A step back in time

[thereallyniceman]

Frank Coyne kindly sent a list of scores that he has available to share with us and one title reminded me of a great video that was produced a few years ago by Joel and Carl.

To me, their amazing performance was haunting and spellbinding, so thought that it was worth another watch!

Now we have the score available in the MUSIC LIBRARY too.

[Frank Coyne]

Hi Ian,

Absolutely brilliant, wonderful rhythmic performance. Who are these two great (nonchalant) players Joel and Carl? Never heard this great Ellis piece performed before. Well done! Frank

[Trapdoor2]

Joel is a member here; manufacturer and purveyor of the finest thimbles money can buy.

http://www.banjothimble.com/HOME.html

Carl has essentially gone missing, I have heard he went back to his Bluegrass roots. Shame, that.

The piece was written by Bolsover Gibbs and 'harmonized' by Ellis for British publication.

I harbour a suspicion that Gibbs was a nom-de-plume...probably of Stewart himself. Gibbs is found as a regular correspondent in Stewart's Journals and generally associated with wild tales, etc.

 

[Joel Hooks]

In the early 1880s the banjo hit England in a big way, in the US it was established.  

By 1884 the zither banjo was "invented."  

As one can see from extent early British examples, it took a little time to figure it out the banjo (especially in the string count department).  Early British banjos can also use some interesting construction features.  When they finally did get it right, they made some great banjos (but not zitherene banjos).

One thing that the English did was to write their music "to pitch," as in the notes that were actually sounding.  They also were relentless plagiarizers (Ellis was very guilty of this).

Swaim Stewart created a "English correspondent" named Bolsover Gibbs. Various authors used this name to write humorous music under.

"Funeral March of an Old Jaw Bone" was written to morn the "death of the Jaw Bone."  By the 1880s minstrelsy had stopped using the Jaw Bone for percussion and almost exclusively used bone canastas.

The joke is that this piece is happy-- i.e. they are not sad at all at the loss of the Jaw Bone in popular music.  The repeat strain is contributed to Bolls being an alcoholic.  

This is my favorite Gibbs piece and we are playing it sitting behind S. S. Stewarts' grave in Downingtown, PA.  He was buried in a small Quaker cemetery.

I feel 95% certain that Stewart wrote "FMoaOJB"

Another favorite of mine is "Liquid Inspiration Schottische"-- the hiccoughs are actually written in a grace notes. and to reenforce the plagiarism fact, it was issued in England as "Amy Schottische" and the joke was lost. (see attached).

Carl has gone back to bluegrass.  Before he played classic he was a champion bluegrass banjoist. He has sold the banjos we are playing here and now uses wire strings and picks.

[Frank Coyne]

Hi Joel, Very interesting, many thanks for that. Shame you guys broke up, you sounded great together! Regards. Frank

[Frank Coyne]

Hi Trapdoor,

Many thank's for that info, much appreciated. Regards. Frank

Trapdoor2 said:

Joel is a member here; manufacturer and purveyor of the finest thimbles money can buy.

http://www.banjothimble.com/HOME.html

Carl has essentially gone missing, I have heard he went back to his Bluegrass roots. Shame, that.

The piece was written by Bolsover Gibbs and 'harmonized' by Ellis for British publication.

I harbour a suspicion that Gibbs was a nom-de-plume...probably of Stewart himself. Gibbs is found as a regular correspondent in Stewart's Journals and generally associated with wild tales, etc.

 

[Frank Coyne]

Three simple and pleasant Breakdowns and a good right-hand workout for beginners. Sound great with guitar backup. Enjoy, and let us know (or hear) how you get on. (posted the first of these Breakdowns before).

[Richard L Freeze]

Is there a TablEdit form of this, I can't decifer the how it's played.

Thank You

Rich Freeze

[Richard L Freeze]

Can Someone please transpose in some banjo notation.

Please

ThankYou

Rich Freeze

[Trapdoor2]

I got you covered Richard.

I'll have "Free State Breakdown" tonight, it is simply a variation of "Preliminary Breakdown"..."Down South" shouldn't be much trouble, it is just a more complicated version. I'll get it done.

[Trapdoor2]

Ok, took less time than I thought!

The second part of "Down South" was left in first position...but one could play the first 6 notes of the 1st measure in the 5B position (and the later duplicate), just as easily.

 

[Trapdoor2]

And here's MIDI files so that you can listen to all three. I set the metrognome to 80bps, which is a little slow...they sound better @ 90 or so.

[Frank Coyne]

Hi Trapdoor, Well done with Tabs and MIDI and many thanks for taking the time to do these and make the music more widely accessible and user friendly. Frank