Peter Ellis's Introduction to Collector's Choice Volume 3
Introduction
The Book
This, the third volume of "Collector's
Choice", is devoted mainly to the popular music used for the Old
Time and New Vogue Sequence Dances. A section towards the end of the book
contains tunes for the Modern Ballroom Dances, which bands, even traditional
groups, find they at times must include for certain occasions, whether it be a
50/50 or 60/40 blend of Old Time/Modern or Bush, or the occasional request at
special functions, such as Weddings and 21st Birthdays. Special
tunes for the latter, including Anniversaries, Debutante Balls and
Novelties, conclude the book.
Although the era this book represents is
predominantly 20th century with music in which the chromatic instruments
saxophones, piano accordions, electronic organs dominate the scene, great
care has been taken to mainly select tunes that are also suitable to the fixed
key diatonic "squeezeboxes" (button accordions and Anglo concertina).
The Music:
Apart from that of the sets and polkas, most
of the music in this third collection belongs to the dances that have been
introduced this century. They belong either to the Edwardian era in the first
instance, or the main revival period of the New Vogue Sequence Dances a
choreographed by-product of the modern ballroom of the 1930s and 40s. Accordingly,
the music is largely popular and belonging to the "Gay Nineties",
"Roaring Twenties" and "Wonderful Thirties"
periods.
Songs:
A feature of these times were the vocals and
many of the tunes were promoted as "song waltzes" or "song
foxtrots". It is not unusual still to find a dancing crowd that will
spontaneously sing aloud to the strain of a familiar tune. The old bands often
featured a vocalist to lead the words. Bands should endeavour to include at
least some popular material amongst their repertoire. This applies particularly
to the music for the perennial favourite such as Pride of Erin, Progressive
Barn Dance and Evening 3-Step. Traditional groups can maintain an Australian
flavour by including amongst the popular material a balance of collected
anonymous waltzes and schottisches as suits the dance. These have a wonderful
flavour, and vocals can also be provided with the bush songs "Drover's
Dream", "Dying Stockman", "Widgegoweara Joe", etc.
Does the Song Fit?
It is important when using songs to ensure
the phrasing and bar counts match the dance sequence, and the tune(s) may need
to be modified.
For example, some songs have a few extra bars
at the end of a chorus as a refrain or fill-in to allow singers to draw breath.
This cannot be retained in a dance tune that usually needs to match a definite
16 or 32 bar multiple. Failure to observe this important principle will put the
dancers out of step and throw them into confusion.
The same applies to tunes which have an extra
beat or two emphasising a particular word and phrase towards the end of the
chorus. An example here is "Widgegoweara Joe", which must have that
passage modified back to strict dance time.
Sometimes there are other less obvious
traps. The popular tune, "Hi
Lily Hi Lo" sounds like an ordinary phrased waltz, but in fact is a 40 bar
tune. It will not suit a regular sequence dance and would have to be reserved
for a plain waltz, or a set such as Waltz Country Dance, Waltz Cotillion or the
waltz figure of the Alberts.
"Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay" has an offbeat
in the chorus, which, unless deleted or modified, will throw dancers out of
step in, for example, a Brown Jug Polka. Conversely it would suit a go as you
please Foxtrot quite well.
You must select songs to be used as dance
tunes with care.
Does the Dance Fit?
A Veleta Waltz occupies 16 bars of music,
whilst a Pride of Erin takes 32 bars. "Peggy O'Neil" has a 32 bar
chorus and 16 verse. In this form it suits a Veleta Waltz, but the verse must
be either repeated or deleted to fit a Pride of Erin.
The Maxina is one of the few dances arranged
to a 24 bar sequence. It has the longest waltz section of any sequence dance.
Original tunes composed for the Maxina will suit the dance, but other popular
tunes usually need to be adjusted to fit the sequence.
"Waltzing Matilda", "The Bells
of St Mary's", "Alley Cat", "The Music Box Dancer",
"Drover's Dream" and "Click Go The Shears" are just some of
the tunes that have been played for a Maxina, but the first strain of the tune,
unlike the song, is repeated to bring it up to 24 bars (A-A-B). Some tunes like
"Lily of Laguna" can be brought up to 24 bars by adding the verse,
whilst occasionally some songs like "Old Black Joe" already equal 24
bars.
