Here is the question, I have been promised a subscription to a trad music magazine by my lovely spouse as a Christmas present which i am just getting around to paying attention to. I like Irish Trad but I am also very interested in Scottish Trad ( I have family roots in Aberdeenshire). Looking online I have found 4 publications of interest. They are JMI, Irish Music Mag, Treior, and the Living Tradition. Which publication is recommended by you all? Would living in the US create subscription problems for any of these magazines? and finally, is there a publication that I am missing?
Any comments or recommendations would be most appreciated!
JMI is about ALL Irish music, including traditional, classic, and all contemporary forms, so if you're only into traditional forms, one of the other will be better for you. http://www.thejmi.com/
Irish Music Mag is hit or miss with technical stuff like spelling and editing, but is the best way to get the news on Irish traditional music around the globe. There've been some problems in the past with the magazines actually showing up on American doorsteps, though I don't know how it's been lately. http://mag.irish-music.net/
Treoir is the Comhaltas magazine and as such has inherent issues in it, at least for people who aren't in Comhaltas and who don't *like* Comhaltas. http://www.comhaltas.com/education/treoir.htm
I suspect The Living Tradition is the one you want, since it covers all kinds of folk music fromn the Isles Formerly Known As British, including the traditional music of Ireland and Scotland. In fact, their home office is in Scotland. http://www.folkmusic.net/htmfiles/navset3.htm
"Living Tradition" is the only 1 of the 4 you mention which would have any input from Scotland, and they do have subscribers in USA. If it's predominantly Irish music you are interested in, I'd say go for "Irish Music", warts and all, but if news about the Scottish scene is of interest, try "Living Tradition". And just out of interest, where do your "Aberdeenshire roots" lie ?
Just west of Cullen and within about a mile of Sandend on the north shore there is an old ruin of a castle called Findlater Castle. Findlater is my moms maiden name and we can trace our family line pretty much back to the Earl of Findlater who last occupied that castle! I think we are also related to the Shefield family that owned the Shefield Inn in Cullen. Anytime one of our family goes to Scotland, a trip to vist the old castle is pretty much a requirement. It is an interesting place!
Our branch of the Findlater family went to Ireland a few generations ago and owned Findlater's which bottled whiskey and Sherry. My gradfather immigrated from Dublin to Texas as a small boy.
That $80 for The Living Tradition is for a two year subscription. I've decided to discontinue my subscription to Irish Music Magazine, because the last renewal form said that one was $80 for just one year to the U.S.
The Living Tradition is a really interesting magazine with well written articles. Overall, IMHO, the quality is much better than for IMM, although of course IMM is crammed full of info about ITM. The LT sometimes arrives sporadically, as it seems to be more of a "mom and pop" operation, but it does show up at some point. And anyway, then you don't have to renew as often, because it takes longer for your subscription to run out. Personally, I would go with this one.
You can join CCE for $25 a year and then you get Treoir free as part of your membership. If you're interested in Comhaltas events anyway, the membership might get you some other discounts during the year, so maybe you could get that as an extra thing.
I really enjoy Fiddler magazine (even tho I don't play fiddle) as it exposes me to a lot of music and topics that I wouldn't normally come across. Leaf thru their archives on their website and see if it's something that would interest you.
I just re-subscribed to IMM for a present to myself . Yes, it has warts; yes it costs $80/yr -- unless you go for two years then it's *only* $75 a year. After two years or so I haven't missed an issue, so I'd say they're reliably making it over to Oregon. I love receiving it every month and poring over every festival and cd advertisement. And some of the articles aren't bad, either!
Right now I'm waiting for a subscritption to Dirty Linen to begin. Anybody out there reading it? They seem to cover lots of Irish musicians, along with American (and other) "roots" music.
Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
Here is the question, I have been promised a subscription to a trad music magazine by my lovely spouse as a Christmas present which i am just getting around to paying attention to. I like Irish Trad but I am also very interested in Scottish Trad ( I have family roots in Aberdeenshire). Looking online I have found 4 publications of interest. They are JMI, Irish Music Mag, Treior, and the Living Tradition. Which publication is recommended by you all? Would living in the US create subscription problems for any of these magazines? and finally, is there a publication that I am missing?
Any comments or recommendations would be most appreciated!
Peace.
