Sea Shanties!

[vivdunstan]

Das Schifferklavier

Das Schifferklavier

www.stretta-music.com

There is at least one other volume in the series, though it’s currently less readily available. Has what look like song titles maybe more familiar to the Anglophone world.

Das Schifferklavier

Das Schifferklavier

www.stretta-music.com

I got the first of these German sea shanty books yesterday. Many of the tunes are German sea shanties, so unfamiliar to me. But all look fun to play, with clear arrangements (see the links for samples of the sheet music). Volume 2 which is currently reprinting will definitely be the one for more familiar sea shanties for me. I will buy it when I can. But meanwhile here's a snippet of a tune from volume 1, something I did recognise, the Hawaiian tune Aloha 'Oe. Complete with fluffs as I am just starting to learn it. But some nice harmonies.

 

[vivdunstan]

There is at least one other volume in the series, though it’s currently less readily available. Has what look like song titles maybe more familiar to the Anglophone world.

Das Schifferklavier

Das Schifferklavier

www.stretta-music.com

I've just got hold of the second "Ahoi" book of sea shanties published in Germany. This contains more tunes familiar to the Anglophone world. So stuff like Blow The Man Down, Drunken Sailor, and My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean. Unfortunately for me the arrangements of these are a bit less interesting than those in the first volume. Simpler melodies, fewer harmonies, a less rich sound. However you can improvise on top of them. Here is my go at My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean, which has a plain melody for the verse in the book and a 2-note chorus, but I've added more harmonies on top at my first practice this afternoon, improvising by ear.



P.S. Just flicking through further and the book’s version of London Bridge Is Falling Down looks like a nice run of 2-note harmonies. Will try it another day.

 

[Rosie C]

Thanks @vivdunstan! Our band are performing at our local village fete in a few weeks and as pirates always seem to be depicted playing accordion, we thought to do a few sea shanties.

For UK members, both books are currently listed on amazon.co.uk but while book 1 is readily available, book 2 has a 6 month wait.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0001VQDBS/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07289LMR2/

 

[Ventura]

not much need for sea shanties here, but the
Wild Rover/Irish Rover song is always well received
and enjoyed by all, including me when i sing it

but it is funny as the first time i ever heard the tune was
on a European radio station, and the version was the
parody/comedic one in German, so for years i played it
a bit by ear just because i liked the melody before someone
in the nederlands from a fidonet group finally explained it and
told me what the name of the song actually was

an der Nord Sea Kuste or something like that was the comedic version

 

[Snoopz]

an der Nord Sea Kuste

„An der Nordseeküste“ — on the north sea coast/shore

 

[Ventura]

yep, that's it

even not knowing the language, the way the singer did it,
was obviously telling a funny story

geez that was 35 years ago.. we used to get sent to Europe for
a month or so at a time, and i took a boom-box with a tape deck built
in and recorded at least a thousand songs off the radio stations
in every country.. Radio Regenbogen seemed to be available everywhere
for some reason, maybe it was a superstation like we had some here
in the early days of Radio, like KDKA Pittsburgh..

i learned a lot of Euro Music by ear, and still don't know the
names of a lot of the songs or what they are about, and i
gained an apppreciation of Euro Pop and ethnic and regional music..

Newsgroups helped ID many songs and artists for me,, i loved Valeries Garten
and while we had Piaf in the USA, i probably would never have heard Sylvie Berte
if not for EuroRadio.. and they played it i swear from a 78 rpm record.. scratches and all

the fun part came years later, on some gig, i would toss in one of these
very Euro songs that no-one Born in the USA would have ever heard,
and there would be someone in the crowd (Wash DC being very international)
who would perk right up and be transported, then amazed, that this
White Boy with a Piano Accordion is playing it

 

[Rosie C]

„An der Nordseeküste“ — on the north sea coast/shore

That is where I'm from (English side) so I guess I'll have to learn that one first!

 

[Dingo40]

pirates always seem to be depicted playing accordion,

Here's a catchy tune for you !

Another rendition:

 

[murathan]

I play Trumpet Hornpipe too. You need a really decent level for British Jigs etc. to play on a piano accordion. They are probably easy on violin or melodeon. Sea Shanties are sailor songs about sea, so they are poor on musical sentences to play as instrumental. Even "Wellerman" or Drunken Sailor shanty. ("Chant"y) But that simpleness suits well to the sailors and most of the public who dont know music.

 

[Rosie C]

Here's a catchy tune for you !

Thanks! I have tried that in the past - last time it was a fair chunk above my playing level, but I'll give it another go!

 

[cestjeffici]

You might find some here https://thesession.org/tunes search for sea shanty