For enthusiasts of early banjo
Pease Upon a Trencher
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Comment by Paul Draper on February 17, 2013 at 5:36pm
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Really delightful Mark. Sounds great on the gourd. Thanks for posting.
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Comment by Nicholas A Bechtel on February 17, 2013 at 11:42pm
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Hey Mark very cool. I ended up purchasing the book from which "The New Negro" came from, "Dance and It's Music in America 1528-1789,. It would be great to here more tunes from that era on your gourd. If you do any more from the above book, indicate it with the video.
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And Thanks for posting!
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Comment by Al Smitley on February 18, 2013 at 10:21am
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Though I didn't have the tune in my head, the title was familiar. I looked through all of my pre-Antebellum tune books thinking I would find it right away but was surprised that I only found it in one, Riley's Flute Melodies. That made me wonder what source you have for it. Also, I think you are playing it in 'C'. Is that how you found the music notation or is does it simply work best that way on your 4-stringer, which, by the way, sounds very nice!
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Comment by Ian Bell on February 18, 2013 at 1:17pm
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Love the slides! Gee, I gave away my homemade four-stringer to "make room" for the Boucher kit I built last summer. Listening to this makes me want it back!
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Comment by Mark Weems on February 18, 2013 at 10:43pm
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Al,
It was a popular fife and drum piece in the 18th century. You can find various versions, some earlier than others, on abcnotation.com. I'm actually playing it in the key of F - I love the sound of the gourd down there.
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Thanks Mark. Just a few seconds before reading your reply, I thought, "Now that I think of it, it sounds more like a fife tune. I should look through my fife books!" ....and yes, I like the sound down there. I think that's what drew me to early banjo.......the low-down plunk! Ever since hearing it for the first time, the modern banjo just sounds too high and tinny.
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I went through my half-dozen fife/drum books and found it in one, The Drummers' and Fifers' Guide , by Geo. B. Bruce and Dan D. Emmett, c 1861. It's listed as "Breakfast Call, (Peas upon a trencher)." It goes on to say, "Is the signal for breakfast, and it is to be beat at 7 o'clock, or at any other hour set apart for the same. Fifteen minutes before which, the Drummer's Call will be beat by the drummer of the guard." Thanks again, Mark, for resurrecting it!
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Thank you Ian,
The four just sounds different from the five string gourd. To the eye, it seems to be very primitive, but to the ear, it is capable of rich complexities of tone and sustain. I hope more people start playing them.
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I may just have to make another. The last one only cost about $20 and time. If I need to make room for it I'll just have to give away one of the cats!
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