Batchelder's "Imitation of the Banjo for piano"

[OK-4]

This piece from the early 1850s contains versions of Brigg's Power of Music and Brigg's Favorite Jig. These two sections are scored as though written (without transposing) for a banjo tuned f-Bb-F-A-C (though the score doesn't reach the bass string). It seems to be a transcription of music as played on a banjo rather than a pianist's fancy, and is a fairly easy piece in stroke style. Here is a link to the Library of Congress' image:

Imitation of the Banjo, by Batchelder

On the piano it is scored for playing cross-handed, with the left hand doing nothing but tapping an F note (above middle C) on the treble clef - obviously corresponding to the thumb string - while the right hand plays all the other notes on the base clef. As played on a banjo tuned f-Bb-F-A-C the left hand never goes above the third fret.

The score was dedicated to Briggs and appears to have been published before the Brigg's banjo instruction book. I am curious about a couple of things:

1) Any thoughts about this piece as a transcript of early banjo music?

2) What is the earliest published (or unpublished) score that can be considered a transcription of music as played on banjo?

 

 

[Greg Adams]

Thank you for posting this OK-4. I had not seen the music for this one before. I'm looking forward to trying it out!

[Wes Merchant]

Here are a couple more by Mr. Batchelder.

http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044040877706;view=2up;s...

If you flip to page 212, I looks like the cited work is also contained.

[OK-4]

Thank you, Mr. Merchant. Yes, that 1863 version looks to be the same with a couple of changes in title: The whole piece is now called "The Banjo", and the next-to-last section is now called "The Power of Music" instead of (originally) "Briggs' Favorite Jig". (That part is very similar to The Power of Music in Rice's 1858 book.)

I have tabbed the whole piece out (except the introduction) and set it in standard notation, and may get around to posting it some day.

[Wes Merchant]

Please do, that would be very interesting to see.

[OK-4]

Here are two versions of TAB for the Batchelder score: 1) TAB only, and 2) Standard C notation with TAB. The TAB-only version omits most of the notation for dynamics.

 

(I tried to get the original score note for note - please let me know of any errors.)

 

The attached MP3 file makes an effort at playing everything in the TAB (with some flaws – sorry folks). "Brigg's Favorite Jig" begins at 2:15 and the Coda starts at 2:50.

[Wes Merchant]

Very nicely played! Thanks for the transcription as well.