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Author Topic: La Russe  (Read 5073 times)

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Sandy

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La Russe
« on: November 29, 2012, 08:12:44 AM »

I have just learnt this tune. I know there are endless possibilities but are there any particular tunes that go really well with it?

Cheers,

Sandy
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Lester

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2012, 08:19:59 AM »

I have just learnt this tune. I know there are endless possibilities but are there any particular tunes that go really well with it?

Cheers,

Sandy
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There is a particularly fine set on Kicking Up Sawdust by Ashley Hutchings and Chums

La Russe - Cadum Woods - Bluebell Polka

Steve_freereeder

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2012, 08:23:31 AM »

I play La Russ with either Scan Tester's No.2 Polka or Walter Bulwer's No.3 Polka.
ABCs to follow....
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2012, 09:12:21 AM »

Walter Bulwer's No.3 Polka, also known as the Shipdham Polka (not to be confused with the Shipdham Hornpipe).
It's on p.45 of Before The Night Was Out, together with a magnificent photo of Walter playing his fiddle.


X:1
T: Walter Bulwer's No.3 Polka (Shipdham Polka)
T:From the fiddle playing of Walter Bulwer
N:Source: Field recording of Walter Bulwer's playing on CD 'English Country Music', Topic TSCD607.
N:Transcribed by Steve Dumpleton for 'Before the Night Was Out', East Anglian Traditional Music Trust, 2007.
M:2/2
L:1/4
Q:1/2=96
K:G
P:A
G/A/ | BB B/A/G/A/ | BDD D/D/ | EGGA | G3 D/D/ |
DGAB | dB2A | GEFG | A3 G/A/ |
BB BA | G D2 D/D/ | EGGA | G3 G/G/ |
BBcB | A E2 G | FDBA | G2 "(no repeat)"||
P:B
d>c | BB d>A | GG B2 | DEFG | c3 c/c/ |
ce A>B | ce A>G | GGFE | D3 d  |
edBG | D3 G/G/ | FGAB | c3 c/c/ |
cAFD | dcAF | D^DEF | G3 "(no repeat)"|]
W:
W:Transcribed by Steve Dumpleton from a field recording of Walter Bulwer's playing
W:on CD "English Country Music", Topic TSCD607, during preparation of
W:"Before the Night Was Out", East Anglian Traditional Music Trust, 2007.
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george garside

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2012, 09:20:00 AM »

great tune and has been one of my favourites for 50 years.  I usually play it all on the D row followed by caddam woods in G which gives a a nice key change.  Davey nick nack or maggie in the woods in G fit nicely and then nip back to D for la russe  ( and yes I know most people play it in G  but to my ears it sounds better pitched in D and  as well as providing a key change)

george
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2012, 09:26:15 AM »

Scan Tester's No.2 Polka

X:1
T:Scan Tester's No.2 Polka
N:Source: Dave Townsend's English Dance Music, Vol.1, 2nd ed. 2003. The Serpent Press.
M:2/2
L:1/4
Q:1/2=96
K:G
P:A
Bc | d d/d/ d d | d ^c =c B | A>B AG | F3 D/E/ |
F E/F/ G F/G/ | A d2 c/B/ | AGFE | D2 :|
P:B
B>c | dGB A/B/ | cE A>B | cedc | B2 B>c |
dGB A/B/ | cE A>B | c d/c/ BA | G2 :|
W:
W:Source: Dave Townsend's English Dance Music, Vol.1, 2nd ed. 2003. The Serpent Press.
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Re: La Russe
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2012, 09:57:03 AM »

Also works with (that I've tried):
- Dark Girl Dressed in Blue
- Pleal's Allemand
- Market Rasen Quickstep

Just about any polka will do, won't it?
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Chris Brimley

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2012, 10:32:18 AM »

I learned to play this for the dance, which I believe is 64 bars long, with the following arrangement:

11,12,13,11,

Where 1 is La Russe, 2 is Davy Davy Knick Knack, and 3 Rakes of Mallow.  The structure of the dance comes through nicely like this, with the second and third tunes making refreshing changes, before reverting back to La Russe for the main part of the dance.  This means doing the dance in multiples of 4.  Our latest caller, however, has a variation, and likes doing it in units of 5, so we play 11,12,11,13,11. 

The other thing we do is on the very last time through La Russe, play AABA rather than AABB, so that it doesn't leave it 'hanging'.
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Anahata

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2012, 11:32:27 AM »

11,12,13,11,

The structure of the dance comes through nicely like this

That's a nice idea.

Quote
The other thing we do is on the very last time through La Russe, play AABA rather than AABB, so that it doesn't leave it 'hanging'.
As far as I know, everybody does that.
Also most go back the the original tune last time though the dance (leaving aside that in some circles that used to be done for ALL dances)
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Bill Young

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2012, 09:32:50 PM »

La Russe is a reel. Why would you be mixing it with polkas? And what's with this Scan Tester? I thought that was some kind of electronic instrument?
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Andrew Wigglesworth

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #10 on: November 29, 2012, 09:39:13 PM »

"Davy, Davy Knick Knack" and "The curly headed ploughboy".

Pete Dunk

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #11 on: November 29, 2012, 10:05:20 PM »

And what's with this Scan Tester? I thought that was some kind of electronic instrument?

I don't believe you said that Bill! Shame on you  :o  >:E
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Re: La Russe
« Reply #12 on: November 29, 2012, 10:34:59 PM »

Nah. ...... best is la russe followed by Oh Joe the boat is tipping over. In d. Nicely complements la russe in g and d.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2012, 10:59:49 PM by pikey »
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Andrew Wigglesworth

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #13 on: November 29, 2012, 10:53:41 PM »

Nah. ...... best is la russe followed by Oh Joe the boat stopping over.

It's got there at long last has it?   :P

Chris Brimley

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #14 on: November 29, 2012, 10:55:49 PM »

Bill, I must say the speed i normally play it at would be too fast for polkaing - and I also see that the CDM actually describes it as a Quadrille.  But wouldn't you agree that many 4/4 tunes can be played at a variety of speeds and with different emphasis?
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Re: La Russe
« Reply #15 on: November 29, 2012, 11:06:05 PM »

Agree with Chris  4/4s cover a large continuum  slow march,slow air, march, stathspey, polka, reel,(at English,Scottish or Irish speed) etc, etc

george
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pikey

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #16 on: November 29, 2012, 11:31:14 PM »

Bill, I must say the speed i normally play it at would be too fast for polkaing - and I also see that the CDM actually describes it as a Quadrille.  But wouldn't you agree that many 4/4 tunes can be played at a variety of speeds and with different emphasis?

It needs to be played slow enough for the dancers to be able to step a rant.
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Re: La Russe
« Reply #17 on: November 29, 2012, 11:33:40 PM »

It ought to be mentioned that a "Quadrille" is a dance formation, not any indication of a tune's time signature.

There are plenty of Quadrilles that are/were danced to 2/4 or 6/8 tunes for example.

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #18 on: November 29, 2012, 11:39:57 PM »

Bill, I must say the speed i normally play it at would be too fast for polkaing - and I also see that the CDM actually describes it as a Quadrille.  But wouldn't you agree that many 4/4 tunes can be played at a variety of speeds and with different emphasis?

It needs to be played slow enough for the dancers to be able to step a rant.

You what?   ???

Ebor_fiddler

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Re: La Russe
« Reply #19 on: November 29, 2012, 11:44:44 PM »

It might have been collected in Northumberland, but most of us lesser mortals don't rant it. We skip or step.
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