The Klezmer reel

This came to mind from the ‘discussion’ -

Re: Rudeness and Autenticity
https://thesession.org/discussions/4750

I am a bit vague on the source, but dug it up from old notes. I tend to play this relaxed and like a slow reel, but not dirge like, with some lift and drive, for casual dancing. I also play it a little different than I’ve given here. Maybe I think my old notes are closer to the bone of it. I’m sure it was in a set of two tunes called ‘The Klezmer Reels 1 and 2", but I can’t find notes for the other.

Actually, the speed it plays on here is just about the way I like to take it at times, though I also give it a bit of schtick at other times, needed if you’re going get up and shake a leg to it, but still relaxed, about 120+ bpm…

It’s BRILLIANT! I love it! Especially the B-part. Wouldn’t you just love to play it at a Tansey session with a full-on wet musette sound and lots of big fat bass notes. Hahahaha.

Yes, a really wet musette and one of those multi-button boxes they use in Finland, I think someone once told me it is called the ‘International system’? YEEHA!

Might as well get Jack’s goat at the same time, eh?

Oh yeah, and I meant ‘noodling’ on a Chemnitzer - a pair of them doing harmony. You take the melody and I’ll bang out bass, chords and counterpoint…

I wanted to publish it in The Portland Collection. He denied permission to print.

Susan Songer

De Dannan recorded a set of reels called "The Klezmer Reels",if memory serves.

De Dannan
Half-Set in Harlem
track 4: Klezmer Hornpipes

Susan - only just recently had a friend make contact concerning ‘the source’. I hope the outcome is good. It is a fun tune to play. It is a shame that Seamus Tansey’s dislike of things ‘foreign’ brought it to mind, but it is very hummable, a joy to play and to saunter about the house to. I hope it survives someplace so others can have the same enjoyment I get out of it…

De Dannan
Ballroom
Track 8: 8. Two Jewish Reels: A Shepherd’s Dream/Ongo Bucharesti

This comment, a reply to ceolachan. A longer message than appears here came through to me via email. In response to a question that shows up there, yes, the version that you posted is very similar to what I have. However, if he doesn’t read music and hasn’t responded to queries about the tune, there is no way to know if either setting is close to the way he intended.

Susan S.

Has asked that they be completely unassociated with this tune, or that the tune be removed, either/or…

works much nicer with flure, pipes and so on when transposed to Dxxx can’t remember the name of this strange balcan mode, but have asked before 😉

I have recently been playing this really slow, and humming it, and my memory keeps telling my I’ve come across this air as a song - Yiddish?! I’m going to do some more looking. This may account for the source for the dance version not wanting to be associated with it. If anyone else has Klezmer associates, I’d love some help here.

‘URS’ - after you’ve gotten chummy with it as you’ve transposed it, how about giving us the ABCs for it sometime in the future? I have a book full of odd keys, unfortunately not at hand, but - I’ll see if I can dig out a name for you…

Lydian? Phrygian?
-Padraig

Neither - it’s mostly harmonic minor.

Right on Dow, I should have looked instead of being lured to the dark side - longing for those other scales used in Eastern Europe - of which this isn’t one and doesn’t sound like one - Duh! - Where’s me case of Duff beer?

I’m just back from a deep sleep where I was running from the nazis while the wind blew a melody in A harmonic minor. I think I’ve shaken them - - - NO!, they’ve got their Bb chanters out and are aiming them at me - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

mode discussion can be found at
https://thesession.org/tunes/1909

Yes I’d forgotten about that discussion. Just to clarify though, this tune isn’t in altered phrygian, it’s just straight A (harmonic) minor.

Back in the 1920s the singer Al Jolson composed and sang Anniversary Song. The melody is very similar to this reel. I’ve heard versions by Django Reinhardt and by a famous Texas fiddler (can’t just now think of his name). A friend and session-mate claims he learned the tune from folk musicians during a visit to Yugoslavia twenty years ago. It’s a fun tune to play in a session; the second part with its G7 to C beginning really kicks up the energy.

Larry

X: 1
T: Klezmer, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Bmin
|:F2 B2 BcdB|cdc^A FAcA|B^ABc dcde|fb-bf b2 ba|
g2 ga gfeg|1 fdBc d4|c2 B2 ^A2 B2|cBAG FEDE:|2 f2 B2 e4|fgfe c2 d2|B4 B4||
|:A2 ce a3 g|g2 f2 f4|F2 ^Ac f3 e|e2 de fd B2|
G2 Be gfeg|f2 B2 e4|1 cf-fc fgfe|cf-fc fgfe:|2 fgfe c2 d2|B4 B4||

Bar 8 should have a G# instead of the G, unless I’m very mistaken.

Otherwise a lovely tune, I’m now looking for a second one to make a set. It sounds great on the accordion with a syncopated bass line (123-123-12).

"Bar 8 should have a G# instead of the G, unless I’m very mistaken". I dunno Cream T…keeps the adorian theme al lthe way down the scale! Tho it sounds fine either way you look at it.

This tune is faaaantastic.

We used to know another set we just called "The Klezmer Reels", two or three tunes. I’ll see if I can find them for you…toes crossed… 😎

Nice transposition swiss!

Hallelujah layers ~ those are connections I couldn’t remember, brilliant. Thanks a bunch, much appreciated…

Been going into some health problems lately but ive been reading up, thanks for this

Saw a site about ayurvedic home remedies
Looks like a great site so far, with updated content. http://www.herbaldb.com/buy-bitter-melon/

-A blow with a reed makes a noise but hurts not. - Spanish Proverb