Melodeon.net Forums
Discussions => Tune of the Month => Topic started by: Clive Williams on April 01, 2018, 05:44:58 AM
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Hi all - we'll try mazurkas, a curious little hopping 3/4 time type dance so-to-speak. These things occur in lots of different countries music, and frankly mean different things to different people, so let's keep it general; don't mind if it's an Irish, French or Hungarian mazurka; it's all good here.
If you don't think you know any, you do - L'Inconnu de Limoise which we've already done as a TOTM is a classic. If you can play that tune and jump into another tune without the rhythm changing significantly, the other tune is a mazurka. Simple as that!
For anyone lacking inspiration, there's a whole bunch of them, here: http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,8584.140.html when we ran this theme 6 years ago (gosh!) and from where, the eagle eyed will notice I nicked this intro text!
Good luck, and there's some beautiful tunes out there so let's hear a few!
Cheers,
Clive
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Oooh, I’m pleased about that, I love mazurkas!
I learnt this one and recorded it about 3 years ago and I still play it at least once a week, I love it so.
https://youtu.be/GSyatFTLWeA
I promise to learn a new one this month! ;)
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Based on Clive's summary of what may constitute a 'Mazurka' this tune by Adam Garland leapt from the 'to do' pile. I suspect that Adam plays it as an 'air', but what are airs for!
https://youtu.be/ssYCCfQzEas
All the best
Bill
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https://youtu.be/ssYCCfQzEas
What a lovely arrangement and very well played!
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And again I have noticed that I love Mazurkas. The softness and power which they convey at the same time feels almost perfect to me.
For this month's TotM I have already started to learn 4 (!) different mazurkas and each of them has a special something to it which brings me forward and helps me with getting better. (:)
For now I don't have a complete recording to share with you but I want to post a little teaser of one of the songs I'm currently working on:
https://soundcloud.com/laubblaeser/20180410-teaser
Have fun!
P.s.: Bonus points for whoever knows the song ;)
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Based on Clive's summary of what may constitute a 'Mazurka' this tune by Adam Garland leapt from the 'to do' pile. I suspect that Adam plays it as an 'air', but what are airs for!
https://youtu.be/ssYCCfQzEas
Bill, that is really lovely! I'm unclear on the difference between a mazurka and a "fast waltz" but whatever that's categorized as I enjoyed it very much.
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Sure sounds familiar, Fred, but I cannot place it...
Please tell us!
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Lovely tune Fred...missus and cat just gone to bed otherwise would be mazurking around the living room...(which reminds me to learn Mazurchat - by Stephane Delicq...)
J
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Sure sounds familiar, Fred, but I cannot place it...
Please tell us!
I will of course tell you once I finish the practicing and have gotten a decent recording of the song. (:)
For now I'll leave this teaser as what it is, maybe someone will still guess it. :||:
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For anyone looking for a mazurka to love, here are some of Maarten Decombel's finest Belgian ones, plus a melancholy few of my own.
https://youtu.be/XNjOqCx35Mo
https://youtu.be/3GW9XyJwuCU :'(
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For anyone looking for a mazurka to love, here are some of Maarten Decombel's finest Belgian ones, plus a melancholy few of my own.
https://youtu.be/XNjOqCx35Mo
https://youtu.be/3GW9XyJwuCU :'(
Thanks for sharing these!
Since I'm at it, I might as well also learn your Horsley mazurka in E minor which fits rather nicely on my D/G Loffet. Only problem is that I don't have a D# ... playing D instead seems lackluster. Would you feel insulted if I alter the piece to fit my box?
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For anyone looking for a mazurka to love, here are some of Maarten Decombel's finest Belgian ones, plus a melancholy few of my own.
https://youtu.be/XNjOqCx35Mo
https://youtu.be/3GW9XyJwuCU :'(
Thanks for sharing these!
Since I'm at it, I might as well also learn your Horsley mazurka in E minor which fits rather nicely on my D/G Loffet. Only problem is that I don't have a D# ... playing D instead seems lackluster. Would you feel insulted if I alter the piece to fit my box?
I'm very grateful that you'd want to learn my tune. Thanks. you are most welcome to modify the phrases to avoid D# while still fitting the chords, e.g. on bar 3 you could go G F# E G F# E, or G F# E E F# G. And bar 4 could just be a long B.
