Scan's the man

One such is Scan Tester, a concertina player who gained great popularity and respect in his native Sussex until his death in 1972 at the age of 85.

He was an influential player - a master of the distinctively English punchy style on the Anglo 'tina. In his early years he also played a fiddle, but gave that up when rheumatism made left-hand fingering difficult. Although sometimes complaining of pain in his hands, he continued playing the concertina throughout his life.

But his more lasting contribution is undoubtedly in the tunes that he revived, adapted and made popular - many of which remain firm favourites in folk sessions.

Over his many years of playing he built up a vast repertoire. Many of the tunes were already firmly established and popular, but there were also tunes directly attributed to him. It's not clear whether he wrote any from scratch but he certainly adapted tunes, added missing parts and gave them new life.

In a biography (sadly now out of print) written by musician and music historian Reg Hall, Scan is quoted as saying that if he could remember only part of a tune he would make up the rest. Many of the tunes attributed to him owe their existence to this process.

There's a familiarity to most of his tunes because Scan, like all folk tune writers, borrowed heavily from the prevailing folk stock. But there's always also an unusual turn or two - quirky touches of individuality which make his tunes interesting and delightful.

Waltzes, schottisches, polkas, hornpipes - there are tunes of most types accredited to Scan, and something they all have in common is that they're catchy to listen to and fun to play.

Naturally they are at home played in their traditional settings on conventional English folk instruments - they work particularly well on the concertina, melodeon, fiddle and flute.

But they're good enough melodies to transfer successfully to other instruments including some which would have been far less familiar in Scan's day. The tune Scan Tester's Country Stepdance was featured on Andy Kershaw's world/folk/roots music programme on BBC Radio 3 recently - played on an electric banjo and synthesiser.

It worked a treat, and although we can't know what Scan would have thought of it, my own guess is that he'd have been tickled pink.

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