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Category: Van der Aa

Ceci N’est Pas Une Valse

A great tune written by Pascale Rubens of Naragonia, which is in 3 time, but used to teach how many different styles of 3 time tune are possible in addition to the waltz. This version isn’t a waltz, isn’t quite a bourree, and is more of a slow march.

Melodeon.net’s tune of the month for March 2023, played on a Van der Aa Compact III in G/C.

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Carol of the Bells

A rather too ambitious attempt at transcribing this carol to melodeon; I’ve listened to a few versions, and come to the conclusion that after the 2 main themes, people just break off into wild improvisation. I don’t do wild, but here we go.

Melodeon.net theme of the month for December 2022.

For info, it was written by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1914.

Played on a Van der Aa Compact III in G/C

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Bohème Waltz

This is a really gorgeous waltz, as played by french duo Pauline Caplier and Sylvain Letourneau who play as Bohème. I had thought they called themselves La Bohème, and as such could be shoehorned under the ‘tunes that start with L’ theme at melodeon.net this month… but no! Going to have to find another tune that does! Don’t know the real name of this tune, but fairly confident it was written by Pauline and Sylvain – they play their own compositions mostly.

See the original on their lovely concert on their facebook page, about half way through. https://www.facebook.com/studiolaclaranbox/videos/234447080967024/

Played on a Van der Aa Compact III in G/C.

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Sheep May Safely Graze

Here’s a go at J S Bach’s lovely piece, Sheep May Safely Graze, as close as I can make it on melodeon. I’m playing the first couple of minutes of it only, roughly, since after then it changes key *lots* of times, and goes from being fairly difficult to downright impossible. Not many melodeon versions of this on youtube, for very good reasons.

Played on a Van der Aa Compact III melodeon in G/C, transposed down 3 semitones to being mostly in G rather the original key of Bb.

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Jamais Deux sans Toi

Always liked this tune; this month’s melodeon.net theme of ‘tunes with names that start with J’ gives me the perfect excuse. Written by Stephane Delicq, of course, and I learned this of Massimo Craveri’s fantastic video whose videos are about as perfect a demo of the tune as we could possibly hope for. Inaccuracies are mine, and not his. Haven’t spent long learning this tune yet (30 mins!) so I’m not fluent yet, but here’s where I’ve got to so far.

Played on a Van der Aa Compact III in G/C, but this will fit on a standard 2 row 8 bass like pretty much all of Stephane’s music.

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I Wonder as I Wander / Huron Carol

2 beautiful tunes from North America for Christmas; an appalachian carol written in 1933 by John Jacob Niles, and a canadian carol written 1642 by Jean de Brebouf.

Melodeon.net theme of the month tune for December 2021.

Played on a Van der Aa Compact III in G/C.

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Flatworld Mazurka

Melodeon.net’s tune of the month for December 2021 is once again Flatworld, the lovely waltz by Andy Cutting. Great tune, but it’s been tune of the month before in 2015, and I’m not sure I play it any different these days! So, here’s a reworking of it, slowed down as a mazurka. Playing more along with the chord sequence rather than being 100% faithful to the tune itself, though hopefully you can still hear something of the original in there.

Played on a Van der Aa Compact III in G/C

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Hellibore

Here’s a go at Naragonia’s schottische, Hellibore played on a G/C Van der Aa. Great schottische, written by Toon Van Mierlo – normally played in G minor, though I’m playing it in A minor here. Melodeon.net theme of the month for November 2021, tunes that start with ‘H’ of which this is a great example!

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Mary’s Waltz

A trad Cajun waltz learned many years ago from a fab guitar break by Ian Carr when he played in Kathryn Tickell’s band.

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Fai Ton Tra

A tune from the repertoire of Gaston Pouget played by Durif/Champeval on ’Dans les rochers du Viallaneix’ – thanks to Dave Shepherd for the info. Been playing it for years without knowing exactly where it came from, but it’s very much (and best as) a french fiddle tune. The Durif/Champeval CD is on Spotify by the way, and is *fantastic*.

Played for the Vaults Bar session 2021 on a Van der Aa Compact III in G/C.

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