Music recommendations

[Ethan Schwartz]

I'm in the early stages of planning an informal banjo performance for April/May. At a certain point, I realized I was already working mostly on pieces by British composers, so I decided to stick with that theme for the performance (also considering that for American audiences, "British Banjo Music" may generate more initial interest than, well, "American banjo music"). I need maybe two more pieces for the set. They should be musically interesting but not too difficult -- I don't have much time to learn them, and I'm already playing some pretty physically demanding stuff. So far, it's looking like:

2-3 pieces by Morley (NOT looking for more)

1-2 by Grimshaw (NOT looking for more)

1 by Lawes

1 by Oakley

1 by Tilley

1 by Cammeyer (I know, technically not British)

I was considering something by Ellis, but honestly nothing really appeals to me. I should mention that I will have a pianist, but again, increasingly limited practice/rehearsal time is a consideration. If you were in my position, are there any composers (and better yet, specific pieces) you would simply have to have in a program of all-British classic banjo? 

[IAN SALTER]

What make of banjo will you be using?

I'm sure we're all looking forward to hearing the concert. 

[nick Kelly]

I of course understand that my own presentation is different from yours however, I have discovered that my own audiences soon get bored with anything that they dont know or recognise ! I started with the idea that I would play interesting historically informed pieces on a period banjo, a few years down the line and 30 or so shows later I now play my 1920s Whyte Laydie for everything pretty much and my repertoire consists of tunes and songs that the audience know. I play Blaze Away, Whistling Rufus and several more somewhat hackneyed old tunes all of which go down well, unless things are very different where you are, here in Kent nobody knows or cares about 100 year old banjo players they just want to be entertained, it is slightly disappointing but my "classic banjo" gigs eke out my performing work nicely and make a nice change from thrashing a guitar (I do around four gigs a week with that ! )