Description
Anyone who has ever heard him at a Bal Folk or a concert knows: Christoph Pelgen has set the standard for great, rousing (dance) music, virtuoso playing and crisp arrangements like no other in recent years. Many of his self-composed melodies have become real hits, and as a popular course leader he always inspires and motivates his participants with fresh and interesting sheet music.
In the new “Pelgen Tunes – Vol. 2” contains 81 often polyphonic melodies that contain everything that can be played on (drone) instruments. With musical ideas from all over Europe to the Balkans and the Bosporus. A sheet music collection for all those who enjoy good drone music and the further development of traditional music!
The evolution of drone music
Christoph Pelgen, a master of traditional music, invites you to join him with “Pelgen Tunes – Vol. 2” once again invites you to rediscover the boundaries of drone music. His unmistakable compositions, which are brought together in this collection, open a door to new musical horizons.
A work full of inspiration and creativity
Each melody in this volume is a tribute to the rich diversity of European musical traditions – from the deep forests of the Balkans to the lively shores of the Bosphorus. Christoph Pelgen proves once again that music is a universal language that knows no boundaries.
For musicians of all levels
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced musician, “Pelgen Tunes – Vol. 2” offers a unique mix of challenge and fun. With 81 often polyphonic melodies, Christoph Pelgen invites you to find and develop your own musical voice.
Share, play, inspire
Christoph Pelgen’s passion for music and his desire to share it with others permeate every page of this volume. It is a call to all musicians to be inspired by traditional music and to follow their own musical paths.
Discover “Pelgen Tunes – Vol. 2” and let yourself be carried away by the fascination of drone music. Christoph Pelgen opens the door to a world of musical adventures and undiscovered melodies. Immerse yourself in Europe’s rich musical heritage and become part of a living tradition that is constantly growing and evolving.
Foreword
Volume 1 of the Pelgen Tunes was published in 2012. Since then, the pool of my own pieces has grown steadily. Especially for my bagpipe students and various playing courses, I am constantly creating new tunes that are personally tailored to the respective playing level of the musicians.
For me, melodies are an expression of feelings, experiences, imagination, friendship, etc. The titles of the tunes are part of the composition, they allow me to immerse myself in my spiritual world (oh dear, some of the titles are very revealing, ha ha) and offer clues for a possible interpretation.
But what you ultimately make of it is up to you. Change the melodies, find your own variations and harmonies… Sometimes my second and third voices are filler voices with a lighter level than the main melody. Use the harmonies as a guide and invent your own accompaniment parts.
Since I mainly compose tunes that are compatible for bagpipes in G/C (shepherd’s pipe etc.), the basic keys are quite limited. However, in order to make the most of the manageable range, there are some tunes in keys that seem a bit weird with G-Bordun accompaniment. Some of you play bagpipes whose drones can be retuned to A. This helps with the pieces in A minor and D minor. But sometimes you should plug your drones (B minor…) and entrust yourself entirely to the harmonic accompaniment of accordion, guitar, harp etc. Of course the tunes can also be played on all other instruments, I don’t insist on bagpipes. 😉
I have benefited greatly from the fact that I was able to look the old hands in the eye, that long before me musicians were composing melodies that are still being played and I now feel called upon to add my skills and melodies to this pot for future generations of musicians. In my opinion, music is there to be played and to touch the listeners and dancers, not to be stored in copyright-protected archives and make life difficult for the organizers and performing bands. There’s no room for this kind of music in our media landscape anyway, you can’t get rich with it.
My pieces are therefore completely GEMA-free and I am happy when they are played. If you want to use my compositions commercially (film music, recordings etc.), please send me an e-mail.
Happy music making
Your Christoph
Author:in
Christoph Pelgen
Born. 1967 in Wiesbaden, grew up in Rheinhessen.
First music lessons at the age of 6 (flute), followed by guitar and clarinet. Self-study of bagpipes, bombarde, mandolin…
Between community service and carpentry apprenticeship, 1989/90 in search of my own self, a common European culture and the music that fascinates me, on foot from the Southern Palatinate to Santiago de Compostela on the Way of St. James.
Then I moved to Tübingen, where I found my musical family in the group La Marmotte in the fall of 1990.
Independent musician since 1993, numerous CD productions, performances as bagpipe player at the Staatstheater Stuttgart, with the medieval rock band Adaro, with Estampie and L’ham defoc, bagpipe teacher, ensemble leader and band coach. Founder of the Wurmlinger Zupfkapelle Hilaritas and the 20s band the Croonies, passionate music collector and ukulele enthusiast.
My declared aim is to find my own means of musical expression by studying traditional melodies from every region. Music as a feeling, not as a competition – that’s what moves me.
