Music for Anglo Concertina

Subject: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: GUEST,Shoppo in Barton
Date: 12 Jul 02 - 06:30 AM

I've just bought an Anglo Concertina (NOT an English Concertina!) It's a Hohner. I'm in desperate need of sheet music for it. Can anyone suggest sites/resources?

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: greg stephens
Date: 12 Jul 02 - 06:43 AM

If it's just sheet music of tunes,songs etc then any old book will do, doesnt have to be concertina specific.Though you might have to transpose. But perhaps it's instruction books with fingering you mean? What do you want exactly?

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 12 Jul 02 - 06:53 AM

Try the music room (www.the-music-room.com)
They sell the Handbook for English Concertina, in their catalogue it says "A clearly written method for learning the English Concertina, with the aid of diagrams and an easy to follow text.Fingering charts and photographs throughout.Contains a section of tunes with fingering for each note.Concertina care and maintenance is alsi covered.Exellent Value" the book is 4.95 English pounds.

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: MikeofNorthumbria
Date: 12 Jul 02 - 07:25 AM

Sorry to be picky John, but English and Anglo are two different critters. English has all the sharps & flats (like a piano-accordian), while Anglo has a couple of diatonic scales, plus a few accidentals (like a melodeon). Also, English plays the same note push and pull on each button, whereas Anglo has two notes per button, one push, t'other pull (again, like the melodeon).

So, an English handbook is not much use to an Anglo player. I'd recommend instead "The Anglo Concertina de-mystified", by Bertram Levy. It's expensive (about £18) but the price includes two audio cassettes. Try the Music Room, or Hobgoblin for a copy. Also, have a look at John Kirkpatrick's Home Page on the web - there's some useful material on Anglos there.

Wassail!

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: pavane
Date: 12 Jul 02 - 11:24 AM

My program HARMONY does tablature for Anglo concertina from tunes in abc format. In case it is any use to you, it is here www.greenhedges.com

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 12 Jul 02 - 11:34 AM

Since all the concertina players are going to read this thread, I would like to take the opportunity to ask something which has always puzzled me, mildly.

The English concertina is obviously a more versatile instrument than the Anglo, and is capable of being played with greater virtuosity (v. Alastair Anderson).

So WHY would anyone chooses to play the Anglo concertina in preference ?

Not trying to stir it up here, I am genuinely curious.

Murray

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jul 02 - 11:55 AM

Because it sounds different, Murray

It's a bit like asking why you'd play a guitar instead of a banjo.

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: fogie
Date: 12 Jul 02 - 11:58 AM

For the same reason some prefer the melodeon to the piano accordion, or similar instruments. What limits the instrument also gives it punch and drive. Like the melodeon, its based on the mouth organ diatonic system, I think you have to listen to the different systems to appreciate their good qualities. Probably get a lot more info from Kirkpatricks website.

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: Noreen
Date: 12 Jul 02 - 04:11 PM

Fair question, Murray, but you obviously (...and is capable of being played with greater virtuosity...) have not heard virtuoso players of the Anglo such as Noel Hill...

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: pavane
Date: 13 Jul 02 - 05:16 AM

The music of the 'push-pull' instruments such as melodeon and anglo concertina is reputed to have a better rhythym for dancing.

I believe these were also cheaper instruments, needing only one reed for each note, and fewer buttons, whereas the Accordian and English concertina need at least two reeds, (or two sets of reeds), for each note.

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: GUEST,Strollin' Johnny
Date: 13 Jul 02 - 05:23 AM

Guest - a more pertinent question would be "Why in hell's name would anyone choose a banjo over a guitar?" (Something to do with their deteriorating mental state presumably?) JB

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: treewind
Date: 13 Jul 02 - 05:41 PM

Pavane is right re cheapness. In particular it's the reason why Irish traditional players use the Anglo - they do it now because it's standard/traditional but the reason why they did in the first place was because Anglos were cheaper than English. Until I dicovered this recently I was puzzled about the use of the Anglo for Irish music because the English system seems obviously better.

As for virtuosity on the Anglo, Noel Hill has been mentioned but John Kirkpatrick's playing demonstrates something the Anglo is surprisingly good at - playing chords and multi-part harmony. His first album Jump at the Sun incudes a solo performance of Mattheson's Gigue on Anglo conertina with no multitracking - and it's a four part fugue!

I've found recently that adapting an English concertina song accompaniment to Anglo results in a totally different sound - the same basic harmony but with the notes of the chords or countermelodies in quite different places. Neither instrument can easily do exactly what the other can.

Anahata

PS Shameless plug - my own arrangement of a duet concertina tune for Anglo is in this HERE
Challenge: try that on an English!)

PPS I've revisted John Kirkpatrick's

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: treewind
Date: 13 Jul 02 - 05:47 PM

Ooops! Bad HTML!
that message was supposed to end: ... in this MP3 file ... context HERE

and... I've visited John Kirkpatrick website as mentioned here and really ejoyed reading some of his writings.

Subject: RE: Music for Anglo Concertina
From: treewind
Date: 13 Jul 02 - 05:50 PM

Duh ... that should be http://www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk

It's getting late.....

A.