Bourrée à Huit

  1. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Tried to get that feeling of hearing the music and seeing people dancing as a parade passes.
    The title‘s a dance but in French it can also mean ‘all stuffed up with something’ and huit, meaning eight, sounds like huîtres -oysters!
    Oh, la, la, ha, ha!


    https://youtu.be/ooPG1DRycMY
  2. Robert Balch
    Robert Balch
    Nice job! You did get the feel of it very well. Great tune.
  3. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Thanks Robert I appreciate it, it’s a bit rough, but I like the simplicity and roll of the melody.
  4. Jess L.
    Jess L.
    Simon, that's a very effective dance rhythm you've got there! Sounds great!
  5. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Thanks JLL277z, the rhythm is strumming on every first beat of the measure.
    Here’s the TAB, I’m playing in C major because of the capo.
    Enjoy!
    X:1
    T:La Bourrée à Huit
    B:Massif Central Tune Book no.2
    M:3/8
    L:1/8
    K:G
    P:A
    "G"d2^c|d2A/B/|"D"cBA|"G"BGG|d2^c|d2A/B/|"D"cBA|1"G"G3:|2"G"G2||
    P:B
    |:d,|"G"Gf,G|d,2G|"D"f,/G/Ad|"G"BGG|Gf,G|d,2G|"D"f,/G/Af,|1"G"G2:|2"G"G3|]

    X:1
    T:La Bourrée à Huit
    B:Massif Central Tune Book no.2
    M:3/8
    L:1/8
    K:C
    P:A
    "C"G2^F|G2D/E/|"G"FED|"C"ECC|G2^F|G2D/E/|"G"FED|1"C"C3:|2"C"C2||
    P:B
    |:G,|"C"CB,C|G,2C|"G"B,/C/DG|"C"ECC|CB,C|G,2C|"G"B,/C/DB,|1"C"C2:|2"C"C3|]
  6. Brian560
    Brian560
    Nice job Simon, you definitely got the feel of the dance. Its nice hearing some of the French tunes here
  7. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Thanks Brian, I get the feeling that these tunes are melodically less complex than the ones to which we are accustomed.
    But especially for me around the town of Aurillac, in Auvergne region of the Massif Central they have a sort of medieval populaire feel to them. Hence my rough style!
    I once went to the (now world famous) street performer’s festival they have there. Talk about creativity, the costumes, everything.
  8. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Nice dance feeling indeed, Simon. The included chords emphasize the rhythm very well.
  9. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Interesting righthand picking technique you have, Simon. You seem to play with a constant motion, as though you are playing every beat of every bar, but picking above the string "in the air" for the longer notes, thus keeping the motion of your right hand constant. Does this come from your love affair with metronomes? It certainly works for you anyway.
  10. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Thanks Frithjof and John.

    You guessed correctly that it’s from a love affair (in Brazil) John. It’s difficult to express things that happen in other languages and cultures as I’m sure you’re aware with Gaelic. But anyway, someone I met insulted my national heritage and pallid complexion, and told me (among many things) that the music doesn’t come from the instrument, it comes from dance.
    It’s apparently the shape of the dance that your body makes around and part of the instrument. (Nonsense)

    And saying that we are inhibited in our playing by the fear of our own bodies and how their movements may be perceived. (Sexually or otherwise)

    Another gem from that time was about minimalism, that you are here on Earth to burn energy, to produce, not minimalise the use of it. Be efficient with your hand movements where necessary yes, but act!
    -of course what they said was rubbish! (Because of what they said about the English)
  11. Gelsenbury
    Gelsenbury
    The rhythm is irresistible. I can hear many centuries of history in this tune, and you do it justice.
  12. Brian560
    Brian560


    I haven't tried playing Bourree a Huit yet, but I have been working on Bourree De Viplaix. I'm not quite sure if I got the ending right yet.
  13. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    A nice sound you are getting there, Brian.
  14. Gelsenbury
    Gelsenbury
    My solo versions of Bourrée à Huit and Bourrée de Viplaix, as posted in the other thread:
  15. Brian560
    Brian560
    Nice playing Dennis and a nice video too.
    Thanks for the compliment John
  16. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    I play this bourrée on mandolin and concertina but decided to record my Thuringian Waldzither.



    Excuse the blurred video. I tried to get as much light on my current recording place as possible but got not enough for my smartphone. The audio is taken by the built in micro, too.
  17. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Great sound from that instrument, Frithjof. I am listening on headphones and the range and sustain of the waldzither certainly come across.
  18. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    I like the tone on this instrument Frithjof but also like the style you’re playing. Rich, full-on doublestops and chords, a bit like some of Bertram’s tune -really nice to hear.

    And just listened to Brian and Dennis -sweet!
    And fancy medieval attire too!
  19. John W.
    John W.
    Nice sounding instrument, which I wasn’t familiar with, nicely played. What tuning do/did you use?
  20. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Thanks John, Simon and John.

    My Thuringian Waldzither is a tenor cithern (Tenorzither) tuned in an open C tuning: c gg c'c' e'e' g'g'.
    The fretboard measures 4,5 mm at the nut and the scale is 46,5 mm for the high g’ strings.

    My special Instrument is actually a “Thüringer Modell” der (of the) Vogtländischen Waldzither because of some details in the constructive form.
    And: Vogtland is a very special mountainous upland region in Middle Germany which embraces parts of Saxony and Thuringia.
  21. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    So your Waldzither is equivalent to capo on the second fret for my octave Frithjof, tell me, is the brown pick guard sort of stuck on, or is it part of the top? I always wondered.
  22. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Simon - The top/soundboard of my Waldzither has some nice inlaid work around the soundhole – mainly made from colored wood.
  23. Christian DP
    Christian DP
    Tasteful playing on a nice instrument, Frithjof.
  24. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Is it a hardwood? I was thinking maybe it’s used to strengthen the top and give the instrument that rich, deep tone?
  25. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Oh, Simon – I’m barely able to play this thing a little. I don’t be a luthier. Thus, your questions better go to the Builders and Repair section of the main forum.

    And yes, I should create an album for my Waldzither at my profile page. With appropriate pictures you would see how deep the domed body of my special instrument is. This supports the tone as well as the incredible volume.
  26. Frankdolin
    Frankdolin
    That was lovely Frithjof! Didn't mind the focus, it's that beautiful solo sound that matters.
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