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Author Topic: Favourite Slow Airs?  (Read 30342 times)

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Chris Ryall

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #60 on: November 29, 2009, 08:41:04 AM »

Ashokan Farewell is such a beautiful tune, capable of being played with so much expressed emotion! However, I rarely play it in sessions because I like to play it as Jay Ungar originally wrote it, which involves going down to a low A (when played in D) on two occasions in the last four bars.

Never knew its name, but isn't Ashokan Farewell beautiful! Bob, I'm not sure what you mean about those low A's. This youtube plays it more or less as I have it in my head. Wrong or right?
Quote
Every time I introduce it in a session, I get drowned out by people going up high in the last few bars, which I find annoying because I think it sounds better as it was originally written. It is also bad manners not to follow the person who introduced the tune.

Well, the very best of luck on that one, mate! See above  re my own experiences of sessioners singing Bonny at Morn's chorus to the rhythm of a Bavarian thigh-slapping dance :-\  Chris
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #61 on: November 29, 2009, 09:28:51 AM »

Never knew its name, but isn't Ashokan Farewell beautiful! Bob, I'm not sure what you mean about those low A's. This youtube plays it more or less as I have it in my head. Wrong or right?
Thanks for that link, Chris
That's a lovely version of the tune. Going down into the low octave in the final phrase is a revelation. I've never heard it played like that before. It makes so much sense, and brings the tune to a beautiful and satisfying ending.
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Steve
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Chris Ryall

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #62 on: November 29, 2009, 09:42:32 AM »

Quote from: Steve_freereeder link=topic=2364.msg35654#msg35654
That's a lovely version of the tune. Going down into the low octave in the final phrase is a revelation. I've never heard it played like that before. It makes so much sense, and brings the tune to a beautiful and satisfying ending.

.. there is another way  ???

[edit]    ... seems there is. Thanks Bob.

  btw Geert oude Weernink (at Witney) pointed out that the
  whole of Britain plays the Flemish tune Bear Dance wrongly  :-\
« Last Edit: November 29, 2009, 10:32:37 AM by Chris Ryall »
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Bob Ellis

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #63 on: November 29, 2009, 09:51:22 AM »

Jay Ungar wrote Ashokan Farewell as the theme tune for an American TV series about the American Civil War. If you can find a copy of the TV series, you will hear how it was played originally. In case you can't find that, I attach a copy of the notation.

I am not infringing copyright because Mr. Ungar sent me the notation by e-mail a few years ago and said that he was thrilled to know that it was being played in sessions in England and that I was welcome to share the tune with anyone who wanted to play it, provided his authorship was acknowledged.
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #64 on: November 29, 2009, 10:29:26 AM »

Quote from: Steve_freereeder link=topic=2364.msg35654#msg35654
That's a lovely version of the tune. Going down into the low octave in the final phrase is a revelation. I've never heard it played like that before. It makes so much sense, and brings the tune to a beautiful and satisfying ending.

.. there is another way  ???
Yes - I first came across this tune in a Peak District session frequented by a fair few fiddle players. I was always a bit puzzled by the clunky ending which they habitually played, but went along with it as I thought that's how it was.

I attach a copy of the notation.
Thanks, Bob. I will play the 'fishull version from now on....  (:)
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Steve
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Bob Ellis

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #65 on: November 29, 2009, 10:46:23 AM »

Thanks, Bob. I will play the 'fishull version from now on....  (:)

You're welcome, Steve. I am not trying to impose the 'fishull version on everyone. It is just that this is the version I prefer to play and I think it is sad that I can't start it in a session without others drowning me out with the other variation.  :(
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Theo

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #66 on: November 29, 2009, 11:14:05 AM »

Thanks, Bob. I will play the 'fishull version from now on....  (:)

You're welcome, Steve. I am not trying to impose the 'fishull version on everyone. It is just that this is the version I prefer to play and I think it is sad that I can't start it in a session without others drowning me out with the other variation.  :(

I think that is a general thing about slow airs in sessions.  The nature of a session is that we all join in with tunes we recognise.   For anything with a regular rhythm such as the dance tunes that form the majority of session repertoire that works really well, because of the nature of the tunes.  Slow airs seem to me to be completely different in that they are open to a wide range of interpretations of phrasing, dynamics, pulse and rhythm, so its hardly surprising that one persons interpretation can get steamrollered.  In addition, because they are slow, it can appear they are 'easy' so its natural for people to try and join in who have only travelled a short way down the learning path.  The result is often an unsatisfactory feeling for all concerned.   Am I alone in believing that slow tunes are actually more difficult to play well that fast ones?
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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #67 on: November 29, 2009, 11:46:39 AM »

Am I alone in believing that slow tunes are actually more difficult to play well that fast ones?
No, not at all. I think you are quite right.
The same applies to classical music too. One of the more nerve-wracking pieces I have played in my orchestra recently was the Beethoven violin concerto. In the second (slow) movement - a beautiful, sublime episode - the orchestral clarinettist (i.e. me on this occasion) has an intimate musical dialogue with the solo violinist. It can very scary being so exposed. Here's what I mean......
(NB this is the Berlin Phil and not my orchestra!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTM8R1IwhQM
The initial dialogue opens at around 1:15 and goes on to about 2:08 when the bassoon takes it over.
It's rendered even harder by being placed so far away from the soloist, yet you have to be absolutely spot-on together, both rhythmically and in tune.