JB
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by johnbunch
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
JMI is about ALL Irish music, including traditional, classic, and all contemporary forms, so if you're only into traditional forms, one of the other will be better for you. http://www.thejmi.com/
Irish Music Mag is hit or miss with technical stuff like spelling and editing, but is the best way to get the news on Irish traditional music around the globe. There've been some problems in the past with the magazines actually showing up on American doorsteps, though I don't know how it's been lately. http://mag.irish-music.net/
Treoir is the Comhaltas magazine and as such has inherent issues in it, at least for people who aren't in Comhaltas and who don't *like* Comhaltas. http://www.comhaltas.com/education/treoir.htm
I suspect The Living Tradition is the one you want, since it covers all kinds of folk music fromn the Isles Formerly Known As British, including the traditional music of Ireland and Scotland. In fact, their home office is in Scotland. http://www.folkmusic.net/htmfiles/navset3.htm
HTH! Lucky you!
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by Zina Lee
BTW
That's an $80 subscription for The Living Tradition to the States. ;)
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
"Living Tradition" is the only 1 of the 4 you mention which would have any input from Scotland, and they do have subscribers in USA. If it's predominantly Irish music you are interested in, I'd say go for "Irish Music", warts and all, but if news about the Scottish scene is of interest, try "Living Tradition". And just out of interest, where do your "Aberdeenshire roots" lie ?
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by Kenny
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
Just west of Cullen and within about a mile of Sandend on the north shore there is an old ruin of a castle called Findlater Castle. Findlater is my moms maiden name and we can trace our family line pretty much back to the Earl of Findlater who last occupied that castle! I think we are also related to the Shefield family that owned the Shefield Inn in Cullen. Anytime one of our family goes to Scotland, a trip to vist the old castle is pretty much a requirement. It is an interesting place!
Our branch of the Findlater family went to Ireland a few generations ago and owned Findlater's which bottled whiskey and Sherry. My gradfather immigrated from Dublin to Texas as a small boy.
And thats the rest of the story
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by johnbunch
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
WOW, $80 for the Living Trad is a lot. !
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by johnbunch
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
Good thing it's a present, huh? ;)
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
That $80 for The Living Tradition is for a two year subscription. I've decided to discontinue my subscription to Irish Music Magazine, because the last renewal form said that one was $80 for just one year to the U.S.
The Living Tradition is a really interesting magazine with well written articles. Overall, IMHO, the quality is much better than for IMM, although of course IMM is crammed full of info about ITM. The LT sometimes arrives sporadically, as it seems to be more of a "mom and pop" operation, but it does show up at some point. And anyway, then you don't have to renew as often, because it takes longer for your subscription to run out. Personally, I would go with this one.
You can join CCE for $25 a year and then you get Treoir free as part of your membership. If you're interested in Comhaltas events anyway, the membership might get you some other discounts during the year, so maybe you could get that as an extra thing.
Happy decision making!
Zhenya
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by Zhenya
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
Yup -- keeping in mind that that's still only 12 issues, because it's a bi-monthly.
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
I really enjoy Fiddler magazine (even tho I don't play fiddle) as it exposes me to a lot of music and topics that I wouldn't normally come across. Leaf thru their archives on their website and see if it's something that would interest you.
http://www.fiddle.com/
Greg
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by octogreg
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
I just re-subscribed to IMM for a present to myself . Yes, it has warts; yes it costs $80/yr -- unless you go for two years then it's *only* $75 a year. After two years or so I haven't missed an issue, so I'd say they're reliably making it over to Oregon. I love receiving it every month and poring over every festival and cd advertisement. And some of the articles aren't bad, either!
Right now I'm waiting for a subscritption to Dirty Linen to begin. Anybody out there reading it? They seem to cover lots of Irish musicians, along with American (and other) "roots" music.
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by snertzy
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
Do any of ye have friends in Ireland who could post these mags to ye on a monthly basis to save money?
irish music magizine is the one with the most credit in Ireland and the one which Irish musicains read and advertise in.
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by compaqjohn
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
The Living Tradition is a bit more about Scottish than Irish music though.
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by Henk Bos
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
John - I visited Sandend ("sin-INE", as the locals pronounce it) last February, while staying just up the road in Fordyce.
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
Hmm,
You seem to have forgotten 'fRoots' (used to be 'Folk Roots'), the longest standing UK music magazine - http://www.frootsmag.org.uk/
G
# Posted on January 14th 2005 by MacCruiskeen
Re: Which Traditional Magazine to subscribe to?
Hmm,
fRoots has forgotten about us as well, in recent years.
# Posted on January 15th 2005 by Johnny Jay