Holiday busking revisited

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 11:31 am

On 2002-11-21 11:51, madguy wrote:
Lee, could you give a starting note for The Christmas Song, if it's playable on a whistle???

~Larry

Do you mean the one that goes "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire?" If so, you can start that one on D, jumping to octave D. Or, if you want a bit more freedom to dip below the bottom note, start on G, jumping to octave G.

Redwolf

madguy · Post by **madguy** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 1:15 pm

That's it, Redwolf! Thanks much!!!

~Larry

joey_schu · Post by **joey_schu** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 1:28 pm

One of my favorite Christmas tunes since I was tiny has been The Huron Carol. It's very haunting and beautiful. Would make a good slow air. I've seen it credited as a French and/or Native American melody. Anyone else know what song I'm talking about?

Joey

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 1:31 pm

I've editted my Cheat list above to add a few more carols. In addition to that

A'Soulin' is also a great song. I originally heard it from the folk singers, <a href=http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SI ... 2904>Peter, Paul, and Mary: In Concert</a>. My problem is that, at the time, I had a nice voice and could sing all three parts (Alto, Tenor, Baritone). The result is that I never figured out the real melody; I was always bounceing between the various parts. Lothlorien does a nice versions of it, <a href=http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/569/569457.html>"A Soaling"</a> on MP3.COM

Hope the update to the cheat sheet helps you move into a joyous holiday season and

madguy · Post by **madguy** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 1:40 pm

Lee, you are an amazing guy!!! I was thinking I was the only one here who ever heard of Peter, Paul, and Mary (Mommy)!

Your list of holiday tunes is invaluable!!

~Larry

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 2:00 pm

Larry,
In my teens and twenties, I did all of their songs (14 books, 12 albums). I usually had the guitar parts of both Peter and Paul memorized as well as all three singing parts. It made it nice to sit down with folks and let them sing or play which ever part they knew and I'd fill out the harmony. Simon and Garfunkle, and Lenard Cohen song where also heavy parts of our song list. This old gray hair misses much of the good things about those times. Of course, I would never go back because some of the ugliness was simply horrific.

Glad the Christmas Cheat sheet is helping you ...

madguy · Post by **madguy** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 2:07 pm

On 2002-11-21 15:00, LeeMarsh wrote:
Larry,
In my teens and twenties, I did all of their songs (14 books, 12 albums). I usually had the guitar parts of both Peter and Paul memorized as well as all three singing parts. It made it nice to sit down with folks and let them sing or play which ever part they knew and I'd fill out the harmony. Simon and Garfunkle, and Lenard Cohen song where also heavy parts of our song list. This old gray hair misses much of the good things about those times. Of course, I would never go back because some of the ugliness was simply horrific.

Glad the Christmas Cheat sheet is helping you ...

My friend, Simom and Garfunkel have long been favorites of mine... and Leonard Cohen???? I figured I'd only known of him through "underground" radio statiions... Susanne has long been one of my all-time favorite songs.

Thanks again for your help and reminisces!!!

~Larry

DanD · Post by **DanD** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 3:23 pm

On 2002-11-21 14:28, joey_schu wrote:
One of my favorite Christmas tunes since I was tiny has been The Huron Carol. It's very haunting and beautiful. Would make a good slow air. I've seen it credited as a French and/or Native American melody. Anyone else know what song I'm talking about?

Yes - great song! Our group plays it with Mtn. Dulcimer on melody, with guitar and bohdran accompaniment. (Nobody in our group sings, for which are audiences are very gratefull!!) My source says it was written in the Huron language by a French Jesuit priest in the 1700's.

[ This Message was edited by: DanD on 2002-11-21 16:24 ]

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 4:07 pm

I love Peter Paul and Mary! I got a chance to see them in concert about 10 years ago, and it was a wonderful experience.

Their version of "A Soalin'" is actually a couple of different wassailing songs wound together...the title song ("a soul, a soul, a soul cake..."), "Hey Ho, Nobody Home," and "Christmas is Comin'", which is what makes it both a challenge and a joy to sing. It's one arrangement I use in class to show the kids what I mean by "counter melody."

I don't know the Huron Carol...sounds intriguing.

Redwolf

jeffmiester · Post by **jeffmiester** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 4:35 pm

Mmmm..... wasail.....

hillfolk22 · Post by **hillfolk22** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 12:17 pm

On 2002-11-21 10:27, Redwolf wrote:
On 2002-11-21 08:27, hillfolk22 wrote:
How rude of me!

I neglected to thank you for the words.

Thanks Redwolf...

Now I need to work on my Latin
And I forgot to thank you for the suggestion of the song, which I discovered yesterday sounds absolutely luscious on the whistle. I'm going to try putting it in a set with "Adam Lay y'Bounden" and "Lullay, My Liking," which are from the same time period and have a similar sound.

Redwolf

I was wondering if you could email me the music to "Adam Lay y' Bounden" and "Lullay My Liking" I am not familiar with those two songs and I have not been able to find a song to play along with it.

I can either open a jpeg or abc.