Thanks, and don't forget to post your version.
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Here is my contribution to this month theme :
https://soundcloud.com/larrydondaine/mazurka-a-blin
It's a tune from Mister Blin, who was a fiddler and lived in the Maine region in France (near Laval/Mayenne). Some parts are not as I wished and the rhythm is a bit "shaky" at times, but here it is anyway.
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Soundcloud says "This track was not found. Maybe it has been removed "
Check URL?
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Here's a bash at The Muffler (John Swayne) and Bhaskar's (Barnaby Stradling) from Blowzabella. Interesting (challenging) tunes to play hence a fair few fluffs!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIQWpgX-iCU
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Slow day ....
https://youtu.be/k-eA74rnnbk
John Doherty's Mazurka, described as a retreat tune.
All the best
Bill
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Soundcloud says "This track was not found. Maybe it has been removed "
Check URL?
Oops here it is https://soundcloud.com/larrydondaine/mazurka-a-blin/s-xfqap
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I was going to work on these a bit, but it's rather quiet in here and these didn't come out too badly on the first take. I managed the changes without stumbling too much.
The Long Canoe, Michael Turner's Mazurka(ish) and The Varsovien Mazurka(ish)
https://soundcloud.com/greg-bradfield-smith/linconnu-set
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I was going to work on these a bit, but it's rather quiet in here and these didn't come out too badly on the first take. I managed the changes without stumbling too much.
The Long Canoe, Michael Turner's Mazurka(ish) and The Varsovien Mazurka(ish)
https://soundcloud.com/greg-bradfield-smith/linconnu-set
Well played Greg. Showed some stamina for a long set there - so easy to mess up near the end on a long haul, but you didn't. I also like the corruption 'Long Canoe' - I think I might just steal that. Recently played Napoleon's Grand March at a local session where someone misheard the title as 'Napoleon's Grandma'. That's now stuck.
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...Showed some stamina for a long set there - so easy to mess up near the end on a long haul...
Thanks. Ssh! Don't tell anyone, but that's why I quit while I was ahead. ;D
... I also like the corruption 'Long Canoe' - I think I might just steal that.
I stole that from someone on this site. Might have been Helena. Thank you whoever it was.
...Recently played Napoleon's Grand March at a local session where someone misheard the title as 'Napoleon's Grandma'. That's now stuck.
Bound to stick.All part of the folk process (:)
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Oh so many great uploads! :||:
In other news: I managed to record one of the mazurkas I'm currently learning. I'm not perfectly happy with the recording but it's as good as I can manage to pull it off at the moment. Still some more practicing required. (:)
https://soundcloud.com/laubblaeser/mazurka-manana-take-2
It's the song from my earlier teaser: Mazurka Mañana from Les Zéoles. I love those two ladies and their playing. This is the first of their songs that I've learned, but it will definitely not be the last one.
For reference, here's a recording of the song from one of their live performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CozOezCNih4
I still have to learn a lot about the dynamics and softness they put in their songs. And there's a variation of the B-part which I'm not entirely sure how to play, so I left it out for now. Room for improvement, so to say.
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Here's the pdf of a Mazurka I wrote this morning. Hope to record it later today.
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Here's the pdf of a Mazurka I wrote this morning. Hope to record it later today.
Looks promising and sounds good in my head. Looking forward to listen to the recording (:)
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In other news: I managed to record one of the mazurkas I'm currently learning. I'm not perfectly happy with the recording but it's as good as I can manage to pull it off at the moment. Still some more practicing required. (:)
https://soundcloud.com/laubblaeser/mazurka-manana-take-2
Beautiful!
Stephen
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https://soundcloud.com/laubblaeser/mazurka-manana-take-2
It's the song from my earlier teaser: Mazurka Mañana from Les Zéoles. I love those two ladies and their playing. This is the first of their songs that I've learned, but it will definitely not be the last one.
That sounds great. I emailed them yesterday for their song book, but it is not easily available from the website, you have to contact them to set up a bank transfer, and there is no downloadable version.
In the meantime, I don't suppose you have the dots for this tune do you?
