnuA8VW74

When I next see her, I shall get more information and post it here.

Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: Theo on August 27, 2017, 11:16:27 AM
I wouldn't worry about the concertina.  Whether it is tenor, tenor treble or treble it should be fine for most folkie duets.
Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: Pete Dunk on August 27, 2017, 12:04:49 PM
I have lots of arrangements both in books and abc/PDF files. I'll have a look through and sort out some of the ones I think are good and fun to play but that's only my opinion of course!
Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: arty on August 27, 2017, 12:26:17 PM
I have lots of arrangements both in books and abc/PDF files. I'll have a look through and sort out some of the ones I think are good and fun to play but that's only my opinion of course!
[/quote

That's really kind, thank you Pete!]
Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: Pete Dunk on August 29, 2017, 12:17:47 PM
I'd forgotten that Dave Mallinson has a whole section of books dedicated to ensemble playing (https://www.mally.com/results.asp?CategoryID=9).
Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: arty on August 29, 2017, 12:41:08 PM
I'd forgotten that Dave Mallinson has a whole section of books dedicated to ensemble playing (https://www.mally.com/results.asp?CategoryID=9).

Ooh, thanks Pete!
Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: pbsalt on August 31, 2017, 07:00:45 PM
I play with a friend who plays English Concertina -  Derek Hobbs has published several books with duet  and trios for Northumbrian pipes and other instruments which we use quite a bit .   - entitled  "The Pipers Companion " -  at least 7 volumes of these published by Rossleigh music 
parts
Title: Re: Suggestions wanted for Concertina / Melodeon duets
Post by: Pete Dunk on September 02, 2017, 10:39:06 AM
I have a couple of the Piper's Companion books and I have to agree that they are very good. I'm just transcribing an old(ish) collection of 22 tunes arranged for English concertina by Frank Butler, although written on a single staff the parts may easily be seperated by two players. Only two tunes up so far but you may want to keep an eye on the Concertina.net thread where I'm posting them (http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=19797#entry185118).
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