identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Aug 25 - 10:33 AM

I thought I had contributed to this thread a week or two ago, but apparently not.

> And yes Mazurka is slightly different to a waltz, it sounds dotted on alternate bars, hence you get out of phase with Mazurka à Lucas and have to dance through until the next extra bar. But having said that it is easy enough to dance Mazurkas to most waltz (dance) tunes.

I can't say I notice anything about alternate bars, but Mazurka rhythm is considerably different from waltz, corresponding to a different step (and there are several other 3/4 rhythms that are different again, but that's for a different thread). If the OP question remains unanswered, how about asking Andy himself?

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: Mr Red
Date: 26 Aug 25 - 06:21 PM

Irish Square Dancing is called "Set Dancing".

In fact IME all "Set Dancing" is square formation. With the possible exception of "Shoe the Donkey" which is (with faster rhythm) the same dance and tune as a Varsevienne (French). Whenever I have suggested it at a workshop they quip "Shoot the Donkey" and it is not taught.

And yes Mazurka is slightly different to a waltz, it sounds dotted on alternate bars, hence you get out of phase with Mazurka à Lucas and have to dance through until the next extra bar. But having said that it is easy enough to dance Mazurkas to most waltz (dance) tunes.

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Aug 25 - 12:04 PM

And an easy one to make, so don't worry.

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: clueless don
Date: 18 Aug 25 - 11:51 AM

My mistake!

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Aug 25 - 08:13 AM

Sorry that was in response to Mr. Red's 'I dance Set Dance and usually each figure requires a specific time signature and format.' Which points IMHO to dancing sets rather than Set dances.

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: clueless don
Date: 18 Aug 25 - 07:04 AM

On 13 Aug 25 - 08:03 AM, GUEST asked:

But do you dance sets, as I suspect, or do you dance set dances?

Assuming that the question was directed to me (possibly not), once upon a time I would dance set dances, such as The Blackbird. But I also sometimes participated in the social dance ("The Three Tunes") that used The German Beau.

But bringing things back to the original question, I can't recall ever dancing to a mazurka.

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: The Sandman
Date: 13 Aug 25 - 10:11 AM

as i understand it, Mazurkas have a different emphasis to waltzes.

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Aug 25 - 08:03 AM

But do you dance sets, as I suspect, or do you dance set dances?

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: clueless don
Date: 13 Aug 25 - 07:39 AM

One example of an Irish set dance with "odd bars", or perhaps a "missing bar", is The Blackbird.

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: Mr Red
Date: 13 Aug 25 - 04:21 AM

I dance Set Dance and usually each figure requires a specific time signature and format. But feet never detected odd bars.

Maybe I am just at the "will dance anything with calling" stage (except Baile Bhuirne which is never called so I had to remember it)

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: clueless don
Date: 12 Aug 25 - 08:50 AM

Possibly straying from the question, but Irish dance music has a number of tunes with unusual numbers of bars in the parts. These are called "set dances". I'm most used to seeing them used for solo step dancers, but there is at least one ("The German Beau") that is used for one of the social dances.

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 12 Aug 25 - 06:19 AM

Well I can't dance to anything, but I love to play History Man on the harmonica in idle moments. It's a lovely, unpretentious tune. Careful with that beginning, as you imply! Way back in the 90s we heard Chris Wood and Andy Cutting play it lots of times live, when they followed it with their distinctly gentle and non-bluegrassy version of Roseville Fair - gorgeous. I recall Chris Wood once complaining that too many folkies played mazurkas as though they were just fast waltzes...

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: Mr Red
Date: 10 Aug 25 - 08:27 AM

"The History Man" ?
If he plays it I would try a Schottische. Depends if there are doted notes, maybe a polka/Italian Polka. We polka'd to a slide guitar in the esplanade at Sidmouth, not very sophisticated on tarmac.

I did a lot of asking because I was over-ruled when Topette!! were playing so never got to ask Andy.

It is on CD "Bourdon" Mazurka à Lucas / Pierre Tanneux

(Traditional Morvan tunes (French))

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 29 Jul 25 - 11:38 AM

Not a mazurka, nor traditional, but one of Andy’s own tunes, in 4/4, The History Man: it has 11 bars, very unusually, to the first section, repeated : :followed by a more “normal “ 8 bars for the second section.(also repeated). Has anyone ever tried to dance to that?

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jul 25 - 10:30 AM

Fwiw, I just heard some mazurkas composed by Siobhan Peoples. At least one of them had a sort of an odd bit in it.

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: Mr Red
Date: 16 Jul 25 - 09:52 AM

I guess this was too esoteric a question.

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 07 Jul 25 - 10:21 AM

Sorry about that, I had nothing to say!

Subject: RE: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 07 Jul 25 - 07:18 AM

Subject: identify? Mazurka - odd bars thrown in
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Jul 25 - 05:31 AM

I recently danced to a extra bar mazurka from Andy Cutting (said to be tradional?) Anyone know of any of these by name?

The technique was either to pause on the odd beat/bar and catch up, or dance through it (tick both of the above!). I am pretty adept an normal mazurkas BTW, even do them to Cajun waltzes.

The lass I danced with followed my every hesitant move, but as she said "carry on dancing". It was very rewarding, as would any dance tune played by Andy, a bright uplifting, almost Bavarian umpa feel to it.

I am sure I have danced to such a tune before, maybe the same one, but not Andy Cutting then (I think). And a quick search revealed some odd time signatures that would have me hesitate back in my seat! Nothing looking right though.

Any ideas? (before I buy the correct CD, &/or trouble the genius muso) TIA.