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gentrixuk - Posted - 03/11/2022: 04:11:03
My tune of the week is a beautiful slow waltz that goes under several different names.
The tune appears to be popular in Cape Breton under its original name, “Rosebud Of Allenvale”, but also played in the Mid-West under the alternative names “Rose of Sharon Waltz” or “Rose of Avonmore”.
The Traditional Tune Archive says the following:
“As “Rose of Sharon,” the waltz played in the key of ‘A’, and is played by bluegrass and old-time fiddlers, and is a favorite contest waltz. It was in the repertoire of Hiram Stamper who helped popularize it, however, the ultimate source for "Rose of Sharon" is a 1975 recording by fiddler Howard "Howdy" Forrester (1922-1987), an influential cross-genre master who was much imitated.”
The tune was originally published in 1922 by James Scott Skinner, of Aberdeenshire in Scotland. In his original manuscript, he dedicated the tune to his cousin Jessie Macdonald, whose husband, James, was the gardener at Allenvale Cemetery in the city of Aberdeen. He wrote a note to James at the time: “The Rosebud' is in full bloom & will be played when you & I are asleep”. Skinner died in 1927 and is buried in Allenvale.
You can read more about Skinner and the tune here:
The Rosebud of Allenvale - The Music of James Scott Skinner (abdn.ac.uk)
Here’s an archive recording of James Scott Skinner playing the tune himself: abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/music/cd119a.mp3
Buddy MacMaster begins his Cape Breton set with the tune here:
Rosebud of Allenvale* – North Atlantic Tune List (natunelist.net)
Charlie Walden plays the tune as Rose of Avonmore here:
?? Rose of Avonmore Waltz | Charlie Walden & Patt Plunkett | Charlie Walden Music / Patt & Possum (bandcamp.com)
And here is a version on fiddle and guitar:
Rose of Avonmore - Jacie Sites with Joe Site - YouTube
I didn’t find any banjo versions out there but here is the version I worked out with tab. The tune is usually written down in 6/8 time, but I’ve tabbed it in 3/4 so as not to confuse it with a jig. I like to add in a bit of syncopation with the thumb crossing over to the 1st and 2nd strings (particularly on the B part) to replicate the fiddle strokes, and also to strum some partial chords here and there. I think it works ok however you want to play it though.
Feel free to post versions, comments etc. and thanks for reading.
Edited by - gentrixuk on 03/11/2022 04:16:26
chip arnold - Posted - 03/11/2022: 13:22:26
Very pretty and nice to hear a banjo waltz.
cmic - Posted - 03/12/2022: 01:48:36
Very, very nice tune. As a lament? or maybe a lullaby?
And kudos for your transcription to the banjo !
janolov - Posted - 03/12/2022: 05:16:48
Thank you for this tune. It is a really nice waltz, and it looks to be easy to learn.
gentrixuk - Posted - 03/12/2022: 06:01:48
quote:
Originally posted by cmic
Very, very nice tune. As a lament? or maybe a lullaby?
And kudos for your transcription to the banjo !
Yes, it has the melancholic sound of a lament, but also sounds optimistic, with the rosebuds continuing to bloom in the cemetry
JanetB - Posted - 03/13/2022: 17:01:15
Very nice, Mark. I thought your clawhammer waltz was just right. I attempted a version listening to the original, older recording of James Scott Skinner and then to Howdy Forrester, the Bluegrass Boy fiddler, given credit as an important source for the tune when known as "Rose of Sharon Waltz" (a title I really like).
Edited by - JanetB on 03/13/2022 17:09:46
gentrixuk - Posted - 03/14/2022: 01:25:20
quote:
Originally posted by JanetB
Very nice, Mark. I thought your clawhammer waltz was just right. I attempted a version listening to the original, older recording of James Scott Skinner and then to Howdy Forrester, the Bluegrass Boy fiddler, given credit as an important source for the tune when known as "Rose of Sharon Waltz" (a title I really like).
Thanks Janet. That's a great version you've posted. Out of interest, where did you find the Howdy Forrester version? I couldn't find it overe here without having to import a second hand vinyl copy.
JanetB - Posted - 03/14/2022: 10:25:25
Thanks, Mark. I found an on-line book by Craig Duncan which had notation for Howdy Forrester's version. It was a painstaking way to figure out the melody because it's in the key of A. I capoed the banjo and slowly named each note and found it on the banjo -- a rarity for my style of tabbing. (If you learned piano the way I did, you can recite "every good boy does fine" and "F-A-C-E" to get the notes. On piano and cello I could read the music without thinking, but not on banjo with all its tunings and keys.) Usually it's a matter of listening on a slow-downer to a fiddle tune and tab is very easy to read once I've written it. Here's the link which should go directly to the page for Rose of Sharon from Craig Duncan Master Fiddle Solo Collection book. The book is available on the amazon kindle app for $18.00.
gentrixuk - Posted - 03/16/2022: 05:13:59
quote:
Originally posted by JanetB
Thanks, Mark. I found an on-line book by Craig Duncan which had notation for Howdy Forrester's version. It was a painstaking way to figure out the melody because it's in the key of A. I capoed the banjo and slowly named each note and found it on the banjo -- a rarity for my style of tabbing. (If you learned piano the way I did, you can recite "every good boy does fine" and "F-A-C-E" to get the notes. On piano and cello I could read the music without thinking, but not on banjo with all its tunings and keys.) Usually it's a matter of listening on a slow-downer to a fiddle tune and tab is very easy to read once I've written it. Here's the link which should go directly to the page for Rose of Sharon from Craig Duncan Master Fiddle Solo Collection book. The book is available on the amazon kindle app for $18.00.
Thanks for the recommendation Janet. That looks like a good book, so I've ordered myself a hard copy. I go through a similar process - I can read just about enough music to work out the basic melodies from the notation for tunes in D, A and G, and then find a source recording to hear how its actually played.
