The Session: Tunes - Neppendorfer Laendler (mazurka)

Neppendorfer Ländler ~ my take on it

Hey, come on, the footie is in Germany for the next few weeks, and we've got some Germans and German-Irish on site here, and one of my grandads was German ~ and then some. So, I thought I'd try another German dance tune, especially for Vanessa Die Deutsche Flöte.

This time it's a Ländler, which some folks claim is the root to all waltzes and related forms. Me, I still like the one placing it in the mountains in the East of Europe possessed by half a dozen different countries... The last time I tried submitting some zweifacher, that mix of waltz and polka, they went "POOF!" There were two simple ones, and we did mix them into a largely Celtic selection of music. But I know that certain visiting Comhaltas dignitaries were appalled that we played anything that wasn't what they considered 'official' Irish, but I'm not going to open that wound again. ;-) But ~ here is another attempt at offering up something to go with a 3 litre stein of Bavarian beer and a plate full of sausages and meat and sauerkraut ~ mmm, mmmm!!! Hey, it's the world cup... Show a little spirit... I'm rooting for Tonga & Tobago...

# Posted on June 12th 2006 by ceolachan

Neppendorfer Ländler ~ simplified on the parallel ~

# Posted on June 12th 2006 by ceolachan

I know, it's not the Ländler thing to do, but I like to throw in the occassional 'snap'. Some German's I've heard play them pretty much flat, like Americans with hornpipes. I like it swung...mostly... ;-)

# Posted on June 12th 2006 by ceolachan

I'd rather have listened to mgill's latest posts read aloud to me in a recorded loop during my lunch
than have stumbled over this tune on a site for Irish dance music. Too late now, though. :-)

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by joesmith

Let's see, there's all those Balkan things floating about, and there's the Scandinavian, and of course there's the Canadian and American tunes, and French, and Breton, and a few Galician ~ and not forgetting the 'compositions' from hell... No, musn't speak the name of the beast. So, this one little German offering and you'd prefer loops. Don't tell me, the only thing Irish is a 'reel', well, I've bad news for you there too...

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

You Americans ~ over here we're in football fury mode, the World Cup, and it is in Germany. Football here doesn't require folks to dress up in armour plating. It is more art than braun. We don't have anyone called 'The Refrigerator'. Oh yeah, you call it soccer. Anyway, in the spirit of the moment, the next few intensive weeks, and for a certain German flautist, I sought something German, but with a close affinity to say IRISH mazurkas, and this little number fit the bill. Now if we were to consider all things that the great masters of Irish music dabbled in, well, we'd have to start adding all those jazz pieces and dance band thingamajigs... Now that really would send you up the twist wouldn't it... ;-)

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

Heh.

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by joesmith

Your righteousness doesn't change my opinion of your submission, C.
Your response to it reads like a "Don't you know who I am and what I know . . .?" My opinion, whether positive or negative, was solicited by Jeremy's instructions in the "Post a comment:" section, and you've got it, regardless of your peculiar need to drag American football into your post.

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by joesmith

Hey 'c' what a nice tune. Thanks for this one! By the way 'c', I told you you should lose that accent. You go around speaking like that and people might think you're another Laitch. *Evil sneer* :-}

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by Dow

You keep doing that, Dow,
and your face may freeze up that way. *stern look*

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by joesmith

Heh.

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by Dow

Celebrate!

Hmmmm, I take it that "Heh" is the other side of a sneer? Sorry if I came off as 'righteous', but maybe that is the way you see the world, sorry if I got in the way of any ideals you hold. The joy of this site is that I'm really a nobody. I've had a few lucky breaks in life with regards to music, some kind of magic I sometimes feel is out of my control. And no, I don't struggle to possess it or to dominate it or to rule over it like some demigod, hardly.

It wasn't your opinion that lead to my comment. This submission was a gift to someone, not you. There are a load or tunes on site here I don't like, some I downright find pretty awful, either the tune or the way it was notated, and if we go there, well, there are some awful versions of even old standards. That said, I'd lose a lot of time and sleep if I commented on every contribution I disagreed with. The most I do is to mention if there is a duplication, or, if I know another take on it, not to trash it, even with a smiley... Hopefully I don't slip up too much on that general approach. I'm just glad someone has made the effort to participate in the music, digitally or otherwise.

Sometimes, usually on the sly, meaning that I contact them quietly through the site, I'll offer help with the ABC's, or, usually, I'll suggest they ask for it from the rest of us, myself included, and I confess to them I have my quirky ways with it, but if they'd like me to review their ABC's ~ well, whatever the tune, I'm willing.

It seems sad that of all the positive contributions you could make on site here, you decide to spend time here ~ possibly the only German contribution on site, and then having been subjected to an Irish slant on it. Yeah, alright, you don't consider mazurkas and the like to be Irish, that's O.K., that might be your bag. It isn't new to me. I've been there too many times, like sitting with some old farts in a pub in Donegal playing a load of unusual tunes and some smart ass 'tourist', from wherever, saying that barndances and the like aren't Irish.

