Comments

Hornpipe?

Hornpipe?

Hi, Does anyone have a name on this hornpipe? Thanks

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_234_8_the_gleann_na_coille_ceili_band_hornpipe/

# Posted on April 5th 2008 by concertinaplayer

Re: Hornpipe?

Sorry I don't know it, but I enjoyed the listen... Thanks for the link...

# Posted on April 5th 2008 by ceolachan

Re: Hornpipe?

Is it not called The Gleann Na Coille Céilí Band Hornpipe?

Anyway, lovely hornpipe playing. Very important to not stress the horrid back beat as most hornpipes are played. And pretty straight too. A bit of bounce, but farely straight with the accent on the down beat. Lovely.

# Posted on April 6th 2008 by llig leahcim

Re: Hornpipe?

No idea on the title, but lovely, lovely, lovely style.
Thanks for posting.

# Posted on April 6th 2008 by john knoss

Re: Hornpipe?

I'm glad to say, Michael, that I don't come across that back beat stuff to which you refer. Is it common, then?

Nice stuff on the clip ...

# Posted on April 6th 2008 by benhall.1

Re: Hornpipe?

I took a look at the 195 D Major "hornpipes" (including an annoying number of marches and airs stuffed in because they don't have their own category), except for the ones I know, and didn't find this one. Still, it's familiar - especially that unique A (3AAA f2 e2 d (or perhaps A (3AAA fAeA d) passage in the B part. I can almost hear it played on pipes in my head.

# Posted on April 6th 2008 by GaryAMartin

Re: Hornpipe?

I thought it sounded like a slow reel.The backbeat is what makes a hornpipe a hornpipe and it's not horrid.

# Posted on April 7th 2008 by dafydd

Re: Hornpipe?

Sorry dafydd. You got it all wrong mate.

# Posted on April 7th 2008 by llig leahcim

Re: Hornpipe?

Why?

# Posted on April 7th 2008 by dafydd

Re: Hornpipe?

Because excessive stress on the backbeat ruins any tune, but hornpipes most of all. If you think this clip sounded like a slow reel you're in need of educating yourself about the differences.

OK, I'll concede that "horrid" is a pejorative subjection.
But "The backbeat is what makes a hornpipe." is painfully misguided.

# Posted on April 7th 2008 by llig leahcim

Re: Hornpipe?

I don't mean a heavy backbeat. I know the backbeat doesn't make an English or Scottish Hornpipe.Every ITM muso I've ever played with plays them with (a not too pronounced) backbeat.On De Dannan's first album the hornpipes have a backbeat.Stockton's Wing too. Maye this a modern thing,I play them the way I learned to.I started playing this stuff 30 years ago.Why have a separate category for Irish hornpipes if you're going to play them straight?

# Posted on April 7th 2008 by dafydd

Re: Hornpipe?

I'm confused, you say that "he backbeat is what makes a hornpipe" and you say "I know the backbeat doesn't make an English or Scottish Hornpipe."

But I'm not surprised that someone who describes their music as "Celtic ,Old Time, Blues,Jug Band,Skiffle on (deep breath) guitar,fiddle,bouzouki,cittern ~ 4 and 5 string banjo, mandolin, appalachian dulcimer" does not appreciate this most Irish way of playing hornpipes, and gets them confused with reels.

I'm amused though that you think the way the Gleann Na Coille Céilí Band play is a "modern thing".

# Posted on April 7th 2008 by llig leahcim

Re: Hornpipe?

Michael,
can you explain a little more about differentiating a hornpipe, given this very nice examples and another one you posted recently here:

http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/16895/comments#comment351399

I've heard hornpipes played both ways, and I was more often confused when I heard them without the backbeat.

Is what you're saying is that a hornpipe is defined by the rhythmic structures in the phrases (the da-te da-te sets of paired 8th notes) but still emphasizes the downbeat over the backbeat?

Just wondering if I'm understanding your point.
thanks

# Posted on April 8th 2008 by dirtyheel

Re: Hornpipe?

Yeah, that's about it. You can play reels pretty straight or a bit dotted, and you can play hornpipes pretty straight or maybe a bit more dotted. The amount of swing in them both is a personal thing. Though I like to vary it and prefer them both to be straighter. It's more old fashioned to play them straighter, but I don't think that's why I prefer it. Also, you'd tend to hear hornpipes played slower than reels, though I often play reels much slower than I'd play hornpipes.

But the amount of swing and the speed are not the defining factors distinguishing reels and hornpipes. It's the phrasing. The easiest distinction is that hornpipes have strings of the tripletty things in them,

# Posted on April 8th 2008 by llig leahcim

Re: Hornpipe?

I'm glad I amused you,my living has not been in vain.

# Posted on April 8th 2008 by dafydd

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