Hi Rich -
I'd like to offer a few opinions about the lack of interest in singing squares from a musician's point of view.

Most of the tunes are simple, often only 8 bars, repeated 4 times, for one round of the dance.  There is no room for substitution or picking alternate tunes.  Nowadays, unless the musician has a copy of Ralph Sweet and Nils
Fredland's singing calls book, they may not know where to find the appropriate tune.  Once found, there is the question of what key to play.  I have played the same dance in 4 different keys for 4 different callers: F, G, Bb and D.  

If one plays the same program for a weekly or monthly dance, boredom will set in.  For example, Golden Slippers put to the dance 'Down the Middle with a Butterfly Twirl'.  It is played AAB.  One must pay attention to that pattern.  By the time you finish the dance, you will have played it 24 times.

I don't want to see singing squares die out and willingly play them if asked but a whole evening, repeated every week loses its magic.

Cheers,
Sylvia Miskoe, Concord NH


On Mon, Jun 12, 2017 at 10:47 AM, Rich Sbardella richsbardella@gmail.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

Bob,

I found this clip online but I could not make out your calls.  Would you transcribe them?

Thanks,
Rich

On Sun, Jun 11, 2017 at 11:41 PM, Robert Livingston rlivngstn@yahoo.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

Absolutely, among those dancing on a regular basis (and those who drop in)
4Poster-Soldiers Joy is #1.  Can't go home without calling it   (just fancy goal posting)

Next is Engine #9..."1st couple round the hollow, 2 & 3 will follow, 4 make an arch and come on thru."
Down in the Caribbean  Great beat, Hank Snow song.  These tunes are not that difficult and if I start calling
a cappella someone picks up the rhythm.  From the Falltown String Band and we'll do it Saturday at Chesterfield. (MA)

These are the favorites not found in your usual searches.  So many American tunes were used for squares and are old enough
(1800s early 1900s) to be out of copyright.

Find Tod Whittemore's "San Antonio Rose" figure on line - it's a different figure and should be brought back..   

Bob Livingston
Middletown, CT   

 

From: "Rich Sbardella richsbardella@gmail.com [trad-dance-callers]" <trad-dance-callers@yahoogroups.com>
To: trad-dance-callers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2017 10:12 PM
Subject: [trad-dance-callers] Singing Squares

 
Hello folks,

I am curious what singing calls, if any, are being called nowadays.  I am hoping to build a traditional"singing square dance locally, and hope to use tunes that bands might have heard or been exposed to.

I am familiar with the ones on Ralph Sweet's CD and Bob Dalsemer's two collections.

Thanks,
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT



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