Are there any well known 3 part sets using 3 different times, can anyone recommend any or is there any law that naturaly makes them work together i.e jig/reel/hornpipe or polka/hornpipe /reel etc.
March-Strathspey-Reel is a standard competition set in Scotland.
Of course, a 'march' in Scottish music can mean a tune in any of several rhythms. I don't know if any particular one of these is favoured more than others for use in such sets.
There is (was) a very popular Dance Set called The Swedish Masquerade which I played in a couple of bands and was also commonly played in the North of England.
It starts with a sort of march, I think the dancers would call it a Promenade, then there's a gentle waltz/mazurka and then fast (European) Polka.
I think it was generally played in G.
Every time I saw it played at a dance, the floor would be full; I don't dance myself, but people evidently enjoyed this one.
You hear march, strathspey and reel a lot in Cape Breton music as well.
I seem to remember dancing an Irish dance where the band alternated between jig and polka, but for the life of me, can't remember what it was.
Of course, with musical groups, you get all sorts of combinations.
Al, you may have been dancing to The Three Tunes, a ceili dance consisting of a jig, a hornpipe and a reel. The pieces are usually Haste to the Wedding (jig), Leslie's Hornpipe, and The German Beau (reel).
For session playing, the rule is, basically, don't.
Some sessions have fixed sets which change time - starting off some jigs with a slip jig or playing a few hornpipes followed by reels, that sort of thing. But it's hard enough to make that sound like you meant to do it. What you're describing, in a session, usually sounds like a mess, and that's because it usually is.
For a band, I'd say that as a rule it doesn't work, so you need to find something about the particular tunes that makes them fit together despite this rule. This might be a melodic similarity - Silver Spear and Connaughtman's Rambles are similar in a lot of respects, and might serve as a bridge between jigs and reels or the other way around.
Or it might be that you find that this reel follows that hornpipe particularly for some other reason - but it has to be a particular reel and a particular hornpipe and a particular reason.
It won't be something like "An E minor hornpipe followed by a G reel followed by a D jig will work".
Apparently The Swedish Masquerade is a political satire....no, really. Not sure which country was taking the p1ss, but they start out doing the graceful courtly-style promenade, then they do the more modern ( and originally shocking ! ) waltz, but what they really want to do, because despite their airs and graces they're still country people at heart, is a good old-fashioned stonking polka !
There's an academic thesis there about political satire waiting to be written; apparently Barbara Allen, that much-loved folk song, was originally a satire on the death of Charles II; his last mistress lived in Reading ( In Scarlett Town, where I was born....).
It was always a dance; maybe I should have stressed that.
And certainly, I heard it all over Denmark when I was playing over there for a while. Maybe it is common to Nordic countries?
There were German, Swedish and Finnish tunes being played in The Fyn Island parts of Denmark, and much Irish, but when you have maritime borders, then there's a lot of cross-pollination.
Just think of the Western seaboard of Europe, with the mix of Breton, Welsh, Irish (especially South West Cork, Kerry and environs and all the other influences!
We had to play the Swedish masquerade by advance request for a ceili last year. We had 1 practice run through with half the band present. It was alugh on the night.
It looks like a lot of fun to dance to. But boy does the music suck big time.
"I seem to remember dancing an Irish dance where the band alternated between jig and polka," - I remember hearing from someone here (but I can't find it) about the "northumbrian dance set" (I think) that was polka, polka, slide, slide, and something else
but polkas and slides go together pretty well. that was what I really took away from that thread (and sadly not any information that would help be find it again!)
Many thanks for the contributions... it would appear that 3 x part mixed speed sets are not that common although we will give the foxhunters set a go.
If not 3 x part what about 2 x part... we play as a band so we're looking for recommendations with a bit of Zip. We already play a tune called the Irish Reel which we start off slow as a jig get it up a faster speed then slide into reel time and accelerate it further. This I know is quite common but anoy other recommendations that gow down well...?