You can reach me at

hillfolk22@yahoo.com

A Pre-thanks to you.

Laura

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 12:26 pm

On 2002-11-23 13:17, hillfolk22 wrote:
On 2002-11-21 10:27, Redwolf wrote:
On 2002-11-21 08:27, hillfolk22 wrote:
How rude of me!

I neglected to thank you for the words.

Thanks Redwolf...

Now I need to work on my Latin
And I forgot to thank you for the suggestion of the song, which I discovered yesterday sounds absolutely luscious on the whistle. I'm going to try putting it in a set with "Adam Lay y'Bounden" and "Lullay, My Liking," which are from the same time period and have a similar sound.

Redwolf

I was wondering if you could email me the music to "Adam Lay y' Bounden" and "Lullay My Liking" I am not familiar with those two songs and I have not been able to find a song to play along with it.

I can either open a jpeg or abc.

You can reach me at

hillfolk22@yahoo.com

A Pre-thanks to you.

Laura

Will do! May not be until tonight, as I'll have to scan them. They're not scored for whistle, so you may have to play with the key a bit...I haven't had a chance to noodle them out yet (If I do before I send them, I'll include the starting note and any comments I can think of, such as what may need to be half-holed).

Redwolf

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 2:51 pm

On 2002-11-23 13:26, Redwolf wrote:
On 2002-11-23 13:17, hillfolk22 wrote:
On 2002-11-21 10:27, Redwolf wrote: And I forgot to thank you for the suggestion of the song, which I discovered yesterday sounds absolutely luscious on the whistle. I'm going to try putting it in a set with "Adam Lay y'Bounden" and "Lullay, My Liking," which are from the same time period and have a similar sound.

Redwolf

I was wondering if you could email me the music to "Adam Lay y' Bounden" and "Lullay My Liking" I am not familiar with those two songs and I have not been able to find a song to play along with it.

I can either open a jpeg or abc.

You can reach me at

hillfolk22@yahoo.com

A Pre-thanks to you.

Laura
Will do! May not be until tonight, as I'll have to scan them. They're not scored for whistle, so you may have to play with the key a bit...I haven't had a chance to noodle them out yet (If I do before I send them, I'll include the starting note and any comments I can think of, such as what may need to be half-holed).

Redwolf

Just sent 'em off. Let me know if you have trouble reading the images, or my somewhat idiosyncratic scribing

Redwolf

P.S. If you like carols, a really good resource to have on your shelves is "The New Oxford Book of Carols." It's a big, fat book that has just about every carol ever sung in it (including different tunes, where such exist, and interesting historical and performance notes on each). Another great book to have is "Carols for Choirs," which is a treasured resource in the Episcopal Church (most of our music for our famous "Lessons and Carols" services are drawn from it). In addition, if you have an Episcopal/Anglican church in your area that offers a Lessons and Carols service during Advent or Christmastide, it's worth going...you'll often hear obscure carols you've likely never heard before, as well as stock favorites (and it's a low-key service...just readings and music, with no preaching).

(edited to add this postscript)

R.

[ This Message was edited by: Redwolf on 2002-11-23 16:03 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Redwolf on 2002-11-23 16:05 ]

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Sat Nov 23, 2002 8:24 pm

I go to one of two churches that share a priest and for the second year we are getting together with anyone else in the two communites who wants to participate, and doing a Christmas Revelry which is fun since we get to do Christmas/Solstice tunes that rarely get done. Both years I've bowed out of playing the organ so I can play whistle/bodhran/tenor drum on some tunes.
Here's some of the tunes that I don't remember seeing listed previously that I play whistle on. (Since I have to play with the organ on many I end up playing several different keys, but mostly sop.D,Bb and Eb, with Low D on the Huron Carol.

Glouchester Wassail
The Holly and the Ivy
The Cherry Tree Carol
The Friendly Beasts
King Herod and the Cock
Brightest and Best
What Wondrous Love is This?
The 12 Days of Christmas
Nova,Nova
The Angel Gabriel
Personet Hodie(I know it was mentioned before, but I wanted to suggest that if you play with someone else that can carry the tune, you can work up a great descant for this one.)
Carol of the Birds(whence comes this rush of wings)
The Wren Song
Silent Night(don't remember if this was mentioned before?)
Here Betwix Ass and Oxen Mild
Sussex Mummer's Carol
(Many of the religous tunes can be found in the 1982 Episcopal Hymnal)

Last year I really got in gear and bummed material from everyone I could think of that sews and made mideval clothing for everyone. This year I've moved up to more elaborate Elizabethan for some, and included 15th century houpelandes to the costumes.The elaborate headgear they wore is also fun to make.

I bet if you had some "costume" that is warm it would bring in even more for you buskers.
The earlier mideval garb is pretty simple to make(lots of info on the web) and the many layers they needed to keep warm in that time period also works in winter for us now.

hillfolk22 · Post by **hillfolk22** » Sun Nov 24, 2002 6:41 am

Thank you Redwolf,

I will look into that.

And thanks again for the music

Laura