Spare Parts = Liz Stell and Bill Matthiesen

Step back into the early 1800s, into Almack's fashionable Assembly Rooms in London. The evening's festivities are well underway, and the dancers are in position, awaiting the music. Prepare to honor your partner to the opening strain, as the orchestra is about to begin!

This elegant music is played by Spare Parts, a group specializing in dance music from many eras. Liz Stell (flute), Bill Matthiesen (piano) and Eric Buddington (violin) win praise for historical accuracy and for bringing lively dance energy to all their performances.

To buy the CD, put a 1 in the quantity box (unless you want more than one of course); to buy the album as MP3s, check the box for the MP3 album.

Spare Parts kindly requests the pleasure of your company at the ball. The evening's program features a blend of popular, classical, and continental dance music typical of the Civil War era.

For your enjoyment, Liz Stell and Bill Matthiesen have assembled several of their favorite Spare Parts for the dance orchestra: flute, piano, violins, viola, mandolin, cornet, and double bass.

Lancers Quadrille - Lodoiska and Lancers Quadrille - Les Graces are bonus tracks, available only on the MP3 album, not on the CD.

To buy the CD, put a 1 in the quantity box (unless you want more than one of course); to buy the album as MP3s, check the box for the MP3 album.

For sheet music to all the dances on the CD, plus others, see the Civil War Ballroom Band Book.

For instruction for the dances on the CD, see Pugliese's Dances for the Civil War Ballroom.

For video lessons for the dances on the CD, see the DVD Couple Dances of the Civil War Ballroom.

Latest CD!
The War is over; those who fought so bravely on both sides have finally returned. To chase away former weary days of worry, Liz Stell and Bill Matthiesen present an exhilarating mix of familiar favorites and the latest dance tunes performed on flute, piano, first and second violins, cornet, mandolin, banjo and string bass.

For sheet music to some selections on the CD, see the Civil War Ballroom Band Book.

For dance instructions, see Pugliese's Dances for the Civil War Ballroom.
 

NEW: MP3 Album now available for purchase!

Nahant, a town north of Boston, became a resort mecca very early on and was popular throughout the Victorian era. The lively dance melodies performed here by Spare Parts come from the Nahant Historical Society's archives. Liz Stell (flute) and Bill Matthiesen (piano) are joined by Ruthie Dornfeld on violin.

Selections include the Nahant Waltz (ca. 1820s), Nahant Quadrilles (1836), Nahant Polka (1854), Col. Lowell's Quick Step (1838), all 5 parts of the The Lancer's Quadrilles (1858 orchestration), the Nahant March (1884), and the Sea Serpent Polka (1850). Sales of this CD benefit the Nahant Historical Society.

A stunning sampler of the richly varied, romantic tangos written for solo piano during the early years of the twentieth century.

Tango Viejo means "old tango." This sampler from the first years of the tango revives the spirit of the dancers and musicians who first brought this beautiful music to life.

Also see our tango sheet music books.

Collected & edited by Bill Matthiesen. 51 beautiful waltzes. Includes April Waltz, Ashokan Farewell, Enrichez Vous, Far Away, Gentle Maiden, Great Waltz of China, High Clouds, Judy & Jim's Wedding, Midnight on the Water, Nancy's Waltz, Sheebeg and Sheemore, Sweet Journeys, Tosa-Valsen, Utpick Waltz, Valse des Jouets and others.

To buy the physical book, put a 1 in the quantity box (unless you want more than one of course); to buy the digital version, check the box for the PDF.

PDF TERMS:

1. This is a license to display or print book PDFs for personal use only.
2. May be shared with members of your own household.
3. Please do not make copies (digital or print) for people outside your immediate family.

Collected & edited by Bill Matthiesen. 74 beautiful waltzes. Includes Bare Necessities, Un Canadien Errant, Vals Aldor, Soir et Matin, The White Rose, Late Summer Waltz, Mountain House, Chocolate Heart, Return to the Brandywine, The Dancer, Dragonfly Waltz, Jessy's Waltz, Larry's Waltz, Midwinter Waltz, The Spring Morning, Waltzing with You, Vals d'Hiver, Vals Phillipe and others.

To buy the physical book, put a 1 in the quantity box (unless you want more than one of course); to buy the digital version, check the box for the PDF.

PDF TERMS:

1. This is a license to display or print book PDFs for personal use only.
2. May be shared with members of your own household.
3. Please do not make copies (digital or print) for people outside your immediate family.

