This week's winner is Josephine's Waltz. I see now, that this is also called Josefin's Waltz, which has had a run here, years ago, as an Other Tune. It is also known as Johsefin’s, Johsefin’s Dopvals, Johsefins Dopvals, Josefin’s Baptism, Josefin’s Dopvals, Josefin’s Vals, Josefin’s Waltze, Josephine’s, Josephine’s Christening, Joshefin’s. Here is the link to the other discussion. Here is a link to six settings of this tune on thesession.org. Be sure to read through the comments, as there is quite a bit of discussion is to the correctness of the various abc's!
I linked this discussion to the older one, but please, if you are going to submit your video, do it to this one, not the old one!
Ok, I read through the various discussions, and watched the video (below) which was linked in one of the comments as being the composer, Roger Tallroth, playing with Vassen, to come up with the intended structure of the tune, and feel that this is the correct abc (in the key of G, which is transposed from the key of F, apparently) X: 45 T: Josefin’s Dopvals T: Josefin’s Baptism / Christening Waltz T: Josefin’s Waltz C: Roger Talroth S: Väsen O: Swedish M: 3/4 L: 1/8 R: Vals R: waltz K: G Major D2 G2 A2 | B2 d2 c2 | B2 A2 G2 | D4 E2 | C3 C C2 | E2 G2 F2 | E6 | D6 | D2 G2 A2 | B2 d2 c2 | B2 A2 G2 | D4 E2 | C3 C C2 | D2 F2 G2 | A6- |[1 A2 F2 E2 :|[2 A2 || |: B2 c2 |\ d2 B2 d2 | g4 f2 | e6 | d6 | c2 e2 d2 | c2 B2 A2 | B3 c B2 | A2 B2 c2 | d2 B2 d2 | g4 f2 | e6 | d6 | c2 e2 d2 | c2 B2 A2 | B3 c B2 | A2 B2 c2 | B2 A2 G2 |F4 G2 | G6 | C2 D2 C2 | B,2 D2 G2 | F3 E F2 | G6- |[1 G2 :|[2 G6 |] Please note... this is just MY interpretation... yours may be different!
It's time for an updated video. Here is Josefin's Dopvals in the original key of F with the mandolin part from my 2009 video, the guitar part from the 2011 video with all new concertina, bass & organ and new video for the 1st and 2nd go rounds and pictures of Sweden for the 3rd.
You know what I don't like about you, David? You take ANY tune regardless of its inherent interest and turn it into something that I definitely want to learn but can never achieve. Seriously: Great playing and arrangement, as usual. You seem to bring out the soul of the tune.
David, as usual, that was wonderful! Here is the abc for the tune in the original key of F X: 45 T: Josefin’s Dopvals T: Josefin’s Baptism / Christening Waltz T: Josefin’s Waltz C: Roger Talroth S: Väsen O: Swedish M: 3/4 L: 1/8 R: Vals R: waltz K: F Major C2 F2 G2 | A2 c2 B2 | A2 G2 F2 | C4 D2 | B,3 B, B,2 | D2 F2 E2 | D6 | C6 | C2 F2 G2 | A2 c2 B2 | A2 G2 F2 | C4 D2 | B,3 B, B,2 | C2 E2 F2 | G6- |[1 G6 :|[2 G2 || |: A2 B2 |\ c2 A2 c2 | f4 e2 | d6 | c6 | B2 d2 c2 | B2 A2 G2 | A3 B A2 | G2 A2 B2 | c2 A2 c2 | f4 e2 | d6 | c6 | B2 d2 c2 | B2 A2 G2 | A3 B A2 | G2 A2 B2 | A2 G2 F2 | E4 F2 | F6 | B,2 C2 B,2 | A,2 C2 F2 | E3 D E2 | F6- |[1 F2 :|[2 F6 |]
With Roger Tallroth as special guest on Mandolin Mondays, it seemed like a good idea to cover one if his tunes, especially, if it is a waltz. Great arrangement, playing and video, David! I really like the sound of your Sobell!
Well done, crisscross. I like this tune a lot. Time to play it again.
Re: David's music - I agree with Gelsenbury ! CC did a great job, the tone on this one is very clear and true.
Thanks Frithiof, thanks Ginny! I played this waltz on my Guriema bowlback. As much as I love the gentle sound bowlbacks produce, as uncomfortable they feel when being played. That's why today, I grabbed my A-oval hole and tried it again. Felt better. Does it sound better? Just a matter of taste... By the way, I just saw that Will Fly did a nice tenor guitar recording of this piece:
The sound seems very similar to me. Hard to tell which I prefer but both are beautiful. Thanks for sharing these.
Thanks Robert! Concerning the sound: I use the same strings and the same pick on all my mandolins, so with me playing, it is no wonder they sound similar.
