A different Bass

[artelagro]

I bought some old music books at a roup last week just to compare the old with more current publications.
The first was some Scottish country dance music and the main changes to a lot of the traditional tunes were on the bass side. To be fair, I think the book was written at a time when the piano ruled the roost and accordions (or accordionists) were still in their infancy. See the following quote:-

<HIGHLIGHT highlight=#bfffff>[highlight=#bfffff]In view of the fact that Accordionists who trouble to study Harmony are very much in the minority, and due to the mechanical construction of chord formation on the left-hand keyboard of the Accordion I have found it most practical to adopt the Numerical Bass Notation in these arrangements, for instance, C.E.G.B flat, is not C 7th, as so constantly written in Accordion arrangements, but is actually F 7th, but, in the Numerical Notation it is written as C3, for it is found on the 3rd Bass below C of the Fundamental Row, (in the C row ).[/highlight]</HIGHLIGHT>

If you are starting to lose the grip of this, Numerical Bass Notation is:-

Counter Bass are Underlined thus:- A. B. C. etc.
Fundamental Bass are written plainly, thus:- A. B. C. etc.
Major Chords are written, thus:- A1. B1. C1. etc.
Minor Chords are written, thus:- A2. B2. C2. etc.

Now you understand.

Next we take a well known tune – ‘the Harvest Home’. Is there anyone here under the age of 90 who recognises this arrangement?

Garth

 

[barkis]

C.E.G.B flat, is not C 7th, as so constantly written in Accordion arrangements, but is actually F 7th

How can C E G Bb not be a C7?

Is there anyone here under the age of 90 who recognises this arrangement?

No.

 

[artelagro]

One extra point for being the first to spot it Barkis - well done.
Now there will be a rush to visit Duane Schnurs site to download his chord chart http://duaneschnur.com/accordion/lessons/Chord-Scale Guide/Scale-Chord.pdf[/SIZE]
But, what did Mozart Allan (the publisher) mean?
Anyone?
Garth

 

[BobM]

What are benefits of this system? The current chord system is well used and understood; this is just another way for Accordionists to be even more disconnected from the mainstream.

 

[artelagro]

I cant see any benefits. The only explanation I would guess is that he (Mozart Allan) was trying to establish a convention for this new Stradella bass system. In these early days I think you had your choice of two main publishers of Scottish and other traditional music i.e. Mozart Allan or James S Kerr, both of Glasgow.
The book is entitled Allans Reels, Strathspeys and General Dance Music. Country Dances, and cost 3/6net (17.5p)
The lot contained another book by the same publisher entitled Allans Ballroom Companion and cost 5/- (25p). In this one, the Numerical Bass Notation has been dropped so I would assume that the idea never caught on.
Its all guesswork - unless you know differently.
Garth