I thought it would be interesting to ask the crowd...what is your favorite tune of all time, and/or what is the most challenging tune you've learned/heard (and can remember the name of ? We've talked about tunes that make us violently sick...what are the best tunes?
I'm with Zina. Even after learning tunes for decades, I still get infatuated with whatever tune I'm just now working up. Thank god we don't have to be monogamous when it comes to tunes. Can you imagine dating a few tunes and then choosing one--and only one--to play and be faithful to till death do you part? The dating stage is just too fun, getting to know the tune, taking it out for a drink, playing with it in the back seat of the car...ooops, I've gone too far with this analogy, eh?
Sometimes I come back to old tunes and reconnect on another level, as a (hopefully) better player than when I learned it. Right now I'm really enjoying the Whistler of Rosslea (an Ed Reavy composition). And two of my own tunes, the Dreary Plains of Toil (I wish Kerri would rejoin us here), and Dick Harmon's, which make a nice G dorian set--a strathspey to a reel.
I'm with Zina as well... the one I'm learning at the moment which happens to be "Coleman's Cross". I always finish my practice session with "Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of His 2nd Wife". I don't really know why... I've just always done it. Kind of like a goodbye, until next time.
My longest running fav'es would be simple, slow ones (no conclusions drawn please!), maybe the "Lea Rigg" or "Kirconnel Lea", neither of 'em Irish I'm afraid.
The ones neither cheerful nor depressing. The ones expressing some mixed feelings. It's hard to describe. Examples are Alice's reel, Banks of Lough Gowna, My Mind Will Never Be Easy, Christmas Day Ida Moarnin', the set of Humour of Kiltyclogher and Mrs. O'Sullivan's played by John Williams, etc. Do you know what I mean?
I'm with Zina on this one too. Except that sometimes I never learn it and I forget about it, then rediscover it years later and wonder what I saw in it.
Then there's all those tunes I hear on RTE, or CD or at a festival which I love and want to learn but haven't got enough time to do it all in!!
But there are some tunes I just love even if other posting here say threy're a bit old hat, such as The Kesh, Merry Blacksmith, Drowsy Maggie, The Banshee, Miss Macleods etc.
Sometimes my favourite tune is one I remember I used to play and re-discover it all again. It's such fun! And I play it better 'cos my skills have improved.
Oh man - another vote for Zina. But I'll say something additional - I grab tunes to learn because I really like them - I'm going to transcribe that Stride Reel on Solas 3 as soon as I have a chance. I'll start playing it then it will drop out of my favorites list.
On the other point - you won't believe that I just revisited Banish Misfortune. I played that tune over and over and over. I'm going to rerecord it because I never played it as I do now. It's kind of a marker for me. It's when I realized that my playing was growing up pretty well.
Yeah, my favorites right now are the one's I'm working on:
Limestone Rock followed by Tommy Whelans. I learned these from the late Paddy Carty flute CD. Georgeous flute tunes! (the whole CD is awesome)
Now these are two tunes that are not posted here, which is a shame. If I was savvy enough to post these as I play them, I definitely would do so. But I don't know ABC notation yet.
A lot of these favouites seem to be Scottish. The tunes I'm working on at the moment are Scottish too but my favourites at the moment are College Groves and Lilting Banshee.
Anny - if you have the music For Neil Gow's lament for his second wife I would love to have a copy. If you know what happened to his first I'd love to know that too.
Yeah, Zina! The ones I am working on now...On the fiddle it's Salley Gardens Reel. It's funny how different a "G" reel feels under your fingers and to your ears than a "D" reel.
On the harp, it's the Tailor's Twist. Been wanting to learn that one since last March! I've heard some people put down tunes for being an excercise in arpeggios, but aren't most hornpipes built on arpeggios? I find it really satisfying.
I think I'll go look in the tunes section and see what's been posted about these two....
I missed this thread the first time. And there's me asking people their top 10 CD's. So - apologies for coming in late, sa'rah.
I presume you mean tunes which one plays rather than listens to - maybe I'll do both categories (or several):
Flute tunes to play: The Yellow Tinker (reel) The Steampacket (reel). The Mist Covered Mountain (jig). Brigid of Knock (H/pipe).
Whistle " " " :The Dublin Reel/The Monaghan Twig/The Convenience Reel - these 3 play supremely as a set.
Box " " " :The Scholar. The Contradiction. The Shaskeen. (Reels); The Humours of Ennistymon. Calliope House (jigs); Kathleen Heihirs (slide); The Bluebell Polka; Tom Bhetty's Waltz.
Tunes to listen to: Eddie Kelly's Reel. Youghal Quay/The Rambling Sailor. The JB Reel.
I know its considered a hackneyed tune in many circles, but I find that the Mason's Apron is both a blast to play (on the whistle anyway) and a great sounding tune (when played well). When someone starts it up at a session, the "old hands" will often roll their eyes, but after a while, you'll see them joining in and having fun in spite of themselves.
Favorite tunes
Favorite tunes
I thought it would be interesting to ask the crowd...what is your favorite tune of all time, and/or what is the most challenging tune you've learned/heard (and can remember the name of
? We've talked about tunes that make us violently sick...what are the best tunes?
# Posted on January 10th 2003 by Sa'rah
Re: Favorite tunes
The one I'm working on right now.
# Posted on January 10th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: Favorite tunes
Well at the moment it would be a tune called 'peterman' by...who ever its by!
