Had a discussion last night and the comment was made comparing waltzes and marches and mazurkas at sessions to songs at a session. I don't necessarily agree but they, like songs, are a complete departure from the usual jigs and reels, they aren't played at every session and they usually aren't joined in by everyone playing that night.
Do they show up frequently at your seesions? Seems like we get a few most evenings about halfway through the session. Personally, I like the change of pace.
A session without waltzs, mazurkas, marches, highlands, barndances, flings, polkas of all types and single reels is like dipping your toe in the ocean when you should be diving in full-bloodedly!
I don't mind songs if they're sung well but the really loud people who belt out crap like the Wild Rover and take themselves seriously - they're the worst; eg if it's a tune session and people are trying to play with eachother and a guitarist who can't accompany music is sitting their singing after every other tune. No offence to anyone.
Mazurkas, waltzes, marches and polkas very refreshing and healthy from backer's point of view. I like backing jigs and reels, but my favourite are marches and polkas.
Mazurkas also increase my patriotic feeling of self importance
I know it's not an asnwer to your question, Ken, sorry.
Sorry, Fiddlemethis. I hadn't noticed your discussion before I started my latest one. There are some similarities.
The answer to your question is "Yes" in many cases. However, we have many different types of arrangements in Scotland including "full blown Irish sessions" which are predominantly reels with a few jigs.
I like them all. My normal session is probably split evenly between reels and jigs, with at least a set or two of hornpipes and polkas during the evening. We also have a scattering of waltzes, aires and songs. And an occasional mazurka or two. Once in a while a march. Not too many slip jigs, slides or highlands/strathspeys. Other sessions in this area are more reel oriented, and one session has set dancers once a month or so, and it is polka, polka, polka!
I like playing marches and straths, but the only tune in those categories regularly played is "Battle of Aughrim." Great, geat tune, but people usually play it as a funereal dirge, not a march (A la Leo rowsome.) Every time I've attempted any other marches, I'm soloing.
I'm sure yr aware, Janek, that the original Mazurka was so complicated that it had to be dumbed down considerably for the rest of the world. Apparently the only people that could do it correctly were military guys (under orders, presumably).
Does that do anything for yr patriotic feeling of self importance?
Pooh, Baah, Humbug! Strathspeys indeed! Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha! Sure, you must know that it's only the Scots who can really play them there Strathspeys! For you 'must' have Haggis in yer belly, Heather in yer hair, Grouse in yer veins & good clean Highland H2O in yer lungs to be fit for those babies!
Owell, I know - I've learnt to dance mazurka for several years now and its more than complicated. It used to be a ballroom dance for young nobility. It was popular among the military officers in the 19th century because they spent most of their time in ballrooms (officers, obviously, not point guards), where they could practice their full. Also, most young nobility were military officers, so it kind of explains itself.
It's kind of nice though that there are some traces of Polish traditional culture to be found in Ireland (obviously, not much similarity anymore apart from the name, but still).
I really like the dotted 2/4 Scottish pipe marches, usually in four parts.They were originally limited to the Highland bagpipe scale, but accordionists, e.g., compose and play this type of tune with a wider range of notes. "Donald McLean's Farewell To Oban", "Dougal McDougal of Alturlie", "Major Manson" and "The Wee Man From Skye" are examples. Trouble is, pipe marches tend to be named after majors, worthies or army units whose names are easy to forget or mix up (or, they serve to keep the memory green, looked at another way). I don't know if these tunes have ever crossed over into the ITM repertoire - I certainly never hear them in sessions unless I have a go. They're naturals on the piano accordion, and work on the DG melodeon with practice.
Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
Had a discussion last night and the comment was made comparing waltzes and marches and mazurkas at sessions to songs at a session. I don't necessarily agree but they, like songs, are a complete departure from the usual jigs and reels, they aren't played at every session and they usually aren't joined in by everyone playing that night.
Do they show up frequently at your seesions? Seems like we get a few most evenings about halfway through the session. Personally, I like the change of pace.
