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Author Topic: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune  (Read 1879 times)

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Helena Handcart

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Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« on: November 16, 2018, 05:54:42 PM »

Hi Melnetters,

I'm looking for a December Tune of the Month for my steady-speed session. The thing is, some of our players haven't been playing that long so the effort needed to learn a Christmas carol only to play it a couple of times and then forget about it for eleven months make me look towards tunes that have a Christmas element but can be used all year round.

Last year we used the 'Halsway Carol' which proved too difficult for some of our players and so did not get played as the 'Halsway Schottische' all year round as I had planned. This year I have come up with 'The Stockport Polka' aka 'Rub-a-dub' aka (almost) bits of 'Stop the Cavalry'  so, melnet hivemind, can you come up with any other seasonal-sounding tunes we could equally still be playing in June.

TIA
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Julian S

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2018, 06:03:23 PM »

Do you know the French carol/tune Il est ne le divin enfant ? Quite easy to play I think. I put it with Ding Dong but that might be a tad difficult. I think both were originally dance tunes nicked for carols.

J
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John MacKenzie (Cugiok)

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2018, 10:09:17 PM »

You can always skip a month and learn Dave Goulder's January man  :D

SJ
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rees

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2018, 10:34:48 PM »

The Last of June?
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Roger Hare

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2018, 05:29:00 AM »

I don't know how well it would transfer to the wooden handbag, but how about September Song?
No particular Christmas connection, but I love this tune/song - I'm a sucker for anything to do with
Kurt Weill (or Bertolt Brecht or Lotte Lenya).
« Last Edit: November 17, 2018, 06:46:58 AM by lachenal74693 »
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Mike Carney

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2018, 11:46:41 AM »

You could try this, which can be played nice and steadily.

https://soundcloud.com/oysterboy6/midwintermarch-midvintermarschen
Mike
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Bob Ellis

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2018, 12:03:13 PM »

What about the French tune, Branle de l'Officiel? It is a dance tune that can be played throughout the year, but is also the tune for Ding Dong Merrily on High. It also has a nice easy harmony part.

In Les Panards Dansants, we play it in C major, but here is a version transposed into D major, so as not to exclude people with D/G boxes.


X:1
T:Branle de l'Officiel
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:Branle
Z:Bob Ellis, 2018
K:D
|:d2d2edcB|A6A2|B2d2d2c2|d4d4:|]|:a3g fgaf|g3f efge|!
f3e defd|e3d cdec|d3c BcdB|c3BA2A2|B2d2d2c2|d4d4:|!
|:"Harmony Part"f2f2gfed|cdcBA2A2|G2B2A2Bc|dedcd4:|]|:f3e defd|e3d cdec|!
d3c BcdB|c3B ^ABcA|B3A GABG|ABAGF2F2|GAB2A2G2|F4F4:|]
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NeilA

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2018, 01:05:04 PM »

Possibility is Grim Winter Was Howlin'/Road to Dundee - definitely not Christmassy.

X:1
T:Road to Dundee/Grim Winter Was Howlin'
R:Waltz
C:Trad.
O:Scotland, Canada
Z:Paul Hardy's Session Tunebook 2016 (see www.paulhardy.net). Creative Commons cc by-nc-sa licenced.
M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:120
K:G
d|"G"d3/2c/B|BAG|"C"GFE|"G"DGB|"C"c3/2d/e|"G"dBG|"A7"(3G/A/G/FG|"D7"A2d|
"G"d3/2c/B|BAG|"C"GFE|"G"DGB|"C"c3/2d/e|"G"dBG|"D7"cAF|"G"G2D|
"D7"A2D|"G"B2D|"D7"cAF|DEF|"G"G3/2B/d|dBG|"A7"(3G/A/G/FG|"D7"A2D|
"D7"A2c|A2D|"G"B2d|"G7"d2G|"C"c3/2d/e|"G"dBG|"D7"cAF|"G"G2|]

Neil

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folkloristmark

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2018, 04:54:05 PM »

Mike I see dot for Midwintermarch (Midvintermarschen) available on request can I have the please.
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Mike Carney

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2018, 06:22:34 PM »

Here you go.
Best wishes
Mike
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James Fitton

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2018, 07:46:12 PM »

How about the fabulous French tune l'Enfant de Dieu? It uses only five notes in its melody, and is therefore pretty easy to play, but sounds much more complex somehow.
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playandteach

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #11 on: November 17, 2018, 09:39:02 PM »

What about White Winter Hymnal
Great for playing repetitive parts in harmony - easy to build layers, and the clacking buttons might even come in handy as percussion.
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #12 on: November 17, 2018, 10:05:33 PM »

In The Bleak Midwinter sounds great with the right harmonies and isn't difficult to play. Go with the obvious. It's often the most effective.
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Mcgrooger

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #13 on: November 18, 2018, 07:56:51 PM »

Foul Weather Call may well be as seasonal in June as it is in December!
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #14 on: December 01, 2018, 06:36:26 PM »

Thanks all for your suggestions. We eventually settled on 'Personent Hodie' - a medieval carol that has applications beyond being played in December. It's nice and easy for our beginners to learn but offers scope for the more confident in the group. It also goes well with 'Bagpipers' and is reasonably well known in these parts anyway as the local morris team use it for a dance.

Wassail! (and all that)
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Mcgrooger

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #15 on: December 01, 2018, 07:22:36 PM »

Actually, H, I feel you provided your own answer in your OP with The Halsway. I can see why beginners would find it challenging but I suspect it's almost the ideal 'improver's' tune for developing crossing rows, LH approaches etc. I'll check out the one you've settled on though - sounds interesting.
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Looking for a not-too-Christmassy December tune
« Reply #16 on: December 01, 2018, 07:27:15 PM »

Actually, H, I feel you provided your own answer in your OP with The Halsway. I can see why beginners would find it challenging but I suspect it's almost the ideal 'improver's' tune for developing crossing rows, LH approaches etc. I'll check out the one you've settled on though - sounds interesting.

Ah yes, Halsway is indeed in just the right bracket - we used that one last December.
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