Zarh Bickford's Unplayable Chords?

[Joel Hooks]

Here is a nice piece that has me scratching my head.

The bits circled in red are, as far as I can determine, unplayable.  In the third measure (and throughout the piece) he has you playing two notes on the 4th string at the same time.  This is followed by a slur from F to G.  Sliding my 4th for this slur works but is a bit sloppy when trying to complete the triplet smoothly. 

Checking the period violin score (which is in D but I can read off the page as if it is A notation), there is just an F.  Playing just the F sounds good, but I can also add in an A, then snap the A for a slur into the G for the triplet.  This gives a more filled in sound but does not seem necessary. 

Then we get to the chord in the 7th measure (which shows up several more times) which, in theory, is playable.  But even with my decent ability to stretch my fingers I can barely grab the F with my little finger.  I was able to play this chord on a Banjeaurine, but my usual players run in the 27+" scale range (the Weaver I've been playing is 27.5) and I can't grab it. Then there is the chord in the second to last measure-- not going to happen with my hand. 

The green circled chord I believe to be a typo based on it just not being right (and being correct the first time you play this phrase in the piece). 

WTF Bickford?  Please explain yourself?  Do I need to get out my Quija board for this?

[Jody Stecher]

After you've had more time to study the piece I think you will discover that two more strings tuned as you have indicated will not enable you or anyone else to simulataneosly play Bb on the third fret of the third string and A natural one fret below it. Look for the green circles and you will find the two spots I mean.

IAN SALTER said:

Yes, I didn't think it was for a 7 string banjo, but do find it interesting that all of the chords can be played as written. 

I do like a spoof western, so thanks for the link.

[Jody Stecher]

The screenwriter needed to his homework a little deeper. A broken string makes a sound but it is not loud and not like a gun. HOWEVER : There are two sounds a banjo can make that can easily be mistaken for a pistol shot. One is a vellum breaking.  This happened to me during a soundcheck in an over-air-conditioned hall. My banjo was on its stand behind me and the vellum was already tight. When it burst every person in the room looked around for the shooter.   The other is a 5/8 " bridge toppling forward onto a tight plastic head. This happened to the banjo player in my bluegrass band on stage when we are all 14 years old. For just a moment  were sure it was a gun. 
Joel Hooks said:

He can be seen playing a pretty high end Bacon in this spoof western from 1931.  The link should start the scene.  A little while into it you get a better view of him restarting the song.  He is the only one playing fingerstyle (on a 5 string) and has a mustache, sitting in the front. 

https://youtu.be/cG7XRyUp0QI?si=ILUQE-rjMMFGgxAb&t=164

[IAN SALTER]

Just to be clear, I totally agree that the tune can't be played as written, on a 5 string banjo. As I'm sure you did, I tried it on mine and agreed with Joel's findings. So, purely out of curiosity, I attempted it on my 7 string instrument and discovered that it can indeed, be played as written. If, as it seems likely, an error was made in the engraving, it is a remarkable happenstance that allows the tune to be played comfortably on a 7 string banjo.

The chord that Joel circled in green, follows on from the preceding measure played in the 5th position ( a slight fourth finger stretch for the Bb ), as are the two beats that immediately preceded it. The chord in question is played in the 7th position: A at 9th fret, 5th string - Bb at 8th fret, 4th string - D at 7th fret, 3rd string. It sounds appropriate to me.

As for the red circles, in the first one, the C and F are on adjacent strings 6 and 5. A slur from the F to the G, allows the triplet to be played smoothly in the 5th position, then complete that measure and play the next two. In the second, the F is only one fret away from the A, as it would be on a 5 string banjo with an elevated 4th string.

Irrespective of what it is played on, I do like the tune; I have been spending a lot of time learning similar melancholic and romantic pieces, of which there are several in the various Turner's Dance Albums. So, thanks for finding it Joel.

[Joel Hooks]

Hey Ian, I was not dismissing your contribution, I value any input or thoughts.  Interpreting this on the 7 string is a great concept. 

I have no doubt that these are just mistakes in engraving.  The green circled chords should be the same as the first measure of the piece. All of this becomes clear when looking at various period publications of this same number. 

