The Works of Joe Morley... NEW to Classic Banjo Ning

Some time ago site member Rev. Anthony Peabody and I discussed the possibility of creating a special section on the website to enable members and site visitors to share the work that he has been doing in creating audio files from early Joe Morley scores.

 

The Cammeyer Music and Manufacturing Company, a partnership between Alfred Cammeyer and Clifford Essex, published many of these scores 1893 to c1900. Most of these early pieces were arranged for a duet of banjos and some seem not to have had piano accompaniments available. They were published in the Cammeyer series of “Banjo Albums”, but I believe that individual tunes and parts could be ordered from the publishers.

Anthony is one of the very few Bass banjo players around and has added a bass banjo part to these audio tracks. This addition really brings the scores to life!  The audio recordings were produced midi format and the sampling of “General Midi” banjo is diabolical, sounding like a Dalek on helium, so I have re-edited them, as best as I can, using guitar and piano GM files.

 

Richard Ineson has done extensive research into the dating of Morley’s compositions and his work can be found on the Joe Morley website:    Joe Morley website

 

Most of the works are un-dated so the order of listing of the scores are in “approximate” date of publishing only and may be re-ordered if necessary over time.

 

I have been working on creating a database and page to allow visitors to download the Morley scores and play the audio file while they view the sheet music score!

I hope that you are inspired to have a go at playing some of these long lost gems!

VIEW THE SCORES AND PLAY THE MUSIC

 

I intend to expand this project to include as many of Morley’s later compositions as I can... but it may take a while, as there are approximately 250!

 

ENJOY

 

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Permalink Reply by Trapdoor2 on February 9, 2015 at 19:08

Brilliant, Ian! I like the bass line.

Are the pieces in this database separate from the ones in the library?

Permalink Reply by Eric STEFANELLI on February 9, 2015 at 19:51

Hi Ian!

This is a remarkable gift that you put on this site, it's really a great idea to have done this, it is useful as a good tool, and the bass line is rendered. I often feel a certain laziness to sing in my head the music before learning the tune , here, it  is very easy and save time by the way...

Thanks so lot.

" Lazy " Eric.

Permalink Reply by Shawn McSweeny on February 9, 2015 at 19:57

Fantastic addition to the site Ian. Having the audio file for each piece is a real bonus.

While there are many fine pieces in this group, Violet Mazurka was perhaps Morley's most popular early number. It's still a gem.

Permalink Reply by Ginny Matheson on February 9, 2015 at 20:24

Just checking in from N. California.  Ian, I hope your arm is going to be ok, and you won't suffer too much pain with it.  The Morley project looks wonderful.  Thanks for your efforts on this site.  

Permalink Reply by Jody Stecher on February 9, 2015 at 20:24

This all sounds great. I wish I could access it. I'm using a Mac and Safari as a web browser. I've had a look at the new Morley page and both viewed and downloaded 3 random pieces. There is no visible way of accessing audio files and none of the transcriptions had a bass line. Am I in a parallel universe?

Permalink Reply by Jody Stecher on February 9, 2015 at 20:28

I just tried it on my wife's PC. No audio files on the Morley page.

Permalink Reply by Patrick Garner on February 9, 2015 at 20:32

Jody, I experienced the same thing. I can easily view the PDF of each piece, but there's no visible audio file.

Permalink Reply by Jody Stecher on February 9, 2015 at 20:39

I know! we have calluses on our eyes…….



Patrick Garner said:

Jody, I experienced the same thing. I can easily view the PDF of each piece, but there's no visible audio file.

Permalink Reply by thereallyniceman on February 9, 2015 at 20:46

Under the scores there is a player:

The files are NOT downloadable, but playable

Permalink Reply by Patrick Garner on February 9, 2015 at 20:57

Ah so. Haste makes waste, and leads to dumb comments. The usual thanks, Ian.

Permalink Reply by Jody Stecher on February 9, 2015 at 21:14

Ah! Thank you. That part of the page was hidden on my monitor. That solves half the mystery. Now there is the matter of the bass lines. Are the second banjo parts, written in treble clef, actually the bass parts written in a higher octave?

thereallyniceman said:

Under the scores there is a player:

The files are NOT downloadable, but playable

Permalink Reply by thereallyniceman on February 9, 2015 at 21:38

I shall leave the arrangement details to Anthony, but I believe that he is busy for a couple of weeks. The main point is to let people hear these lost tunes and choose whether they wish to attempt to play them. I cannot guarantee 100% adherence to the printed scores, but they are darned close!

I don't think that he wants to publish his bass arrangements, but I will leave that to him to decide.

I have a couple of favourites  "Celebrated Grafton Parade" is amazing as is "Varsity Polka"

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