The Session: Tunes - The Sweeper's Tune (waltz)

The Lovely Sweeper's Tune

Presumably written by Paul Dooley, this tune can be found on his Rip the Calico CD. It was Anastassia Papisova's (Meldis, http://www.meldis-harp.ru/) performance when I first heard it... and fell in love with this waltz eventually Meldis comments: "The sweeper that he's dedicated such a lovely tune to, must have been his true friend!" Apart from harp, from my experience, it goes very well with my tinwhistle and piano ;) Still, a bit of effort for whistlers is needed for this tune to sound sweet and airy. The second part is somewhat heavy, but easily embellished, thus, adding some variations will make it perfect!

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by Bregolas

Corections by ceolachan

And here's the notation that ceolachan thinks to be more correct... Still these 1/16 "triplets" shall be separated as I understand, though I may be wrong ;)

d- de |: f>d e/f/B df | a2 fd fd | e>c d/e/d cB | AF Ac de |
fe dB df | a2 fd fd | e>c d/e/d cB |1 B4 fg :|2 B4 de ||
|: fd AA df | ed cc dc | Bc dc de | de ff ed |
f>d e/f/A df | ed cc dc | B>c d/e/f ed|1 B4 de :|2 B2- B2- B2||

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by Bregolas

Uh oh, I've been fingered... I'm waiting for the audio file so I can see what it is that Bregolas has, which may not be 3/4 at all, or may just be a matter or staccato or some other affect in the tune... It is possible that the whole tune might be swung more like a mazurka, in which case, using bar 1 as an example, it might read:

f>d (3efB d>f | ~ or something along that order.

Begolas is going to forward an audio of it to me and I'll be back with more once I've actually had a chance to hear it. In the meantime, we didn't have enough of a head start to beat the sheetmusic and midi forming... I love a mystery.

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

Triplets and whatever

Well, since it was my first ABC and first waltz I've transcripted I was writing it more or less intuitively ;) And of course I used sound in ABC editor. My version fits the tune's measure exactly - er, well, still in my editor it's played abit slower and clearer - strange =) The problem is, I tried triplets before [(3etc] - they didn't fit at all. I've mailed you with the Tune finally, waiting for your reply.

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by Bregolas

Paul Dooley

http://pauldooley.com/

About
http://pauldooley.com/about/index.html

"Paul Dooley is one of the very few Irish people who play the Irish harp in its historical form and style - using a metal-strung harp, playing with the fingernails and damping unwanted string resonance with the fingertips. ~ "

Albums
http://pauldooley.com/albums/index.html

Rip the Calico
http://pauldooley.com/albums/Rip_the_Calico.html

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

"The Sweeper's Tune" ~ I still haven't heard it ~

I've gone over this and tried removing anything that might have been meant to be an embellishment rather than being integral to the melody, so simplifying the transcription to bare bones. Normally embellishments, unless chordal, which could be the case for this harp tune, would be between brackets so: { ~ }...

Anyway, maybe this will make more sense?

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

Hey Bregolas, I'm hoping you bothered to 'ask' the composer if it was O.K. to offer up his composition here in a public space? If not it might be a good idea, though after the fact, to let him know you have done so, as a basic courtesy...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

"The Sweeper's Tune" ~ swung

K: b minor
d>e |:
f2 (3def (3Bdf | a2 f>d f>d | e2 (3cde (3dcB | A>F A>c d>e |
f>e d>B d>f | a2 f>d f>d | e2 (3cde (3dcB |1 B4 f>g :|
2 B4 d>e ||
|: f>d A>A d>f | e>d c>c d>c | B>c d>c d>e | d>e f>f e>d |
f2 (3def (3Adf | e>d c>c d>c | B2 (3cde (3fed |1 B4 d>e :|
2 B4 ||

Mind you, there is also the possibility of rhythms like this within the triplet: (3c>de...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

!!!

Aahahah))! You got really curious - but please STOP torturing the tune until you hear it (you should hear it soon, my goodness!)
No, both variants are awful ;)

now, here's a PLAIN VARIANT OF TUNE
I've just eliminated "triplets", that's all.

X: 1
T: Sweeper's Tune, The
M: 3/4
L: 1/8
R: waltz
K: Bmin
d- de |:fd fB df | a2 fd fd | ec ed cB | AF Ac de |
fe dB df | a2 fd fd | ec ed cB |1 B4 fg :|2 B4 de ||
|: fd AA df | ed cc dc | Bc dc de | de ff ed |
fd fA df | ed cc dc | Bc ef ed|1 B4 de :|2 B2-B2-B2 ||

that seems to be a true waltz, but not so sweet as embellished one ;)

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by Bregolas

Paul Dooley

I've been friends with Paul for a few years. He is the nicest person you'd come across in this world and a very lovely fiddler too. Around this time last year I visited West Clare just for a few tunes with Paul and Christy Barry, and found both of them away for a holiday. It was a shame, but I'm sure to see them again next year or so.

