Folk Songs for Waltzes at dances?
Charles Roth
Pasquerella's (sp?) "afterwaltzes", at the Michigan Dance Heritage
festival.
This event (through a somewhat bizarre chain of logic that included
an unexpected visit by Bill Staines) prompts me to ask:
"Wouldn't it be nice to dance to a set of waltzes
that are folk songs?"
In my experience, most contra (et. al.) dances have anywhere from 1-4
waltzes during a night. Yet, as I think back, these waltzes are almost
always "instrumental" waltzes -- meaning that they are waltzes that were
written to be played rather than sung.
(The only exceptions that occur to me are two waltzes that I've heard
Wild Asparagus do, including the lovely "When We're Gone..." [exact
title unknown]. Oh, and the occasional "Waltzing with Bears" [or
"Waltzing While Bare" at Buffalo Gap... but I digress].)
I'm curious why this might be. I'm also raising the question in the
hopes that dance weekend/camp organizers might consider the notion of
a segment devoted to "waltzes to be sung *and* danced". I'm not even
thinking that there necessarily needs to be someone present with the
band to sing these songs--the dancers themselves might do quite nicely.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Andrea Aldridge
it is primarily instrumentalists who play at dances (and with good reason),
and rarely do they consider having a singer about, because when you do, people
might stop and listen to the words, and that kind of defeats the purpose of a
dance. I dance, and I sing, but I don't generally intermix the two.
Of course, if someone were to ask *me* to sing at the next ceili, I wouldn't
object... :-)
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<> Andrea Aldridge E-mail: n904...@henson.cc.wwu.edu <>
<> WWU - 452 Edens Hall North/Bellingham, WA 98225-5971 (206) 650-2647 <>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
"Anything worth fighting for is worth fighting dirty for."
Peter Renzland
>I recently had the (great!) pleasure of dancing to an evening of Bob
>Pasquerella's (sp?) "afterwaltzes", at the Michigan Dance Heritage
>festival.
Mee too :-)
>"Wouldn't it be nice to dance to a set of waltzes that are folk songs?"
>In my experience, most contra (et. al.) dances have anywhere from 1-4
>waltzes during a night. Yet, as I think back, these waltzes are almost
>always "instrumental" waltzes -- meaning that they are waltzes that were
>written to be played rather than sung.
These days, if I breathe through my mouth a lot I start coughing ...
> ... I'm also raising the question in the
>hopes that dance weekend/camp organizers might consider the notion of
>a segment devoted to "waltzes to be sung *and* danced". I'm not even
>thinking that there necessarily needs to be someone present with the
>band to sing these songs--the dancers themselves might do quite nicely.
Well, here's what I think -- some of us like singing, some dancing.
I happen to like dancing more than singing. So, instrumentals are just fine
for me, as tbey permit me to talk to my partner.
However, sometimes (never at a *good* dance) but perhaps at a mainstream
ballromm dance, if there hasn't been a single country/Viennese waltz in a
segment, I will readily take a partner and dance a country waltz, while
I (and perhaps she) sing the music. The last time I did this (at the Boulevard
Club) the orchestra got the message and played lots of waltzes in the nest set.
Here's Peter's rule about good bands -- A really good band will play the best
recorded dancable music during the break. An ok band will play ok dance music,
and a really mediocre band will play listening music, because they fear
being compared ...
I had an incredibly wonderful time at MDH. Thanks to Glen and Bob and Laura
and Erna-Lynne and all the folks there. I was happy to meet old friends and
make new ones. At least three are coming to our fabulous Hamilton weekend
next week. And some of my friends from Rochester are coming up.
I really enjoyed the singing jam session on Fri night at MDH, even though
I couldn't sing (hayfever makes me cough these days). After all, music and
singing are necessary preconditions for dancing, and inasmuch as we can sing we
can get along even while the band is resting.
One thought. (this article wouldn't be complete without a thought:-)
A lot of the finest waltzes come from Scandinavia and non-English-speaking
parts of Europe and Latin America. If we want singable waltzes, it means
confining ourselves to a somewhat narrower repertoire - such as "waltzing
through Texas with bears in our arms, ..."