Outside of a session, I like having a crack at arranging a set that takes in three dfferent time signatures, with all tunes in the same key. For example, march (after the battle of aughrim) - reel (the abbey) - jig (anything you like in Am). It provides a contrast to the usual three reels (or three jigs) that progress through key changes. By keeping the set all in one key, the time signatures become the point of difference. And the set moves on, which is great for performance. Give it a go!
Another interesting combination is reel - 7/8 - jig. A 7/8 provides a halfway house from the reel to the jig. Not very trad, but fun!
3 part sets in 3 different times...?
3 part sets in 3 different times...?
Hi Peeps,
Are there any well known 3 part sets using 3 different times, can anyone recommend any or is there any law that naturaly makes them work together i.e jig/reel/hornpipe or polka/hornpipe /reel etc.
Thanks
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by weebag
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
March-Strathspey-Reel is a standard competition set in Scotland.
Of course, a 'march' in Scottish music can mean a tune in any of several rhythms. I don't know if any particular one of these is favoured more than others for use in such sets.
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by nicholas
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
Hi there!
There is (was) a very popular Dance Set called The Swedish Masquerade which I played in a couple of bands and was also commonly played in the North of England.
It starts with a sort of march, I think the dancers would call it a Promenade, then there's a gentle waltz/mazurka and then fast (European) Polka.
I think it was generally played in G.
Every time I saw it played at a dance, the floor would be full; I don't dance myself, but people evidently enjoyed this one.
All the best,
Brian x
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by briantheflute
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
You hear march, strathspey and reel a lot in Cape Breton music as well.
I seem to remember dancing an Irish dance where the band alternated between jig and polka, but for the life of me, can't remember what it was.
Of course, with musical groups, you get all sorts of combinations.
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by AlBrown
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
Al, you may have been dancing to The Three Tunes, a ceili dance consisting of a jig, a hornpipe and a reel. The pieces are usually Haste to the Wedding (jig), Leslie's Hornpipe, and The German Beau (reel).
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
For session playing, the rule is, basically, don't.
Some sessions have fixed sets which change time - starting off some jigs with a slip jig or playing a few hornpipes followed by reels, that sort of thing. But it's hard enough to make that sound like you meant to do it. What you're describing, in a session, usually sounds like a mess, and that's because it usually is.
For a band, I'd say that as a rule it doesn't work, so you need to find something about the particular tunes that makes them fit together despite this rule. This might be a melodic similarity - Silver Spear and Connaughtman's Rambles are similar in a lot of respects, and might serve as a bridge between jigs and reels or the other way around.
Or it might be that you find that this reel follows that hornpipe particularly for some other reason - but it has to be a particular reel and a particular hornpipe and a particular reason.
It won't be something like "An E minor hornpipe followed by a G reel followed by a D jig will work".
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
Apparently The Swedish Masquerade is a political satire....no, really. Not sure which country was taking the p1ss, but they start out doing the graceful courtly-style promenade, then they do the more modern ( and originally shocking ! ) waltz, but what they really want to do, because despite their airs and graces they're still country people at heart, is a good old-fashioned stonking polka !
There's an academic thesis there about political satire waiting to be written; apparently Barbara Allen, that much-loved folk song, was originally a satire on the death of Charles II; his last mistress lived in Reading ( In Scarlett Town, where I was born....).
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by Guernsey Pete
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
The music for the "Swedish Masquerade" is posted here, on the session.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/8092
Although you would only use it at a barn dance or ceilidh - never at a pub session ..
.. and it's not even Swedish - it's Danish!
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
Thanks Pete, Mix!
It was always a dance; maybe I should have stressed that.
And certainly, I heard it all over Denmark when I was playing over there for a while. Maybe it is common to Nordic countries?
There were German, Swedish and Finnish tunes being played in The Fyn Island parts of Denmark, and much Irish, but when you have maritime borders, then there's a lot of cross-pollination.
Just think of the Western seaboard of Europe, with the mix of Breton, Welsh, Irish (especially South West Cork, Kerry and environs and all the other influences!