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by slainte

Mail to Paul

I've sent a mail to Paul, I hope he'll have a look at our discussion and answer it before we compose our version of his tune n our own )

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by Bregolas

I thought you didn't like name-dropping, Slainte :-)

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by Dow

That's not name dropping, they're just good buddies... ;-)

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

Hey Bregolas, good kick... You have to add the nose, a hyphen, for the magic of smilie... In other words, with the wink ~
; + - + )

I only know a couple of them myself, or maybe the big 'J' just doesn't allow the less kind ones, like the sneer that Dow is always trying to do... :-/ ~ at least I think it's a sneer...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

Damn, it worked...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

Smilies)?

Haa! I used to be Smiloved (hmm, smiles-manager, smiles-master, smiles-admin - how to translate it?) of our local forum :-P
So I'll find out them soon (whilst some flood is needed for that matter ;-) ) But can you tell at last what your
~
and
~ 'c'
mean =)? "roll on high C" :-D

Be sure to post your version of tune with embellishments after you hear it ;)!

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by Bregolas

Well, I'm not against name-dropping per se, but often find it weird when some people talk about relatively well-known musicians as if they were friends. I've learned some of my favourite tunes and good manners from Paul in person, and we know each other.

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by slainte

WOW! ~ You're my first ever 'smilies management type'... I didn't even know there was such a moniker...
:-| ~ back to the espresso... I shall return...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

Sorry Hiro, didn't expect you back so soon. Don't let Dow wind you up, he's multi-tasking there, seeing how many windups he can have on a go all at once... And you swore to me he just a sweet and quiet sort... You've always got to watch those sorts...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

It's not a WALTZ and it isn't in 3/4 ~ sorry...

It's not a WALTZ and it isn't in 3/4... Is there and echo, echo??

I did say I'd return... I'll be back with a transcription later, maybe it needs to go elsewhere though... But hey, it can make a passable waltz too, not bad, if you set your biases aside ~ listening to it as Paul plays it, which is lovely...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

Paul calling it a 'tune' should have been the hint. It would fit well with the planxty type of tunes...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

There is a way to fit it and transcribe it to a fast 3/4... It's a nice tune...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

To be or not to be

Well, Meldis called it waltz and it really fits it best amongst all the sort of tunes (not too many;) I know. What do you mean by Planxty type?! Planxty can be from Air to Reel... at least Carolan's works are denoted here in various manners;)
There is a way... and I've just demonstrated it - isn't it ;-) ?
Well, my goodness, when you'll try ABC variations first listen to what you finally get ;) My var fits the tempo (in y Editor) *exactly*
Hihi, I'll ask our local Ceili dancers to try waltzing while I play this some day for sure :-P

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by Bregolas

Come on, I'm already starving to see your version 8-)

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by Bregolas

"The Sweeper's Tune" ~ forced into a waltz

This isn't right, as the smallest phrase is the equivalent of two of these measure, close to as you barred it above... Both are wrong, but here it is forced into a waltz ~

M: 3/4
L: 1/8
R: waltz
K: b minor
d4 e2 |:
f3 e f2 | B2 d2 f2 | a4 f2 | d3 f d2 | e2 cd e2 | d2 c2 B2 | A3 F A2 | c2 d2 e2 |
f4 f2 | B2 d2 f2 | a4 f2 | d3 f d2 | e2 cd e2 | d3 c B2 | B6 |1 B4 fg :|2 B2 cd e2 ||
|: f3 d A2 | A3 d f2 | e3 d c2 | c3 d c2 | B3 c d2 | c3 d e2 | d3 e f2 | f3 e d2 |
f2 de f2 | A3 d f2 | e3 d c2 | c2 d2 c2 | B2 cd e2 | f2 e2 d2 | B6 |1 B3 d e2 :|2 B2 ef g2 ||

There are several variations for bars that are not given above, and as said, I don't consider the tune to be a waltz... A musician has several options and choices for varying this air, but classic with some of the above bars, and also used in the recording, are measures that can be taken straight or with the lead hesitation, as examples, measure four both ways:

| d2 f2 e2 | ~ or ~ | d3 f e2 |

The places where this option is open include ~
Part-A bars 1, 4, 7, 12, 14;
Part-B bars 1 - 8, 10, 11, and the first ending (16)...

