{"id":6473,"date":"2016-04-28T07:00:34","date_gmt":"2016-04-28T05:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mandoisland.com\/?p=6473"},"modified":"2017-08-31T12:10:02","modified_gmt":"2017-08-31T10:10:02","slug":"dargason-from-john-playford-to-gustav-holst-be-creative-when-you-play-melodies-like-this","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mandoisland.com\/?p=6473","title":{"rendered":"Dargason – From John Playford to Gustav Holst – Be Creative when you play Melodies like this!"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have recently started working on a new tune with my student – Dargason<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This tune goes back to John Playfords book about dancing – it just one line of music with instructions how to dance to the tune.<\/p>\n

\"dargason-playford\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On the abc notation website you can find this tune as well:<\/p>\n

\"dargason-abc\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This tune is related to the very popular tune Irish Washerwoman<\/strong> which has a very similar melody in the first part.<\/p>\n

Dargason<\/strong> is a great example what you can do with a simple tune when you work with it creatively<\/strong>. Swedish composer Gustav Holst<\/strong> who is best known for his “Planets” suite has composed the St. Paul’s Suite<\/strong> for String Orchestra. The Finale from this suite is based on Dargason<\/strong> which is played over and over while the other instruments play chords, accompaniment or counterpoint – including the usage of another famous melody – Greensleeves<\/strong>. A fascinating piece which was invented by working creatively with this one-line melody from the 17th century.<\/p>\n

As this composition belongs to the public domain ther are no restrictions for arrangements. I was happy to find the following version played by the San Francisco Mandolin Orchestra<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

San Francisco Mandolin Orchestra – Dargason<\/h4>\n