“There’s only so long one person playing one instrument can really hold someone’s attention.”
So says “tommy_wintle” on JohnJ’s “ruined our ears”, Peoples/Accompaniment discussion just below this post. How long would that be for you ?
Obviously it depends on the player, so please feel free to give examples.
I'll rise to the bait. First time I heard Johnny Cunningham live it was just him and his fiddle. About 40 people showed up for the concert, so John asked the sound guy to take away the mic stand, and he scooted his stool up closer to the front row. Then he played a 45 minute set of reels. The next 2 hours were bliss. The whole room hung on every bow stroke.
I like a change of voice as much as anyone, and I enjoy the texture created by two or more instruments. But a good musician can make you forget all that and lose yourself in the tunes themselves.
Another way to look at this is, all the thousands of hours we spend playing alone, at home, working up tunes, learning the craft, is just "one person playing one instrument." That's held my attention for more than three decades now.
I don't really agree with that statement at all and I feel it sort of proves my point. Of course, I'm not criticising Tommy here but I see by his biog that he's only twenty three so this is obviously what he has been used to, up until now.
He said that too much of it can sound "samey" but I'd argue that too much of certain types of accompaniment can make the music sound that way too.
My answer to this question, however, is dependent on the musician. If he/she is really good, I'd say "Indefinitley"
It depends on how much one loves live music. In this world of CD's and Ipods-the flood of music is out there. My grandparents would wait all week for a musician to show in thier village for a Fri. night dance, and that was the only music they heard all week.
I can sit for hours listening while my wife is giving me that look after the 2nd song!
Jon
I think the key to Will's answer is the circumstances. Of course JC was one of the best ever, but being essentially in his lap as he played lends a very different experience than watching someone on stage. The intimacy and the thrill of being shoulder to shoulder with a musician of JC's calibre removed all possibility of being bored.
Aye Will, Kenny & I recently discussed an Aberdeen solo gig of JCs & we were saying how well, just one man & his instrument could hold a crowd for so long.
Of course, to be able to hold a crowd for that length of time, I think it helps a lot if you also have a large, & best of all a humerous, personality, to be able to amuse & entertain between numbers.
Which was absolutely no problemo to either of the Cunningham brothers!
Perhaps, thinking of the other thread, this area would be Tommy's only weakness, as he is not a skilled raconteur.
But heck, if they wanted a comedy act, they were in the wrong venue anyway.
A lot of it has to do with circumstances and mood. It wouldn't be hard for me to sit and listen to Josephine Marsh for hours on end -- and she wouldn't even need to intersperse it with witty repartee. Joel Bernstein can hold my attention for hours on end with his brilliant harmonica playing too. But in either of my examples it would have to be in a setting with few distractions, and I’d have to be in a suitable mood.
Well, there are a good number of great players to whom I could easily listen all night without a single note of accompaniment - not all Irish. Where do I start - there are so many? OK - Tommy Peoples, Kevin Burke, Connie O'Connell, Jerry Holland, Pierre Schryer, Alasdair Fraser, etc. etc. etc. These just scratching the surface with respect to fiddle players, and I've not even started on the other instruments, from flute, through to the Highland pipes. This would end up being an extremely long list - so I think you'll understand where I'm coming from. Having said that, there's nothing wrong with a bit of accompaniment too.. don't want to do myself out of a job, do I?
I haven't found a limit yet. I'll play pure naked music on the stereo all day.
I've already posted elswhere about being distressed at the piano coming in after half an hour of Julia Fischer playing the Bach D minor solo partita. I wish she'd just gone on and done the E.
The last time I saw JC alive I spent about an hour virtually sitting in his lap. Maybe all of four feet away from it. Not an accompanist in sight. Hardly another person even paying attention to him. I think they thought he was just another fiddler sitting on a stump having a go. Philistines.
It was magical.
This is the way to listen to music. I avoid "halls" whenever I possibly can. Indoors it's small clubs that seat under 100 for me. Ideally even smaller and without sound reinforcement.
Different kind of music, different kind of magic, but Rory Block sitting in my living room and playing for a couple of hours also comes to mind. Most of her recordings have some sort of "arrangment" to them, with the obligatory famous guest included. I wish they didn't. Not the way Rory works that guitar.
Taking that to its logical conclusion then a small session is surely the best. Al we're doing here is expressing some personal opinions. People seem to be saying it depends on the circumstances ie who where etc. If it came to *preference*, I could listen to Mulvey all night, but I'd *prefer* to listen to him then, him and Rooney, then just Rooney, then whatever.