Ken
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by RogueFiddler
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
A session without waltzs, mazurkas, marches, highlands, barndances, flings, polkas of all types and single reels is like dipping your toe in the ocean when you should be diving in full-bloodedly!
Jim
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by skerries
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
I don't mind songs if they're sung well but the really loud people who belt out crap like the Wild Rover and take themselves seriously - they're the worst; eg if it's a tune session and people are trying to play with eachother and a guitarist who can't accompany music is sitting their singing after every other tune. No offence to anyone.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by ecidralla
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
Nothing like a good polka.
Mazurkas, waltzes, marches and polkas very refreshing and healthy from backer's point of view. I like backing jigs and reels, but my favourite are marches and polkas.
Mazurkas also increase my patriotic feeling of self importance
I know it's not an asnwer to your question, Ken, sorry.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by EastPole
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
Sorry, Fiddlemethis. I hadn't noticed your discussion before I started my latest one. There are some similarities.
The answer to your question is "Yes" in many cases. However, we have many different types of arrangements in Scotland including "full blown Irish sessions" which are predominantly reels with a few jigs.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by Johannes J
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
I like them all. My normal session is probably split evenly between reels and jigs, with at least a set or two of hornpipes and polkas during the evening. We also have a scattering of waltzes, aires and songs. And an occasional mazurka or two. Once in a while a march. Not too many slip jigs, slides or highlands/strathspeys. Other sessions in this area are more reel oriented, and one session has set dancers once a month or so, and it is polka, polka, polka!
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by AlBrown
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
I like playing marches and straths, but the only tune in those categories regularly played is "Battle of Aughrim." Great, geat tune, but people usually play it as a funereal dirge, not a march (A la Leo rowsome.) Every time I've attempted any other marches, I'm soloing.
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by wormdiet
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
More variety! More songs!
I love strathspeys.
We don't play enough marches, mazurkas, strathspeys for me, nor hear enough songs, for me.
Thx!
stv
http://cdbaby.com/Culchies
# Posted on November 4th 2005 by stv culchie
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
I'm sure yr aware, Janek, that the original Mazurka was so complicated that it had to be dumbed down considerably for the rest of the world. Apparently the only people that could do it correctly were military guys (under orders, presumably).
Does that do anything for yr patriotic feeling of self importance?
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Owell Mabee
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
D'oh. I mean Mazurka: the Dance
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Owell Mabee
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
Pooh, Baah, Humbug! Strathspeys indeed! Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha! Sure, you must know that it's only the Scots who can really play them there Strathspeys! For you 'must' have Haggis in yer belly, Heather in yer hair, Grouse in yer veins & good clean Highland H2O in yer lungs to be fit for those babies!
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
Oddly enough, sometimes halfway through the session everyone starts breaking out in hornpipe after hornpiope.
But I agree with whoever said it-polkas are incredibly fun to accompany once you get the hang of it.
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by Zazzaliss
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
Owell, I know - I've learnt to dance mazurka for several years now and its more than complicated. It used to be a ballroom dance for young nobility. It was popular among the military officers in the 19th century because they spent most of their time in ballrooms (officers, obviously, not point guards), where they could practice their full. Also, most young nobility were military officers, so it kind of explains itself.
It's kind of nice though that there are some traces of Polish traditional culture to be found in Ireland (obviously, not much similarity anymore apart from the name, but still).
# Posted on November 5th 2005 by EastPole
Re: Waltzes, marches and mazurkas
I really like the dotted 2/4 Scottish pipe marches, usually in four parts.They were originally limited to the Highland bagpipe scale, but accordionists, e.g., compose and play this type of tune with a wider range of notes. "Donald McLean's Farewell To Oban", "Dougal McDougal of Alturlie", "Major Manson" and "The Wee Man From Skye" are examples. Trouble is, pipe marches tend to be named after majors, worthies or army units whose names are easy to forget or mix up (or, they serve to keep the memory green, looked at another way). I don't know if these tunes have ever crossed over into the ITM repertoire - I certainly never hear them in sessions unless I have a go. They're naturals on the piano accordion, and work on the DG melodeon with practice.
# Posted on July 30th 2006 by nicholas