Accordion Uff Da! Let’s Dance: Scandinavian Fiddle Tunes & House Party Music
by Bruce Bollerud
A fun collection of old-time Scandinavian dance tunes arranged for the accordion. Great for dancing or listening and a perfect repertoire builder.
Book with downloadable audio
This book is sold by Mel Bay Publications.
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From Dix Bruce:
I grew up in the Midwest, specifically in northern Michigan and southern Wisconsin. In the 1950s and 60s, at least in my part of the world, the two main ethnic groups were Norwegian and German. I inherited some genes from both: my father’s parents were Norwegian, my mother’s German and English. In my college years, during the early 1970s, I heard a musical trio called the Goose Island Ramblers. Their music was a mixture of many styles from western and bluegrass to Hawaiian and Norwegian, from Swiss to polka, county to swing, and everything in between or on either side. The Geese’s music was pure joy delivered with passion and humor.
They introduced me to untold numbers of great songs and styles of music. They reintroduced me to my Midwestern roots and made them interesting, fun, and exciting. We’ve stayed in touch over the years and I mentioned to the Geese’ accordionist, Bruce Bollerud, that if he ever wanted to put any of the Geese’s music down on paper, I’d be interested in helping with the project. Bruce thought about it and decided that he wanted to set down some of the traditional music he’d played all of his life, music he felt was in danger of fading away as the old timers who inherited it from the previous generation passed on. Bruce called it “Norwegian House Party Music.”
Mostly fiddle-based, house party music was played out in the country in an era when farmers would go to their neighbor’s houses for weekend entertainment. It was usually played by a small string combo with a fiddle, some kind of accordion, and possibly a guitar or banjo. By the late 1940s, country folk began coming to town on the weekends to shop, see movies, or dance to the hot new regional polka bands. The polka bands were “the latest thing,” larger and louder, horn-based, and there was really no place in them for the old time sound of the fiddle. The country culture changed and as a result, house party music began to fade away. Bruce Bollerud, who plays a variety of instruments including accordion and bandonion, learned the house party repertoire as a young teen backing up local fiddlers. I had never heard most of these tunes until I recorded Bruce playing them for this book. I grew to love them as I mixed and edited the recording. Thanks to Bruce Bollerud for sharing this great music with me and now, with you. You’ll have a ball, or maybe a house party!
Dix Bruce
Mandolin Uff Da! Let’s Dance: Scandinavian Fiddle Tunes & House Party Music by Dix Bruce also available. Click here for information.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Tunes and Where They Come From
Kjarring Og Mann Slust
Sally’s Hoppwaltz
Stegen Waltz
Red Rooster Two Step
Skjorte Frak Waltz
Herman’s Schottische in D
Ryerson’s Hoppwaltz
Gra Lysining
Auction Pa Strommen
Johnny Homme’s Waltz
Minnesota 6/8 Two Step
Sentimental Selma
Art’s Waltz in A
Almando’s Polka
Abner Juve’s Waltz
Mabel Rag Two Step
Ryerson’s Waltz
Art’s Schottische
Grandpa’s Mazurka
Grandpa’s Waltz
Mabel Polka
Old Utica Waltz
Johnny’s Swiss Polka
Johnson’s Rhinelander Schottische
Cousin Olin’s Waltz
Tobacco Setter’s Waltz
Ole’s Schottische
Sugar Candy Schottische
Customer comment:
Hi Dix!
I love …Mandolin Uff Da! I’ve had it for less than a week but have already played through most of the tunes and there are some great ones in there. Definitely my favorite book of yours to date! You should put out a volume 2!… I love the variations…schottisches, hoppwaltzes, polkas, two-steps, waltzes, mazurkas, etc. Wow! I wasn’t even familiar with some of these tune types before getting this book! There has to be more!
L.F.
Dear Dix,
I am 84 and I grew up in Wisconsin and Minn. I just got you book “Uff Da Let’s Dance” and I am having so much fun with the music I grew up with. Thank you and Bruce Bollerud…for all the effort you put into the book.
D. G.
Cleburne, TX