I'm new here and trying to find some nice tunes to go with my new low D whistle... Jigs and reels are okay sounding on it, but I'd like some pretty eery music to go with the sound...
If this question has been asked before, I apologize... Hadn't seen it in the discussions...
Cindy, if you are just getting started you probably are wanting to hear some lovely airs. Plenty of those & I am sure people will be posting their favourites.
All the same you might want to give this a listen. Planxty played some great tunes. {not your standard rhythm or key here}
Smeceno Horo - Planxty 1979 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZTTzxviOZI
On one of 'The Pipering of Willie Clancy' albums, there's a recording of him playing Black is the Colour on whistle. Not an Irish tune (from the S. Appalachians, I think, although it could have Irish origins), but he makes a beautiful slow air out of it. He plays it on a high whistle, of course, but it would be equally well suited to low whistle.
I've never believed, for a moment, that "Black is the Colour" is a traditional song.
Not for a moment.
If someone can produce chapter and verse, and I mean authentic genuine copper-bottomed chapter and verse, then I might begrudgingly concede.
But I don't believe it.
I reckon it was a composition by someone like John Jacob Miles, who was a bit of an eccentric character anyway, and he slipped it into a performance or a record and nobody ever challenged him.
"She Moved Through the Fair" isn't traditional either.
It got introduced into the "traditional" repertoire after Margaret Barry learnt it from a '78 of John McCormack.
( Produces large trenching tool and proceeds to dig deep hole for himself . )
She Moved Through the Fair is a nice tune to play slowly, though.
I remember back in 1831, this fella I knew slipped one of his own tunes into his repertoire. We all thought it was just a traditional tune, like al the rest of his tunes. Bu the deceiving bastard had us all playing this tune that was not traditional ... the shame of it. He even pretended not to know its name when we asked him.
Anyway, by 1843 the old fella was dead, and 'cause we had no name for the tune, we just called it after him. I, to this day, refuse to play it of course, until someone can produce chapter and verse, and I mean authentic genuine copper-bottomed chapter and verse, that it is traditional. Plenty of other people plat it though. The poor deluded fools.
All right then.
For how long does a tune, or even a song, have to be in the repertoire before it becomes traditional ?
Or do we have to kowtow to the ignorant young ( sorry ) things who think that because it's a song they just wrote on their acoustic guitar, or some other acoustic instrument, it's a folk song ?
I do like the idea of people plaiting tunes though, weaving all these notes and riffs and decorations together until they have a new tune.
In 1931, me and my mates got a letter from the queen. It read thus:
Dear diddley chums,
It has been brought to my attention that there is a tune in your repertoire that has a known provenance. However, as this tune is now exactly 100 years old, I hereby decree that it can now be called traditional. I give my chapter and verse, and I mean authentic genuine copper-bottomed chapter and verse, approval that it is traditional. You may now play it with impunity.
Your's Regina etc etc etc.
I'm a republican though. So I ignored it. It wasn't a real letter anyway, it was just a standard template she used all the time. She probably didn't even sign it.
In the circles in which I've mixed it has been, amonst other things, traditional for alan to sing "when the boys come rolling home", and for us to talk Tam into singing "Fisherman's Blues" when he is drunk enough or just in the mood. Your tradition may vary. I associate these songs with particular mates and like 'em the more for it. (we never have all that mnay songs mind though).
"What is the difference between a traditional tune and a tune that someone has made up?" You've hit the nail on the head there. Traditional tunes are not made up by people. God made them up ... on the fourth day I think. They were kicking around in the Garden of Eden for a couple of days before Adam started singing them. He taught them to Eve, etcetera ...
But to get back to my original question....
....where's the earliest recorded version, paper or vinyl, of "Black is the Colour" ?
Come on now, show us what you're made of.......
PS You're obviously a Calvinist, llig, up there where the only effective antifreeze is a good single malt.
I think the point is....if you like the song-play it!
