Minstrel Banjo

For enthusiasts of early banjo

By W. Boucher 1857. Interpretation of a piano score played on a gourd banjo.

Views: 108

Comment by Tim Twiss on February 26, 2014 at 10:53am

Here is what I came up with. Kinda have to let these things take on their own life.

Comment by Tim Twiss on February 26, 2014 at 11:20am

Gotta let the banjo....be the banjo.

Comment by Rob Morrison on February 26, 2014 at 11:30am

Tim-- That's really a strange tune, but I kind of like it.  I'm just not sure how I'd ever remember it, though.  Thanks for taking the time to put that together.

Comment by Tim Twiss on February 26, 2014 at 11:32am

Thanks Rob. I thought I left some "old feel" in it, rather than try hard to extract a piano like thing.

Comment by Bob Sayers on February 26, 2014 at 12:25pm

Huzzah!  That's lovely in a strange way.  I've got to listen to it a few more times when I get home tonight.   Thanks so much, Tim, for working this out.  

Comment by Tim Twiss on February 26, 2014 at 12:26pm

Yes, thanks. We should post a piano version. You would hear the core of the tune....but it strayed into it's own banjo wonderland.

Comment by Noah Cline on March 2, 2014 at 9:53pm

Different, but interesting.

Mr. Boucher must have tired of banjo making when this came out. ;)

Comment by Tim Twiss on March 3, 2014 at 2:35am

I don't know....the more I listen to it, the more I like it. It was influenced by how Buckley perhaps may have approached it.  I always felt the fretless banjo ( in the 1860's ) was being "stretched" into areas it did not belong, but none the less created some charming things. It certainly broke ground for what became "classic banjo". The Buckley 1868 sure is full of those that landed on different parts of the dart board,  and remains one of my favorite books.

Comment by Strumelia on March 8, 2014 at 11:18am

I think it's pretty to listen to.  It evokes Viennese ballroom dancing for me, and is not a style of tune I'd choose to learn to play.  I certainly wouldn't tackle it at this stage of my modest playing skills anyway, but Tim can handle it!  Definitely not 'banjo-ish' though.

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