If we purged dear Eire of all foreign influence there wouldn't be any Irish musiic or dance... Hell, the Celts are incomers. Part of my appreciation of those 'old farts', and a lot of the young ones too, also 'farts', is how appreciative and respectful they are of the music of others, and how ready they are to sample it, more so than more insular folk who would strangle the life out of the music in an effort to dogmatize it...to restrict it.

As said, maybe the only German content here, along with a slew from Spain, France, Italy and the like... In part it shows how much we've shared over our history. To kick back and try something different, maybe a tune or two or three out of a slew of the 'officially sanctioned', hell, what harm is that. I guess that means stepping outside the narrow confines we might like to believe in for our own comfort? ~ it might mean confirming a larger world? I don't consder that a threat to anyone or anything, I, like so many of those fine musicians I've been lucky enough to share time with ~ consider it a celebration...

But I in no way want to rob you of your take on things. So you don't like the tune, or the submission, or the submitter, O.K. I've been disliked before and I've been called some awful things, sling away ~ BUT ~ please, please, don't go through the whole site commenting on every damn thing you dislike tunewise, please? I can't stop you, you may be obsessed or posessed, but I don't see much 'good' in it for anyone...

So Dow, is that sufficient for a an Ozzy? ;-)

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

Damn, sorry man, I didn't understand, you are possessed ~

http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/10335

I guess in your eyes all that disagree are self-righteous?

Maybe a shot of a good Scotch would do the trick, oops!, I goofed again, I meant to say Powers or Jameson, my old tipple being Crested Ten, with a pint of stout on the side of course, and plastic glasses so they can't be broken and used to cut anything...

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

That's quite a speech there, c... now if you could only do something about that damned dotted rhythm you're so smitten with.

dink---ee-dink---ee-dink—-ee-dink

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by Phantom Button

Oops...

Forgot the smiley ;-)

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by Phantom Button

Neppendorfer video

http://videos.dancilla.com/m/v/at/bag/001/Clip511.wmv

BTW Neppendorf seems to be a village in Romania with German speaking population (18th century emigration)

As Romania is not part of the Championship I do not see why this tune is connected to soccer....

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by swisspiper

Hey 'swisspiper', it is a lovely part of the world I hope to someday visit. Despite their not qualifying, I be they all watch their teles religiously during the matches. After all, we're all mates, they are a member of the European union. At least it wasn't a Vlachi melody I contributed... The tune is played, amongst those so inclined, in the 'homeland' as well...

I keep doing the swing just to wind you up 'button'...

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

Hey phantom lad, you haven't seen the other speech yet, you in bed and all and soundly asleep, and there's the tale with you that preceeds it...

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

Danke!

Oh yes, thanks swisspiper, tons, I used to dance this. I am smiling ear to ear and all goosebumps all over. You know how they vary the tempo in the video, well, the Irish dance musicians used to tease similarly in some of the dances...

They have a nice take on the melody. I'll have to see about transcribing it they way they play it...

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

Neppendorfer Ländler ~ from the video ~

Alright 'button', as you like it, and as they play it, without a pronounced swing to it. But hey, it had been ages since I'd heard this one, but I do remember and still hear that 'pols' way about it, the emphasis on the first and third beat, and I would still swing and snap some of it, but that's me under the dominant influence of Irish music (now there's a windup if ever I saw one ~ may I have this dance?) ~

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

Hey Swiss, I also dance the Zillertaller too... :-)

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

German, Italian, French ~ or all of the above?

So Swiss, which area of Switzerland ~ German, Italian or French? (Apologies for leaving out the 'others'...) I'll have to owe you one, maybe a transcription or two from either a piper or a flautist...Irish, of course, to make up for this sidetrip...

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

"Volksmusik und Volkstanz im Alpenland" ~ great site, a hoot ~

http://www.volksmusik.cc/
Neppendorfer Ländler ~ & midi
http://www.volksmusik.cc/volkstanz/neppendorferlandler_n.htm

There are a load of different 'folkdance' tunes here, and some great MP3s scattered throughout. I only wish I had a hand on German... You may not like everything, but it seems there's quite a choice, including some relatives to things 'Irish', such as a take on the "7-Step", "Siebenschritt":

http://www.volksmusik.cc/volkstanz/siebenschritt.htm

And a few other familiars...

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

Lucy Farr's ~ also known as ~

The 7-Step, German, The German Schottische, The German, The Seven Step Polka, The Seven Step Schottische, The Seven Step, Seven Steps, The Seven-Steps, Siebenschritt, The Spanish Schottische, The Ulster 7-Step, The Ulster Seven Step.

This tune has been added to 43 tunebooks.