# Posted on January 10th 2003 by Nicolar
Re: Favorite tunes
I'm with Zina. Even after learning tunes for decades, I still get infatuated with whatever tune I'm just now working up. Thank god we don't have to be monogamous when it comes to tunes. Can you imagine dating a few tunes and then choosing one--and only one--to play and be faithful to till death do you part? The dating stage is just too fun, getting to know the tune, taking it out for a drink, playing with it in the back seat of the car...ooops, I've gone too far with this analogy, eh?
Sometimes I come back to old tunes and reconnect on another level, as a (hopefully) better player than when I learned it. Right now I'm really enjoying the Whistler of Rosslea (an Ed Reavy composition). And two of my own tunes, the Dreary Plains of Toil (I wish Kerri would rejoin us here), and Dick Harmon's, which make a nice G dorian set--a strathspey to a reel.
# Posted on January 10th 2003 by Will CPT
Re: Favorite tunes
I'm with Zina as well... the one I'm learning at the moment which happens to be "Coleman's Cross". I always finish my practice session with "Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of His 2nd Wife". I don't really know why... I've just always done it. Kind of like a goodbye, until next time.
# Posted on January 10th 2003 by ANNY
Re: Favorite tunes
My longest running fav'es would be simple, slow ones (no conclusions drawn please!), maybe the "Lea Rigg" or "Kirconnel Lea", neither of 'em Irish I'm afraid.
# Posted on January 10th 2003 by Kenn
Re: Favorite tunes
The ones neither cheerful nor depressing. The ones expressing some mixed feelings. It's hard to describe. Examples are Alice's reel, Banks of Lough Gowna, My Mind Will Never Be Easy, Christmas Day Ida Moarnin', the set of Humour of Kiltyclogher and Mrs. O'Sullivan's played by John Williams, etc. Do you know what I mean?
# Posted on January 11th 2003 by slainte
Re: Favorite tunes
I'm with Zina on this one too. Except that sometimes I never learn it and I forget about it, then rediscover it years later and wonder what I saw in it.
Then there's all those tunes I hear on RTE, or CD or at a festival which I love and want to learn but haven't got enough time to do it all in!!
But there are some tunes I just love even if other posting here say threy're a bit old hat, such as The Kesh, Merry Blacksmith, Drowsy Maggie, The Banshee, Miss Macleods etc.
Sometimes my favourite tune is one I remember I used to play and re-discover it all again. It's such fun! And I play it better 'cos my skills have improved.
# Posted on January 12th 2003 by Susie-Lee
Re: Favorite tunes
Oh man - another vote for Zina. But I'll say something additional - I grab tunes to learn because I really like them - I'm going to transcribe that Stride Reel on Solas 3 as soon as I have a chance. I'll start playing it then it will drop out of my favorites list.
On the other point - you won't believe that I just revisited Banish Misfortune. I played that tune over and over and over. I'm going to rerecord it because I never played it as I do now. It's kind of a marker for me. It's when I realized that my playing was growing up pretty well.
# Posted on January 13th 2003 by Mark Cordova
Re: Favorite tunes
Yeah, my favorites right now are the one's I'm working on:
Limestone Rock followed by Tommy Whelans. I learned these from the late Paddy Carty flute CD. Georgeous flute tunes! (the whole CD is awesome)
Now these are two tunes that are not posted here, which is a shame. If I was savvy enough to post these as I play them, I definitely would do so. But I don't know ABC notation yet.
Joyce
# Posted on January 13th 2003 by JMH
Re: Favorite tunes
A lot of these favouites seem to be Scottish. The tunes I'm working on at the moment are Scottish too but my favourites at the moment are College Groves and Lilting Banshee.
Anny - if you have the music For Neil Gow's lament for his second wife I would love to have a copy. If you know what happened to his first I'd love to know that too.
# Posted on January 13th 2003 by Davetnova
Re: Favorite tunes
Yeah, Zina! The ones I am working on now...On the fiddle it's Salley Gardens Reel. It's funny how different a "G" reel feels under your fingers and to your ears than a "D" reel.
On the harp, it's the Tailor's Twist. Been wanting to learn that one since last March! I've heard some people put down tunes for being an excercise in arpeggios, but aren't most hornpipes built on arpeggios? I find it really satisfying.
I think I'll go look in the tunes section and see what's been posted about these two....
# Posted on January 13th 2003 by Andee
Re: Favorite tunes
The Tamlyn (Tam Lyn) is definately my favorite tune.
# Posted on January 30th 2003 by Josh Kane
Re: Favorite tunes
I missed this thread the first time. And there's me asking people their top 10 CD's. So - apologies for coming in late, sa'rah.
I presume you mean tunes which one plays rather than listens to - maybe I'll do both categories (or several):
Flute tunes to play: The Yellow Tinker (reel) The Steampacket (reel). The Mist Covered Mountain (jig). Brigid of Knock (H/pipe).
Whistle " " " :The Dublin Reel/The Monaghan Twig/The Convenience Reel - these 3 play supremely as a set.
Box " " " :The Scholar. The Contradiction. The Shaskeen. (Reels); The Humours of Ennistymon. Calliope House (jigs); Kathleen Heihirs (slide); The Bluebell Polka; Tom Bhetty's Waltz.
Tunes to listen to: Eddie Kelly's Reel. Youghal Quay/The Rambling Sailor. The JB Reel.
So there you go.
# Posted on January 30th 2003 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Favorite tunes
I know its considered a hackneyed tune in many circles, but I find that the Mason's Apron is both a blast to play (on the whistle anyway) and a great sounding tune (when played well). When someone starts it up at a session, the "old hands" will often roll their eyes, but after a while, you'll see them joining in and having fun in spite of themselves.
# Posted on January 31st 2003 by Steve Barnes