I'm SURE someone will tell me if I'm wrong here but aren't a lot of common session tunes written by people who are known? Cooley's, Morrison's, Tam Lin etc. They can't be much older than a song like Black is the Colour.
I have invented a machine which judges the 'tradionality' of a tune. Its called the tradtionalisatiotnismographer. Like any piece of traditional guaging equipment, it needs to be hand cranked and stored in a cool dry dry place, being extremely combustible.
The machine itself was never invented, and was always in existence. It is absolutely traditional, and came before both the chicken and the egg.
If you have any enquiries as to the 'traditionality' of a tune, give my the relevent details and I'll crank the oul' tradtionalisatiotnismographer up and see how she goes.
They are not for general retail. I have several that I'd be willing to part with at a special price. They come in limited edition rhino horn cases lined with Panamanian ermine. Three-day guarantee included. e-mail me through this website for further details.
Hi Cindy. You'll be wanting to learn The Arran Boat Song and The Butterfly. I'm pretty sure that's mandatory for all low whistle players. In fact, I think the International Celtic Whistle police will confiscate your instrument if you don't learn those two.
I think it’s pretty well accepted now that “Black is the Color” was written by J. J. Niles (I think he eventually copyrighted it), though I seem to recall that he said it was inspired by something he heard during his itinerant song collecting days. Back in the folk revival days of the 1950’s and 60’s, lots of “folk” performers included it in their repertoire, mainly because most of them copied Joan Baez, who copied Niles. To me it never seemed to fit in with traditional material. Niles apparently loved the old Appalachian music, but he never really and truly grasped it, despite all his years of collecting and performing. If you play through a sample of his arrangements from his Ballad Book, the academic “art music” influence is obvious. He was, in some ways, the worst kind of collector, in that he didn’t strive so much to preserve and document what he found, as to accumulate rough gems to polish and use in his own idiosyncratic presentations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKcGSmb0smQ ..
The first tunes not listed, its easy to learn of da album Poirt an Piobaire 7th track.
Considerin Paddy Keenan and Finbar Furey pioneered Low whistle playing, they serve as a good point of reference..Think Furey was da first to put down recordings or do performances wit low whistles. Prototypes by Brian Howard..
Theres also a nice slow Reel called Sgt Earleys Dream, as played by Cormac De Barra on his album "Barco" http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1651
suits the low D and is a great tune..Its not the version listed in O Neills music of Ireland but easy to learn by ear and a CD well worth getting
There are a couple of Solas tunes which might class as eerie. Both simple in structure and both to be found in the tunes section here: Song of the Kelpie and Crested Hens
Now if llig was playing diddley music in 1931 - and let us assume as a conservative estimate that he was at least 16 at the time - the implication is that he must be the Methuselah of The Session.org and should accordingly be treated with all due respect. In view of his great age I think we can forgive him if he's now getting a little confused about who the Sovereign was in 1931. I can't even remember who the First Lord of the Admiralty was ...
BAAAAACK to Cindy's original question, yes airs, particularly the ones we call sean nos airs, are about as good as Irish music gets on the whistle or uilleann pipes.
But I wouldn't limit your Low D playing to slow tunes. I've been using a Low D as my only session instrument now for a couple years. A good Low D is a great instrument for reels and jigs.
(Been playing a Burke "Pro" for a couple years now, recently got an MK that I really really like.)
I always thought that the melody of Black Is The Color sounded traditional and sean nos-like. Was your man really capable of inventing a tune that nice? I doubt it. He probably nicked it of someone but just didn't give the credit.
Low whistle tunes
Low whistle tunes
Hi all,
I'm new here and trying to find some nice tunes to go with my new low D whistle... Jigs and reels are okay sounding on it, but I'd like some pretty eery music to go with the sound...
If this question has been asked before, I apologize... Hadn't seen it in the discussions...
Greetz,
Cindy
# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by Cisqui
Re: Low whistle tunes
Trip to Skye is a beautiful slow tune you might want to check out.
# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by -Abraxas
Re: Low whistle tunes
The Green Fields of Canada
An Feachan
Both sound nice on a low whistle
# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by shanty
Re: Low whistle tunes
Cindy, if you are just getting started you probably are wanting to hear some lovely airs. Plenty of those & I am sure people will be posting their favourites.
All the same you might want to give this a listen. Planxty played some great tunes. {not your standard rhythm or key here}
Smeceno Horo - Planxty 1979
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZTTzxviOZI
# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by Ben Steen
~
Traditional Slow Airs of Ireland Tomás O Canainn
http://www.mally.com/details.asp?id=615
# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Low whistle tunes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vphVICb8I-E&feature=related
# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by shanty
Re: Low whistle tunes
The other tune's An Feochan not Feachan, sorry....
# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by shanty
Re: Low whistle tunes
On one of 'The Pipering of Willie Clancy' albums, there's a recording of him playing Black is the Colour on whistle. Not an Irish tune (from the S. Appalachians, I think, although it could have Irish origins), but he makes a beautiful slow air out of it. He plays it on a high whistle, of course, but it would be equally well suited to low whistle.
# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Low whistle tunes
I've never believed, for a moment, that "Black is the Colour" is a traditional song.
Not for a moment.
If someone can produce chapter and verse, and I mean authentic genuine copper-bottomed chapter and verse, then I might begrudgingly concede.
But I don't believe it.
I reckon it was a composition by someone like John Jacob Miles, who was a bit of an eccentric character anyway, and he slipped it into a performance or a record and nobody ever challenged him.
"She Moved Through the Fair" isn't traditional either.
It got introduced into the "traditional" repertoire after Margaret Barry learnt it from a '78 of John McCormack.
( Produces large trenching tool and proceeds to dig deep hole for himself . )
She Moved Through the Fair is a nice tune to play slowly, though.
# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Low whistle tunes
I remember back in 1831, this fella I knew slipped one of his own tunes into his repertoire. We all thought it was just a traditional tune, like al the rest of his tunes. Bu the deceiving bastard had us all playing this tune that was not traditional ... the shame of it. He even pretended not to know its name when we asked him.
Anyway, by 1843 the old fella was dead, and 'cause we had no name for the tune, we just called it after him. I, to this day, refuse to play it of course, until someone can produce chapter and verse, and I mean authentic genuine copper-bottomed chapter and verse, that it is traditional. Plenty of other people plat it though. The poor deluded fools.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Low whistle tunes
All right then.
For how long does a tune, or even a song, have to be in the repertoire before it becomes traditional ?
Or do we have to kowtow to the ignorant young ( sorry ) things who think that because it's a song they just wrote on their acoustic guitar, or some other acoustic instrument, it's a folk song ?
I do like the idea of people plaiting tunes though, weaving all these notes and riffs and decorations together until they have a new tune.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Low whistle tunes
In 1931, me and my mates got a letter from the queen. It read thus:
Dear diddley chums,
It has been brought to my attention that there is a tune in your repertoire that has a known provenance. However, as this tune is now exactly 100 years old, I hereby decree that it can now be called traditional. I give my chapter and verse, and I mean authentic genuine copper-bottomed chapter and verse, approval that it is traditional. You may now play it with impunity.
Your's Regina etc etc etc.
I'm a republican though. So I ignored it. It wasn't a real letter anyway, it was just a standard template she used all the time. She probably didn't even sign it.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Low whistle tunes
In the circles in which I've mixed it has been, amonst other things, traditional for alan to sing "when the boys come rolling home", and for us to talk Tam into singing "Fisherman's Blues" when he is drunk enough or just in the mood. Your tradition may vary. I associate these songs with particular mates and like 'em the more for it. (we never have all that mnay songs mind though).
