"Consort with a Swing, Second Album", was one of several works which I purchased probably in Autumn 1984 intended for use by
Quartettino. It has very much been played by the
Blue Monday and Blue Tuesday consorts. It has four pieces:
Alexander's Ragtime Band,
Whistling Rufus,
Heliotrope Bouquet and
The Teddy Bears' Picnic.
The preface has, as also
Consort With a Swing (Red Rose Rag, Fig Leaf Rag Etc.), a delightful performance note reminding us that:
The second album presents a further selection of vintage favourites for recorder players with a sense of humour and an appreciation of inégalité.
Alexander's Ragtime Band composed by
Berlin (1888-1989), arranged by Dennis Bloodworth
Quartet: D/A/T/B
According to the performance note, Alexander's Ragtime Band, was composed in 1911 by
Irving Berlin and this famous piece in
popular ragtime is one of Berlin's earliest and most enduring hits. The bugle call quaver passages make an effective contrast with the ragtime style whn played without rythmic deviation.
As I generally play bass or tenor, it is a special joy doing the bugle call bits
Whistling Rufus composed by
Mills (1869-1948), arranged by Philip Every
Quartet: D/A/T/B
This is a lovely little arrangement which everybody enjoys. It is easy to imagine a little Negro boy ( or any coloured boy for that matter) skipping along and whistling this tune. As for the recorder playing, all the voices have their quite different say and solo - Yes, Sir! - a happy piece. (as a bass player, I do love to show off if the others let me!).
Philip Every's performance note says that "Whistling Rufus" is described as a "Characteristic Two-Step" March", and much favoured by Traditional Jazz bands. He also stresses that the principal melodies should not be submerged by over-zealous support.
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The Bremen Recorder Touring Company |
Recorder Ceilidh 2000, BRTC |
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Heliotrope Bouquet composed by
Joplin (1868-1917), arranged by Denis Bloodworth
Quartet: D/A+S/T/B rmheliotrope.mid
According to the performance note, Heliotrope Bouquet results from
Scott Joplin's collaboration with Louis Chauvin. It is in the
classic ragtime idiom and usually suffers from being played far too quickly; an unhurried tempo and a strict adherence to note-values will allow the true lyricism of the music to be realised. The melody is shared by the two upper instruments
This piece was a great favourite of the
Blue Monday and Blue Tuesday consorts. If done properly, i.e. at a nice slow pace as mentioned above, then this piece reminds me very much of the old-time fairground heliotrope and its light-hearted jangly music. The treble part is very demanding requiring a very rapid change to sopranino in just two bars and the first note of a descending run being a top E!
Teddy Bears' Picnic, The composed by
Bratton (1867-1947), arranged by Robin Benton
Quintet: S/D/A/T/B
This very well-known "The Teddy Bear's Picnic" is another light-hearted arrangement that I dearly love playing. Whilst the melody for the main part of the work is borne by the third voice, all the other voices have their moments of glory with a sprinkling of two-bar solos. I have many happy memories of playing the sopranino and partnering
Bettina Kiefner or Nannette Wiethölter on descant in the
Blue Monday and Blue Tuesday consorts respectively.
The work opens with a two-bar snatch of melody on descant replied by the same melody but an octave lower on tenor. The whole ensemble then joins-in with the lower three voices marching down the ladder as it were accompanied by a long, soft triller by descant and sopranino. The story is then taken-up by the treble to be finalised by a splendid coda. In between there are a couple of light-hearted moments whereby the descant and sopranino exchange shots like trumpets in a jazz-session. Guaranteed to bring the house down.