In parts of New South Wales the Maxina has
been shortened to 20 bars, so there are only two waltz turns. This is a pity as
a feature of the dance is its lovely long waltz, and the 20 bar modification
means the tunes have to be mutilated.
Finally, if using Slow Foxtrot tunes for a
sequence dance, check that they are in 16 bar multiples. Some Foxtrots have an
unexpected irregular tally, as this dance does not require a fixed sequence.
Many Slow Foxtrots otherwise are suitable for the Charmaine.
Signature Tune and Support Tunes:
A signature tune is the tune originally
belonging to a dance and/or especially composed for the dance or associated
with it. Generally this tune fits the dance best and tells the dancers
"what to do". It should be used where possible as the opening tune for
the dance.
The Veleta Waltz, Boston 2-Step, Maxina and St
Bernard Waltz are just some of the dances which have their own original
composed music.
Other dances seem to have come out at a time
when a particular tune or group of tunes have been popular. These dances then
become associated with this respective music as their signature tune. Examples
are the Pride of Erin to the popular pseudo Irish-American tunes, such as
"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" and, in particular, "Come Back To
Erin"; the Tangoette to "Jealousy"; and the Evening-3-Step to
"Teddy Bears' Picnic".
Support tunes need to be in a similar
suitable style to the signature tune. However, there is an enormous range of
popular and traditional material allowing musicians freedom of choice, so that
apart from the signature tune, bands need not all be playing the same music.
One of the reasons I have included so many tunes in this series is to help
musicians, particularly beginners, with their selection and yet provide
reasonable variety.
Repeats of Tunes and Medleys:
Originally only one tune would be played for
a particular dance, and it would last quite a long time. A check of old music
for the Barn Dance (e.g. the Kangaroo Barn Dance in Vol. 1) and the original
Veleta Waltz will show that the printed music allowed for the usual sequence of
steps to be danced about 12 times. The original Maxina music allowed for this
longer sequence to be danced 5 times through. The band would play through this
music exactly as printed. Occasionally if the crowd applauded for more, an
encore of the dance to the same tune, or part thereof, would be repeated.
The old bush musicians often had their own
favourite "anonymous" tune, known perhaps simply as the name of the
dance, and this also was the only tune played over and over, including encores,
if any.
Early printed music did have several parts or
sections to a dance tune, and the later popular tunes had verses to be
alternated with the chorus.
As further tunes were composed for a dance
these might have been eventually used for encores, or the repeats of dances
later on the program. The numerous repeats of the Quadrille and the Waltz on
programs would have established the accumulation of extra pieces.
Ultimately, on consolidating programs, this
led to the retention of more than one tune for a dance. Musicians then
incorporated brackets of tunes in a medley, but it still approximated to twelve
times through the dance with only the occasional encore.
In modern times it has become established practice to play a single
tune for a dance 4 or 5 times through at the most, followed by a second tune
for the first encore and a third tune for the second encore. The encores might
only equal 3 or 4 times through the dance respectively. It is still recommended
that the first tune be the signature tune. The breaks between encores are very
short, just long enough to change pages or instruments.
It pays to have at least four tunes at hand
for a dance, however, as sometimes the dancers, via the M.C., will applaud one
extra encore. In the case of a Pride of Erin the final encore is sometimes
played in 6/8 time, same style as the Evening-3-Step. The Progressive Barn
Dance, of course, can have many encores and can also be concluded with a °/8 or
cut time "swing" tune.
Although medleys of tunes are popular,
it means the musicians must have a wider repertoire and be tight on the tune
changes. They may not then be as relaxed and good at their playing.
Nevertheless the medley makes enjoyable music for the dancers if the musicians
can carry it off.
A good compromise is to play two tunes twice
each and then to return once to the first tune to conclude.
Some traditional bands still prefer a longer
bracket for a dance with a single medley of several tunes, finally concluding
with the opening signature tune.
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