I overheard someone say something interesting at a session last night. They said that pipe tunes like "The Hag At The Churn" and "Coppers And Brass" were a "whole different sort of music". There's clearly something a bit different about them, but do these tunes constitute a distinct genre?
A lot of them are very old. The introduction of the fiddle would have had and enormous effect on the character of tunes being composed. Pipe tunes would be shaped by the technical capabilities and limitations of the instrument - for example, they often provide ample opportunities for cranning. Although in this, the Session Age, with its electroneural links to Ronan Browne's sinapses, musicians of all kinds assimilate into their repertoires whatever tunes they can get their fingers on, pipers do tend to have their own repertoire, with different, probably older, settings of many of the common session tunes - such as Copper and Brass, which is a close relative (probably a parent) of The Humours of Ennistymon.
As for being a distict genre - Kerry polkas and Sligo polkas are different genres.
I was told that some tunes 'cos of which instrument they were composed on, are easier played on that instrument. Seems blindingly obvious maybe, but then perhaps that accounts for a specific genre of tunes for pipe, (it being around longer than say accordians).
Seems that some tunes are harder for fiddle if they're pipe tunes. Even so, the Hag at the Churn seems to come over okay on fiddle.
There's some tunes I find easier on flute than whistle. I don't know if that has any connection?
1 of many, tertiary adjunct to Session matrix 1.
Resistance is futile.
Your tunes will be assimilated, and their uniqueness added to the session collective.
Resistance is futile.
>1 of many, tertiary adjunct to Session matrix 1.
>Resistance is futile.
>Your tunes will be assimilated, and their uniqueness added to >the session collective.
>Resistance is futile.
Well, there's not that much different about them. Pipes tunes tend to be modal, but that probably reflects the ancientness of some of the repetoire, as much as anything else. Like any instrument, they do some things well, and other things don't suit them. Some of the "fancy" fiddle tunes don't work on the pipes. Even if the reeds are up to it, the effort involved isn't worth it. But, other tunes, especially those that employ the ghost D, just don't sound right on anything but the pipes.
One thing that governs what works on the pipes is the drones. The chanter must be tuned to just temperment so that all the "keys" (better thought of as modes) are in-tune with the drones. This means thirds and sevenths will be a bit flat of "standard" tuning, etc. It begs the question of how in-tune standard (equal temperment) tuning is -- ach sin sceal eile ar fad.
Ghost D, or D supernatural, is a note unique to the uilleann pipes; on older narrowbore flat pitch instruments it resides somewhere just north of D, and has a very quiet, muted timbre, like a dying breath. It is fingered by closing all the holes with the chanter on the leg and extending the pinky of the bottom hand. Seamus Ennis made use of this note to great effect in both his dance music and his airs playing; give his recordings of By the River of Gems or the Dublin Reel a very close listen, you'll hear ghost Ds gracing the normal D, played with the thumb of the top hand ("back D" in piping lingo). Robbie Hannan is a present-day piper who uses the ghost D to great effect on his rendition of "Jenny's Welcome to Charlie". Mighty stuff.
On wider bore concert pitch instruments favored by the likes of Paddy Keenan, Liam O Flynn, Ronan Browne, etc., this note is sharper, almost a true E flat, although it is still quite muted in relation to the rest of the scale and can be used for gracing the back D.
I'll let Pat Lyons translate his Gaelic, my knowledge of gaelic is limited but I'm ever curious to learn more of it.
Ghost D is to many what really defines the sound of the pipes. Frequently I'll hear people say that there is something mysterious, haunting and absolutely unique to the sound ofthe pipes (especially in slow airs). I'll hit a ghost D and they'll say "that's it!".
Someone mentioned how the ghost D on the pipes "defines the sound of the pipes."
For those interested, I'd suggest having a talented piper, or recording, perform a C-natural for you. It's my humble opinion that the C-natural is the most expressive note on the chanter.
Oh, and for reference cthuilleannpiper, Ronan Browne (for years) played nearly exclusively flat sets. He's know as one who favored those sets of pipes -- it's only in recent years that he's seemingly gotten on this concert-pitch thing . . . For reference seek out two fo the greatest recordings of traditional Irish music around, Peter O'Loughlin and Ronan Browne --
Pipe jigs
Pipe jigs
I overheard someone say something interesting at a session last night. They said that pipe tunes like "The Hag At The Churn" and "Coppers And Brass" were a "whole different sort of music". There's clearly something a bit different about them, but do these tunes constitute a distinct genre?
# Posted on May 31st 2003 by Dr. Dow
Re: Pipe jigs
A lot of them are very old. The introduction of the fiddle would have had and enormous effect on the character of tunes being composed. Pipe tunes would be shaped by the technical capabilities and limitations of the instrument - for example, they often provide ample opportunities for cranning. Although in this, the Session Age, with its electroneural links to Ronan Browne's sinapses, musicians of all kinds assimilate into their repertoires whatever tunes they can get their fingers on, pipers do tend to have their own repertoire, with different, probably older, settings of many of the common session tunes - such as Copper and Brass, which is a close relative (probably a parent) of The Humours of Ennistymon.
