Doesn't that clip remind you of some old B&W clip of musicians in the West of Ireland, back in the 50s & 60s, right down to the old range in the background, the sunday best jackets etc & the ubiquitous enormous Tambourine being battered.
Wouldn't they be just the job for an ageing Accordion player too, a bit like those electronic Chanters that require no puff at all from an old Piper?
Watching it being played, it almost looks like the musician is riding a bicycle as he plays it, which surely begs the question ..... How many gears' does it have?
Maybe the bold Phil Cunningham could lose a pound or two driving one of these beasts at his local session!
Mind you, glancing in the mirror, it's probably about time I got myself one of these machines, too!
Who knows, perhaps Polish Music will become the next Irish music, amongst Trad Music fans. After all, they even have their own version of Riverdance! Sorry guys, no short skirts or long legs!
L.O.L. Nice one Zippy.
Maybe I should try & encourage the members of our local bands up here, to adopt this model.
I'd just love to see them try & march down the Garvaghy Road with those babies.
I'd say they'd probably look like so many Daleks ....... I'm sure the onlookers would come up with a few calls of ..... "Exterminate Exterminate"!
Aye yer right there FR, for their music is certainly far more wholesome than the insipid pish that the winners of the International Award, the "Foo Fighters", churn out!
"to an outsider it all sounds the same." ~ Aye nicholas, & I wish I had a pound for every time ITM has been described thus, by passing tourists.
They had that, what you're calling the Polish Riverdance, way before the Irish take on it. It's the Russian influence, though they might not like that association. It is the usual nationalistic excess, again, akin to the RSCDS as well, costumes and pomp and rules and regulations ~ "It must be this way and no other way!"
One of the best and most heartfelt festivals in all of Europe used to happen annually in the Carpathians, music and dance and not so much pomp and pretense. I've been trying to remember the name of the festival. I'll have to see if I can get the answer from a certain Polish fiddler friend... Another old acquaintance, Ada Dziewanowska, wrote one of the main works on the dance... Her daughter was still teaching the dance last I knew... They were more 'classical', in to the choreographies more than the village dances, and both have directed large groups similar to your U-Tube link above... As always, I prefer the earthier and rawer expression of joy that music and dance is capable of, any day over flash and pomposity...
Ptąrmigąn, it's "Harmonia Pedałowa", leave out the "ą"!
I've seen one in an Irish session once in Dowspuda, in the North of Poland. Played by these guys: http://www.myspace.com/dautenis
Their fiddler and guitar players are also awesome Irish and Asturias trad players. And the band is the only one that tries to save this obscure tradition from remotest part of Poland.
Listen to their tune "A naw koło wody" to hear how it could sound in a "contemporary traditional" arrangement.
Ceolachan, there is one notable difference in terms of dances in here. We have our folk dances and our "national" dances - these are dances in their own right, their origin is in folk dancing, but they were later taken up and 'redeveloped' by people from the gentry and the middle classes. They are as traditional as any of the folk music - the national obereks, they were danced during evening parties in towns and cities since XIXth century.
Many raw folk music lovers make the mistake of thinking that "high" obereks, mazurs, krakowiaks, polonez and kujawiaks were developed for the needs of the show. Of course, the choreographies were - but the instructors and trainers here take a lot of pain to teach steps and positions the way it should be danced both in folk and in "high" style, and the development, which takes place now, is also still within the urban tradition.
Half a year ago, me and my wife were invited to the wedding party of a friend. As a present, we danced for him and his bride the kujawiak, Polish love dance, in the "high" style. His grandparents, now over 90, were both greatly touched, as they said - "we dances as they did it in the evening parties when they were in their twenties".
I think you can call it a tradition.
Of course, the bands are a bit pompous. Although I used to dance in one of such, today I don't enjoy it, preferring less pompous and flasy stuff, but this is directed towards general audience, helps to show our poorly known tradition to people in a form digestible in the times of TV pulp and short attention span. Something like Riverdance. Still, it was a good introduction to further interest in home tradition to a good number of people.
Sorry Ptarm, only noticed that Jasiek already provided you with links to Dautenis
Well, doesn't hurt to listen to them again, does it. As I said, this is a unique band in the global scale that plays music from Suwalszczyzna, the NorthEast hilly, woody and lake-y part of Poland
Yes, I checked out Dautenis from that other thread & really enjoyed listening to them, so yes, they're well worth a 2nd listen. In fact I've already had a go at that Czemu number.