Will refers to "a change of voice", but this is exactly where a really good player comes into their own. They can entertain because they can summon up many voices. I think you'd agree Will
Not ITM, but Mark O'Conner played a solo concert at the Winfield, KS Walnut Valley Festival. Two hours, outdoor evening concert, every style imaginable. The sound of just that one fiddle filling the cool autumn air.....amazing.
Yep, Michael, I do agree, and a good player is more apt to use all those voices when playing solo or in a duo, or perhaps in a small, intimate session. Johnny Cunningham certainly did that night more than 20 years ago, and I enjoy the same in Ciaran Tourish's playing.
That said, lots of good Irish trad musicians don't vary their voice all that much--not much dynamic range or tonal variety, sometimes not even much change in tempo or swing over a 2 hour stint. The changes aren't in the voice so much as in the articulation of the rhythm and pitches. But I'm still spellbound by the sound because it's just so right for the music at hand. Tommy Peoples comes to mind. Think of his playing on the Maiden Voyage recording. The continuity of a single, strong voice can be mesmerizing in itself.
Yep, the voice of tommy peoples is has a mesmerizing consistency and I can listen to it for hours. But then you and I are trad anoracks, if one is not very familiar with the form, it would seem repetative; not because it is, but because one would not know what you are listening for
How long ?
How long ?
“There’s only so long one person playing one instrument can really hold someone’s attention.”
So says “tommy_wintle” on JohnJ’s “ruined our ears”, Peoples/Accompaniment discussion just below this post. How long would that be for you ?
Obviously it depends on the player, so please feel free to give examples.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Kenny
Re: How long ?
I'll rise to the bait. First time I heard Johnny Cunningham live it was just him and his fiddle. About 40 people showed up for the concert, so John asked the sound guy to take away the mic stand, and he scooted his stool up closer to the front row. Then he played a 45 minute set of reels. The next 2 hours were bliss. The whole room hung on every bow stroke.
I like a change of voice as much as anyone, and I enjoy the texture created by two or more instruments. But a good musician can make you forget all that and lose yourself in the tunes themselves.
Another way to look at this is, all the thousands of hours we spend playing alone, at home, working up tunes, learning the craft, is just "one person playing one instrument." That's held my attention for more than three decades now.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Will Harmon
Re: How long ?
I don't really agree with that statement at all and I feel it sort of proves my point. Of course, I'm not criticising Tommy here but I see by his biog that he's only twenty three so this is obviously what he has been used to, up until now.
He said that too much of it can sound "samey" but I'd argue that too much of certain types of accompaniment can make the music sound that way too.
My answer to this question, however, is dependent on the musician. If he/she is really good, I'd say "Indefinitley"
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by John J.
Re: How long ?
It depends on how much one loves live music. In this world of CD's and Ipods-the flood of music is out there. My grandparents would wait all week for a musician to show in thier village for a Fri. night dance, and that was the only music they heard all week.
I can sit for hours listening while my wife is giving me that look after the 2nd song!
Jon
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by pick&bow
Re: How long ?
I think the key to Will's answer is the circumstances. Of course JC was one of the best ever, but being essentially in his lap as he played lends a very different experience than watching someone on stage. The intimacy and the thrill of being shoulder to shoulder with a musician of JC's calibre removed all possibility of being bored.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Ailin
Re: How long ?
Quick, tell me what that 2nd song was, I've been waiting for my wife to give me 'that look' for months!
]
[ Sorry, I don't know how to do the tongue out smile
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: How long ?
Aye Will, Kenny & I recently discussed an Aberdeen solo gig of JCs & we were saying how well, just one man & his instrument could hold a crowd for so long.
Of course, to be able to hold a crowd for that length of time, I think it helps a lot if you also have a large, & best of all a humerous, personality, to be able to amuse & entertain between numbers.
Which was absolutely no problemo to either of the Cunningham brothers!
Perhaps, thinking of the other thread, this area would be Tommy's only weakness, as he is not a skilled raconteur.
But heck, if they wanted a comedy act, they were in the wrong venue anyway.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: How long ?
Tommy Peoples -- all day long into next week.
Me -- about five minutes.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: How long ?
C'mon Zina, you've held *my* attention longer than that.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Will Harmon
Re: How long ?
A lot of it has to do with circumstances and mood. It wouldn't be hard for me to sit and listen to Josephine Marsh for hours on end -- and she wouldn't even need to intersperse it with witty repartee. Joel Bernstein can hold my attention for hours on end with his brilliant harmonica playing too. But in either of my examples it would have to be in a setting with few distractions, and I’d have to be in a suitable mood.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Phantom Button
Re: How long ?