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Here's a recording of Mazurka for Rosie (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeWc6YC1Hkg&feature=youtu.be).
Still not playing much, and I must say coming back to the Serafini, I'm finding it surprisingly unresponsive especially at low air volumes. Can anyone tell me if reeds become sluggish after time, and then need adjusting? Notes are quick to die and slow to speak.
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Here's a recording of Mazurka for Rosie (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeWc6YC1Hkg&feature=youtu.be).
Still not playing much, and I must say coming back to the Serafini, I'm finding it surprisingly unresponsive especially at low air volumes. Can anyone tell me if reeds become sluggish after time, and then need adjusting? Notes are quick to die and slow to speak.
That sounds just great Pete. I didn't notice whether the reeds are unresponsive but this could be due to my non-musical ear. It sounds like a superb mazurka - hesitant, expectant and sensuous. You notice that I didn't use the the main S word here - reckon I was black balled last time I associated Mazurkas with the S word.
Before Edward kicks off, I'll post Rue des Pres tomorrow warts and all.
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Mazurka de Comptoir, one of my all time favorites.
https://accordeonaire.com/2018/04/15/mazurka-de-comptoir-2/
Mazurkas are so cool.
Here's another one from a few days ago that I posted, of the super sexy variety.
https://accordeonaire.com/2018/03/15/duo-abbas-theze-mazurka/
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There are lots of lovely listening pieces showing up, but I prefer my mazurkas the Morvandelle way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDDajHN30i8
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In the meantime, I don't suppose you have the dots for this tune do you?
No sorry, I've learnt it by ear. I could sit down and do the notation if anyone needs it. Would take a bit of time though.
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That is ridiculously mesmerizing. What are the qualities that make it Morvandelle-ish?
There are lots of lovely listening pieces showing up, but I prefer my mazurkas the Morvandelle way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDDajHN30i8
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That is rid0iculously mesmerizing. What are the qualities that make it Morvandelle-ish?
I have to be careful here, because I am not an expert and I have been known to grab sticks by the wrong end and I am happy to be corrected. I believe this to be a traditional Morvandelle piece written by Morvandelle musicians for dancing in the Morvandelle fashion, performed, here, at the Fête de la vielle Anost, a Morvandelle festival that seems to feature melodeons and hurdy gurdies. I came across this tune first in Mike Gilpin's excellent little book "Dansons La Morvandelle"
So far as musical characteristics go, it is faster and brighter than mazurkas I hear from elsewhere, possibly because they have preserved their "country dance" style, rather than succumbing to the current trend to slow mazurkas down to the point where they become a "smoochy" dance. Nothing wrong with smoochy mazurkas, of course, I just like this way of playing them. The hypnotic quality is, as you say, mesmerising.
Here's another Morvandelle mazurka played as a listening piece by Arnaud Le Chambre, a musician I think is well worth listening to. I don't know where he's from, but he captures what I mean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHoXH4tF2xE
Here's a lesson in how to dance it Morvan style. Compare it with other mazurka dance videos posted. The music starts about a minute in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi39FhC6IpA
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https://soundcloud.com/laubblaeser/rue-de-pres-dune-mazurka-take-1
Lovely song by Stephane Durand which I'm playing in 3/4 time on this recording. Apologies to the composer and everyone who doesn't like altering songs. I personally very much enjoy playing this song in 3/4 time and I call this rendition of the tune "Rue de près d'une mazurka". Sorry for the bad pun. (:)
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So I'm in the mood to record today. Here's another one. Far from perfect. But far enough to be recorded. (:)
https://soundcloud.com/laubblaeser/fubu-mazurka-take-1
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Those are both very sweet, Fred.
Here's another from me. The video is a suite three tunes. The first is a mazurka that I wrote, "The Egret's Aggression." https://accordeonaire.com/2018/04/18/suite-des-aigrettes/
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Those are both very sweet, Fred.
Here's another from me. The video is a suite three tunes. The first is a mazurka that I wrote, "The Egret's Aggression." https://accordeonaire.com/2018/04/18/suite-des-aigrettes/
Thanks! I've been listening to your suite earlier today. Compliments for writing those three tunes. I personally prefered the sound and feel of the first one, the mazurka. Keep them coming :||:
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Bravo Fred. Two words that look ridiculous in typing. Nice one, Fred. Or Bravo, Frederico. Anyway, thanks for the contributions and well played.