So, maybe I missed it, but are these boxes bisonoric (ie a different note if you push or pull - like melodeons and button accordions)? I noticed the old guy was pushing and pulling it ever so slightly. I gather the pedals provide the air, but does the pushing/pulling decide which way the air goes? Just curious really. I imagine they can be pretty loud with all that pedal powered air. I suspect the next invention will be pedal powered pipes, troitheán pipes I suppose....
The boxes, as far as I know, are monosonoric, they are a marriage between the accordion and the Viennoise harmonium, similar to reed organ. The pedals were added to remove the hand pull strength requirement in playing the harmonia (accordion).
The bellows on the instrument are either just ornamentation, or they are used to provide accentuation (adding a bit more air on certain notes), as the basic problem with the harmonia pedałowa is the dynamics (the volume change is pretty difficult).
Does it have gears?
Does it have gears?
Well, has anyone actually seen a 'Pedal Accordion' { aka Harmonią Pedałową } at an Irish Session yet?
http://www.serpent.pl/etno/koncerty2008/harmonia02.html
Here's a fascinating video clip of one at full tilt. { thanks jasiek }
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzbFDnYlaQc
Doesn't that clip remind you of some old B&W clip of musicians in the West of Ireland, back in the 50s & 60s, right down to the old range in the background, the sunday best jackets etc & the ubiquitous enormous Tambourine being battered.
Wouldn't they be just the job for an ageing Accordion player too, a bit like those electronic Chanters that require no puff at all from an old Piper?
Watching it being played, it almost looks like the musician is riding a bicycle as he plays it, which surely begs the question ..... How many gears' does it have?
Maybe the bold Phil Cunningham could lose a pound or two driving one of these beasts at his local session!
Mind you, glancing in the mirror, it's probably about time I got myself one of these machines, too!
Who knows, perhaps Polish Music will become the next Irish music, amongst Trad Music fans. After all, they even have their own version of Riverdance! Sorry guys, no short skirts or long legs!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQNMQzydXTc&feature=related
It looks like their Mountain regions are there answer to ITMs West of Ireland.
http://www.amazon.com/Mountains-Polish-Mountain-Fiddle-Music/dp/B000000G9M
N.B. There's loads of Polkas in 'tham thar' mountains, boys!
Cheers
Dick
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by Ptarmigan
Re: Does it have gears?
It might be tough to use in an Accordion marching band though
btw, my family is from tham thar mountains. It was a poor region where everyone was very happy to make it to Ellis Island.
I've always said that the Irish and the Poles have many things in common.
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by zippydw
Re: Does it have gears?
Notably, to an outsider it all sounds the same. (I refer to the mountain fiddle clips.)
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by nicholas
Re: Does it have gears?
What a shame they missed out on the 'Brit's Awards' last year.
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by Free Reed
Re: Does it have gears?
L.O.L. Nice one Zippy.
Maybe I should try & encourage the members of our local bands up here, to adopt this model.
I'd just love to see them try & march down the Garvaghy Road with those babies.
I'd say they'd probably look like so many Daleks ....... I'm sure the onlookers would come up with a few calls of ..... "Exterminate Exterminate"!
Aye yer right there FR, for their music is certainly far more wholesome than the insipid pish that the winners of the International Award, the "Foo Fighters", churn out!
"to an outsider it all sounds the same." ~ Aye nicholas, & I wish I had a pound for every time ITM has been described thus, by passing tourists.
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by Ptarmigan
Re: Does it have gears?
I am sure I have seen that fiddle player before mmmm obviously likes the drums ....in scotland maybe
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by bazouki dave and the real tooty flutey
Re: Does it have gears?
They had that, what you're calling the Polish Riverdance, way before the Irish take on it. It's the Russian influence, though they might not like that association. It is the usual nationalistic excess, again, akin to the RSCDS as well, costumes and pomp and rules and regulations ~ "It must be this way and no other way!"
