Purcell on Accordion

[Walker]

My favourite Classical composer is Purcell and here's a new recording I've discovered played on bayan by Vyacheslav Nedosekin.

'A New Ground' is one of my favourite tunes to play. This is the only version I've heard played by another accordionist and it's excellent!



I really like the way Nedosekin has arranged the piece for bayan/accordion. In the original score for harpsichord the ground bass starts its pattern in single line quaver structure before developing with the addition of subtle sustained notes that bolsters the left hand orchestration. But here, for the most part, Nedosekin continues with the more straightforward structure of the single line quavers. It is only in the second section of the piece (first time through only) at about the 1.03 mins to 1.37 mins mark that Nedosekin finally adds the left hand sustained notes into the ground bass, and it fortifies the bass line warmly. He then returns to the pared back single line of quavers in his arrangement of the piece. I think it's a really clever way of treading lightly and keeping the piece elegant and perhaps also a nod to the subtlety that occurs on piano or harpsichord where sustained notes decay quickly. I guess there is the possibility that if the piece was played exactly as written, with all the sustained notes, on accordion, it could begin to feel a little heavy.

Would be interested to hear thoughts on this interpretation of 'A New Ground'. What do you think of the arrangement and performance? I'd give it full marks!​

 

[Tom]

I think it is a lovely recording Stewart. I am not very familiar with Mr. Purcell’s music but this is very relaxing and well balanced. I would have to find a fitting venue to play it, maybe a church or upscale art opening. Probably beyond my ability anyway though. I am glad you are introducing us to early Baroque for accordion. I do appreciate it more than the million notes a minute guys these days.

 

[Walker]

Thanks Tom, I'm mostly enjoying both folk & baroque these days.

'A New Scotch Tune' from the 1690s...

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom, I'm mostly enjoying both folk-n-baroque these days.

'A New Scotch Tune' from the 1690s...

Oh yeah, I think you posted this on another thread, very nice!

 

[Walker]

When I first listened to 'A New Scotch Tune' and 'A New Irish Tune' by Henry Purcell I was really keen to find the music and I eventually found a book of his harpsichord pieces. It was only then I discovered how much of his work really appealed to me. I find it difficult to describe what it is about Purcell's keyboard music that beguiles me, but the 13 short pieces published in 'The Second Part of Musick's Handmaid' have a simple, unadorned beauty that seems just right to me. I love how each piece moves and how the lines flow and meander in natural shapes and contours. The accordion captures his style as well as any other instrument could, perhaps even better at times. The accordion, which really needs free bass to do these pieces justice, has a 'reedy' call that, at times, can transport you back 350 years in an instant.

To me, a tune like 'Sefauchi's Farewell' is nothing short of hauntingly beautiful on the accordion and yet no one plays this music... except me and Nedosekin. Maybe in time I'll record all 13 of Purcell's pieces from Musick's Handmaid.

Here's Nedosekin's performance of 'Sefauchi's Farewell'. Wonderful!​

 

[Tom]

Is it this book published by John Playford?

https://clara.imslp.org/work/329729

 

[Walker]

Playford first published 'The Second Part of Musick's Hand-Maid' back in 1689. I don't have a copy of the original anthology but I do have a new book called Henry Purcell, Complete Harpsichord Music (Book 2) Edited by C. Kite and it is one of the best music books I own.

I seem to have moved away from the phase of only buying books specially transcribed for accordion by expert teachers with fingering written out, as I feel like I'm becoming able to work out my own free bass fingering these days and it gives me the freedom to play what I enjoy.​

 

[Tom]

Playford first published 'The Second Part of Musick's Hand-Maid' back in 1689. I don't have a copy of the original anthology but I do have a new book called Henry Purcell, Complete Harpsichord Music (Book 2) Edited by C. Kite and it is one of the best music books I own.

I seem to have moved away from the phase of only buying books specially transcribed for accordion by expert teachers with fingering written out, as I feel like I'm becoming able to work out my own free bass fingering these days and it gives me the freedom to play what I enjoy.​

Seems like the “Music’s Handmade” is a series of lessons for learning to play the harpsichord. It’s very interesting to see the “hand written” score. I suspect your version has been cleaned up and typeset.