The slowed down lead-in is just the affect of accellerando, musician's perogative and not unusual, starting slow and reaching tempo in measure 1... I'll ask Jeremy to see whether I can post what is most likely the intention as a seperate entry, but I hope we'll hear from Paul Dooley first. I'll copy the content here in case it's a yes and things need moving...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

With Paul's approval...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

Finally!..

Great work =) agreed)
Slowed-down lead-in is truly quite a usual thing, but I wanted it to be exactly like Paul's ;)
OK, if it's not 3/4 at all, what would it be ;)?

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by Bregolas

6/8 ~ which, on reflection, if I'd seen your submission and played it outside of this category ~ 'waltz' and 3/4, it would be pretty much right on. You did a damned good job in 3/4, really, and I can't stop laughing... It actually sounds just about right. I love it, it's a kick... But however you slice it, it is a really sweet air... I just hope Paul comes here to give us hell, or to laugh with us...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

Hey, try to forget Paul's lovely playing, I know, hard, it is nice, but just set it aside, and then get to grips with simple waltz take on it I first gave above, before the daft swung version. Here it is with just some slight changes to make it more regimentally a waltz, with some fiddling, like that extended lead-in:

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

One way or another, after I hear from Paul and Jeremy I'll post the 6/8 version, with some of Paul's variations too...

# Posted on July 6th 2006 by ceolachan

Bregoglas, don't listen to ceolachan. He can't tell the difference between jigs and slip jigs. Something like this is way over his head :-)

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by Dow

Listening to the midi file it sounds like a straightforward 6/4 tune to me.

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by Dow

I haven't heard the sound file you sent to ceolachan, but this is how I would transcribe what I hear on your midi file.

X: 1
T: Sweeper's Tune, The
M: 6/4
L: 1/8
R: six-four
K: Bmin
d4e2|:f3def B2d2f2|a4f2 d2f2d2|e3cde d2c2B2|A2F2A2 c2d2e2|
f2e2d2 B2d2f2|a4f2 d2f2d2|e3cde d2c2B2|1 B8 f2g2:|2 B8 d2e2||
|:f2d2A2 A2d2f2|e2d2c2 c2d2c2|B2c2d2 c2d2e2|d2e2f2 f2e2d2|
f3def A2d2f2|e2d2c2 c2d2c2|B3cde f2e2d2|1 B8 d2e2:|2 B8 f2g2||

And you could write it in 6/8 if you wanted.

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by Dow

The 9/4 tunes I love and cherish are like "slip" versions of this tune you've submitted.

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by Dow

Sweeper's tune by Meldis

Ok, it's always good to hear another performance of tune not to be too biassed ;) esp. with percussion.
http://file007.mylivepage.com/chunk7/74973/89/A.Papisova%2009.04.06%20�1%20-%20Sweeper_s%20Tune.mp3
that's marvellous as well but more straightforward ;)
Tell me if the link works.
To me it's 6/8 (sounds again like 3 grouped 1/8s like in a jig) - but that's the version of notes you critisized in the beginning :-P

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by Bregolas

Bregolas, that's because you put it here under WALTZ! It should have clicked, but you kept calling it a waltz, which it ain't, but anyway, you could monkey it around to waltz to it, but I like the 6/8 swing much better, well, I like them both.

BUT ~ AND YOU TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY ~ YOU GOT ME WALTZING ALL OVER THE HOUSE SINGING AN OLD FAVOURITE ~ sorry, I didn't realize I was shouting, I mean, just because you're Russian and a thousand miles away is no reason to shout is it? Anyway, what follows is on your shoulders. You started this, and you asked what sort of music I like, well, keep watching this space...

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

Yee Ha! ~ Dow is among us. Yes, 6/4 works nicely... :-) I'll be back later if I can find where my 6/8 transcription went... The computer was being particularly aggravatin' last night...

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

Paul's playing, from the bit I was able to listen to, moves from around 86 beats per minute up to 96 bpm...a good clip...

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

^________^

Calm down, friend, ahaha, I didn't mean you were wrong at all and I understand I was damn untrue about waltzing %)))) Still, you could destroy my waltz theory from the beginning and call it a jig or whatever :-O
8 :o)
just kidding.
Now, it would be ages before Paul reads his official email I'm afraid ;) if he will)) Maybe slainte knows his private box and can let him know about this mess instead ;)? just by giving a link to our dicussion... We say, laughter makes life longer. I'm pretty sure Paul will live longer than any of us after reading this topic ))

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by Bregolas

Take your valium Bregolas, calm down, go out and shoot some rabbits with your Kalashnakoff, you're not supposed to be here anyway, there's no way I was upset, but wind-up, well, if you see Dow and me in the same thread, worry. I need you elsewhere, where the real waltz is...and it has Russian heritage!!! ~ or so I was lead to believe, but someone might have been winding me up. Anyway, as that's closer to home for you, after you've turned rabbits into mince, see what you can contribute over here:

http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/5942

I did it for you ~ or at least I'm placing the blame firmly with you... ;-)

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

Hey, I wonder if you could beat Kalashnakoff's into whistles? Wouldn't that be too cool. Someone approaches you and asks, "Interesting whistle, where'd you get that?" And you answer, "It was a Kalashnakoff in a previous life." ~ No? not funny? Well, I suppose that's why no one has hired me for standup...

