The Darkies' Wedding by Clifford Chambers

[Steve Harrison]

Hi All, on one of my music searches I came across the above. It's quite a pleasant piece of music, does anyone know if it's ever been arranged for banjo? It's one of those tunes that sounds as though it should have been. I can envisage one of the banjo greats playing it.

[thereallyniceman]

Hi Steve,

I have added a copy of a score I have for The Darkie's Wedding, to the MUSIC LIBRARY

I assume that it is the one by Clifford Chambers, but I don't know as the piece does not have the composer shown. Let me know please.

Ian

[Trapdoor2]

They don't appear to be the same tune, Ian. The C. Chambers' piece is considerably longer, in a different key (F/C/Bb), four parts, chock full of triplets and dotted figures. I find three four pieces named "Darkies Wedding", two of which are marked "Barn Dance" (C. Chambers + another by Felix Burns, c1910). The other is an 1857 Minstrel tune...buy a one "D. Minstrelli" (a nom-de-plume if I ever saw one). I haven't found a viewable copy of the Felix Burns piece...so all I can say is the one you uploaded isn't by D.Minstrelli or C. Chambers.

edit: found another, a "coon song" by Fabian Scott, c1902

[thereallyniceman]

Thanks Marc,

I have been told that the score in the LIBRARY is attributed to F.G Chapman, so the hunt is on for the  C. Chambers version!

Trapdoor2 said:

They don't appear to be the same tune, Ian. The C. Chambers' piece is considerably longer, in a different key (F/C/Bb), four parts, chock full of triplets and dotted figures. I find three four pieces named "Darkies Wedding", two of which are marked "Barn Dance" (C. Chambers + another by Felix Burns, c1910). The other is an 1857 Minstrel tune...buy a one "D. Minstrelli" (a nom-de-plume if I ever saw one). I haven't found a viewable copy of the Felix Burns piece...so all I can say is the one you uploaded isn't by D.Minstrelli or C. Chambers.

edit: found another, a "coon song" by Fabian Scott, c1902

[Steve Harrison]

Thanks Ian..I agree with Marc, it is different but none the less very playable and should work well with the banjo with very little editing. I'll put it on my 'to do' list...Steve.

thereallyniceman said:

Hi Steve,

I have added a copy of a score I have for The Darkie's Wedding, to the MUSIC LIBRARY

I assume that it is the one by Clifford Chambers, but I don't know as the piece does not have the composer shown. Let me know please.

Ian

[thereallyniceman]

Thank you Steve!

Steve has produced an arrangement of Chambers's:  The Darkie's Wedding. I

have added this to the MUSIC LIBRARY along with the MIDI file so that you can hear how it should sound.  Just click the PLAY button.

[Steve Harrison]

Thanks Ian, to make it fit the banjo and for ease of playing, I changed the key from Bb to Eb. It's a break from my usual rag time tunes but is a good piece to play and is reminiscent of something Alfred Kirby may have written.