EVERGREEN BAND and PIANO

General Introduction:
Please read, as it will all become crystal clear if you do - honest!

Welcome to the Quanting Evergreen Band and Evergreen Piano arrangements of old Norfolk dance music. Each Section contains tunes from a centre of music-making of old, intended for use in schools or by groups or individuals wanting some relatively easy music that is fun to play. The tunes are those used by people who played when needed at dances or social occasions; people who generally learnt by ear and therefore did not always play them the same. With all these tunes drive and enthusiasm are more important than accuracy. They are Dance tunes, and that's the best way to enjoy them.
All these documents are free to download, though you will need a music-writing programme to open the .MUS files. Just select the parts you need for your players and have a go! Normally the melody would have been played by whatever instruments were available, and the accompaniment was the simplest, being more rhythm than anything else. It is possible to add more and there are optional made up parts; Harmony (sometimes more difficult than the Melody), Simple Harmony, (sometimes requiring only a few different notes) and Bass included.
To keep all the files in one place, and to minimise download times, on each of the village pages, the music files have been compressed in "zip" files. Once on the village page, just right-click on the link you want and choose whichever option is appropriate.

• The Piano part (in the Band sections) doubles the Bass and the Guitar / Accordion etc
• Chords can be simplified by leaving off Sevenths, Major Sevenths etc, but NOT m for Minor.
• The tunes are printed in pairs that can be played consecutively if you wish. Sometimes more than one set can be put together too.
• It is usually possible to return to the first tune again to make a Rondo form.
• No indications of decoration are given as this is left entirely to the player's skill and sense of style.
• No percussion parts are given, which does not mean there should be none. Simple ostinati (short, repeated phrases) would be very effective, or percussion instruments could follow the rhythms of the Simple Harmony or Bass parts. Some variation every 8 bars might add interest.
• The metronome markings are conservative. These are Dance Tunes so a bit faster and livelier won't do any harm.
• The Piano arrangements can be played by two, or more, separate instrumentalists.
• The piano arrangements can be interspersed with the band arrangements. For instance, from the Shipdham Section:
  1. Old Mrs Huddledee played by the band. Straight into...
  2. Old Mrs Huddledee played by piano (or instruments playing the piano arrangement). Straight into...
  3. Old Mrs Huddledee played by the band again. Straight into...
  4. The Keel Row played by the band. Straight into...
  5. The Keel Row on the piano (or instruments). Straight into...
  6. The Keel Row repeated by the band - a varied 3 minute piece!

RECORDINGS, BOOKS and CONTACTS

SOME ORGANISATIONS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST / HELP