| Share page | Visit Us On FB |
|
Foreword |
||
|
|
||
|
F
REDERICK KNORR is a cellist in the Denver Symphony and a thorough musician. Because of an instinctive love of the virile homely strength of the old dance music, he has taken a genuine interest in our cowboy dancing. Whenever he can get away, he "sets in" with my dance orchestra and strums with it on his guitar or banjo. He is so fascinated with these old dances that for several summers he has played with us for our engagements at Central City, and last fall took the trip with our dance troupe to California as strummer in our little orchestra.
When I asked him to record some of the tunes for me and to make a simple arrangement for those who wanted music to accompany my book Cotvboy Dances, he was delighted. He sorted over hundreds of tunes and finally made the following selection as most typical and most interesting.
He has scored them as very simple piano arrangements expecting the "fiddler" to play the "top line" or melody. Each pianist uses his own interpretation and is expected to fill out, elaborate, and vary these arrangements however he pleases. And the real "fiddler," of course, takes all the liberties and adds all the flourishes that his ear may dictate. To help the "strummer," Mr. Knorr has indicated the chord to be played by a letter designation. From this simple framework, your drchestet is expected to work out its own best arrangement.
You will notice that mmi of tht pieces are in simple keys miitig tharps. Most pianists may prefer flats, but "fiddlers** and '^frumniers^ Want the sharps, and so you will find mart of ik® oijJMSwite itaisic sharpened to their taste, oCtjpg i#;#i;|lmilf Hit key; in a hundred pieces. . : '-"CalteKl tbfcv iMtw certain keys that are easy for their |
||