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[BFG]

Hi All,

At the beginning of April next year, I shall be making a melodeon in Yeovil with Emmanuel Pariselle, Alan Balding and co. I will be making a G/C/acc 14-bass, and I shall be mightily embarrassed if having made it, I have to start plugging away at Egan's Polka or one of the other 3 or 4 tunes I can actually play.

So, my self-inflicted task is to learn 4 French tunes in the 4 months between now and then.

What are people's recommendations? The only limitation for me is that I have to be able to learn them on a standard D/G 8-bass. The only limitation for the people required to listen is that they probably shouldn't be monumentally difficult.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations, and if you have the dots or a link, that would be wonderful.

Cheers and ta,

Rob

[Chris Ryall]

Canal in October became a standard UK session piece Cutting/Wood recorded it. Not 'grade 1' but you'll get more out of learning this than others. It was TOTM last year. (October I think)

A nice mazurka is mazurka Limousin. It 'sounds hard' but actually isn't.  Just plays rather differently from british tunes. I learned that one very early on, though don't hear it much. 

Both are better played 'across the rows'

All this sentimentality .. reminds my of my old days in the Maquis 

[Clive Williams]

How about these:

Canal in October
L'Inconnu de Limoise
La Marianne
La Roulante (also known as the LNB Polka)

That gives you a schottische, a mazurka, a waltz and a polka, and they've all been TOTM at some point, so there's *lots* of example videos, ABC's and hints and tips on how to play them. And they all fit great on a standard 2 row 8 bass, and are quite commonly heard even at English sessions; a lot of people know these tunes.

Also maybe Mominette (also known as Schottische a Bethanie); another fine schottische that made TOTM - I put together a series of 3 youtube videos on how I play it that you may find useful.

Cheers,

Clive

[Simon]

Bernard Loffet has a large collection of (mainly French) sheet music with the easier tunes in the "beginner's corner".

[BFG]

Also maybe Mominette (also known as Schottische a Bethanie); another fine schottische that made TOTM - I put together a series of 3 youtube videos on how I play it that you may find useful.

Now I can (almost) play the Plane Tree, so I should have a bit of a head start on Schottishche a Bethanie.

@Chris - Mazurka Limousin I've seen in one of the French tune books I've picked up at a workshop somewhere - I'll dig it out.

Thanks - looks like my biggest problem is going to be whittling it down to four!

Cheers,

Rob

[TomB]

OK, I admit to not being very bright (afa computers are concerned) but I've searched Bernard Loffet's site and cannot find any music score 
Any clues as to  how I can find them?? 

[Simon]

OK, I admit to not being very bright (afa computers are concerned) but I've searched Bernard Loffet's site and cannot find any music score 
Any clues as to  how I can find them?? 

Um.. the link in my previous post leads you straight to the music page.

[Chris Ryall]

Bernard Loffet has a large collection of (mainly French) sheet music with the easier tunes in the "beginner's corner".

Ooooo - thanks for that    I heard that rond St Vincent about 6 years ago and thought it was fabulous. I've played it in UK sessions ever since and a few brave souls have even done impro breaks (it uses all of 6 notes).  Then I went back to stay with the the Frenchman I thought i'd got it from - "never heard it before"   

Anyway .. seems it's called j' allais pêcher l'anguille.  Just load simon's page, or click  http://diato.org/tablat/251.mid (and another very easy piece)

"I'm going to fish for eels" .. but I suspect it also translates "I'll just  see what's happening" (knowing the French)

[Theo]

Then I went back to stay with the the Frenchman I thought i'd got it from - "never heard it before"   

There are significant stylistic differences in the way French tunes are played, compared with English which could account for this.

So listen to as many French players as you can and try to begin acquiring something of their style.  It's at least is important as the actual notes.  Canal en Octobre is a case in point.  On this side of the channel an anglicised version has evolved, to the extent that its sensible to give it the English title of Canal in October.

[Chris Ryall]

So listen to as many French players as you can and try to begin acquiring something of their style.  It's at least is important as the actual notes.  Canal en Octobre is a case in point.  On this side of the channel an anglicised version has evolved, to the extent that its sensible to give it the English title of Canal in October.

Theo's very right (as always). In retrospect I probably got the tune from a young Charantes lad who couldn't put Pierre's Bb/Eb Eric Martin down. Always difficult when you dump your field recordings back in Blighty.

As for 'canal' - Well, it was totally danceable when Cutting/Wood brought it back - done that many times. It's sort of 'been sessioned'    
I'm tempted to export "big ship sails on the alley-oh" to France. Make quite a nice schottiche actually  

[Theo]

So, my self-inflicted task is to learn 4 French tunes in the 4 months between now and then.

What are people's recommendations?

