I'm currently working on a film project. I won't go into great detail about what it's about here but a good part of it features a competition between different ethnic groups playing the saddest music. You can define sad any way you want. We have an ethnomusicologist doing some research but I thought it would be interesting to see what people on this site could contribute. Just tell me what the saddest traditional song you know is and anything you know about it. The script has a commentary that introduces the different groups and a brief description of the song they are playing. Recorded sources would also be helpful. Because the film is a period piece, I can't use anything that was written after 1930.
I think the two saddest things I've heard in trad Mrs. Clancy singing "Month of January" & Paul Standeven playing "Were you at the Rock?" on the pipes. The latter should be interesting as it refers to catholic masses when it wasn't exactly the thing to do. "The Lowlands of Holland" can be a rough one too - esp. if you here the version where the guys sergeant has his way with his wife on his wedding night.
Oops I didn't catch the pre 1930 thing.. all the above is probably void & useless. I do know that the air "Were you at the Rock?" is pre-1930's & perhaps the other two as well, but there probably aren't any recordings floating around.
Thanks for the links. I had to chuckle at "if you want sad you have to go to the gaelic". I sing in a gaelic / english choir and our biggest hurdle is finding enough "snappy tunes" in gaelic. The ones we all like the best are rather mournful.
I remember reading a survey of "The saddest songs" somewhere relatively recently on the web. Perhaps Mudcat Cafe? Anyway, the tune I was searching for showed up very close to the top. "Un Canadien Errant". Great imagery in the lyrics and beautifully bittersweet melody. It's become a semi-standard at one of the sessions here in the Windy City. Written in the mid 1800's by a banished French Canadien. The only recording I'm familiar with is Ian and Sylvia's in mid 60's but I'm sure its available on many other recordings.
And of course any number of the expatriot Irish songs. I suppose I would vote for "The Donegal Shore". Wonderful Lyrics and melody.
"But if that girl I could hold,
Every raindrop would be gold,
And they'd fall all around us,
On our Donegal Shore."
The most expressive and skillful artists can make a tune sound sad anytime. The same tune played 100 different ways will sound like 100 different tunes. I think you need to search for a particular performance rather than a tune - just my opinion
There must be some Yiddish and Russian contenders for this. Also Gypsy. Gospel? Bosnian? All of those have very, very sad songs...
'Vykhazhu adin ja na darogu' could be a Russian contender, I'll did out the words, but I don't know when it was written. It's from a poem so it should be easy to find out.
Will go away and ponder...
Is it songs specifically, or tunes as well?
We had our first audition session yesterday and it was interesting. We heard everything from Neil Gow's Lament for the death of his 2nd wife" to Chinese tunes about loss and death to Sudanese funeral call drumming. Completely fascinating. Thanks for all the suggestions. Helen - it can be tunes as well. Because of the structure of the film, tunes may be actually easier to deal with as we have to match them together and we have to take little bits of the tunes for montage sections of the film which won't be as effective if we have to catch certain words but then again we're open to that possibility as well. I will put together the ideas from above and take to our next music meeting. Michael, I think Johnny Cunningham is one of the most expressive players I've heard, I'll have to find that one for sure. Thanks again.
The song "Kilkelly" by The Green Fields of America is a song that is sung by Mick Moloney (I think). The lyrics are based on real letters that were sent from Kilkelly Ireland (Co. Mayo) to his son in America. I tear up almost every time I listen to it. Very moving.
if it's sad you want (and oh boy do i look forward to your film coming out for a spot of light relief!) then you could do worse than have a listen to a couple of the songs/tunes from the film 'Latcho Drom'.
in particular,the song that's sung by gypsies in spain at the end of the film. it's a shame you can't go after 1930 because there's a sure winner for your 'competition' in the slovakian gypsy song about auschwitz.
if you get a chance,this film is well worth a look
Killkelly is a great song and a real tear-jerker, but I suppose I've had my fill of it lately. Think I've reached critical mass on that one. Though the letters are over 130 years old, I understand the song is only very recently composed by Peter Jones, who is the grandson of the man to whom the letters were written.
Sorry I didn't catch the *song* part of the question. However, my wife (unlike myself) reads posts very thoroughly and happens to sing several sean-nois songs.
Research Project.
Research Project.
I'm currently working on a film project. I won't go into great detail about what it's about here but a good part of it features a competition between different ethnic groups playing the saddest music. You can define sad any way you want. We have an ethnomusicologist doing some research but I thought it would be interesting to see what people on this site could contribute. Just tell me what the saddest traditional song you know is and anything you know about it. The script has a commentary that introduces the different groups and a brief description of the song they are playing. Recorded sources would also be helpful. Because the film is a period piece, I can't use anything that was written after 1930.
# Posted on December 7th 2002 by ANNY
Re: Research Project.
Too bad about the 1930 thing. Gentle Breeze by Tommy Peoples has that award hands down.
# Posted on December 7th 2002 by Caoimghgin
Re: Research Project.
I think the two saddest things I've heard in trad Mrs. Clancy singing "Month of January" & Paul Standeven playing "Were you at the Rock?" on the pipes. The latter should be interesting as it refers to catholic masses when it wasn't exactly the thing to do. "The Lowlands of Holland" can be a rough one too - esp. if you here the version where the guys sergeant has his way with his wife on his wedding night.
# Posted on December 7th 2002 by B Rad
Oops I didn't catch the pre 1930 thing.. all the above is probably void & useless. I do know that the air "Were you at the Rock?" is pre-1930's & perhaps the other two as well, but there probably aren't any recordings floating around.
# Posted on December 7th 2002 by B Rad
Re: Research Project
From Caoimghgin's wife...the tune "Were you at the rock?" is from the song "An Raibh T
# Posted on December 7th 2002 by Caoimghgin
Re: Research Project.
The Foggy Dew can be sang or playled pretty mournfully and hauntingfully(?)...
Wait, can't any tune be played mournfully and hauntingly?
# Posted on December 7th 2002 by no longer exists
whoops -- I don't think reels or hornpipes can... or jigs...
# Posted on December 7th 2002 by no longer exists
Re: Research Project.
Caoimghgin,
Thanks for the links. I had to chuckle at "if you want sad you have to go to the gaelic". I sing in a gaelic / english choir and our biggest hurdle is finding enough "snappy tunes" in gaelic. The ones we all like the best are rather mournful.
# Posted on December 7th 2002 by ANNY
Re: Research Project.
Mark
The Monk's Jig, recently posted, if played without ornaments can have a plaintive sad feel to it.
trevor
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Research Project.
I remember reading a survey of "The saddest songs" somewhere relatively recently on the web. Perhaps Mudcat Cafe? Anyway, the tune I was searching for showed up very close to the top. "Un Canadien Errant". Great imagery in the lyrics and beautifully bittersweet melody. It's become a semi-standard at one of the sessions here in the Windy City. Written in the mid 1800's by a banished French Canadien. The only recording I'm familiar with is Ian and Sylvia's in mid 60's but I'm sure its available on many other recordings.
And of course any number of the expatriot Irish songs. I suppose I would vote for "The Donegal Shore". Wonderful Lyrics and melody.
"But if that girl I could hold,
Every raindrop would be gold,
And they'd fall all around us,
On our Donegal Shore."
Good Luck
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by Tusong200
Re: Research Project.
The most expressive and skillful artists can make a tune sound sad anytime. The same tune played 100 different ways will sound like 100 different tunes. I think you need to search for a particular performance rather than a tune - just my opinion
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by fiddlefingers
Re: Research Project.
Johnny Cuningham plays an Irish slow air on his "Fair Warning" album called "Sad is my fate". Makes you blub like a little baby
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by ...
P.s.
For all you Spinal Tap fans, it's in D minor.
the saddest of all keys
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by ...
Re: Research Project.
There must be some Yiddish and Russian contenders for this. Also Gypsy. Gospel? Bosnian? All of those have very, very sad songs...
'Vykhazhu adin ja na darogu' could be a Russian contender, I'll did out the words, but I don't know when it was written. It's from a poem so it should be easy to find out.
Will go away and ponder...
Is it songs specifically, or tunes as well?
# Posted on December 8th 2002 by Nell
Re: Research Project.
We had our first audition session yesterday and it was interesting. We heard everything from Neil Gow's Lament for the death of his 2nd wife" to Chinese tunes about loss and death to Sudanese funeral call drumming. Completely fascinating. Thanks for all the suggestions. Helen - it can be tunes as well. Because of the structure of the film, tunes may be actually easier to deal with as we have to match them together and we have to take little bits of the tunes for montage sections of the film which won't be as effective if we have to catch certain words but then again we're open to that possibility as well. I will put together the ideas from above and take to our next music meeting. Michael, I think Johnny Cunningham is one of the most expressive players I've heard, I'll have to find that one for sure. Thanks again.
# Posted on December 9th 2002 by ANNY
Re: Research Project.
The song "Kilkelly" by The Green Fields of America is a song that is sung by Mick Moloney (I think). The lyrics are based on real letters that were sent from Kilkelly Ireland (Co. Mayo) to his son in America. I tear up almost every time I listen to it. Very moving.
-Troy
# Posted on December 9th 2002 by RTP
Re: Research Project.
Micheal, whats that Spinal Tap one in Dm called again
# Posted on December 9th 2002 by Christopher Reynolds
Re: Research Project.
....and the Scottish entry is......"McCrimmon's Lament"..
# Posted on December 9th 2002 by Kenny
Re: Research Project.
I agree - Kilkelly is a really sad song and it just gets sadder and sadder, very depressing and beautiful.
# Posted on December 9th 2002 by bb
Re: Research Project.
if it's sad you want (and oh boy do i look forward to your film coming out for a spot of light relief!) then you could do worse than have a listen to a couple of the songs/tunes from the film 'Latcho Drom'.
in particular,the song that's sung by gypsies in spain at the end of the film. it's a shame you can't go after 1930 because there's a sure winner for your 'competition' in the slovakian gypsy song about auschwitz.
if you get a chance,this film is well worth a look
# Posted on December 9th 2002 by biggus dave
Re: Research Project.
Killkelly is a great song and a real tear-jerker, but I suppose I've had my fill of it lately. Think I've reached critical mass on that one. Though the letters are over 130 years old, I understand the song is only very recently composed by Peter Jones, who is the grandson of the man to whom the letters were written.
Sorry I didn't catch the *song* part of the question. However, my wife (unlike myself) reads posts very thoroughly and happens to sing several sean-nois songs.
# Posted on December 10th 2002 by Caoimghgin