THE INTERNATIONAL CONCERTINA ASSOCIATION No. 271 N E W S L E T T E R Nov. 1979 President: Rev. Kenneth Loveless, V.R.D., F.S.A., F.S.A. Scot., R.N.R. Secretary: J. Harvey, 44 St. Barnabas Street, London S.W.1. Treasurer: F.J. Hutcherson, 45 Valentine Avenue, Bexley, Kent. Notices The next meeting is our Christmass Social, which is on Saturday 8th December, at Montem School Annexe, Hornsey Road, Holloway, London N.7. from 2.00pm to 6.00pm. Nearest Tube stations are Holloway Road, and Finsbury Park. Note the earlier time than usual. The Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday January 26th at the Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn, London. Further details in the next Newsletter. We still have no nominations for next year's committee. If you have any suggestions, write to Jim Harvey, address above. We also need an Auditor. If you think you can do the job, or know someone capable of doing it, please write to John Hutcherson, address above. Christmass Message from the President This year the concertina has been celebrating its 150th anniversary. It is one of only two instruments that we have so far managed to invent, the other being the Northumbrian smallpipes, on which so many young people are beginning to be wonderfully proficient. Our instrument was patented in 1829, and had its heyday in the early years of the 20th century, when it could be described as a 'parlour instrument'. These were the times when families made their own music in their own houses and often invited the neighbours in for what was called a 'musical evening'. I am old enough to be able to remember the last years of these entertainments, and, although it is fashionable to laugh at them now, they had, in fact, much more entertainment value than the discotheque, and produced many more haooily united families. This fact makes a good 'lead-in' to what I want to say to you all about Christmass this year. Christmass is of all festivals the family festival - or should be! Christmass Day! What memories it conjures up. It was, I think, the day on which I learned the truth of our Lord's words, that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Nearly all those with whom I have spent earlier Christmasses are dead. My father and mother and young brother, all are as real today as they were when I was six years old. They were so good and kind, and kindness lives forever. Christmass, thank God, is unchangeable. It must be for all time the most wonderful day in the year. It is the birthday of Christianity without which, for me at any rate, life would be impossible. You will all have your own memories of past Christmasses - but we have to live in the present - and this Christmass Day could be the best of them all. It is never too late for any of us to start a life of success. Let our Christmass message be the message of "Peace, goodwill towards men", Let us try desperately hard to see the other person's point of view. When people taunt us, and slight us, let us try to understand their reason for so doing. Let us, on this great day, banish all hatred from our hearts. Let us try to love our enemies or, better still, let us have no enemies. It takes two to make a fight. There is no one in the world whose real friendship I do not think would be worth having. We were all made by God -in His own image. There is good in everyone. On this Christmass Day let us get this oft-repeated sentence fixed in our heads. Let us try to help people. Let us be able to kneel before God and ask Him to help us follow in the footsteps of Him whose birthday will be celebrated on 25th December. A very happy Christmass to you all. Kenneth Loveless -2- News First, welcome to new members: Gerhard Oldiges, Eichendorffring 72,D-6300 Giessen,W. Germany; Peter Hansen, Linzer Weg 103, D-2300 Kiel 14; W. Germany. Both these attended our Festival, also: Philip Wilson, 49 Broadlands Road, Burnley, Lancs. BB11 3RP; Mrs. Catherine Raff, C/O P. Murray, 24 Everton Street, Hamilton, N.S.W. 2303, Australia. As you may know, Alf Edwards is in a nursing home in Worthing. Just before the Festival, he was visited by Eileen Jones, and from what I have been told, they had a high old time. Alf would be pleased to see any other members who may be in the area, and don©t forget to bring your concertina. His address is St. Bernards Nursing Home, 6-8 Mill Road, Worthing. For those of you who want to have another go at competing, there is Burnley Music Festivals Class 28 is for any solo instrument except piano, and it has been won by concertinas before. It is an Own Choice class, not to exceed 