Don't Drive Tired

Hello!
It's the final tune from the album! The album is now out and here, hurrah! It arrived whilst we were at Halsway Manor and then this final tune was bumped by a week because of last week's sad tune. I for one am certainly reeling by the impact our current politics is having. But this blog is all about being inclusive and helping people be better nyckelharpa players - so that's enough of that. We shall continue making music and touring both in the UK and in the EU, in no small way possible because I am Swedish. :)

So the final tune is Don't Drive Tired and it's the third 16 bar jig. Play it with panache and gusto! Again this isn't the key I play it on the album as on the album I play it on border pipes in G. But if I'd been doing it on the harpa, this is the key I would have chosen!

I've got a workshop this weekend, so over the next few weeks there will be some tunes from that coming up. Also - as a note have you spotted about World Nyckelharpa Day yet? Check it out - I'll be banging on about that for the next two months!!
Enjoy!
:))
Vicki

Ode to Joy

Hello!
A tune appropriate to the day.
:'(
Vicki

Contrapasso

Hello!
It's time for the third and final tune in the Medieval Contradance set from Sleep Deprivation. The tune itself isn't hard, but playing it up to speed is quite tricky!
Enjoy!
:))
Vicki

Controtto

Hello!
This is the second of a three tune set from the new album. (Now sent off and we're waiting for news of it's replication). It's from the Medieval Contra set, so I've included me playing it on the sienaharpa again. Enjoy!
:))
Vicki

Contrarello

Hello!
This week it's time for the Medieval Contra set. It's a set of three tunes that Jonny wrote in a medieval style to contra dance to. This first tune is sort of a march, but with bounce. It's not a tricky tune. We recorded it with the Sienaharpa playing the melody, but decided that it was a better track with just normal nyckelharpa - but I have also included a version with me playing it on the Siena too for good measure.
Enjoy!
:))
Vicki

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Hello!
It's December and so it's time for some seasonal video blogs! This week we have We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Without the double stops it's a nice and simple tune. Add the double stops in for something a little more challenging.
Enjoy!
:))
Vicki
PS If you are wondering about the new album - we didn't make the goal of New Years Eve, but the recording is finished and it's in the mixing phase.

Polkette

Hello!
It's another silverbasharpa tune this week. A polkette. I play it quite steadily in the video. It's quite a jolly little tune, so have fun with it!
:))
Vicki

Kalle Ågrens Vals

Hello!
I learnt this tune from the playing of Lars Wahlund. I'm on a mission to learn lots and lots of silverbasharpa tunes. This tune was taught to me as being written by Kalle Ågren, who was the original owner of my silverbasharpa, it feels like an honour to be playing this tune on this instrument! (The tune does sound a bit like another tune that I don't think was written by Kalle, so maybe it should really just be after rather than by? If I'm corrected I'll update this page!!)
Enjoy!
:))
Vicki

PS I've been trying to reply to the comment below, but it doesn't seem to appear. Because I think my reply is important I'll copy it here until I can work out why it's not showing up.

My reply to Unknown in the comments:
No offence taken. The video you quote was one of the sources I used to learn the tune. I also learnt it from a gentlemen, who learnt it from Kalle. I think the major difference would be that I'm playing it on a silverbasharpa and not a modern three row chromatic and there aren't accordions bashing out their oom-pah underneath. I also used a video of Kalle partially playing a tune that is really, really similar - https://youtu.be/0Rr24BdYHUk
I would really love to hear your version of playing the tune. Unfortunately you've come up as unknown, so I don't know if you'll see my reply. Did you hear Kalle himself playing the tune? It would have been lovely on that video clip I posted if Kalle had been playing the silverbas I now have (which was his), but you can see quite clearly he's not. :)