- Chris
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by ramblingpitchfork
Re: Low whistle tunes
In certain parts of Africa it's traditional to hack off a young girl's labia with a piece of rusty old tin can. Aint tradition great.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Low whistle tunes
All right , I give in. I'll just ask straight out.
1. What is the difference between a traditional tune and a tune that someone has made up?
2. What is the difference between a folk song and a song that someone made up? Does it have to be filtered through a bunch of old blokes or something?
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by greg sheils
Re: Low whistle tunes
Mike Harding is unlikely to play them?
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by greg sheils
Re: Low whistle tunes
I had always thought that Black is the Colour had been written by Hamish Imlach although I can see that I was wrong in that assumption.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Low whistle tunes
"What is the difference between a traditional tune and a tune that someone has made up?" You've hit the nail on the head there. Traditional tunes are not made up by people. God made them up ... on the fourth day I think. They were kicking around in the Garden of Eden for a couple of days before Adam started singing them. He taught them to Eve, etcetera ...
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Low whistle tunes
But to get back to my original question....
....where's the earliest recorded version, paper or vinyl, of "Black is the Colour" ?
Come on now, show us what you're made of.......
PS You're obviously a Calvinist, llig, up there where the only effective antifreeze is a good single malt.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Low whistle tunes
"2. What is the difference between a folk song and a song that someone made up? "
This site is turing into Mudcat !
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by domnull
Re: Low whistle tunes
turning
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by domnull
Re: Low whistle tunes
I think the point is....if you like the song-play it!
I'm SURE someone will tell me if I'm wrong here but aren't a lot of common session tunes written by people who are known? Cooley's, Morrison's, Tam Lin etc. They can't be much older than a song like Black is the Colour.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by shanty
Re: Low whistle tunes
I have invented a machine which judges the 'tradionality' of a tune. Its called the tradtionalisatiotnismographer. Like any piece of traditional guaging equipment, it needs to be hand cranked and stored in a cool dry dry place, being extremely combustible.
The machine itself was never invented, and was always in existence. It is absolutely traditional, and came before both the chicken and the egg.
If you have any enquiries as to the 'traditionality' of a tune, give my the relevent details and I'll crank the oul' tradtionalisatiotnismographer up and see how she goes.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by Sinocal
Re: Low whistle tunes
Sinocal-Are they selling those at Lark in the Morning yet?
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by shanty
Re: Low whistle tunes
They are not for general retail. I have several that I'd be willing to part with at a special price. They come in limited edition rhino horn cases lined with Panamanian ermine. Three-day guarantee included. e-mail me through this website for further details.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by Sinocal
Re: Low whistle tunes
Hi Cindy. You'll be wanting to learn The Arran Boat Song and The Butterfly. I'm pretty sure that's mandatory for all low whistle players. In fact, I think the International Celtic Whistle police will confiscate your instrument if you don't learn those two.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Low whistle tunes
I agree. You have to learn these two. And then never ever play them ever. Likewise with the Loansome Boatman
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Low whistle tunes
I think it’s pretty well accepted now that “Black is the Color” was written by J. J. Niles (I think he eventually copyrighted it), though I seem to recall that he said it was inspired by something he heard during his itinerant song collecting days. Back in the folk revival days of the 1950’s and 60’s, lots of “folk” performers included it in their repertoire, mainly because most of them copied Joan Baez, who copied Niles. To me it never seemed to fit in with traditional material. Niles apparently loved the old Appalachian music, but he never really and truly grasped it, despite all his years of collecting and performing. If you play through a sample of his arrangements from his Ballad Book, the academic “art music” influence is obvious. He was, in some ways, the worst kind of collector, in that he didn’t strive so much to preserve and document what he found, as to accumulate rough gems to polish and use in his own idiosyncratic presentations.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by Bob himself
Re: Low whistle tunes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKcGSmb0smQ ..
The first tunes not listed, its easy to learn of da album Poirt an Piobaire 7th track.
