Ma Seal's Mazurka

X:27
T:Ma Seal's Mazurka
% NFF Book 2013
S:collected from Ma Seal
S:John Meredith Collection, NLA, TRC 2222 R-93, R-94
Z:transcribed by Greg O'Leary
N:This is another version of Ma Seal's Polka Mazurka
N:It is actually called "Waltz Mazurka" as it is tune specific for a dance
N:by that name. Connie Whitwell, Ma's friend, was there as well as Ma's
N:daughter Mary, and between the latter two, I was able to reconstruct the
N:dance. Ma was grumpy as usual, singing out, "doesn't the music tell you
N:what to do?" I was getting the blame, but daughter Mary was putting in a
N:reverse Viennese Waltz which obviously was wrong according to Ma. We
N:actually filmed it in Bendigo with this Viennese Waltz and sent it over
N:for Ma's scrutiny. Connie worked it out, also saying they thought we'd
N:confused it with the Varsoviana in the second section. We reworked it
N:deleted the Viennese Waltz and altered the Varsoviana turn and stop to a
N:more subtle Hesitation Waltz waltz stop while bringing the other foot up
N:to the ankle instead of stopping on the floor. This seemed to meet with approval.
N:
N:So the first 16 bars is straight Circular Waltz, the second section which
N:is strongly marked with some Varsoviana part B emphasis, consists of 2
N:mazurkas forward, polka step half turn (as in Varso), then a natural
N:waltz turn one way, bringing the foot up to the other ankle, then repeated
N:reverse direction. This part B section of 8 bars is then repeated mirror
N:image or reverse pattern to the previous. Then back to Circular Waltz etc.
N:Merro remembered Ma waltzing round and round while playing the tune on an
N:earlier visit, but by the time of my visit she was 90 and not dancing.
N:
N:NB. Ma's grumpiness which Merro didn't seem to pick up on. We'd been
N:recording her for some time when she said "what about you playing a tune
N:Mr Meredith, who's the mug around here!" Also on our return, she didn't
N:want to see us, sitting in a rocking chair with an Afghan crochured rug
N:over her knees, pretending to be a disinterested old lady. Once we got
N:the tunes going, it was a very different story, and she'd look me in the
N:eye at the end of each piece.
N:Peter Ellis, April 2013
M:3/4
L:1/8
Q:126
K:D
|:FG|"D"AF DF AF|d2c2B2|AFD2E2|F3G FE|A,B, CD EF|"A7"E4E2|A,B, CD EF|"D"D4FG|
AF DF AF|d2c2B2|AFD2E2|F3G FE|A,B, CD EF|"A7"E2EF EC|A,B, CD EF|"D"D4A2|
"D"dA FA dA|"A"cA EA cA|"G"BG DG BG|"D"A3B AF|A,B, CD EF|"A7"E2EF EC|A,B, CD EF|"D"D4A2|
"D"dA FA dA|"A"c4c2|"G"B2B2B2|"D"A3B AF|A,B, CD EF|"A7"E2EF EC|A,B, CD EF|"D"D4:|

Ma Seal's Mazurka - played by Greg O'Leary

Additional Information

Additional information may be available on the following people or organisations associated with the collection of this tune:
| Greg O'Leary | John Meredith Collection | Ma Seal |