Bulgarian Accordion Tutorial

Bulgarian Accordion Tutorial - Complete Scores

Index Introduction Background Definitions Setting Technique Harmony Bass Drills Scores References

This page contains some complete accordion scores that illustrate the tutorial's general principles of technique and fingering. Pointers to the original source recordings are included. Please note the following:

The scores here are complete in the sense that they are contain a full set of melodies present in the source recordings. This contrasts to the melodic fragments that are used elsewhere in the tutorial to illustrate particular techniques.
Scores are meant for study in tandem with the original recordings. I do not notate the number of melodic repeats for each melody, nor when previously notated melodies are inserted between later melodies. One-time transitions between melodies that are awkward to notate may be left unnotated.
These arrangements are for accordion. They generally follow the outline of the original recordings, but the details are often altered to what works for the accordion.
The keys are chosen based on what sounds good on my instrument, given the chosen reed combination, as an accordion solo. This may, or may not, be the same as the key of the original recording. The keys may not be appropriate when playing in an ensemble context. Recommended reed combinations will be notated once I figure out how to work that feature of the software.
Harmony and bass playing is not notated. Consult the original recordings to get a feeling for how the melodies and harmonies flow together.
Each score below is accompanied by some performance guidelines, such as the recommended switch to use (definitions here).
Clicking on the score hyperlink below will take you to a bitmap image of the score. This is fine for on-line viewing, but is poor for printing. For high-quality printing, click on the PDF link above the score image.
I'm constantly refining the fingering for these scores as my technical understanding improves. The date of last revision appears at the bottom of each score.
Update: Previous plans for creating audio recordings for these scores has been temporarily placed on hold due to a pending job search.

Scores and Performance Notes

AC0101: Pravo Kapansko after Radoslav Kutev from Worldtone 003

Use clarinet switch.
Needs editing to add bellow change rests. Melody A is especially tricky in this regard.

AC0102: Pravo horo after Boris Karlov from BHA 402

Use clarinet switch.
Relatively simple fingering.
Good practice for varying wrist angles during pralls.

AC0103: Novo Zagorsko horo after Kosta Kolev from XOPO 308

Use clarinet switch.

AC0104: Trite puti after Emil Kolev from XOPO 3

Use clarinet switch.

AC0105: Bourgasko horo from BHA 1467

Use clarinet switch.
Melody G difficult due to prall in A hijaz.

AC0106: Chetvorno horo from B-4000 album

Use bandoneon switch.

AC0107: Plevensko daichovo horo from B-4000 album

Use bandoneon switch.

AC0108: Novo Zagorsko horo after Mincho Nedyalkov from BHA 134

Use clarinet switch.
Difficult to maintain relentless gadulka beat when switching bellows directions.

AC0109: Ruchenitsa after Kostadin Varimezov from BHA 214

Use clarinet switch.

AC0110: Paidushko horo after Kostadin Varimezov from Mark Levy field recording

Use clarinet switch.
Extremely high-density ornamentation in imitation of gaida.

AC0111: Selska ruchenitsa after Ferus Mustafov et al from Beograd Disk 0214

Use bandoneon switch.
Macedonian tune, but may be played well using Bulgarian technique.

AC0112: Shota after Kocho Petrovski from unknown recording

Use bandoneon switch.
Macedonian tune uses techniques to be described in future version of the tutorial.

AC0113: Daichovo horo after Kosta Kolev from BHA 134

Use bandoneon switch.

AC0114: Buenek after Kostadin Varimezov from BHA 1268

Use bandoneon switch.
No fingering yet

AC0115: Daichovo horo after Ibro Lolov from BHA 134

Use clarinet switch.
No fingering yet

AC0116: Petrunino horo after Strandzhanskata Groupa from XOPO-322

Use clarinet switch.
No fingering yet

AC0117: Kjuchek after Marcus Moskoff

Use clarinet switch.
No fingering yet

A cross-indexed tabular list of these scores, without the above performance notes may be found in EMDB book AC01.