Cover art of 'The Storyteller'

Andrej Toplišek’s experimental Oberkrainer music project “The Storyteller”

Andrej Toplišek is a Slovenian musician at the forefront of experimental Slovenian and Alpine folk music in the ‘Oberkrainer’ style which was created over half a century ago by the Avsenik brothers from Slovenia. I’ve previously written about his projects Postkarte aus Slowenien and Tradicija in Umetnost as well as his accordion method book. I’d like to tell you about his new album “The Storyteller” because it pushes even more boundaries than his previous projects, and is again an album created with a specific intention and purpose. And like his other projects, this one can be listened to again and again, without it getting old. The Storyteller “The Storyteller” (“Pripovedovalec […]

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Andrej Toplišek’s new Oberkrainer and Jazz creations – “Tradicija in umetnost” and “Hometown suite”

Andrej Toplišek’s first independent Oberkrainer album after his time with Okrogli Muzikantje (Runden Oberkrainer) was a LP called “Postkarte aus Slowenien” which he released in 2019. I wrote about it then (linked here), simply because it was the first time in years that I’ve been so excited about a new album in the Narodnozabavna and Oberkrain genre, not to mention it being the first Oberkrainer vinyl with new material since the last pressings around 1990. The only reason I’m writing about his new albums this time, is the same. He’s created something new and exciting, and I hope that by talking about it, a few more Oberkrainer fans can enjoy

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Denis Novato sheet music book #2

I’m very grateful to have been offered the opportunity to contribute to Denis Novato’s second book, published by Musikverlag Bogner in Germany. This book contains 10 Novato compositions, in both Griffschrift notation for Steirische Harmonika (diatonic button accordion) by Hubert Klausner (zillertal-noten.at) and standard notation for accordion by myself. It is accompanied by a CD of these 10 polkas and waltzes. The book is available for purchase on bognermusik.de or directly through Denis.

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Uncovering information on the rare O.R.A Alpin piano accordions

Last year I purchased an intriguing accordion from willhaben.at, a second hand Alpin IIIC by O.R.A Castelfidardo, whose only label on the instruments reads “Harmonikafabrik O.R.A”. (Shoutout to the seller Roman, who was very transparent and helpful during the sale, and my friend Klemens who visited Roman and provided videos for me 🙋‍♂️👋.) Several things appealed to me: – its light weight for a 120 bass accordion with cassotto,– its age (estimated around 1980s or early 1990s), – unusually traditional design that resembles more of a Steirische harmonika (curved ends of the keyboard),– unusually lighter colour of an alpine piano accordion, – slightly wet musette and a loud Oberkrainer sound,

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Slovenian ‘Oberkrainer’ accordion rhythm technique for waltzes

For a brief historical explanation of the technique and a video on how to use this technique in polkas, click on the article below. Waltzes in the Oberkrainer accordion rhythm technique (Slo: tresanje or spremljavo, Ger: begleitung) involve playing chords in quavers (eighth notes) repeatedly and smoothly in 3/4 time, with no bellow shaking. Below is a video and exercise sheet PDF which I hope might assist some people in learning and improving their technique. Some tips to help you on your journey:

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Slovenian popular folk ‘Oberkrainer’ vs. American-Slovenian ‘Cleveland style’

If you’re new to Slovenian popular folk music (from Slovenia) or American-Slovenian style polkas (from North America), you might get confused between the two (I sure did), so in this post I try to clear it up with the sort of information I’d love to have had available several years ago.

Slovenian popular folk ‘Oberkrainer’ vs. American-Slovenian ‘Cleveland style’ 続きを読む »

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