Once this is all sorted out, it is not difficult to play, but I think it is going to take some work to bring out the emotion.  I've been listening to period recordings of it (mostly violin) and when played with rubato there is a nice anticipation that comes with many of the phrases.  Props to Bickford for picking a great number to arrange for the banjo (even with errors).

I've been going back and forth on the 5th Barre C chord whole notes from playing it as written to softly rolling behind it to playing it tremolo.

[Jody Stecher]

Wow. You're right, it can be played in your tuning!  But it still sounds discordant to me. The chord in measure 1 sounds better to me, Better than either might be Bb C D.

IAN SALTER said:

The chord that Joel circled in green, follows on from the preceding measure played in the 5th position ( a slight fourth finger stretch for the Bb ), as are the two beats that immediately preceded it. The chord in question is played in the 7th position: A at 9th fret, 5th string - Bb at 8th fret, 4th string - D at 7th fret, 3rd string. It sounds appropriate to me.

[IAN SALTER]

Hi Joel, I didn't think for one second that you were, but thank you anyway.

I've been listening to those recordings too and feeling the same about them. I have a strong fondness for music of that type and regularly listen to the early recordings on CatsPjamas1 YouTube channel and in particular, the singing of Henry Burr. As I previously hinted at, I'm really enjoying exploring the more emotion laden tunes in the Turner's publications. When you get time, if you haven't already seen it, have a look at page 18 of 'Ellis' Banjo Album N° 6' 'Only To See Her Face Again'. 

Right, back to work on 'Simple Confession' again, this time on my 5 string banjo.

[Joel Hooks]

Here is a copy that I doctored up.

Simple%20Confessions%20Revised.pdf

[Joel Hooks]

Yeah, if you are into these sentimental songs arranged for instrumental banjo, check out Bickford's Banjo Players Favorite.  The arrangements look anemic on the page, but they sound really nice.   They are great for mix and match medleys.

I've been chipping away at learning the entire book.  There are a few that are meh, then there are some great standouts like Love's' Old Sweet Song, Alice, Where Art Thou? (I started this one a few days ago, it has just enough tremolo), and In the Gloaming with tremolo is very pretty.  His arrangement of Melody in F is also very good (and sounds great played picking all the way through, I've been playing it both ways).

The nice thing about this sort of stuff is that people know the melodies-- they may not know why or from where, but they are all familiar.  Even for younger folks. 

[Jody Stecher]

In the 4th measure you have retained Bickford's crescendo "hairpin" marking.   How does one increase the volume of a single stroke? You strike the chord and on the banjo it automatically diminishes in volume soon after.  One could play tremolo with increasing force  I suppose but it seems  a bit early in the piece to do that.  I wonder what Bickford intended.  Or did the publisher just put it there because he liked how it looked?

Joel Hooks said:

Here is a copy that I doctored up.

Simple%20Confessions%20Revised.pdf

[Joel Hooks]

If playing the chord tremolo one can control the volume.  The same with rolling the cord.

But my guess is that it is a imagined increase leading into the fp.

There is a thing with banjo notation and presenting things that are impossible.  An example of this is the many pieces that are written in two voices but require changes in position or stopping notes that it is impossible to hold the full value of both voices. Grimshaw is guilty of this. 

I'm not sure I can explain what I mean. 

Or... it could be that it was in the arrangement for flute and or violin that Bickford used for this arrangement.   I just moved the whole notes over on the copy I've been doctoring to give me room to write something in when I decide what I want to do with that chord. 

[Jody Stecher]

Yes the imagined increase is an example of what I meant by music in the realm of ideation as opposed to the the realm of the physical world. Classical composers did this too I am told.

Joel Hooks said:

If playing the chord tremolo one can control the volume.  The same with rolling the cord.

But my guess is that it is a imagined increase leading into the fp.

There is a thing with banjo notation and presenting things that are impossible.  An example of this is the many pieces that are written in two voices but require changes in position or stopping notes that it is impossible to hold the full value of both voices. Grimshaw is guilty of this. 

I'm not sure I can explain what I mean. 

Or... it could be that it was in the arrangement for flute and or violin that Bickford used for this arrangement.   I just moved the whole notes over on the copy I've been doctoring to give me room to write something in when I decide what I want to do with that chord.