But moments like this are times of true divine musical experience and for me, what orchestral playing is all about.
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Owen Woods

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #68 on: November 29, 2009, 01:16:37 PM »

Am I alone in believing that slow tunes are actually more difficult to play well that fast ones?

Not all, I've always said the same thing. They may be technically easier, but in terms of musicality, playing slow tunes is a lot more difficult, especially when playing with others and having to react to what they are doing.
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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #69 on: November 29, 2009, 02:27:01 PM »

Jay Ungar wrote Ashokan Farewell as the theme tune for an American TV series about the American Civil War. If you can find a copy of the TV series, you will hear how it was played originally.
According to wikipedia he actually wrote it eight years before the series. I guess this is the version from the series, which should be the original by Ungar.
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Andy Next Tune

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #70 on: November 29, 2009, 06:32:04 PM »

Thanks Bob,
Ashokan Farewell, what a lovely tune to learn and play on a wet and dreary November sunday.
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Bob Ellis

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #71 on: November 29, 2009, 08:08:07 PM »

Thanks Bob,
Ashokan Farewell, what a lovely tune to learn and play on a wet and dreary November sunday.

You're welcome, Andy, although the thanks are really due to Jay Ungar for writing it. Maybe we should consider it for January's Tune of the Month.
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HallelujahAl

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #72 on: November 29, 2009, 08:39:31 PM »

Quote
Maybe we should consider it for January's Tune of the Month.
You beat me to it - I was going to suggest the same.
AL
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Ollie

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #73 on: November 29, 2009, 08:46:15 PM »

Quote
Maybe we should consider it for January's Tune of the Month.
You beat me to it - I was going to suggest the same.
AL

It is a great tune, but disappears off the end of most boxes and if you play it up the dusty end, it gets stupidly high on a two-voice D/G.
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HallelujahAl

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #74 on: November 29, 2009, 09:04:43 PM »

Quote
It is a great tune, but disappears off the end of most boxes and if you play it up the dusty end, it gets stupidly high on a two-voice D/G.
Yes it might mean slipping between registers once or twice. But if I can play it on my little 10 hole diatonic harmonica then I'm reasonably sure that it's eminently do-able on just about any melodeon (even a 1 row).
AL
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Bob Ellis

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #75 on: November 29, 2009, 09:31:01 PM »

It is a great tune, but disappears off the end of most boxes and if you play it up the dusty end, it gets stupidly high on a two-voice D/G.

This may well be why the version usually played in sessions is a bit different from the original. If it were to become a Tune of the Month, various versions could be played depending on the range of the instrument. It might prove interesting to see how different people adapt it to their particular instruments.

Now, I wonder how it would sound on a Cajun box..... >:E
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Bob in beautiful Wensleydale, Les Panards Dansants, Crook Morris and the Loose Knit Band.
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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #76 on: December 16, 2009, 01:19:33 PM »

This is a nice tune,  Miss Hamilton,

 http://www.youtube.com/user/mlydiat#p/a/u/0/keuuM6k4Q3k

The only extant tune known to have been composed by Cornelius Lyons harper friend of Carolan's  You can play it slower. It goes OK in D or G
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Mike in Sheffield

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #77 on: December 16, 2009, 03:42:28 PM »

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Steve from Wakefield

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #78 on: December 16, 2009, 10:12:41 PM »

How about:

Brudemarsj from Judassvingen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIXhwrce-eY

ABC courtesy of Nigel/strad

X:1
T:Brudesmarsj fra Judassvingen
T:Brides March from Judassvingen
P:AABABA
M:3/4
L:1/8
K:C
GF|E4 G2|F4 E2|D4 F2|E4 D2|C4 E2|F2-FE DC|C4 B,2|C4:|
G2|c4 B2|A4 Bc|d4 c2|B4 cd|e4 d2|c4 B2|A4 Bc|B4 cd|
e4 d2|c4 de|f4 e2|d4 ab|c'4 ge|f2-fe dc|c4 B2|c4||
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mikesamwild

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Re: Favourite Slow Airs?
« Reply #79 on: December 17, 2009, 03:42:55 PM »

Thanks for that, lovely chords on what seems to be a three voice Corona or Corso or similar.  The composer is Norwegian but the player seems to be Estonian
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Mike in Sheffield

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