Minstrel Banjo

For enthusiasts of early banjo

Celebrated Minor Jig, Les Sylphides, Pea Nut Girl

Three from Buckley 1868. More crossover stuff.

I think it funny that during this period it was not thought odd to get 'Les Sylphides' followed immediately on the page by 'Pea Nut Girl'.

Views: 168

Comment by Ian Bell on August 8, 2010 at 4:53pm
G. Swain Buckley's Celebrated Minor Jig gets another outing. I really enjoy how everyone who takes a run at this tune brings out something different in it. The rest of the suite is great too. I think I'm going to have to try the Pea Nut Girl - love those mysterious minor key tunes.
Comment by Tim Twiss on August 8, 2010 at 9:26pm
That is the perfect version of "Les Sylphides".
Comment by Ian Bell on August 8, 2010 at 9:34pm
Sequence of notes in the 2nd bar of the B part of Peanut Girl is almost "Hernando's Hideaway" .
Comment by Moschella Banjos on August 8, 2010 at 9:54pm
these pieces are beautifully played
Comment by Rob MacKillop on August 9, 2010 at 2:20am
Thank you, gentlemen.

Yes, Ian, there is something about minor-key tunes on a banjo. Pea Nut Girl is just great fun to play, and the Celebrated Minor Jig has a very interesting B section. I got a bit schmaltsy (sp?) on that 4th-string solo line. But why not?
Comment by Tim Twiss on August 9, 2010 at 6:42am
Another minor one I'd like to hear is "Chicago Jig" from Dobson. I did it, but I think it would be better on a fretted.
Comment by Rob MacKillop on August 9, 2010 at 9:40am
I'll have a lok at it, Tim.
Comment by Ian Bell on August 9, 2010 at 9:58am
Rob, You say schmaltzy as if it's a negative thing. What you need is a silent movie to accompany.

Which makes me think... how cool would it be to present a screening of Buster Keaton's "The General" with a period banjo-driven score. Hmmm.....
Comment by Rob MacKillop on August 9, 2010 at 10:17am
I dare say the banjo did get called on for 'silent' movies. Any evidence?
Comment by Trapdoor2 on August 9, 2010 at 11:28am
I would like to see/hear that! AFAIK, silent movies were sent out with scores for piano or orchestra, depending on the film's budget. Cheap meant either no score or a simple set of directions that a pianist could improvise from. Expensive meant the film might be scored for full orchestra (such as D.W.Griffith's 1915 "Birth of a Nation").

Safe to say that most silent film scores are lost to time...as are over 80% of the films. Finding one scored for banjo orchestra would be akin to finding Noah's Ark. ;-)

What a cool idea though. Turner Classic Movies has an annual "young composers" contest where they ask them to compose a score for an existing silent movie. The one's I've seen were very enjoyable.

"The General" is 75 min long...perhaps we ought to do Keaton's "Cops"...it is only 17min~!

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