Continuing the "style" theme:

There is a great deal in favour of learning just one type of tune in the relatively short time available. I would go for Scottisches, even learn just one of them, and if you get the chance have a go at the dance too which is the best way of understanding how the tunes should work.  To learn four different rhythms in four months and play them in a recognisably French style is a tall order.

[BFG]

There is a great deal in favour of learning just one type of tune in the relatively short time available. I would go for Scottisches, even learn just one of them, and if you get the chance have a go at the dance too which is the best way of understanding how the tunes should work.  To learn four different rhythms in four months and play them in a recognisably French style is a tall order.

Unlikely I'll get a chance to dance them between now and then - YouTube will have to be my friend in that respect. I seem to be leaning towards "Schottische a Bethany" as my starter for ten.

I'm worried already...

Cheers,

Rob

[Bob Ellis]

Two more nice French schottisches (spelt 'scottish' in French, I think) that are fairly easy to play and are popular in sessions in England are Scottish à Catinaux and Scottish à Virmoux; the former is usually played in G and the latter in D. There are several recordings of each on You Tube and the dots can be found on ABC Tune Finder. If you have difficulty locating them, I will post the dots here.

There is also a recent recording of Scottish à Catinaux by Simon Care on the Banquet of Boxes CD, but it does not sound very French to my ear - he seems to have anglicised it somewhat.

[Marje]

There's also Ganivelle, another F Paris schottisch that is popular in sessions around here, and is available in many forms and variants in the abc tunefinder.

[Christo Tracey]

So, my self-inflicted task is to learn 4 French tunes in the 4 months between now and then.

What are people's recommendations? The only limitation for me is that I have to be able to learn them on a standard D/G 8-bass. The only limitation for the people required to listen is that they probably shouldn't be monumentally difficult.

I don't know what style you particularly like, but if you like the Celtic stuff, my instinct is to scream "Breton music!". The Breton stuff is similar to the Irish, but has it's own particular flavour. Some really good accordion/melodeon tunes have come out of Brittany. Shamelessly chasing up a link posted above, I have found some sheet music to some rather good tunes:

Chantons pour passer le temps - http://diato.org/tablat/tab34.gif - a rather slow, and quite pretty tune. A traditional sea shanty. I've heard this one first hand, it really plays well.
Santiano - http://diato.org/tablat/tab205.gif - the French equivalent of "The Drunken Sailor", with a better tune!
Si Mort a Mors - http://diato.org/tablat/tab123.gif - a personal favourite. Very Breton, is about Duchesse Anne. Haunting, slow and beautiful.
Les Filles des Forges - http://diato.org/tablat/tab118.gif - a rather fast tune, and quite tricky, but a very good traditional danse tune. The lyrics are well looking up too.

I come from Brittany myself, and can assure you that they're all great tunes! The next step is learning them meself! 

Hope that helps!

[BFG]

Thanks Christo - some lovely stuff there!

And welcome to Melnet, by the way

Cheers,

Rob

[Chris Ryall]

"Trad Breton", eh?    Here's what they used to sing in the cafe   after Mission Bretonne evenings

Lyrics http://mareeparadis.info/paroles/le31dumoisdaout.html

Chorus

Buvons un coup, buvons-en-deux à la santé des amoureux (bis)    à la santé du roi de France   ....    et merde pour le roi d'Angleterre   qui nous déclarer la guerre

I'm sure the presence of a rosbif had nothing to do with it - mind you - the London broadsides of the time were in very much the same vein  

[Christo Tracey]

Chorus

Buvons un coup, buvons-en-deux à la santé des amoureux (bis)    à la santé du roi de France   ....    et merde pour le roi d'Angleterre   qui nous déclarer la guerre

I'm sure the presence of a rosbif had nothing to do with it - mind you - the London broadsides of the time were in very much the same vein  

I think the most amusing part of that song is that they claim a victory over a far superiror ship, whilst clearly being sozzled!

[BFG]

Can anyone (silly question - there's bound to be many of you!) help me out with the dance steps for a Schottische (Scottish)? Trying to break down Schottische a Bethanie with the help of Clive's fantastic tutorial, the emphasis seems to be on the second beat of the bar, so dum-DAH-dah. Is it right that the long step in the dance is the first beat of the the bar, and the two short steps are the second beat? I can't see this clearly from YouTube, possibly because the video is out of sync with the sound.

So is the function of the emphasis on the second beat to give the dancers a "lift" into the two quick steps? (I'm not a dancer, as you can probably tell from the question!)

Cheers,

Rob

[Lyra]

Santiano is French? Who knew ... I was dragged up on the Kingston Trio version (which pre-dates the good M. Aufray)
Goes to show, can't keep a good tune (or a good sailor) down, I guess.