Curtsey Continued

[Leeza]

I mentioned in the New Members on the welcome to Drea (Curtsey) about an incedent when I curtseyed and Paula thought I ought to give more details. So here goes.

Sorry, Paula, I was not fem for this.

I was about 11 years old and taking accordian lessons at a music store. Also taught there was guitar and steel. You know how music teachers are. They think the students need to show off with that thing called a recital.

As there were so many students they rented the school gym for the recital. This affair was schudled for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (I mentioned this to give you an idea of the size of it and the number of students). Most were solos with some duets.

As is normal with this type of thing, the students with the simplest songs started it off with the music getting progressively harder as night went on.
Although I had only been playing the accordian for about a year I had progressed faily fast due to about 4 years of piano so I had to waite awhile before going on stage to play my song.

Before the recital we were told that after our songs we were supposed to bow if a boy and curtsey if a girl.

My folks made sure I had on my best clothes and I looked as good as I could. I waited my turn, went out on the stage, played my number, and curtseyed. I still remember the laughfter out of the audience. My folks never siad anything, but I am sure they were a little embarresed. I know I was a lot

Leeza

PS Paula you got it out of me.

[Paula G]

And I suppose they all forgot how well you played, just ribbed you about the curtsey So do you still play the accordian? Because all accordians are out of tune (thats how they get that beat) they are one of the hardest instruments to play along with, but of he pro bands I played in the best one always had an accordian.

[Leeza]

Paula G

So do you still play the accordian?

I haven't picked it up for a couple of yeas now. It is in need of more repairs than I starting with the bellows.

Because all accordians are out of tune

If playing a C on the treble and the bass at the same time there may be as many as 9 reeds playing at once. Add to that that as the volume increases the reeds go sharp and not uniformly. (I know that the going sharp is a problem with reed organs and may be also with reeds horns.)

but of he pro bands I played in the best one always had an accordian.

That is interesting because few bands here (other than polka bands) have an accordian.

Mine is a little different in that it has the normal 4 sets of treble reeds, but I have 6 sets of bass reeds instead of the normal 4 or 5. The extra set is real low so that I can produce the om-paw sound of a polka band that was a bass range horn. The amount of force required to produce those tones is hard on the bellows.

And I suppose they all forgot how well you played,

They must not have as I was asked many times afterwards to preform at varying functions. It is probably one of those things that stuck in my mind and everyone else forgot.

Leeza

[Paula G]

Well it was an Ompah band, or what you know better as Polka band, our repertoire was pretty much limited to waltzes and polkas with just teh odd march thrown in, and oh yes I was the Ompah! A good accordion player can make the band sound so much bigger, so a five or six piece band sound like 10 or twelve players. I used to thoroughly enjoy playing with these bands, but since our armed forces pulled out of Germany they have gone very much out of fashion over here. I certainly can't make a living out of them anymore.

[Leeza]

I have never been able to play enfem.

A number of years ago I had the opurinity to jam with 3 other accordian players on stage. They all played with polka bands where the bands I played with were not. It was a fun afternoon.

Now to be able to do it would make he

Leeza

[Paula G]

I know what you mean, it is an unfulfilled ambition to perform as Paula, oops maybe I should rephrase that, to play a performance with an Orchestra or band as Paula. Although it may be difficult I still hope to one day. I was playing in a concert last night, and suggested to my friend S who knows (a bit) about Paula that I wear an LBD but I don't think that band is quite ready for that yet.