 

[Walker]

Seems like the “Music’s Handmade” is a series of lessons for learning to play the harpsichord. It’s very interesting to see the “hand written” score. I suspect your version has been cleaned up and typeset.

When we read of the harsh times and the turbulence during the 17th century it's good to discover that, at least in some parts of society, there was a gentler tradition of producing music books like 'Musick's Hand-made' for the hobbyist musician. It's lovely to know that some of the greatest composers of the day put effort into writing simple, beautiful music intended for the enjoyment of home keyboardists. Thus, the pieces Purcell composed in 'Musick's Hand-maid' were not intended to be complex, virtuosic works - instead they were accessible pieces with style, melodic beauty and engaging harmonies.
​

 

[Tom]

When we read of the harsh times and the turbulence during the 17th century it's good to discover that, at least in some parts of society, there was a gentler tradition of producing music books like 'Musick's Hand-made' for the hobbyist musician. It's lovely to know that some of the greatest composers of the day put effort into writing simple, beautiful music intended for the enjoyment of home keyboardists. Thus, the pieces Purcell composed in 'Musick's Hand-maid' were not intended to be complex, virtuosic works - instead they were accessible pieces with style, melodic beauty and engaging harmonies.
​

I suppose you could compare it to Anna Magdalena’s Notebook.

 

[Walker]

I suppose you could compare it to Anna Magdalena’s Notebook.

Well Tom, I'm no expert on the baroque period but it seems to me of all the trees that grew in the baroque orchard, none were quite as huge and bore as many fruits as J.S. Bach. Yet somehow, Purcell, whose most important contribution to music was not really his keyboard work, and who fell at the age of 36 years, well, he produced some of the sweetest tunes I ever did hear. Purcell was a little before the time of Bach and some say he influenced Bach, Handel, Mozart. All I know is I like his simple tunes.

 

[Tom]

Well Tom, I'm no expert on the baroque period but it seems to me of all the trees that grew in the baroque orchard, none were quite as huge and bore as many fruits as J.S. Bach. Yet somehow, Purcell, whose most important contribution to music was not really his keyboard work, and who fell at the age of 36 years, well, he produced some of the sweetest tunes I ever did hear. Purcell was a little before the time of Bach and some say he influenced Bach, Handel, Mozart. All I know is I like his simple tunes.

Interesting, thanks. There is a TON of his music on MuseScore. “Air in Dm” looks pretty good! So much music…..

 

[Pipemajor]

Seems like the “Music’s Handmade” is a series of lessons for learning to play the harpsichord. It’s very interesting to see the “hand written” score. I suspect your version has been cleaned up and typeset.

I notice his music has 6 lines to the stave!!
Was this common at the time?

 

[Jim2010]

For fan's of sad music (including myself), Purcell's aria "Dido's Lament" is a sure winner.

From Wikipedia:
From Wikipedia: Dido's Lament ("When I am laid in earth") is the closing aria from the opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell to a libretto by Nahum Tate. It is aria is played annually in London by the massed bands of the Guards Division at the Cenotaph remembrance parade in Whitehall on Remembrance Sunday, the Sunday nearest to 11 November (Armistice Day).

The text, as well as Purcell's opera, is based on the Aeneid, the Roman epic poem by Virgil about the Trojan warrior Aeneas, travelling to Italy from the fallen Troy in order to settle there and secure his son Ascanius's lineage. Their ship is blown off course from Sicily, and they land on the shore of North Africa in Carthage, a town newly settled by refugees from Tyre. Aeneas falls in love with their queen, Dido, but dutifully departs for Italy, leaving her. Distraught at his betrayal, she orders a pyre to be built and set ablaze so that Aeneas will see from his ship that she has killed herself. She sings the lament before stabbing herself as Aeneas sails on.

