Composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber, this carol has always been one of Dan’s favourites and is played here with delicacy on the dulcimer and a slightly haunting mood, enhanced by the Boss DD-500 effects unit pattern delay effect – the dulcimer is by Doug Berch and in Ionian (EBB) tuning.
An original composition on a nature theme, performed here by Dan on his Doug Berch Dulcimer in Ionian tuning (EBB) – when the leaves fall in autumn they are very hard to catch and can swirl around haphazardly – the beginning is loosely based on the French folk song: L’Auvergnat but it soon increases in complexity with rhythmic changes, more melody notes and a high passage, suggestive of swirling leaves.
After playing solo in his concert for Nashville’s Grand Old Dulcimer Club in the Turner Hall, Nashville, Dan was joined by the brilliant dulcimer player Stephen Seifert, whereupon they improvised several duets off the cuff, with no preparation whatsoever – here are thier improvisations on Pachelbel’s Canon, Varsoviana and Let It Be – Dan was playing his Doug Berch dulcimer in DAA with Boss DD-500 delay FX and his Andy Viccars electric dulcimer, also in DAA with boss GT-1 FX – Stephen’s dulcimer would doubtless have been tuned to DAD – thanks to Linda Paulus for some excellent still images.
WHERE: Stratford Play House, CV37 6LU
WHEN: Sunday 23rd June
TIMES: workshop: 3-5pm ~ concert from 7:30pm
BOX OFFICE: 01789 333990 ~ contact@stratfordplay.co.uk