Accordion and Merovingian Kings

Part of the NE 2 NE Accordion Expedition is about performing on the AAMS Friday night concert in Whipanny, New Jersey.

Although my workshop will be Rroma, I've been asked to provide a program of French music on the concert. I've been researching and soul searching to see which tunes (old and new) make my heart shine since I believe the best concert is given with music from your heart.

I have been particularly taken with French musette "Valse Merovingienne" written by Andre Verchuren and Georges Ghestem ca. 1955. The chord structure is more Celtic than French and the melody is a bit melancholy while oddly calming.

The name was even more intriguing. With a little help from Wikipedia I learned this:

The Merovingians were the first Germanic tribe to resettle on Roman land. Their dynasty came to rule the Franks in a region known as Francia in Latin for 300 years from the middle of the 5th century.

This is a picture of one of the Merovingian Kings. He reminds me of what the basic melody of  "Valse Merovingienne" sounds like. I do believe I will enjoy making a new arrangement of the original waltz to play on the concert!

Dagobert I (629 - 638)

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