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

>>Well, I suppose that's why no one has hired me for standup...

Does the global warming in England drives pplz there THAT crazy ))? Or just "winded-up" %-)?

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by Bregolas

Good news, "c".
Kalashinkovs with stamped metal receivers *can* be beaten into whistles, at least the receivers can.
Start your collection! :-)

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by joesmith

Laitch, I thought we'd lost you. I'mwondering about making a low D out of one, or a few high whistles, cutting it into sections? ~ and not having to do too much hammering... I wonder what the rifling of the bore would do to the tone? I expect I'd need to clean it really good. I am not particularly fond of the taste of gunpowder residue. (Don't ask...) I'd like to preserve the identifying stamp on the barrel too. Hmmm, I wonder if Bergolas can get me some barrels? I expect they'd be heavy whistles, maybe requiring some kind or external support like for a cello?

Oh Laitch, just remembered, sorry about the recent Klezmer / Russian tune, Bergolas made me do that. I am doing a good job of ballancing it all out with a large number of Irish contributions, though a fair amount of that's been happening in the 'comments'... ;-)

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

Hey, "c".

Working with the barrel will be complicated because you'll need to machine the rifling out of the bore, but at the same time you'll be able to widen the bore and that'll lighten it up.

Flattening the receiver on an anvil with a four pound drilling hammer can be done without machine tools and may be appealing because it's so scripturally correct. You can carve the fipple out of the stock and you'll be good to go. It'll might be pitched upwards of G because your final product will be limited by the receiver's length.

Nice of you to apologize for the latest submission, "c". but there's really no need. I understand that sometimes you're just a helpless pawn. :-) Besides, this makes a fine world music site.

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by joesmith

Damn Laitch, I'm impresed, can you use an apprentice with some instrument making and repair experience? ;-)

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

And is that "roaring brook" a good place for ticklin' trout? ~ mmm, mmm, good...

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

I'm trying to resist Dow's challenge, expecting he may jump at it himself, making a hop jig or slip jig out of this one would be child's play Mark...

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

The Kalashnikov project is all yours, "c". You're a natural for it. As for the brook, at this elevation
it's got plenty of brookies.

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by joesmith

Nice, we can mix some fishing and cooking with music, and you can show me how to break down a Kalashnikov. I'll make at least two whistles and you can have one of the finished products, the better example, only fair... Of course if the wife is around she might grimace. I have had a weakness for giving things away in the past, but a Kalashnikov whislte, I think that would be O.K... Any wild berries up your way, like the hairy black currant? Loads of wild mushrooms I'm sure...wild ginger too... I am definitely building an appetite. Any good micro breweries around there?

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

I used to be a damned good shot, but one's eyesight does not tend to improve with age... ;-)

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

No AK's up here, "c". We buy domestic.

No currants. Plenty of blackberries and raspberries though, and some wild blueberries at around 3000 ft too.

Rock Art and Trout River Breweries for the best bottled beer. The Alchemist Brewery and Pub for their excellent beer, brewed in their cellar, especially Sterk Wit, best witbier imaginable. They don't sell any of it bottled.

Failing eyesight? That's one of the reasons for scopes, or LASIK, ''c". :-)

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by joesmith

I quite like Wheaten, that's what they used to give me for breakies in the Bien, Bavaria ~ goes great with a 'full German'...
They have the 'full English beat'! ~ better sausages...

# Posted on July 7th 2006 by ceolachan

You can find Paul's beautiful setting of Patsy Touhy's Reel here: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1087/comments#comment74811

# Posted on July 10th 2006 by slainte

I finally listened to the mp3 of this tune. What's all the fuss about? It's a jig!

# Posted on July 12th 2006 by Dow

Duh!? :-/

# Posted on July 12th 2006 by ceolachan

I know, I haven't come back here with the transcript yet. As I said, I've misplaced it someplace. I'll be back... :-|

# Posted on July 12th 2006 by ceolachan

Like, duh?! :-)

# Posted on July 12th 2006 by Dow

Duh)

Well, I finally came to a conclusion that it sounds best as a jig as well while playing it on summer holidays )

# Posted on November 5th 2006 by Bregolas