This lovely 18th century English country dance tune is fairly obscure. The melody (as "Beaus Stratagem") was published in the 1718 and 1728 editions of London publisher John Young's Second Volume of the Dancing Master and as "Beaux Strategem" in the second and third editions. It was also published by the Walshes in New Country Dancing Master, Second Book (1710), their Second Book of the Compleat Country Dancing-Master (1719 and subsequent editions of 1735 and 1749).

Played on my James Hans McRoberts F-type arch top mandolin.

The Beau Stratagem

Screaming oscillators and filter from this 1972 EMS Synthi VCS3, put through Softube's Tube Delay plugin. 

The triangle wave from oscillators 2 & 3 are set to create harmonics against each other when the shape of each oscillator is changed. This is then passed to the famous EMS filter, which is added back into the mix. The sounds you hear are directly from the oscillators and via the filter. Many of the 'screaming' sounds are due to the response and frequency of the filter. The filter adds plenty of warmth and bottom end to the sound as well as terrifying neighbours.

Softube's Tube Delay is a capable plugin. One day I hope to have a real tape delay to eliminate any digital processing - other than my DAW.

NB - this like most of the things I do with sound is a pure experiment.

EMS VCS3 + Softube Tube Delay

Electro-mandolin-dub version of this classic tune popular with certain Cornish folk companies. I added a little counter-melody. This track was created to help me learn Propellerhead Reason - please don't judge my mandolin skills - I've only been playing it for 7 months!

Cornish March

These two tunes were composed by Marc Cragg and recorded live during the Penzance Cornish Session at the Admiral Benbow, Chapel Street, Penzance, 22 November 2018.

Newlyn Fair / Bernard's Polka

Two newish Cornish trad tunes. The first was composed by the late Len Davies, and Gelasma was written by R. Holmes. Recorded live the Penzance Cornish Session at the Admiral Benbow on Chapel Street in November 2018.

Raffidy Dumitz / Gelasma

Descent, by Steph Doble, and the traditional Quay Fair, dear to Penzance, but played in Dm to make it into "Minor Quay Fair". An iPhone recording from the Penzance Cornish Traditional Music Session in August 2019.

Descent - Minor Quay Fair

A set of lovely Cornish tunes: Kan Jack (Jack's Song) by Robert Morton Nance in about 1905, and Pencarrow, the tune to the ancient song Arscott of Tetcott. They were played on an antique mandolin that has a unique sound of of its own. The instrument dates from about the time Morton Nance wrote Kan Jack for his "Cledry Plays", so it seemed appropriate to use it, despite its 'twanginess'!

Kan Jack - Pencarrow

An instrumental folktronica interpretation of the late medieval / Tudor tune Drive the Cold Winter Away (also known as All Hail To The Days / In Praise Of Christmas) by Tom Goskar and Tehmina Goskar.

Instruments used: Casio MT-68, Behringer Model D, Arturia Keystep, mandolin and violin. 

Recorded using Reason 11 and mastered with iZotope Ozone 9.

Drive The Cold Winter Away

These two beautiful tunes are from Cornwall's rich Celtic music tradition. The first, Kan Jack (meaning "Jack's Song" in Kernewek, the Cornish language) was written around 1905 by Robert Morton Nance, a key figure in the Cornish Celtic revival of the early 20th century and Cornish language pioneer. It features in his 'Cledry Plays' published much later in 1956. 

The second, Pencarrow, is traditional in that we do not know who it was written by. This tune is used for a ballad called 'The Arscott of Tetcott', and relates to the family that lived at Pencarrow House in North Cornwall. It was collected in Cornwall by Sabine Baring Gould in the late 19th century and published in Songs of the West.

Played by Tehmina Goskar (violin, cello) and Tom Goskar (mandolins) in September 2019. Remixed and mastered by Tom Goskar, February 2020. Photos are of the far west and mid Cornwall, taken by the musicians. 

Please contact us via https://cornishtrad.com if you would like to download or license this track.

Kan Jack / Pencarrow (fiddle and mandolin)

An 18th early century Cornish tune written by John Giddy of Kea played on mandolin / mandola / bouzouki / synthesiser.

I am grateful to Mike O'Connor for his work unearthing 'lost' Cornish tunes such as this one from the family collections of some of Cornwall's country houses.

Plum Fair

A new Cornish reel composed and recorded by Tom Goskar. Lesingey Round is a small hill fort just outside Penzance about which little is known. Today the circular enclosure is protected by trees and its ramparts still stand over 4 metres high.

Lesingey Round

Cornish traditional musician, synth enthusiast and professional archaeologist.

tomgoskar

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