Submitted on January 8th 2003 by Bannerman.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1307

# Posted on June 13th 2006 by ceolachan

German, Italian, French ~ or all of the above?

ceolachan,
if you think you own me one , have a look at my requests ;-) )

I'm from the eastern part of Switzerland, where 75% is speaking a kind of German and the rest anything else like Italian, Albanian, Turkish even English...

The most common Volksmusik here has some similarity with Kerry music, lots of Polkas, but also Schottische Waltz and Ländler. The sound is dominated nowadays by any kinds of accordions and clarinet. Some areas have IMHO nicer styles with fiddles, hammered dulcimer and bass. Some good music can be found here:
http://www.folkmusic.ch/
A few bands have found old tunes and songs which are more interesting, most are modal and have old time instruments like the swiss bag pipe, hurdy-gurdy, bouzouki ;.))
http://www.doppel-bock.ch/
http://www.tritonus.ch/

# Posted on June 14th 2006 by swisspiper

Neppendorfer Ländler ~ from the video ~

BTW I think the video was made in Austria...

# Posted on June 14th 2006 by swisspiper

Damn, you read the credits at the end... You still haven't given me your general lingua... Again, thanks, and from the person this tune was contributed for too, and her hubby...

# Posted on June 14th 2006 by ceolachan

Duh! I just had to look up... :-\

# Posted on June 14th 2006 by ceolachan

WOW! ~ Danke for the links... Send me your list

Damn Swiss, you won't believe this, but it is my favourite German... I used to tune into a Swiss German radio station, I mean, there was no doubting it and no problem distinguishing it from any part of Germany or Austria. It was very distinct. There was something about it that if I was to study German I'd want that slant on it. For some reason I really liked it, maybe my ancestors speaking to me from the past? ~ on my mother's side...

Not too far from you is also a pocket of Serbs or Croats, they had a tradition of small bands, three pieces mainly, which included a three string bass fiddle... They were in a high mountain valley, maybe northern Italy? But it has been too long since I traveled those byways. I was very fond of the Northern Italian wines that were never exported anywhere at the time, I don't doubt they continue to keep the best for themselves.

Send me your want list. I don't have all my resources at hand but I have some, and I have a few friends that I'm sure would be up to any challenge your wants might pose...

I had a flood of memories watching that video, wild. Only two people have ever managed to get me into leiderhosen, my mother when I was very, very young, and an old teacher, Gretel, who I miss and whose warm bossiness filled me as I watched and listened...with appreciation...

# Posted on June 14th 2006 by ceolachan

Your second link brought an immediate smile. I like the looks of both groups, obviously having fun with what they do. Maybe sometime we can escape there for our holidays and enjoy the music and dance. I'd like that. Again, valued contribution...

# Posted on June 14th 2006 by ceolachan

My language is Swiss German, variety highlands of Zürich :-)

The Swiss German which is as far away from German as ie Dutch is related to the dialects Southwest German. There are a lot of originally celtic words in it as our area was a celtic stronghold uo to the early middle ages, when the German language took over. The rythm, melody and some sounds are different to the northern and eastern German dialects. I personally think Irish sounds familiar to me, although I cannot understand it at all.

Dide, the leader of the "doppelbock" band, was the central figure in an Irtrad band called " Anac Cuain" in the seventies which started my interest in irish music.

C., if you want to listen to Swiss radio http://www.drs.ch/drs1.html

# Posted on June 15th 2006 by swisspiper

Thanks for the gift, ceolachan - hope it didn't get you into too much trouble.

# Posted on June 16th 2006 by vanessa

'Trouble' is my middle name... ;-)

# Posted on June 16th 2006 by ceolachan

Ceolachan - 'leiderhosen' made me smile. Is that what Freud would have called 'schadenfreude' - or just 'leidenfreude'?

# Posted on June 16th 2006 by granama

I thought it was 'singing socks'... ;-)

The real embarrasment, not the oranments and emboidery of those cut-off German bib-overalls, was the hat with the feather in it... Now, I loved "The Sound of Music", and even read with interest about the Von Trapps, and I'd probably enjoy one of those sing-along bashes ~ but, fashion wise, that ain't a statement I want to repeat anytime soon... What would that do for that machismo image I'm trying to preserve?

# Posted on June 16th 2006 by ceolachan

For those who don't speak that much German:
leiderhosen= regrettalby trousers, not leather trousers
Multiple freuian interpretations are possible. It would propose c. has some hidden tendancy to wear skirts - or is just the dream of being a highland piper in his kilts?

# Posted on June 17th 2006 by swisspiper

Uh oh, another memory... I did like the open breezes of the kilt, but it just isn't me. It was also embarrassing to have people trying to check whether or not I was wearing Y-fronts, boxers, or nothing at all...

And what about your freudian 'slip', eh?, dropping your D's again? And did you see the trouble you started with me hunting up 'Ronds' for you? By the way, for the future, I do have just a 'few' more... ;-)

# Posted on June 21st 2006 by ceolachan