 

[saundersbp]

My favourite Classical composer is Purcell and here's a new recording I've discovered played on bayan by Vyacheslav Nedosekin

Well I finally got round to listening to the album and its superb. Strangely enough the one I return to is 'A New Scotch Tune', albeit the shortest, I like the way he changes the rhythm of the tune to the Scottish snaps on the repeats - I'm sure Purcell would approve.

Of course you can't beat this for Purcell (and I sincerely hope no-one has recreated an absurd accordion version with digital effects)



One to share with you on the subject of Grounds is Thomas Preston upon la mi re. A piece of cake for the LH on the accordion and is one of those pieces that would probably suit the accordion better than the organ. (you'll hear also that modern electronic organs are light years ahead of korglands...)



And an even nicer version

 

[Walker]

Purcell was pure class. Thanks for sharing @Jim2010 and @saundersbp.

Purcell's 'Ground In Gamut' is excellent too. It reminds me of fragments of Bach's 'Goldberg Variations' (even though Purcell was before Bach's time). Would be so good on accordion and not too complicated either...




The Ground 'upon la mi re' by Thomas Preston that you shared above, @saundersbp, is weirdly poetic and disconcerting. It's awesome... when I first listened I thought it was a contemporary work blending some serious Medieval uneasiness with jazz improvisation. Then when I checked the name I saw Preston was from the mid 1500s. Unbelievable!​

 

[Walker]

Well I finally got round to listening to the album and its superb. Strangely enough the one I return to is 'A New Scotch Tune', albeit the shortest, I like the way he changes the rhythm of the tune to the Scottish snaps on the repeats - I'm sure Purcell would approve.

Nedosekin's version of Purcell's 'A New Scotch Tune' is excellent. The bass line is so rhythmic and stylish - uncommonly so. When I play this piece, I tend to take the tempo down just a fraction, so it's a little more akin to a lyrical strathspey rather than a march. I like a slightly more elongated, elegant gait to the piece. I totally agree with you, the scotch snaps are just right for the piece and seem to be quite idiomatic to a lot of the lighter keyboard music Purcell and other baroque composers wrote. Scotch snaps are regularly suggested in the manuscripts I have, even for pieces with no apparent Scottish flavour, like 'Song Tune', also known as 'Ah! how pleasant 'tis to love'. Nedosekin also keeps the ornaments clipped short and that suits the Scottish vibe more than very elaborate shakes (trills) that I have heard others do. I think he's totally spot on there. Other than that, I would tend to play using the 'violin' voice on the treble, rather than a single reed as I think it sounds more natural to the style of tune. Just a personal preference of mine.​

 

[saundersbp]

Purcell's 'Ground In Gamut' is excellent too.

It's nice but doesn't quite stand out for me in the way some of the other pieces do.
Anyway all this talk of baroque has given me 3 more pieces to take away and learn on holiday in August - thank you!
i. Croft - Ground ii. Purcell - Scotch Tune iii. Preston - Ground
I think they'll make a cute early English set for 2026 as everything I've been doing for 2025 has been romantic/modern (and b****y hard!).
They'd also go nicely with Zolotaryov children's suite 3 too as its a repeating baseline for all 3 folk dances.

The Ground 'upon la mi re' by Thomas Preston that you shared above, @saundersbp, is weirdly poetic and disconcerting. It's awesome...

I had a little go at the Preston and think it may sound best on the accordion with whole thing transposed down a fourth and then LH up an octave. Means the tune has a better chance to sing out on the richer notes of the accordion and avoid the more pallid high ones.

Nedosekin's version of Purcell's 'A New Scotch Tune' is excellent.

I totally agree with you, the scotch snaps are just right for the piece and seem to be quite idiomatic to a lot of the lighter keyboard music Purcell and other baroque composers wrote.

I would tend to play using the 'violin' voice on the treble, rather than a single reed as I think it sounds more natural to the style of tune.

 

[Walker]

i. Croft - Ground ii. Purcell - Scotch Tune iii. Preston - Ground
I think they'll make a cute early English set for 2026 as everything I've been doing for 2025 has been romantic/modern

Super idea!

BTW: if you get the chance, check out 'Aire' from William Crofts harpsichord Suite 5 in C minor... it's a belter of a tune.