Wedding Choons

Subject: Wedding Choons
From: Scintilla
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 10:54 AM

Hi... I've been asked to play (fiddle) at my friend's wedding this Summer... at the bit where they sign the register, generally faff around, and guests start looking at their watches. I'd like to keep it English or subtle Irish (not diddley), and quite chilled - as it will be unaccompanied the tunes have to stand up on their own.

But I'm at a bit of a loss because most of my repertoire is session-y and morris type stuff. I don't want to resort to classical, and I'm basically just a bit stuck. I know some beautiful aires but they are real weepies, not appropriate! I like the idea of mixing a few tunes up into a long-ish arrangement but it's the raw material I'm lacking.

Grateful for any suggestions anyone has... on the tunes themselves and/or any advice generally on how to make it special?

Also.... I've a few ideas, mostly blatant steals from a couple of cds, but is there a copyright issue here? Is this legal? (I won't be being paid.)

Cheers
Sx

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: Micca
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 11:01 AM

I would suggest you beg ,borrow or steal any or all Cara's CDs and ask that nice Mr Oakley if he will "lend" you a tune or 2 (maybe "Abbyfeale"?) and if you can do them justice you should be set up!!

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: Vixen
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 11:16 AM

Reynaud and I play these types of gigs and do very well with Playford "choons" and other music of that type. Faster than aires, not as "diddly" as jigs 'n' reels 'n' such.

You can hear 'em on a variety of CDs and the dots for a lot of them are available at JC's "tune" finder.

V

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: Scintilla
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 11:16 AM

Thanks Micca! Cara... right.... I'm on it!!! Do they have a website?

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: Scintilla
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 11:19 AM

And thanks Vixen! I'm pretty sure I have a copy of Playford's Dancing Master (think that's what it's called) somewhere so I'll dig it out. Actually - brain wave - I learnt a couple of 'Maggots' a while back, I'm sure I could recycle them.

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: Micca
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 11:25 AM

Scintilla, Try Her

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: Scintilla
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 11:53 AM

Ta Micca, I hope you're taking a cut... only went to have a look and ended up sticking my neck out and buying all three, I couldn't choose!! I'm sure me uncle Greg knows them so if they're alright by him...!

I must stop impulse buying! Boredom at work costs me big time!

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: Tobyjug
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 11:59 AM

What's wrong with the good old "Haste to the Wedding" and "Getting Upstairs" as two appropriate morris tune between the sedate Playford melodies?

You can always play them a little slower than required for dancing, or even improvise some variations in slower time to make them appropriate to the occasion.

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: Scintilla
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 12:04 PM

Two good tunes, and a good idea, thanks Tobyjug. I'll have a play around with them and see what gives. Knew you 'Catters would come up trumps!

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: GLoux
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 01:58 PM

I suggest some O'Carolan tunes:

Hewlitt
Lord Inchiquin
George Brabazon

-Greg

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 05:19 PM

My daughter used "Washington's March" (WV fiddle tune) for the processional. Played by a fiddling friend. Don't know if there is an English/Irish version. Sounded great.
Another friend used Haste to the Wedding played as a waltz at waltz tempo. Very nice.

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: GUEST,Julia
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 09:41 PM

We often play wedding ceremonies where diddly is not appropriate ....blush , I mean, where one needs more sedate but not sedated music. Waltzes are nice and middle of the road. You can usually get away with hornpipes played at a reasonable speed. There is a whole body of work published by 18th century Scottish musician James Oswald that was "drawing room" type music, Neil Gow is another one, and as noted, O'Carolan. No need to get classical here.

We have recorded several CDs of instrumental music -"Tapestry" collection
You can hear some of our music at http://www.cdbaby.com/all/castlebay
Click on any of the Tapestry recordings
Most of the music is public domain

Good luck- I'm sure you will play lovely music and everyone will enjoy it
Best- Julia Lane

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: Scintilla
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 10:35 AM

Lots of really helpful ideas - you clever people!! ;) Haste to the Wedding as a waltz - ooh I can hear it now and can't wait to try it out! And with the other ideas and Cara's CD winging their way to me I'm gonna be spoilt for choice!

Thanks everyone :)

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: treewind
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 11:09 AM

Remind me at the next Whepstead White Horse session (I hope you're coming again!) - I can think of a few tunes that would do nicely.

Two that Mary and I have recorded as a set would work well - "The India War/ Jack's Health" (both Playford-ish though the first was actually written by Michael Raven.) You're welcome to use them!
Maybe some French-style Scottisches Like Frederic Paris's "Ganivelle" and "Le Canal en Octobre" which also work as a set.
Or the Abbotts Bromley Horn Dance Tune...
Anyways what's wrong with morris tunes? Many of the Fieldtown ones are terrific.

These are all gentle dance tunes that steer a reasonable course between frenetic jigs and reels vs. weepy slow airs, if that's the kind of thing you are looking for.

Anahata

Subject: RE: Wedding Choons
From: Scintilla
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 11:12 AM

Thanks Anahata, you're right, there's nothing wrong with morris tunes, I suppose it's all in the way you play 'em! I'll pick your brains next time I see you (and yes - definitely up for the next session!!)