--
Peter Renzland <pe...@renzland.org> +1 416 323-1300 | Je danse |
Mail or finger da...@renzland.org for Toronto Dance Schedule |donc je suis|
Evelyn Albrecht
>As a folk singer and almost non-instrumentalist, my impression has been that
>it is primarily instrumentalists who play at dances (and with good reason),
>and rarely do they consider having a singer about
The band that plays for about 1/5th of the dances each Sat. evening at
the Sno-King Int.FolkD in Lynnwood grew out of the talents and interests of
the people who came to dance. Because there are also dancer-singers they've
worked up a few numbers to include them - I think generally from dances
where there's singing on the tapes we otherwise do the dances to. It adds
to the sense of community that is an important part of that folk dance group.
I'll waltz to anything (in 3/4 time); a singer could be a very nice added
touch. In fact and particular couple started a tradition of the dancers
singing to the chorus of Waltz Country Dance.
--
|Evelyn Albrecht Ph: (206) 650-3239 |
|Academic Computing Services Internet: eve...@henson.cc.wwu.edu |
|Western Washington Univ. |
|Bellingham, WA 98225-9094 |
steve boylan
>ro...@aule-tek.com (Charles Roth) writes:
>
>>I recently had the (great!) pleasure of dancing to an evening of Bob
>>Pasquerella's (sp?) "afterwaltzes", at the Michigan Dance Heritage
>>festival.
>
>Mee too :-)
>
>>"Wouldn't it be nice to dance to a set of waltzes that are folk songs?"
>
>>In my experience, most contra (et. al.) dances have anywhere from 1-4
>>waltzes during a night. Yet, as I think back, these waltzes are almost
>>always "instrumental" waltzes -- meaning that they are waltzes that were
>>written to be played rather than sung.
>
My first reaction is "Well, most waltzes are instrumental, and don't
HAVE words!"
On the other hand, the same thought has occurred to me in the past.
Most of the performers I know are either callers or musicians that play
an instrument. I don't know of too many performers in the contra dance
world that sing. Most of the callers I know who can do a darned fine
singing square don't really have the voice to carry off entertaining
people through a waltz.
There are a few people, though, that DO have a wonderful voice, and
could be very enjoyable to listen to while waltzing.
>> ... I'm also raising the question in the
>>hopes that dance weekend/camp organizers might consider the notion of
>>a segment devoted to "waltzes to be sung *and* danced". I'm not even
>>thinking that there necessarily needs to be someone present with the
>>band to sing these songs--the dancers themselves might do quite nicely.
>
>Well, here's what I think -- some of us like singing, some dancing.
>I happen to like dancing more than singing. So, instrumentals are just fine
>for me, as tbey permit me to talk to my partner.
Then there are those of us that are often caught singing AND dancing.
>One thought. (this article wouldn't be complete without a thought:-)
>A lot of the finest waltzes come from Scandinavia and non-English-speaking
>parts of Europe and Latin America. If we want singable waltzes, it means
>confining ourselves to a somewhat narrower repertoire - such as "waltzing
>through Texas with bears in our arms, ..."
Of course, there ARE a number of waltzes in that "narrower repertoire"
besides "Dancing with Bears". Off the top of my head . . . "Roseville
Fair" and those Yankee Ingenuity favorites "Take Six" and "Popeye the
Sailor Man".
And if you give me a hard time, I'll dump in the table of contents from
Peter Barnes' "A Little Coupledancemusik"!
- - Steve
Peter Renzland
>pe...@renzland.org (Peter Renzland) writes:
>>One thought. (this article wouldn't be complete without a thought:-)
>>A lot of the finest waltzes come from Scandinavia and non-English-speaking
>>parts of Europe and Latin America. If we want singable waltzes, it means
>>confining ourselves to a somewhat narrower repertoire - such as
>>"waltzing through Texas with bears in our arms, ..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I forgot to insert a big grin here. This was an allusion to the afterdance
singalong late Friday night at MDH, where we combined these two wonderful
dance songs!!!
>And if you give me a hard time, I'll dump in the table of contents from
>Peter Barnes' "A Little Coupledancemusik"!
O.K. Consider this a "hard time". :-) :-)