Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: Australian Tune Thread!

  1. #1
    Registered User Dean Gray's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    East coast of Australia
    Posts
    87

    Default Australian Tune Thread!

    I thought it would be good to have a thread dedicated to Australian tunes, so here we go.
    Maybe it should be "Australian" as our combined repertoire is a mix of bits and pieces from other countries brought by immigrants as well as tunes composed on the land.

    I am hoping this gets added to by fellow Australians and others alike, so long as it keeps the focus on tunes that are connected to the Australian tradition. I am really interested in seeing what the differences (and similarities) are compared to other locations.

    To kick it off, here is a tune well known in the Australian folk community, and popular at dances, Conjewai Polka.

    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...ibextid=NnVzG8

  2. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Dean Gray For This Useful Post:


  3. #2
    Registered User acharman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2022
    Location
    Lachlan, Tasmania, Australia
    Posts
    89

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Nice tune to kick it off Dean.

    Yes many “Australian” tunes were originally from somewhere else but then had a bit of Aussie flavouring added. Might have to pick out one or two and add my amateur renditions.

    Andrew

  4. #3
    Registered User Dean Gray's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    East coast of Australia
    Posts
    87

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Please do mate. Your last tune sounded great.

  5. #4
    Oval holes are cool David Lewis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    1,466

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Fantastic idea!
    JBovier ELS; Epiphone MM-50 VN; Epiphone MM-40L; Gretsch New Yorker G9310; Washburn M1SDLB;

    Fender Nashville Deluxe Telecaster; Squier Modified Vintage Cabronita Telecaster; Gretsch 5420T; Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat: Washburn Banjo B9; Ibanez RB 5string; Ibanez RB 4 string bass

    Pedalboard for ELS: Morley Cry baby Miniwah - Tuner - EHX Soul Food Overdrive - EHX Memory Toy analog Delay
    Fender Blues Jr Tweed; Fender Greta;

  6. #5
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Canberra, Australia
    Posts
    1,645

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    There is an entire website dedicated to old-time Australian dance tunes https://bushtraditions.wiki/tunes/index.php/Main_Page

    While many are of British, Irish, European or American origin, part of the grand diaspora of 19th century dance music which pop up wherever European settlers or colonists were, a bunch of them are distinctly and uniquely Australian and disappointingly ignored here in favour of Irish, Scottish or American tunes. The Conjevoi Polka is a cracker of a tune and one of my favourites.

  7. #6
    Registered User acharman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2022
    Location
    Lachlan, Tasmania, Australia
    Posts
    89

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Yes Bush Traditions is a very good source and one I've used a bit, particularly some of the NFF and other collections from https://bushtraditions.org/music/books4free.htm

    Some others I've used are:
    http://www.vfmc.org.au/FiresideFiddlers/index.html
    https://australianfolkmusic.com.au for newer NFF collections and three Peter Ellis volumes
    https://wongawillicolonialdance.org.au
    https://folktas.org

  8. #7
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Peace and Love
    Posts
    2,417

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Thanks, I just tried the Conjewai Polka. With the irregular phrasing it has a slight English or OldTime feel to it.
    Nice Australian tune.

  9. #8
    Registered User Dean Gray's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    East coast of Australia
    Posts
    87

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Quote Originally Posted by Graham McDonald View Post
    There is an entire website dedicated to old-time Australian dance tunes https://bushtraditions.wiki/tunes/index.php/Main_Page

    While many are of British, Irish, European or American origin, part of the grand diaspora of 19th century dance music which pop up wherever European settlers or colonists were, a bunch of them are distinctly and uniquely Australian and disappointingly ignored here in favour of Irish, Scottish or American tunes. The Conjevoi Polka is a cracker of a tune and one of my favourites.
    Hi Graham, thanks for that link. I met Ray last year at the Cobargo Folk Festival and we played a lot of tunes from his collections. His sessions were the best part of the whole thing for me.

    I am interested in learning more about our early music/dance tradition and how/why it evolved.

    One tongue in cheek suggestion I was given is that tempos for reels and jigs became slower as it was too hot to dance fast!

