Folk Group Term 41

Welcome back all! Sorry it’s taken me a while to update the site – I’ve been having some major technical issues – e.g. whole site got deleted by the web host at one point!

Anyway! Good to be back and here we go:

30/09/24

We have an exciting Breton invasion next week so I’ve included a couple of Breton tunes for tonight in addition to my planned tune – The Curlew Hill Barndance, from Glenbeigh, Co.Kerry, Ireland. Unfortunately I’ve also been having issues with my notation software (don’t get me started!), which wouldn’t allow me to add the title to the sheets, but I figure a pen or pencil could fix that easy enough! The Curlew Hill is swung like a hornpipe, as are the Breton tunes, which are both named for the dance Ridée à 6-temps, which ironically are commonly written in 3/2 or 3/4 rather than 6/4 or 6/8.

MIDI FILE: The Curlew Hills

Treble
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Cello

Here are a couple of Ridée à 6-temps (the name comes from the dance – like “here’s a couple of jigs”:
Treble
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Cello

07/10/24

Breton Session!

14/10/24

Hope you enjoyed the Breton session last week. I’m feeling much better, and we’re back to tunes from the UK for now – here’s an old Joak from the the North West (most likely Chester/Cheshire), in 6/4. Not sure what to make of the title! We’ve done the White and Yellow Joaks before (Term 36) and will revisit if there’s time.

MIDI FILE: Brown Joak

Treble
Guitar Guitar, without the chords written above the stave
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Cello

I’ve also done a 6/4 minor arrangement of the Elterwater Quickstep that we’ve enjoyed playing in the past 🙂 (Term 18)

MIDI FILE: Elterwater Slowstep

Treble
Guitar Guitar w/ no chords
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Cello

28/10/24

Hope you had a good half term. Here’s a lovely Polska from Sweden. If there’s time we’ll also re-visit Polska F Transtrand from 2018 (term 22, but see below!).

MIDI FILE: Vårvindar Friska

Treble
Guitar No Chords
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Cello

Vårvindar friska leka och viska
Lunderna kring likt älskande par
Strömmarna ila, finna ej vila
Förrän ner djupet störtvågen far

Klaga mitt hjärta, klaga och hör
Vallhornets klang bland klipporna dör
Strömkarlen spelar, sorgerna delar
Vakan kring berg och dal

Hjärtat vill brista, ack när den sista
Gången jag hörde kärlekens röst
Avskedets plåga, ögonens låga
Mun emot mun och klappande bröst

Fjälldalen stod i grönskande skrud
Trasten slog drill på drill för sin brud
Strömkarlen spelar, sorgerna delar
Vakan kring berg och dal

Here’s the new, improved version of Polska F Transtrand:

MIDI FILE: Polska Fran Transtrand

Treble
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Cello

Rhythm made to blow your mind!

04/11/24

Continuing this term’s theme of 6s and 3s, here’s a wonderful 3/2 hornpipe that’s likely from the North West, despite the name. 3/2 hornpipes were strongly associated with Lancashire at that time. This is from John Young’s Dancing Master (Playford family), London c.1718 MIDI FILE: Highland Lass

Treble
Guitar no chords
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Cello

Although I can’t find a youtube video of the tune, the dance is fairly well represented. I miss the music, but this is fascinating whilst listening to Radio 1’s live lounge!:

11/11/24

There are lots of different Batuta dances and tunes across much of Eastern Europe. They originated in Romania and all include foot stamping at some point – it refers to bashing the burnt bits off bread with a stick I believe! Most Batuta melodies are in two parts, but this one has a third and I can’t find a Romanian version of Batuta dance that fits, but there’ll almost certainly be one out there that’s just not made it to YouTube yet!

Video shows a solo version of the dance with the stamping. Some Batutas are solo, whilst others are circle dances (and simpler). Also gives you an idea of the tempo! It’s a speedy thing once you get the hang of it…

MIDI FILE: Batuta

Treble
Guitar no chords
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Cello

18/11/24

Here’s a fun tune from the USA with a great name too! The “dots” really are just for a basic understanding of the tune, as you can hear when you listen to the Dillard’s version below!

MIDI FILE: Drunken Billy Goat

Treble
Guitar No Chords
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Alto Sax
Cello

25/11/24

Here’s a great set of North-West Jigs I learned from the fantastic Blackburn guitarist, Richard Moss. I have very little information on the Bolton Rant, but the other two are from the Winder Manuscripts (Wyresdale nr Lancaster) and the Rook Manuscripts from Wigton, Cumbria.

MIDI FILE: Out

Treble
Alto Saxophone
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Cello

MIDI FILE: The White Petticoat

Treble
Alto Saxophone
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Cello

MIDI FILE: Bolton Rant

Treble
Alto Saxophone
Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Mandolin
Cello