Considerin Paddy Keenan and Finbar Furey pioneered Low whistle playing, they serve as a good point of reference..Think Furey was da first to put down recordings or do performances wit low whistles. Prototypes by Brian Howard..
Theres also a nice slow Reel called Sgt Earleys Dream, as played by Cormac De Barra on his album "Barco" http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1651
suits the low D and is a great tune..Its not the version listed in O Neills music of Ireland but easy to learn by ear and a CD well worth getting
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Low whistle tunes
Davy Spillane does some great low whistle stuff on most of his recordings. John Lennon's 'Imagine' included.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by gam
Re: Low whistle tunes
Kid on the Mountain is also good.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by buailteoir
Re: Low whistle tunes
There are a couple of Solas tunes which might class as eerie. Both simple in structure and both to be found in the tunes section here: Song of the Kelpie and Crested Hens
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by greg sheils
Re: Low whistle tunes
An Paistin Fionn is a lovely air -should sound good on a low whistle
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by Mairead S
Re: Low whistle tunes
I've always thought that the jig 'Trip to Sligo' had an eerie sound to it, but it's not slow...
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by shanty
Re: Low whistle tunes
~ Track #8
"Steam"
John Williams
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/123
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Low whistle tunes
Bernard Overton invented the Low Whistle for Finbar Fury. I've never seen Finbar play any other low whistle.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Low whistle tunes
My mistake. Why have I got Brian Howard in my head..
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Low whistle tunes
O Carolan tunes sound well on the low whistle. Your fairly spoilt for choice if you go down that road.
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Low whistle tunes
A Night In That Land is a lovely tune.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/8792
# Posted on August 24th 2009 by jasonlburnfield
Re: Low whistle tunes
Llig - you got a letter from the Queen in 1931? I think you mean the King.
# Posted on August 25th 2009 by Joe CSS
Re: Low whistle tunes
You could be right, I never read it properly. Threw it in the bin
# Posted on August 25th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Low whistle tunes
Now if llig was playing diddley music in 1931 - and let us assume as a conservative estimate that he was at least 16 at the time - the implication is that he must be the Methuselah of The Session.org and should accordingly be treated with all due respect. In view of his great age I think we can forgive him if he's now getting a little confused about who the Sovereign was in 1931. I can't even remember who the First Lord of the Admiralty was ...
# Posted on August 25th 2009 by Trevor Jennings
Implications of Methuselah
Once you start fitting those dovetail joints you loose all perspective of time.
So leahcim is the same age as Les Paul? More than a conincidence!
# Posted on August 25th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Low whistle tunes
I was 16 in 1831. Read the thread
# Posted on August 25th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Low whistle tunes
It's marvellous how those arthritic old fingers dance over the keyboard, not to mention the fingerboard.
# Posted on August 25th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Low whistle tunes
Llig, when you were a lad did you see Paganini play? He did concert tours of Europe, including England, in the early 1830s.
# Posted on August 26th 2009 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Low whistle tunes
Yeah, I went to see him. Everybody did. He came for a tune after the gig. He was crap.
# Posted on August 26th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Low whistle tunes
Not surprised. There are guys like that still around.
# Posted on August 26th 2009 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Low whistle tunes
I think it was that he couldn't find anything in the diddley music in which to exhibit his virtuosity.
# Posted on August 27th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Low whistle tunes
BAAAAACK to Cindy's original question, yes airs, particularly the ones we call sean nos airs, are about as good as Irish music gets on the whistle or uilleann pipes.
But I wouldn't limit your Low D playing to slow tunes. I've been using a Low D as my only session instrument now for a couple years. A good Low D is a great instrument for reels and jigs.
(Been playing a Burke "Pro" for a couple years now, recently got an MK that I really really like.)
I always thought that the melody of Black Is The Color sounded traditional and sean nos-like. Was your man really capable of inventing a tune that nice? I doubt it. He probably nicked it of someone but just didn't give the credit.
# Posted on August 28th 2009 by Richard D Cook