8 minutes, and the entry fee is 75p. The prize is the Thomas Pollard Cup. The closing date for entries is January 25th 1980, and the actual competition is on March 8th. The fees are payable to Burnley Festival, and you send your entries to Miss D. Nicoll, 40 Calderbrook Avenue, Burnley BB11 4RD. 17th Festival For those who might not know, the Festival was held on Saturday 27th October at the Victoria Methodist Church. I arrived about 11am, and found quite a few people there already, practicing hard. My time was spent chatting, and doing one or two odd jobs, generally keeping up with old friends, and meeting new ones. The competition started at 2.00pm. Mr. Charlton-Wright, the adjudicator, was delayed because his son had been involved in a motor accident, but was fortunately unhurt, so the first class to be heard was the Folk Dance, adjudicated by our President, Father Kenneth, who had to be elsewhere later in the afternoon anyway. As a result, Tim Pearson had the thankless task of starting the Festival off. He chose to play Walter Bulmers Polka, Princess Royal (Stanton Harcourt version) and Peasants Dance. He was followed by Mr. Glasson with Shepherds Hey, Durham Rangers and The Nutting Girl. The next competitor was Iris Bishop, with Proudlocks Hornpipe, Blarney Pilgrim and Bonny Kate. Tom Jukes was next, playing Pipers Fancy, Biddy the Bowl Wife and Sir Roger de Coverley. Norma Hall followed with the Blackthorn Stick, Miss Sayers Allemand and Bonny Tyneside. She was followed by Paul Ashford, playing Nans Waltz. Jenny Lind Polka and Greenhom. Mr. Mills was the final contestant with Come O©er the Stream Charlie, East Neuk of Fife and Pretty Maggie Morrissey. When he was explaining some of the points in his adjudication, Father Kenneth gave us an impromptu demonstration. Not only was it instructive, but pleasurable as well. In spite of opening the Festival, Tim Pearson won the class with 85 marks. The classes then continued as per programme. Mr. Kerr was the only player in the elementary English Own Choice, playing a Caprice by Manhire. He scored 70 marks. The elementary English Test Piece (Petite Melodie by V. McDougal) was won by Susan Carter with 82 Marks. The intermediate English Test Piece class (Song without Words by Mendelsohn) was won by Paul Ashford with 85 marks. The elementary Duet Own Choice was the next class. Iris Bishop was the only contestant, and she aquitted herself very well with The Entertainer by Scott Joplin, obtaining 88 marks. ©Ear© players were the next group of players in contention. They were lead by Eric Russell with Silver Threads, Gentle Maiden and Amazing Grace. Tim Pearson followed with Cushion Dance and Sweet Jenny Jones. Mr. Fenwick played Plymouth Town, Spanish Ladies, the Mermaid and another, then came John Entract with Donna Wellen and Mon Oncle, and finally -3- Paul Davis with Carnival of Venice and maybe some others. The class was won by Mr. Russell with 83 marks. The Duet Own Choice was a straight fight between Mr. Mills playing Fairy Wedding Waltz, Groningen and Petite Rien, and Mr. Thornett with Mozarts Violin Sonata No. 4. Mr. Thornett triumphed with 80 marks. The advanced English Test Piece (Riguadon by Telemann) was closely contested, but the winner, almost inevitably, was Tom Prince with 90 marks. The junior players class just had the one contestant, I. Shaw, who played La Golondina, and was awarded 90 marks. The intermediate English Own Choice was also a straight fight between Eileen Jones with From the Hills of Sligo, and Paul Ashford with Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Eileen Jones won with 78 marks. There were three pairs in the two concertinas class. They were Tom Prince and Norma Hall, playing one of Brahms Hungarian Dances, Susan Carter and Iris Bishop with The Ash Grove, and Tom Jukes and Paul Ashford with Griegs Fairy Dance. The all girl pair won with 78 marks. Now came the advanced English own choice. Mr. Jevons started with the Punch & Judy Polka. Then was John Hutcherson with an Allegro by Fiocco Third was Tom Prince with Schumanns Trout, with variations. He was followed by Mrs. Nichol with a Nocturne by Tchaikovski, then came Tom Jukes playing a Bagatelle by Dvorak. Vena McDougall was next with an Andante and Presto by Tartini. Charlie Jeffrey played a Minuet by Kreisler, and Norma Hall finished with Mozarts Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. The class was won by Tom Prince, again getting 90 marks. Finally, the Odd Bods were the only group in the five or more concertina class, playing a Mazurka by Glinka They were awarded 89 marks.