As for being a distict genre - Kerry polkas and Sligo polkas are different genres.
# Posted on May 31st 2003 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Pipe jigs
I was told that some tunes 'cos of which instrument they were composed on, are easier played on that instrument. Seems blindingly obvious maybe, but then perhaps that accounts for a specific genre of tunes for pipe, (it being around longer than say accordians).
Seems that some tunes are harder for fiddle if they're pipe tunes. Even so, the Hag at the Churn seems to come over okay on fiddle.
There's some tunes I find easier on flute than whistle. I don't know if that has any connection?
# Posted on June 1st 2003 by Fiiddle R
Re: Pipe jigs
1 of many, tertiary adjunct to Session matrix 1.
Resistance is futile.
Your tunes will be assimilated, and their uniqueness added to the session collective.
Resistance is futile.
# Posted on June 1st 2003 by Pied Piper
Re: Pipe jigs
garret barry's jig is supposed to be a great piping tune.
# Posted on June 2nd 2003 by marymccaffrey
Re: Pipe jigs
it is
# Posted on June 2nd 2003 by biggus dave
Re: Pipe jigs
>1 of many, tertiary adjunct to Session matrix 1.
>Resistance is futile.
>Your tunes will be assimilated, and their uniqueness added to >the session collective.
>Resistance is futile.
We are the Sessioneers?
# Posted on June 4th 2003 by Pádraig
Re: Pipe jigs
Well, there's not that much different about them. Pipes tunes tend to be modal, but that probably reflects the ancientness of some of the repetoire, as much as anything else. Like any instrument, they do some things well, and other things don't suit them. Some of the "fancy" fiddle tunes don't work on the pipes. Even if the reeds are up to it, the effort involved isn't worth it. But, other tunes, especially those that employ the ghost D, just don't sound right on anything but the pipes.
One thing that governs what works on the pipes is the drones. The chanter must be tuned to just temperment so that all the "keys" (better thought of as modes) are in-tune with the drones. This means thirds and sevenths will be a bit flat of "standard" tuning, etc. It begs the question of how in-tune standard (equal temperment) tuning is -- ach sin sceal eile ar fad.
# Posted on June 5th 2003 by PCL
Re: Pipe jigs
What is the ghost D? And what does 'ach sin sceal eile ar fad' mean?
# Posted on June 5th 2003 by Nell
Re: Pipe jigs
Ghost D, or D supernatural, is a note unique to the uilleann pipes; on older narrowbore flat pitch instruments it resides somewhere just north of D, and has a very quiet, muted timbre, like a dying breath. It is fingered by closing all the holes with the chanter on the leg and extending the pinky of the bottom hand. Seamus Ennis made use of this note to great effect in both his dance music and his airs playing; give his recordings of By the River of Gems or the Dublin Reel a very close listen, you'll hear ghost Ds gracing the normal D, played with the thumb of the top hand ("back D" in piping lingo). Robbie Hannan is a present-day piper who uses the ghost D to great effect on his rendition of "Jenny's Welcome to Charlie". Mighty stuff.
On wider bore concert pitch instruments favored by the likes of Paddy Keenan, Liam O Flynn, Ronan Browne, etc., this note is sharper, almost a true E flat, although it is still quite muted in relation to the rest of the scale and can be used for gracing the back D.
I'll let Pat Lyons translate his Gaelic, my knowledge of gaelic is limited but I'm ever curious to learn more of it.
# Posted on June 5th 2003 by Hanley
Re: Pipe jigs
Ghost D is to many what really defines the sound of the pipes. Frequently I'll hear people say that there is something mysterious, haunting and absolutely unique to the sound ofthe pipes (especially in slow airs). I'll hit a ghost D and they'll say "that's it!".
Jeff
# Posted on June 6th 2003 by anima
Re: Pipe jigs
Hmm is this Jeff from the Kerry Piper?
# Posted on June 6th 2003 by emily_bmore
Re: Pipe jigs
nope, Jeff from Kansas City
# Posted on June 7th 2003 by anima
Pipering "notes"
Someone mentioned how the ghost D on the pipes "defines the sound of the pipes."
For those interested, I'd suggest having a talented piper, or recording, perform a C-natural for you. It's my humble opinion that the C-natural is the most expressive note on the chanter.
Oh, and for reference cthuilleannpiper, Ronan Browne (for years) played nearly exclusively flat sets. He's know as one who favored those sets of pipes -- it's only in recent years that he's seemingly gotten on this concert-pitch thing . . . For reference seek out two fo the greatest recordings of traditional Irish music around, Peter O'Loughlin and Ronan Browne --
1. The South West Wind
2. Touch Me if You Dare
*Jonathan*
# Posted on June 7th 2003 by j.hohl.kennedy