Michael Turners Waltz

As promised, a tune from scratch. Michael Turners Waltz is a very nice Sussex tune from Michael Turners own manuscript. I got my version from the local sessions, which play it the same way as written in the Lewes Favorites and the Sussex Tunebook. The same tune also occurs in Mozart KV 536 (Six German Dances). I'm guessing that these six dances were German country dance tunes adapted for the orchestra, so it's probable that the waltz is a traditional German one. I'll post a link to the tune when I find a version online.

 The Tune

The tune sits very nicely on the G row of a DG melodeon. The finger notation is written assuming this button layout - low notes with the G scale starting on button 3.

IF you do not have these low notes just replace the G1' with another G2, it works just the same but is not quite as economical with the bellows direction changes.

The given fingering also works for all standard one-row layouts, but the tune will end up in a different key if you are not playing a G box.

The fingering chart above shows which button to press and the bellows direction. For example, G3 would mean press the third button on the G whilst pushing the bellows together. G6' would mean press button 6 on the G row whilst pulling the bellows apart. The use of an apostrophe ' indicates a note played on the pull.

In contrast to the previous tune, this does not cross rows at all.

The trickiest part of the tune comes in bars 1 and 5 where the low D note (G2/G1') should be played on different buttons to keep the bellows direction constant from the previous notes. This allows the tune to flow more lyrically and for some interesting chord/bass accompaniments I will look at in a future lesson.

The Chords

The framework for the chords is a standard waltz where the bass note is played on the first beat of every bar and the chords are played on beats two and three.

Hopefully the video will explain this more visually/aurally, but for those who would like it explained in writing:

The first two notes are a lead in and do not require accompaniment.

The tune starts with a B note (G4 using your first finger). At the same time of playing this note, briefly press the G bass button on the left hand side of the melodeon using your little finger.

The next melody note is the same, but this time it is joined onto a low D (G2). As you press the B with your right hand first finger briefly tap the G chord with the left hand third finger.

This is then followed by your right hand first finger playing the low D (G2). This does not have any accompaniment so the left hand can have a moments rest (but don't allow your fingers to fly away - they will be needed in just a second!).

The 4th note in bar one is a C. This is played by pressing G4 and playing the note on the pull (G4'). At the same time as this you press the G chord button again with the left hand third finger. Being a clever instrument, the melodeon changes the chord depending on the bellows direction, this time giving you a D chord.

The final note in bar one is another low D, but this time played on the first button of the G row, on the pull (G1'). Again, this doesn't need accompaniment so you can let your fingers rest. If you do not have this low D on the pull, just replace it with a low D played on G2.

This is a basic chord progression, a more advanced version will be coming shortly.

The Video

A quick apology here - my melodeon has extra buttons! The sharp eyed will notice that on my box, the fingering I have given is all moved up one button (G3 would be G4). This facilitates some extra low notes, but since we don't need them just ignore the lowest note on the G row (indicated in the video).