Well, there are a good number of great players to whom I could easily listen all night without a single note of accompaniment - not all Irish. Where do I start - there are so many? OK - Tommy Peoples, Kevin Burke, Connie O'Connell, Jerry Holland, Pierre Schryer, Alasdair Fraser, etc. etc. etc. These just scratching the surface with respect to fiddle players, and I've not even started on the other instruments, from flute, through to the Highland pipes. This would end up being an extremely long list - so I think you'll understand where I'm coming from. Having said that, there's nothing wrong with a bit of accompaniment too.. don't want to do myself out of a job, do I?
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Ron P
Re: How long ?
Will -- yes, but that was because you're silly enough to listen to me chatter on and on and has nothing to do with the playing! :-p
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: How long ?
A couple months ago I actually did sit through a house conert of several hours from David Power, unaccompanied. It was fantastic.
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by wormdiet
Re: How long ?
Rather a personal question, isn't it? : p
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by Hanley
Re: How long ?
"How long would that be for you ?"
I haven't found a limit yet. I'll play pure naked music on the stereo all day.
I've already posted elswhere about being distressed at the piano coming in after half an hour of Julia Fischer playing the Bach D minor solo partita. I wish she'd just gone on and done the E.
The last time I saw JC alive I spent about an hour virtually sitting in his lap. Maybe all of four feet away from it. Not an accompanist in sight. Hardly another person even paying attention to him. I think they thought he was just another fiddler sitting on a stump having a go. Philistines.
It was magical.
This is the way to listen to music. I avoid "halls" whenever I possibly can. Indoors it's small clubs that seat under 100 for me. Ideally even smaller and without sound reinforcement.
Different kind of music, different kind of magic, but Rory Block sitting in my living room and playing for a couple of hours also comes to mind. Most of her recordings have some sort of "arrangment" to them, with the obligatory famous guest included. I wish they didn't. Not the way Rory works that guitar.
KFG
# Posted on November 21st 2005 by KFG
Re: How long ?
magical for me, in this context, believe or not was . . .
Christy Moore
nearly 20 years ago at some north london big venue with alan o'leary barging through (as his . . . bouncer) to get him to the stage
i'm not a great lover of his voice but my (now wife) nicola still loves his voice and, i must admit, that night was ''magical'' for us
his voice ''alone'' with 'standard' guitar and bodhran with thumb was doing the business _a true performer
# Posted on November 22nd 2005 by lisaniska
Re: How long ?
Taking that to its logical conclusion then a small session is surely the best. Al we're doing here is expressing some personal opinions. People seem to be saying it depends on the circumstances ie who where etc. If it came to *preference*, I could listen to Mulvey all night, but I'd *prefer* to listen to him then, him and Rooney, then just Rooney, then whatever.
# Posted on November 22nd 2005 by Rudall the time
Re: How long ?
Will refers to "a change of voice", but this is exactly where a really good player comes into their own. They can entertain because they can summon up many voices. I think you'd agree Will
# Posted on November 22nd 2005 by llig leahcim
Re: How long ?
Not ITM, but Mark O'Conner played a solo concert at the Winfield, KS Walnut Valley Festival. Two hours, outdoor evening concert, every style imaginable. The sound of just that one fiddle filling the cool autumn air.....amazing.
# Posted on November 22nd 2005 by dmarie
Re: How long ?
Yep, Michael, I do agree, and a good player is more apt to use all those voices when playing solo or in a duo, or perhaps in a small, intimate session. Johnny Cunningham certainly did that night more than 20 years ago, and I enjoy the same in Ciaran Tourish's playing.
That said, lots of good Irish trad musicians don't vary their voice all that much--not much dynamic range or tonal variety, sometimes not even much change in tempo or swing over a 2 hour stint. The changes aren't in the voice so much as in the articulation of the rhythm and pitches. But I'm still spellbound by the sound because it's just so right for the music at hand. Tommy Peoples comes to mind. Think of his playing on the Maiden Voyage recording. The continuity of a single, strong voice can be mesmerizing in itself.
# Posted on November 22nd 2005 by Will Harmon
Re: How long ?
Yep, the voice of tommy peoples is has a mesmerizing consistency and I can listen to it for hours. But then you and I are trad anoracks, if one is not very familiar with the form, it would seem repetative; not because it is, but because one would not know what you are listening for
# Posted on November 22nd 2005 by llig leahcim
Re: How long ?
You're not really a trad anorak, Michael. Otherwise, you'd need to know the names of the tunes in Sandy Bell's.
# Posted on November 22nd 2005 by John J.