  10. #9
    Registered User Dean Gray's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    East coast of Australia
    Posts
    87

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    This is The Wedding of Lachlan McGraw. I've heard him called Lochan as well.
    I don't know it's origin, maybe Graham McDonald does?

    Taught to me by Mike Martin after hearing it on a Collector album. It has a haunting quality and sounds great with a concertina player joining in.

    https://youtu.be/a8BXtcplrGs

  11. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Dean Gray For This Useful Post:


  12. #10
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Peace and Love
    Posts
    2,417

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Thanks Dean, that’s a cracker!! I like the mode changes with the implied E dorian at the beginning.
    https://abcnotation.com/tunePage?a=b...e).no-ext/0001

  13. #11
    Registered User Bren's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Aberdeen, Scotland
    Posts
    1,036

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Quote Originally Posted by Dean Gray View Post
    This is The Wedding of Lachlan McGraw. I've heard him called Lochan as well.
    I don't know it's origin, maybe Graham McDonald does?

    Taught to me by Mike Martin after hearing it on a Collector album. It has a haunting quality and sounds great with a concertina player joining in.

    https://youtu.be/a8BXtcplrGs
    There is a song by The Corries called The Wedding of Lachie McGraw where they sing the comic words to the tune of the Irish Washerwoman.
    Bren

  14. #12
    Registered User acharman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2022
    Location
    Lachlan, Tasmania, Australia
    Posts
    89

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Tasmanian Waltz by Alexander Laing - this one does appear to be one of his compositions rather than just renaming an older Scottish tune.


  15. #13
    Registered User acharman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2022
    Location
    Lachlan, Tasmania, Australia
    Posts
    89

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    3 Schottisches. Possibly a little bit rushed. Doug Daniel's Schottische, Jimmy Jeffries' Schottische & Hackett's Schottische.


  16. #14
    Registered User acharman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2022
    Location
    Lachlan, Tasmania, Australia
    Posts
    89

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Last one of the batch today. Hopefully next time I record I'll be playing a bit better. This is Queer Fella's Schottische.


  17. #15
    Registered User Dean Gray's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    East coast of Australia
    Posts
    87

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Well done acharman! Scottisches are fun to play. Queer Fellas is a favourite at our local dances.
    The new Coombe is sounding great!

  18. #16
    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Lakebay, Wa
    Posts
    4,162

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    A great Australian, via Scotland, songwriter and singer: Eric Bogel.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnFzCmAyOp8
    Bill
    IM(NS)HO

  19. #17
    Mandolin & Mandola maker
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Bega NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,425

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    That is way too fast for the Queer Fella's. If you listen to Charley Batchelor play it, he takes it much slower with a wonderful lilt to the tune that makes you want to get up and dance, wonderfully musical. The original version by the composer himself who was a fantastic fiddler is available on CD with Charley playing with the Horton River Band, and there are also some videos on youtube of Charley. Difficult to do on the mandolin, but not impossible. It is a good idea to go back to the source sometimes, it can be a bit of a wake up call. There are many great trad Aussie collected Schottish dance tunes that are not difficult to play.
    Peter Coombe - mandolins, mandolas and guitars
    http://www.petercoombe.com

  20. #18
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Canberra, Australia
    Posts
    1,645

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    The Wedding of Lachlan McGraw is a tune from Joe Yates, a fiddle player from Sofala, NSW. Several of the collectors recorded Joe, who didn't seem to have names for many of his tunes, so names were found for many of them. Joe was pretty scratchy by the time people came by with tape recorders and many of the tunes have been massaged into shape a bit. Still, one of the really interesting sources of old-time dance music. There are a couple of really good varsoviennas in his repertoire. The NLA should have original recordings that can be listened to, but some of it can be hard work.

  21. #19
    Registered User Dean Gray's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    East coast of Australia
    Posts
    87

    Default Re: Australian Tune Thread!

    Thanks Graham. I remember now about Joe Yates writing that. Mike Martin was telling me about collecting from Joe. I have heard about the scratchiness of those recordings!

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •