Over 50 yrs ago in Ballymena I watched my next door neighbour make a whistle from a branch. From my memory he did it all with his pen knief - I think it was aa willow tree but my brother dissagrees. It took a few hours and when finished he played a tune . I thought nothing of it at the time but thinking back it was fantastic - can anyone enlarge ?
I've heard of people doing that but I've never seen it. It was probably a willow though. Do you remember the time of year? Willow bark CAN slip easily off a branch leaving a tube but It's only sometimes worked for me. The rest of the carving can be figured out from one of the whistle carving sites which should be easy to find on google.
The great and powerful Google
indicates that it was probably an alder. The pith of branches is soft and easily removed to make a hollow core within the wood. It's a common tree near wetlands and apparently found throughout Ireland. It's common enough in Vermont, that's for sure.
Dogwood (osier?) also has a nice spongy pith that can be easily removed with a wire coat hanger. Grows in rich, damp earth. Cut a nice straight branch above and below the offshooting smaller twigs – where smaller twigs branch off the wood is partitioned off inside like bamboo. My brother made nice whistles, I have to confess the best I ever made would most charitably be described a shaving a very breathy tone. Couldn’t get the damn fipple right. Properly noting holes was beyond me, too. Made some pretty strange microtonal scales.
Spoon,
Alder, but I know what you mean if you're talking about with elderberry branches. We made blowguns out of them when I was a kid, and you've confirmed what I've read about their being whistle material.
Willow whistles (these are single note beasts!) are made by slipping the bark off (maybe a bit later in the year (in this part of the world Cheshire) for a few inches at one end, cutting a windway etc and putting the bark back on.
In spring, when the willow is sprouting new growth , the bark can be persuaded to slip off cleanly (a little rapping will help loosen it). The whistle only really works when there is a bit of a seal between the stick and the bark, so it usually stops when it dries out - throw it in water for 10 mins to revive it... but 'tis an ephemeral thing ... fortunately for parents.
Willow flutes are very common in scandinavian folk music. A great player is the swedish multi-instrumentalist Ale Møller who also uses it in celtic colobration with Aly Bain.
I've seen to types on long "overtone" type with just a hole in the end, blown like the irish flute. I have also seen a willow instrument something more like a whistle.
A think there is some info about this kind of flutes at this link to a norwegian instrument maker. Here it's called sallow flute. but i've heard the name willowflute for this kind of instrument.
http//:www.naturinstrumenter.no
Thanks for those interesting links!
Here's another page that contains an image of the Norwegian seljefloyte flute and an explanation in English of how it's played.
Fidkid, I don't think dogwood is the same as osier - not in England, at any rate. Dogwood is Cornus sanguinea, has red stems, white flowers and blue-black berries. Osier is a type of willow, Salix viminalis.
As for alder, I never knew it was good whistle material. I thought it was just used for clogs and broom handles.
I remember seeing a film back in the 70’s made at the Fox Hollow Folk Festival, where a man went up on stage with a green branch and told a story involving someone playing a whistle. While telling the story, he took out his pocket knife and made a whistle right there onstage. The story and the whistle finished at about the same time and he played the whistle to cap off the story. It was a brilliant stroke.
spoon,
In Vermont, a red-stemmed shrub, Cornus sericea, is called red-osier. It really can show up bright at the edge of a snowfield.
I still don't know if alder branches make good whistles. The great and powerful Google seems to believe that, but I'm going out to try making a willow whistle soon, now that I have instructions and the leaves aren't out yet.
Thank you spindizzy - you have stirred my memory - that was the method he used - it must have been willow. Thank you Bob if you come across the film I would love to know.
I’d love to find it again. PBS, in the 70’s and early 80’s, used to show films from several folk festivals. I saw several from Fox Hollow, the Philadelphia Folk Festival and a few others. There were some amazing performances I’d like to see again, like Peg-leg Sam’s unbelievable harmonica tour de force and Frankie Armstrong hushing a rowdy crowd with an unaccompanied Tam Lin.
Whistle made from branch
Whistle made from branch
Over 50 yrs ago in Ballymena I watched my next door neighbour make a whistle from a branch. From my memory he did it all with his pen knief - I think it was aa willow tree but my brother dissagrees. It took a few hours and when finished he played a tune . I thought nothing of it at the time but thinking back it was fantastic - can anyone enlarge ?
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by black
Re: Whistle made from branch
I've heard of people doing that but I've never seen it. It was probably a willow though. Do you remember the time of year? Willow bark CAN slip easily off a branch leaving a tube but It's only sometimes worked for me. The rest of the carving can be figured out from one of the whistle carving sites which should be easy to find on google.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by Emily Horne
Re: Whistle made from branch
The great and powerful Google
indicates that it was probably an alder. The pith of branches is soft and easily removed to make a hollow core within the wood. It's a common tree near wetlands and apparently found throughout Ireland. It's common enough in Vermont, that's for sure.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by ʎɹoʇısuɐɹʇ
Re: Whistle made from branch
Laitch - Alder or elder? I've made whistles and clarinet-type instruments out of elder, which fits your description.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Whistle made from branch
Dogwood (osier?) also has a nice spongy pith that can be easily removed with a wire coat hanger. Grows in rich, damp earth. Cut a nice straight branch above and below the offshooting smaller twigs – where smaller twigs branch off the wood is partitioned off inside like bamboo. My brother made nice whistles, I have to confess the best I ever made would most charitably be described a shaving a very breathy tone. Couldn’t get the damn fipple right. Properly noting holes was beyond me, too. Made some pretty strange microtonal scales.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by fidkid
Re: Whistle made from branch
Spoon,
Alder, but I know what you mean if you're talking about with elderberry branches. We made blowguns out of them when I was a kid, and you've confirmed what I've read about their being whistle material.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by ʎɹoʇısuɐɹʇ
Re: Whistle made from branch
IT SOUNDS LIKE WILLOW - i REMEMBER THE HOLLOW TUBE BUT i WAS A KID & DIDN`T CONCENTRATE ON THE FINE DETAILS - i DON`T THINK HE REMOVED THE PITH
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by black
Re: Whistle made from branch
Try this,
http://www.jamboree.freedom-in-education.co.uk/w's%20craft%20corner/willow_whistle.htm
Willow whistles (these are single note beasts!) are made by slipping the bark off (maybe a bit later in the year (in this part of the world Cheshire) for a few inches at one end, cutting a windway etc and putting the bark back on.
In spring, when the willow is sprouting new growth , the bark can be persuaded to slip off cleanly (a little rapping will help loosen it). The whistle only really works when there is a bit of a seal between the stick and the bark, so it usually stops when it dries out - throw it in water for 10 mins to revive it... but 'tis an ephemeral thing ... fortunately for parents.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by spindizzy
Re: Whistle made from branch
Willow flutes are very common in scandinavian folk music. A great player is the swedish multi-instrumentalist Ale Møller who also uses it in celtic colobration with Aly Bain.
I've seen to types on long "overtone" type with just a hole in the end, blown like the irish flute. I have also seen a willow instrument something more like a whistle.
A think there is some info about this kind of flutes at this link to a norwegian instrument maker. Here it's called sallow flute. but i've heard the name willowflute for this kind of instrument.
http//:www.naturinstrumenter.no
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by TradLad
Re: Whistle made from branch
Spindizzy and norwegian,
Thanks for those interesting links!
Here's another page that contains an image of the Norwegian seljefloyte flute and an explanation in English of how it's played.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by ʎɹoʇısuɐɹʇ
Re: Whistle made from branch
http://www.ronkorb.com/europeanflutes.html
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by ʎɹoʇısuɐɹʇ
Re: Whistle made from branch
Fidkid, I don't think dogwood is the same as osier - not in England, at any rate. Dogwood is Cornus sanguinea, has red stems, white flowers and blue-black berries. Osier is a type of willow, Salix viminalis.
As for alder, I never knew it was good whistle material. I thought it was just used for clogs and broom handles.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Whistle made from branch
I remember seeing a film back in the 70’s made at the Fox Hollow Folk Festival, where a man went up on stage with a green branch and told a story involving someone playing a whistle. While telling the story, he took out his pocket knife and made a whistle right there onstage. The story and the whistle finished at about the same time and he played the whistle to cap off the story. It was a brilliant stroke.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by Bob himself
Re: Whistle made from branch
spoon,
In Vermont, a red-stemmed shrub, Cornus sericea, is called red-osier. It really can show up bright at the edge of a snowfield.
I still don't know if alder branches make good whistles. The great and powerful Google seems to believe that, but I'm going out to try making a willow whistle soon, now that I have instructions and the leaves aren't out yet.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by ʎɹoʇısuɐɹʇ
Re: Whistle made from branch
Thank you spindizzy - you have stirred my memory - that was the method he used - it must have been willow. Thank you Bob if you come across the film I would love to know.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by black
Re: Whistle made from branch
I’d love to find it again. PBS, in the 70’s and early 80’s, used to show films from several folk festivals. I saw several from Fox Hollow, the Philadelphia Folk Festival and a few others. There were some amazing performances I’d like to see again, like Peg-leg Sam’s unbelievable harmonica tour de force and Frankie Armstrong hushing a rowdy crowd with an unaccompanied Tam Lin.
# Posted on May 3rd 2006 by Bob himself