Best to all!
Brian x
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by briantheflute
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
Interesting, Brian.
There is another tune that uses the march + waltz + polka format. It can used as a secondary tune to accompany the "Swedish Masquerade" dance.
The tune is called "The Old Man of Jutland".
I notice that it's not on the session - I might post it sometime!
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
We had to play the Swedish masquerade by advance request for a ceili last year. We had 1 practice run through with half the band present. It was alugh on the night.
It looks like a lot of fun to dance to. But boy does the music suck big time.
- chris
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by ramblingpitchfork
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
"laugh"
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by ramblingpitchfork
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
So, Scarlett Town is Reading, Pete?
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by Bob himself
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
I was in Nova Scotia this summer and the order described by Al Brown is pretty typical there
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by zippydw
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
"I seem to remember dancing an Irish dance where the band alternated between jig and polka," - I remember hearing from someone here (but I can't find it) about the "northumbrian dance set" (I think) that was polka, polka, slide, slide, and something else
but polkas and slides go together pretty well. that was what I really took away from that thread (and sadly not any information that would help be find it again!)
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by Nate Ryan
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
In a band I'm in we have a set with a slow air, reel and jig ( leaving Lochmaddy, Portobello and a jig, the name of which escapes me)
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by Alasdair Paul
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
I have heard a lot of people go from hornpipes to reels.
We played a cracking set at our session on Wed where we played Foxhunter's reel/Foxhunter's slip jig/Foxhunter's hop jig. Ingenious.
# Posted on February 9th 2010 by DrSilverSpear
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
Many thanks for the contributions... it would appear that 3 x part mixed speed sets are not that common although we will give the foxhunters set a go.
If not 3 x part what about 2 x part... we play as a band so we're looking for recommendations with a bit of Zip. We already play a tune called the Irish Reel which we start off slow as a jig get it up a faster speed then slide into reel time and accelerate it further. This I know is quite common but anoy other recommendations that gow down well...?
Thanks again
# Posted on February 9th 2010 by weebag
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
arggghh... keys on keyboard are to small... sorry for smelling mistakes..!!!
# Posted on February 9th 2010 by weebag
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
Spelling ! Spelling! Spelling!... Damn
# Posted on February 9th 2010 by weebag
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
As long as it's not smelling pistakes
# Posted on February 9th 2010 by Trevor Jennings
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
Play the Tongadale as a strathspey and then as a reel. I've heard the composer himself make a strathspey out of the thing.
# Posted on February 9th 2010 by DrSilverSpear
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
Outside of a session, I like having a crack at arranging a set that takes in three dfferent time signatures, with all tunes in the same key. For example, march (after the battle of aughrim) - reel (the abbey) - jig (anything you like in Am). It provides a contrast to the usual three reels (or three jigs) that progress through key changes. By keeping the set all in one key, the time signatures become the point of difference. And the set moves on, which is great for performance. Give it a go!
Another interesting combination is reel - 7/8 - jig. A 7/8 provides a halfway house from the reel to the jig. Not very trad, but fun!
# Posted on February 10th 2010 by Beeka
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
the band I'm in does this for dances (a few) and for instrumental sets (a lot)
for dances polka to jig can work ok if the mechanics of the dance allow
anything's possible in a tune set but getting a smooth transition can be tricky
# Posted on February 11th 2010 by millionyears_bc
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
"I seem to remember dancing an Irish dance where the band alternated between jig and polka,"
The final figure of a Clare set (the Mazurks?) alternates between Hornpipe and March in a delightful way.
The traditional tune set for the Circassian (Big) Circle is "There's Nae Luck About the House" changing to "The Irish Washerwoman"
Ditto the Cumberland Square Eight changing to the jig "Athol Highlander's" for the last time through
# Posted on February 16th 2010 by Alancorsini
Re: 3 part sets in 3 different times...?
cullybacky by lunasa, mazurca to jig to reel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03t0AFPvt_M
# Posted on July 4th 2010 by banjitar