Collected & edited by Bill Matthiesen. 67 beautiful waltzes. Includes new waltzes from Jay Ungar, Jerry Holland, Peter Ostroushko, Ale Möller, Jacky Molard, Keith Murphy, Larry Unger, Marcel Messervier, Bob Pasquarello, George Wilson, Julie King, Molly Mason, Sarah Bauhan, John Miller, Debbie Scott, Cathi Whitesides and others, plus Scandinavian melodies, French Musette & Breton waltzes, Latin waltzes, Cowboy & Bluegrass tunes, Irish & Shetland waltzes, and French Canadian tunes.

To buy the physical book, put a 1 in the quantity box (unless you want more than one of course); to buy the digital version, check the box for the PDF.

PDF TERMS:

1. This is a license to display or print book PDFs for personal use only.
2. May be shared with members of your own household.
3. Please do not make copies (digital or print) for people outside your immediate family.

Latest book: 4th in the series

Includes waltzes from the US as well as England, Scotland, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Quebec and beyond. Many are easily accessible to the beginning musician, plus more challenging tunes -- several French musette-style waltzes, swing and bluesy waltzes, and a haunting 1930s choro-style waltz from Brazil. Wonderful waltzes from Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Larry Unger, Keith Murphy, Andy Cutting, Elana James, Fats Waller, Stephen Jones, Rodney Miller, Daniel Thonon, Mick McAuley, Jean Lenoir, Judy Hyman, Onni Laihanen, Pete Sutherland, Jo Privat, Chris Wood, Jean-Francois Belanger, Max Newman, Dave Wiesler, Martine Billette, George Wilson, Bruce Sagan, David Greely and others -- 75 tunes in all.

To buy the physical book, put a 1 in the quantity box (unless you want more than one of course); to buy the digital version, check the box for the PDF.

PDF TERMS:

1. This is a license to display or print book PDFs for personal use only.
2. May be shared with members of your own household.
3. Please do not make copies (digital or print) for people outside your immediate family.

Now Tango returns you to the toe-tapping days of Ragtime, when everybody was trying out scandalous new dances -- the Turkey Trot, blues, one-step, foxtrot, and tango! Includes two solo piano rags, plus five tangos performed on flute, piano, and violin.

Also see our tango sheet music books.

This collection showcases the syncopated piano music of Latin American during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It features Latin rhythms, which are really African rhythms brought to the Americas by slaves and applied to the music of the European colonists. These rhythms are varied and complex and so is their history. They've had a widespread and profound influence on the evolution of popular music, not only in Latin America but also in the United States.

Pieces range from intermediate to moderately advanced.

Contains 25 habaneras, 7 maxixes (Brazilian tangos) and 5 tangos; 96 pages.

Read more about our tango music books.

A beautiful collection of 42 tangos for solo piano from the early years of the guardia vieja, the "old guard" composers who were the originators of this fascinating genre. Forgotten pieces of the Argentine soul, reproduced from the antique partituras (sheet music).

Read more about our tango music books.

Music for a Midcentury Victorian Ball: "THE CIVIL WAR BALLROOM BAND BOOK is a remarkably informative and complete resource for reenactors, history teachers, dance organizers and Victoriana enthusiasts. It's a great collection of authentic dance music, with quotes from dancing masters of the period. It even has clear instructions on how to play the music, call the dances and organize your event to best achieve the joy and the spirit of an authentic Civil War ball." - Jay Ungar, composer of "Ashokan Farewell"

This collection supplies enough sheet music for two full-length Victorian balls: over 70 different tunes, including all those from The Civil War Ballroom CD. Harmony parts are provided for over half the music, plus trumpet parts for seven pieces. All music is from mid-nineteenth century sources, with source information for each piece.

Instructions for all the dances on The Civil War Ballroom recording by Spare Parts. Includes the waltz, polka, schottische, galop, Grand March, Soldier's Joy, Gothic Dance, Spanish Dance, La Têmpete, The Lancers Quadrilles (figures 1, 3, and 5), and the Virginia Reel with detailed explanation plus abbreviated calls. Also "Etiquette of the Ballroom" and "A Note on Ballroom Refreshments." Small hardback (4½" x 6¾"); 110 pages with period illustrations.

Video lessons by Patri Pugliese on basics and style points of mid-19th c. dances, with costumed demonstrations of each. 66 minutes.

This DVD is in the North American broadcast format, NTSC, and is designated for Regions 1 through 8. "Most" PAL players can play NTSC format (the opposite is not true), but you may wish to double check your particular player. This can also be played on PC.