One of the best and most heartfelt festivals in all of Europe used to happen annually in the Carpathians, music and dance and not so much pomp and pretense. I've been trying to remember the name of the festival. I'll have to see if I can get the answer from a certain Polish fiddler friend... Another old acquaintance, Ada Dziewanowska, wrote one of the main works on the dance... Her daughter was still teaching the dance last I knew... They were more 'classical', in to the choreographies more than the village dances, and both have directed large groups similar to your U-Tube link above... As always, I prefer the earthier and rawer expression of joy that music and dance is capable of, any day over flash and pomposity...
# Posted on May 1st 2008 by ceolachan
Re: Does it have gears?
Nice stuff. Is that a fiddłski and a borąnski accompanying?
# Posted on May 2nd 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Does it have gears?
Ptąrmigąn, it's "Harmonia Pedałowa", leave out the "ą"!
I've seen one in an Irish session once in Dowspuda, in the North of Poland. Played by these guys:
http://www.myspace.com/dautenis
Their fiddler and guitar players are also awesome Irish and Asturias trad players. And the band is the only one that tries to save this obscure tradition from remotest part of Poland.
Listen to their tune "A naw koło wody" to hear how it could sound in a "contemporary traditional" arrangement.
Ceolachan, there is one notable difference in terms of dances in here. We have our folk dances and our "national" dances - these are dances in their own right, their origin is in folk dancing, but they were later taken up and 'redeveloped' by people from the gentry and the middle classes. They are as traditional as any of the folk music - the national obereks, they were danced during evening parties in towns and cities since XIXth century.
Many raw folk music lovers make the mistake of thinking that "high" obereks, mazurs, krakowiaks, polonez and kujawiaks were developed for the needs of the show. Of course, the choreographies were - but the instructors and trainers here take a lot of pain to teach steps and positions the way it should be danced both in folk and in "high" style, and the development, which takes place now, is also still within the urban tradition.
Half a year ago, me and my wife were invited to the wedding party of a friend. As a present, we danced for him and his bride the kujawiak, Polish love dance, in the "high" style. His grandparents, now over 90, were both greatly touched, as they said - "we dances as they did it in the evening parties when they were in their twenties".
I think you can call it a tradition.
Of course, the bands are a bit pompous. Although I used to dance in one of such, today I don't enjoy it, preferring less pompous and flasy stuff, but this is directed towards general audience, helps to show our poorly known tradition to people in a form digestible in the times of TV pulp and short attention span. Something like Riverdance. Still, it was a good introduction to further interest in home tradition to a good number of people.
# Posted on May 2nd 2008 by EastPole
Re: Does it have gears?
Sorry Ptarm, only noticed that Jasiek already provided you with links to Dautenis
Well, doesn't hurt to listen to them again, does it. As I said, this is a unique band in the global scale that plays music from Suwalszczyzna, the NorthEast hilly, woody and lake-y part of Poland
# Posted on May 2nd 2008 by EastPole
Re: Does it have gears?
Sorry Janek, one of those copy & paste jobs!
Yes, I checked out Dautenis from that other thread & really enjoyed listening to them, so yes, they're well worth a 2nd listen. In fact I've already had a go at that Czemu number.
Cheers
Dick
# Posted on May 2nd 2008 by Ptarmigan
Re: Does it have gears?
So, maybe I missed it, but are these boxes bisonoric (ie a different note if you push or pull - like melodeons and button accordions)? I noticed the old guy was pushing and pulling it ever so slightly. I gather the pedals provide the air, but does the pushing/pulling decide which way the air goes? Just curious really. I imagine they can be pretty loud with all that pedal powered air. I suspect the next invention will be pedal powered pipes, troitheán pipes I suppose....
# Posted on May 2nd 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Does it have gears?
Or a pedal powered mandolin:
http://www.lesluthiers.com/fotos/instrumentos/mandocleta.jpg
# Posted on May 2nd 2008 by Ramiro
Re: Does it have gears?
The boxes, as far as I know, are monosonoric, they are a marriage between the accordion and the Viennoise harmonium, similar to reed organ. The pedals were added to remove the hand pull strength requirement in playing the harmonia (accordion).
The bellows on the instrument are either just ornamentation, or they are used to provide accentuation (adding a bit more air on certain notes), as the basic problem with the harmonia pedałowa is the dynamics (the volume change is pretty difficult).
# Posted on May 2nd 2008 by EastPole
Re: Does it have gears?
Thanks Janek, that makes sense.
# Posted on May 2nd 2008 by Key Maniac Lad