Monday 19 November 2012

A Tale of Two Cities (2)



          Slightly blurry action shot of Steve and Jan demonstrating a ceilidh, Sunday afternoon.

My second city visit was to Witney, in Oxfordshire. Now, to be honest, I don't think Witney is a city at all, but it was too good a title not to use! It has the dubious honour of being the Prime Minister David Cameron's home constituency. And it shows. I have never seen such a heavy Friday-night police presence on the high street, keeping the lid on the pubs and clubs. Really, there were dozens of them!


These three suspicious characters are pobably why they were out in force! Cate, Liz and Ellie great fun to be with and much better on the buttons than me, I can tell you!

Anyway, I digress! My reason for being there, getting re-acquainted with the Northampton Ring Road once again on my way there (DEEP joy!) was to attend Melodeons at Witney, two days of melodeon workshops with some of the best international musicians walking this earth. I had chosen workshops with Emmanuel Parisell, an incorrigible Frenchman of great charm and humour, learning about music of Breton dance.

             Emmanuel demonstrating how to get a musical note out of a bicycle pump!

 Then I did a workshop on adding really juicy chords and basses with Saul Rose, who often gigs with Eliza Carthy.

 My final choice was.......need you ask? Working with Andy Cutting on his tune To the Edges, utilising all the wonderful chord sequences he is famous for. It was perhaps the most difficult workshop, I noticed even people who had been playing much longer than me were struggling, BUT we got through the whole tune (by ear) both hands. Absolutely great experience.


We actually kicked off the weekend with a meet and greet in the assembly hall of the Henry Box School (no pun intended!) where the course is held. This became a session which finished at 9.30 when we all trotted off to the pub to carry on playing music. The pub had laid on a table of hors d'ouevres for us which was rather nice (mind you the drinks weren't cheap it was a bit of a shock especially to those people who had travelled down from Up North and had to pay Southern Prices!)


Here's Andy, joining in the session. We left about 11.30 as we were so tired but I think it carried on a bit longer.

Saturday evening was the tutors' concert. It was amazing. Here's a shot of Andy, Emmanuel and Man Mountain Christian Maes. They lifted the roof off!


There was another tutor, who I hadn't heard before, called Paul Scourfield. Now Paul is an East Anglian box player (from Essex I think) who plays in the main, English traditional tunes. I bought a cd of his which has some really great music on. If I ever get the chance to take a workshop with him I will jump at it. Here you see him playing and calling for the ceilidh demo on Sunday.


And here is a better shot of him at the session, sitting next to Lester, a Melodeons at Witney stalwart and Keeper of the Tune Archive on melodeon.net.


I so enjoyed myself, it was my second year and I felt I was getting to know people a lot better. I could kick myself as we had the usual, by now traditional Italian meal just before the concert, and I forgot to take any photographs. I had my camera in my bag! But lots of lovely memories, and some really great tunes to take away with me. Though it was nice to get home and see the Old Man. Who, lest you think he was mouldering along on his ownsome, was up in the chilly north...so far north he was just over the border in Scotland.


                  Experiencing his first attempt at fishing for salmon, near Etterick.


Salmon fishing is so far outside the realms of our experience, but the opportunity came up for him to go with a few friends. I might add - ruefully - that no salmon were harmed in the making of these pictures! They were a week or so too late, apparently, but he enjoyed himself and that was the main thing.

So there you have it. As far removed from a textiley post as you could get, I reckon, but I promise the next one will be back on song! (ooops, didn't mean to mention more music!!!!) Catch you soon!

16 comments:

  1. I recognize some of those faces. lol! I've only been once so far. I find it much easier to get to melodeons and more.
    Btw. see you at Evesham.

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    1. You certainly should recognise them, Sarah! You know 'em better than I do! Yes, looking forward to next w/end. Gosh, ANOTHER jaunt!

