aschweigert - Posted - 07/23/2021:  07:38:41

Hello again!



This week I thought it might be fun to do one of those great squirrelly WV tunes: Hannah at the Springhouse.



The modern source for it is Melvin Wine (who says he learned it from his father, who says he learned it from his father). The traditional tune archive says it was also in the repertory of fiddler Uncle Jack McElwain.

I'm playing it in A modal tuning (gDGCD capo 2) but Melvin is somewhere closer to A-flat if you want to play along with the source recording.

You could think of this as either a single part tune or a two-parts with an extra couple beats in the middle and it's kind of interesting the way that it plays with different modes. If you notice in the first phrase it has a raisedl third that has a "major" sound and then the minor third on the repeat, gives it a kind of interesting flavor.

Anyway, here's the source recording: dla.acaweb.org/digital/collect...ea/id/723

Here's Old Buck (Emily Schaad, Riley Baugus + co) playing it: youtube.com/watch?v=tVa99Ilv-CI

Also the Reed Island Rounders: youtube.com/watch?v=UkKbJnAgkHE

And Canadian superfriends the All Day Breakfast Stringband put it on their recent CD: alldaybreakfaststringband.band...-dogs-out

And here's my take (with accompanying tab): youtube.com/watch?v=rvK_nviT_bA

Anyway, hope that's enough to get you started on this one! Have a great week everyone!

VIDEO: Hannah at the Springhouse (Melvin Wine) - Clawhammer Banjo
(click to view)

Hannah at the Springhouse

atleson - Posted - 07/23/2021:  09:15:59

One of my favorites. Thanks for choosing the tune.

JanetB - Posted - 07/23/2021:  18:16:21

Thanks for covering a Melvin Wine tune, Adam, and providing a video and tab. You hit the nail on the head when you mention a chordal tweak in the A part.  It may even be a III chordal sound in the 7th measure.  I hear the A part played differently by various players and it's hard for me to determine which best fits the original.  I almost re-arranged the tune using a minor tuning gDGBbD, but decided not to.  I'm in open G tuning in my mp3 and think your modal tuning was another good way to go.

 In this recording I was playing my very first banjo purchased at McCabes Music in Santa Monica in the 70's.  Many banjos later, it hangs on the wall and is the lightest weight banjo imaginable.

Melvin had spoken about Uncle Jack McElwain as a mentor, if I remember correctly.  Perhaps Carl can enlighten us more.

When I first learned the tune I looked up springhouse.  It's a small building over a spring to keep food cold and to keep out animals and plant debris.  Some may even have ice if it's cold enough.

Edited by - JanetB on 07/23/2021 18:17:34

Hannah at the Springhouse

Hannah at the Springhouse (CH) tab

m06 - Posted - 07/23/2021:  20:22:57

Lovely, hypnotic tune from Melvin Wine. Thanks for posting.

carlb - Posted - 07/24/2021:  05:53:15

quote:

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Originally posted by JanetBMelvin had spoken about Uncle Jack McElwain as a mentor, if I remember correctly.  Perhaps Carl can enlighten us more.

wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1634