English music session in Bath

Subject: English music session in Bath
From: ConcertinaChap
Date: 03 Jan 19 - 07:12 AM

Hi all.

After 6 mostly happy years the English music session in Bath is moving from its present home of the Royal Oak to the Packhorse in South Stoke. This pub has been in the news recently as being subject to the biggest community buy-out in the country so far. It's a beautiful pub and will make a great new home for the session.

Sessions are fortnightly on a Wednesday and the first one at the Packhorse will be on Wednesday 9th January starting at 8.30.

Full pub address:

The Packhorse,
Old School Hill,
South Stoke,
Bath BA2 7DU

Furtrher details at our website: English Music Played Here.

Cheers,

Chris

Subject: RE: English music session in Bath
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Jan 19 - 09:01 AM

GOOD LUCK WITH IT

Subject: RE: English music session in Bath
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jan 19 - 01:41 PM

YES GOOD LUCK WITH IT

Subject: RE: English music session in Bath
From: Andy M
Date: 04 Jan 19 - 03:21 AM

Interesting last paragraph to your website page 'What is English Music' - absolutely right. If we're ever back in Bath we must come along and play some French tunes. Living near the Pyrenees now it's interesting that the trad dance music of the central area ( ie not Basque or Catalan) is much like Morris tunes. This of course reults in some regional players rejecting them in favour of Irish playing. Plus ca change!

Subject: RE: English music session in Bath
From: ConcertinaChap
Date: 05 Jan 19 - 06:34 PM

That last paragraph reads "Confusingly, in a typical English music session it is not at all uncommon to hear tunes from France, Sweden, the US or even Ireland. For English musicians, if the tune sounds good and fits into the general feel of the session then it’s worth playing and will be well received. But the bulk of the music played will be English."

In the few sessions I have been to in Ireland I have noticed something of the same trait, i.e. if the music feels right then they'll play it wherever it comes from. It's only outside Ireland that the session players feel they need to stay exclusively Irish. There are a few English sessions outside England in places like Stockholm and Toronto. I wouldn't be too surprised if they stuck exclusively to English tunes in the same way. I think it may be to do with playing the music of your country in your country and hence feeling relaxed about it.

Chris

Subject: RE: English music session in Bath
From: Andy M
Date: 06 Jan 19 - 03:46 AM

Here in southern France, while there are not enough sessions as we are out of the central core trad area, the very best ones happen like this. As the music played is as you say, 'played right' - ie it's dance music so play it so it can be danced to - there will be an area where people can dance if they want to.
This is made a bit easier in that most French dances are couple dances - scottish's, mazurkas, bourées, with the occasional circle or an dro.
The demand for the music to be danceable can help avoid the flat out thrash that sometimes happens. It also however allows for something different to be played after a particularly energetic dance.