A fiddle-playing friend recently brought this great tune to my notice, and fortunately I found the link here before I started a new thread. I played this version on mandolin and guitar. The rhythm alternates between straight waltz time and arpeggio chords, and a combination of both! The pictures were taken two evenings ago just down from my house on the shores of the Holy Loch, just before the sun dipped below the Cowal Hills.
Beautiful playing and pictures, you seem to live in inspiring surroundings, John!
One of my favorit songs. I like the relaxed way you made it. Do you play the rhythm with an electric guitar?
Thanks, both of you. My surroundings are indeed very lovely, Christian. Leo, this one was recorded using a Gibson L4-CES electric I am lucky enough to own. Usually I record with a Lowden acoustic but wanted the electric sound especially for the bass line. I had the guitar plugged straight in to my DAW rather than amping it up and used the neck pickup with tone backed off for the bass line.
A nice, slow, and relaxing version John. Thanks for sharing.
Nearby the holy grail for my opinion, John, a fantastic guitar.
Great recording again, John. Good to remember this waltz.
Thanks, all of you, once again. It is a fine tune, Frithjof.
Lovely, I like the gentle bounce to it. Thanks John.
As I enjoy the last few drops of Glen Scotia before finally going to sleep after a long and wonderful late evening with the Song-a-Week group, what could be better than this to please the ears and eyes, and put my soul at peace? Corona and crazy politics will pass, music will remain.
My solo mandolin version played on my '20 A model with a Gilchrist pick.
Great sound and a lovely version of the waltz, Dustyamps. I am hearing (listening on headphones) a background noise, like a hum. Possibly your mic placement? Interestingly, I have listened too to your fine rendition of Flower of the Quern over on the Celtic Mandolin Players page and again there is a distinct hum behind your recording. Not sure what might be causing it - not your playing and not your great-sounding instrument.
Really nice nostalgic version full of sentiment Dustyamps, thanks. Good tempo too. Now that you mention it John, that is an interesting sound. It’s definitely not a spinning motor, from a neighbours ventilator or a circulating fan in an oven, nor a fridge compressor. Oh, I know what it is! It’s an underwater recording of an iron hull, side wheel steamer, in a winter storm on the Gulf of Mexico. The ship in distress is taking on water. She’s most probably owned by Charles Morgan and is named The Josephine. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephine_(shipwreck)
David – at first it is a lovely and very clean playing of Josephine’s Waltz. I also observed the background noise but decided that it matches the nostalgic postcards in your video very well. Simon went one step further. He’s the real detective and know-it-all of our social group.
I’m just trying to make it interesting for the Lurkers, Frithjof. One day someone will post a tune here or write, ‘Oh, my great grandfather was on that ship when it sank!’ Everyone on board The Josephine got very cold and wet, but survived. Some even got refunds on their tickets, and told stories of their fortunate adventure. -so unfortunately for us the event never became a beautifully tragic song.
Dusty, I listened without headphones and it sounds lovely. A very nice solo and well played.
I didn't notice the noise when I recorded this as it was early in the morning and I had the speaker volume turned down low so as to not disturb my wife. I hear it now played at a high volume. After experimenting with my setup I found that it's coming from my microphone... time for a new one. Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and pointing out my problem.
Nice recording, very well played! I also hear a background noise, rather high frequency. The instrument's sound is fine, maybe a new microphone will do...
I actually like the background sounds, I think it gives your recording a sort of human feeling, a feeling of presence.
Hope you did not mind my pointing out the extraneous noise, Dusty. I felt it was a shame that your fine playing and great-sounding instrument were being compromised by the background sound. Glad you have found the cause of it, and good luck with the new set-up and new mic.
This tune is a favorite. We usually do it with Courted a Wee Lass, but I don't have any female singers handy, so this is bare-bones. I'm digging the new Ellis the most, if that isn't obvious.
Wonderful playing, Mike, and that Ellis has the tone. Congrats on the new mando!
Nice one, Mike. Hope you have a lot of fun with the new addition.
Lovely, Mike.
Somehow, this lovely tune slipped through the net when it came up as official tune, even though it has been in my spiralbound collection of Scandinavian tunes for many years. Now that it has been revived with all these lovely interpretations, here is mine. Original key of F, using the Spillefolk transcription here: https://www.spillefolk.dk/nodesamlin...a-josefind.pdf There seems to be a fairly wide range of tempo in this thread. Mine is fairly fast, similar to Mike's great rendition, although I note that the original Väsen version is a bit slower. Mid-Missouri M-0W mandolin Vintage Viaten tenor guitar Martin
Very nice, Martin!
Nice solo version Mike, fine duo version Martin. In my attempt to get reaquainted with my CGDA tenor guitar. I chose Will Fly's arrangement of this waltz. If the high notes sound a little thin, it's because I broke two 010 strings for the high a string and had to settle for a 009.
Very tasteful, Christian.