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  2. Looks like you had a wonderful time. I wish I could play a musical instrument, or dance, or both.....It looks such fun. and is that chewing gum stuck to the bottom of those upside down tables?
    Sue Xxx

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    1. Hahahahahaha! I've just had to check back to the photograph Sue...I think you may be right, but I didn't notice at the time. Heck, it's all over the tables isn't it? Eeeeeeeew! Well at least we didn't go anywere near them.

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  3. I bet you all have a great time with the music, I know what Mr B is like when he gets with his mates and their guitars! I can't even clap in rhythm! :)

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    1. Ada, I know quite a few 'musicians' who can't clap in rhythm!.....or play in time either! Lx

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  4. This must have been a fabulous experience, and one that you will hold dear in memories :)
    I would love to hear you play.
    Have you ever done a You Tube video?

    Have a great day,
    Your bl9ogging sister, Connie :)

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    1. It was great Connie. Yes, there have been several attempts to persuade me to record for youtube but so far I've resisited! Lady D (above) has threatened me next week end so I shall take my lap top with me. eeeeeeek! Lx

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  5. Sounds like a wonderful time - I wished I still played something. I was all about the music at School - Clarinet, Guitar, Piano - now can't play anything for toffee!
    Claire

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    1. Oh just go for it, Claire! I did a bit of piano when I was quite small, but very little theory so I don't really 'do' the actual music. Guitar I taught myself as a teenager - it was mandatory in Liverpool! But again, that was just guitar 'tab'. So picking up a fiddle for the first time as a.....erm....I must have been...56 year old was a challenge, but very doable. And the melodeon, while not actually EASY for the kind of music I like playing, is a very ntuitive machine once you've got going on it! Have a go! Music is a great de-stressor and friend-maker.Lx

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  6. How wonderful that there is such a diverse range of hobbies and passions and interests. People are amazing. And you are so multi-talented too! Looks like a great weekend Lynne - I am glad you had such a good time.

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    1. You know what they say, Wendz, Jill of all trades, mistress of none! That's me, I'm afraid. But hey, I'm really enjoying what I do, and that's what it's all about! Lx

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  7. Now you know how green I am don't you! I'm even envying you the opportunity to use the label 'Andy Cutting' on your post! Crumbs Lynne, there was only one thing missing from that weekend, yarn. If I ever get this squeeze box I'm hankering after I'll be there, and I'll bring my knitting ;)

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    1. What can I say, Annie! My SECOND Andy Cutting workshop. (sounding like a groupie now, must stop!) But I just LOVE is music, and having a brilliant younf tutor now, in Nick, I'm finding I'm able to play many of his tunes. 'To the Edges', I must say, was VERY CHALLENGING for us all.

      As for yarn, I do know what yoou mesan, but there honestly isn't time to do much else, maybe read a chapter before falling asleep...I've stopped taking anything to stitch to my musical expeditions. Lx

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  8. What a joyous weekend you had and I'd love to have heard it all. I'd love to play an instrument especially something special like the melodeon. You will be pleased to hear that I am using my craft skills musically by playing a part in a project here "Scouseavarius" . A violin maker here is going to teach a group of Liverpool people to make 2 violins, one viola and one cello as a legacy to the city. They will be for the underprivileged youth to play and should last over 400 years!! There's a lot more to the story but I will blog it when it starts next year. It's sooooo exciting!
    Jo x

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    1. Oh Jo that sounds incredible! WHat a wonderful legacy to hand down. Do let me know when it gets going.

      As for learning an instrument..well, see my answer to Claire, above. It's never too late as someone told me when I was dithering, and it makes no odds if you can't or don't want to get into learning music theory. It turns me right off to be honest, and maths was never my strong subject, and they are linked. I play by ear, and once I got into the melodeon I found it quite easy to play a tune. There are more complex types of music to be sure - ie Andy Cuttings! But to simply play say, English folk tunes, Morris tunes etc even some Breton simple dance tunes, you only need a basic box and a bit of time playing. Have a go! Google any associated words and you'll find a wealth of information. Loads of musical help up in your neck of the woods, too! Lx

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