As for Gary, I don't think the first one is a Mazurka, but rather one of those nice switches between 2 and 3 metres, which I have so much time for. The A section is strongly in 2, and the B section in 3. Theo will know what I mean.
Thanks, both. Fred and Gary. Two names rarely linked with French folk. As my 16 year old daughter constantly says, 'Game changer'.
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Very nicely done Fred. Give yourself a day or so, to disengage yourself from the process of recording, and I think you will realise that sounds great.
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Thank you Gary. I especially love the first tune with its rhythmic shifts.
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Thanks, everyone. I'll have to think of that rhythm shift ... very Alsatian thing to do. The sheet music is in three, the execution in two. Hm. I surprise myself. 8)
And as for the name "Gary" in French trad, I must admit, when my French friends address me, I do feel a need to apologize for getting my name stuck in their throat.
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Here we have "The Origin of the World" by Dave Shepherd: https://youtu.be/6PnUj0Xg5TE played here in Bm on a D/G box.
I first saw this tune on YouTube played by Andy Cutting in Gm on a C/F: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78Nex0PCjPc
Looking back at Andy's version I see that I am playing it really rather fast. It sounds much better slowed down with more of a swing.
Last year there was thread on this tune and the best key to play it in [parent advisory] in case anyone is interested: http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,20885.0.html
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Here we have "The Origin of the World" by Dave Shepherd: https://youtu.be/6PnUj0Xg5TE played here in Bm on a D/G box.
Love the sound, and nice playing. I like this tune a lot, and I'm working on learning it myself, so, really appreciate you submitting this. I think I see/hear a little right hand chording going on too, which really gives some lovely oomph to those sections.
I have to ask though, are you perhaps almost skipping a measure at the start of the B music, shorting the long held/repeated B note at the start of each?
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Thanks Gena. Yes, right hand chords at the end of both A & B parts (same sequence). I am sometimes (usually) skipping the end bar when going into the B section. However, watching Andy's video back (which is how I would like to play it), he doesn't, and I don't it would work when playing it in a more relaxed and slower style.
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Nicely done and a great tune to learn to get me out of long pull keys.
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I heard this mazurka recently on the new Blowzabella album and rather liked it, at least until the saxophones kicked in >:E It fits nicely on a 2 row instrument, albeit with an accidental (and probably two if I played it literally) at the end of the B music. Played on a restored 1920's Hohner in G/C. This is Camdence, written by the rather wonderful Gregory Jolivet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avGhphTQdJ4
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Thanks for introducing me to Camdence, Clive. I don't suppose you could share the dots if you have them? The Hohner sounds great.
By the way, I'm intending to learn The Origin of the World and Camdence as a result of the posts here, is there an established etiquette of not posting tunes others have posted on the Theme Of The Month thread?
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Thanks for introducing me to Camdence, Clive. I don't suppose you could share the dots if you have them? The Hohner sounds great.
By the way, I'm intending to learn The Origin of the World and Camdence as a result of the posts here, is there an established etiquette of not posting tunes others have posted on the Theme Of The Month thread?
Sorry, learned by ear :-) I expect it's in the new Blowzabella tune book though; they've just released a new book with the new album.
Don't worry about posting duplicates - no rules in this game :-) Happy to have introduced you to Camdence - it grabbed me when I first heard it too.
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Some traditional French mazurkas. I am more familiar with this style than with the modern, smoochy type. Things only change very slowly if at all in Correze (the part of France I know best) and it is still the old style you see danced at a village fete. I find mazurkas really difficult to get right, perhaps because I have never managed to dance them :-\ Both sets played on a one voice GC Maugein.
https://soundcloud.com/tuftyabc/mazurka-de-servant-castelnau-mazurkamp3
https://soundcloud.com/tuftyabc/mazurka-de-st-cecile-mazurka-pause-cafemp3
Not sure about this last title but is what I was given.
