Polska efter C. H. Erlandsson

This week we did an asymmetrical polska with a short first/or long second beat. There are tunes played in this way in several places around Sweden (and Norway) but nowadays it is primarily associated with the western parts of Sweden. This tune, however, was collected from the fiddler Carl Herman Erlandsson in Uppland just north west of Stockholm. I taught you the tune in a style similar to how many musicians play this tune today, the original transcript however is somewhat different.
Erlandsson (1857-1936) was from a Swedish traveller family and although he eventually settled in Uppland many of his tunes was in a style more commonly associated with the province of Dalarna. As a young man he was sentenced to eight years of hard labour for manslaughter and it was not until later in life that he became recognised as a fiddler.
As you will see on the sheet music it is not easy to notate these kinds of polskas in a way which makes it easy to read, and there is always a risk that it becomes more confusing! If you want some initial help to get into the rhythm you can try this 'polska metronome' which Tom found online (thanks Tom!). However use it carefully, it may be a good tool to get reminded about the short first beat but don't use it as foundation when you play the tune. You can also listen to Lena Jonsson and Brittany Haas' version of the tune (see video link below, or listen to the whole album here). In the sheet music I have given suggestions on how to render the chords on a fiddle/melody instrument, but put on the recording and try things out yourself, you might well come up with something else which sounds great!

Lena and Brittany playing their arrangement of the polska together with an American old-time tune.

Slower version on the melodeon

Tune with arrangement