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I do like these two sets. St Cecile and Pause Cafe are plenty smoochy enough for my taste, but I really love the country dance feel of Mazurka De Servant + Castelnau Mazurka
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@Tufty
Great sets. The first set has a charm to it, what we might call "Bog Standard" mazurka -- and I mean that in the best way! I've been playing the second tune for years but somehow did not realize it had a name! Here's me doing it years ago (too fast because I get nervous when the camera rolls): https://accordeonaire.com/2011/08/22/mazurka-auvergnate/ Jean Blanchard does both of these tunes on his Accordeon Diatonique album, I believe.
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Thanks for sharing these, Tufty! I especially liked Castelnau. Maybe I'll try to incorporate that in my repertoire as well. (:)
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Thanks for the positive comments. I like the older style mazurkas and am surprised how they seem to be overlooked in most "Euro" sessions I get to, in favour of modern composed tunes.
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Phew! That was hard work - 2 new tunes in a month - I don't think I have ever done that before.
Because I invested in the Naragonia Tunebook in order to learn Les Deux Freres, I thought I would pick a Mazurka to learn from the same book. So here is "Ma Mignonne" - isn't it a gorgeous tune!!!
Played as quietly as I could, in order not to upset the neighbours at this hour :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiKIuaMETU8
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Bruno Letron’s Mazurka de Salou.
https://youtu.be/JN7x56VFapM (https://youtu.be/JN7x56VFapM)
I’ve been learning this for quite a while, a favourite tune I picked up early in my learning curve. It’s been a bit of a struggle to play this month, I have some sort of RSI (probably caused by melodeon playing..) and also this tune does sit too well on most of my boxes, only this gnarly old G/C Hohner 3515, which doesn’t hold air too well and catches the buttons a bit too often.
It includes a snippet of Letron’s La Picrochole, but I bottled out when I got to the drone bit (both me and hohner were wheezing so badly all the meters went into the red). So, sorry, not the best rendition, but perhaps it’ll inspire you to check out some of the other YouTubes, particularly Roland’s which inspired me to learn it in the first place.
Steve
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arty and penn, thank you both for sharing these. I very much enjoyed listening to your recordings.
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My humble attempt at this lovely tune by Sir Paul...
https://youtu.be/NBBH6GRTUDI (https://youtu.be/NBBH6GRTUDI)
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My humble attempt at this lovely tune by Sir Paul...
https://youtu.be/NBBH6GRTUDI (https://youtu.be/NBBH6GRTUDI)
Very pretty. I can't place the tune.
I wondered how you sync the parts?
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Very pretty. I can't place the tune.
I wondered how you sync the parts?
[/quote]
Hello Greg... My digital recorder allows me to record 4 separate tracks, so I can add accompaniment if want. I record the video on a small pocket camera, and audio on a small digital recorder. Then (1) transfer video to Movie Maker. (2) transfer and trim audio on Audacity, (3) transfer Audacity WAV file to Movie Maker. The visible waveforms let me sync. the audio soundfile to the camera video soundfile. Then, I mute the sound from the original (camera) video on Movie Maker, and save.
I've been using this system for many years, so I can perform these moves quickly. It's a bit low-ball, but it works! (edited to correct coherency).
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Today's glorious spring weather inspired trying my hand at a mixed bag of mazurka for Theme of the Month.
https://youtu.be/mJzgQboH3Ao
I have been stalking the mazurka, spending summers in Belgium for workshops and my winters trying to figure out how to encourage this delightful form to migrate across the pond.
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Utterly last minute (recorded and uploaded in April, but only just...)
Swedish Mazurka https://youtu.be/3DT61p35aqM
I don't know anything else about this rather pretty Swedish mazurka, which I found in an online ABC collection.
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Its good to see more of Anahata's work on youtube again - the playing, the audio and the video are all so clear and crisp.
Here's my late attempt to record a mazurka from another time and place. The mazurka was a popular dance around the Australian countryside in c19th and this tune is one Sally Sloane picked up from her mother. Luckily it was recorded in the 1950's and my version is how I hear Sally playing it, which differs a bit from the published transcription.
Sorry about the video's poor quality, but hopefully its better than nothing.
Mum's Mazurka https://youtu.be/5shxxt4OHVc (https://youtu.be/5shxxt4OHVc)
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Thanks all - onto the next theme; as ever please stick late contribs on the end of this thread and don't be shy!
Cheers,
Clive