I was ask by a you fiddler learner from Sligo about Regional Styles, which topic is brought up a lot on here. Would like to hear your thought's on these guy's.. I reckon I'm in for a kicking on some of these - lol.
jim,,,
You're pushing it there saying that these are clear and distinctive county styles, Jaysus, I've no idea where one county ends and the other starts, I can go with Clare, Donegal and Kerry even Sligo but the rest is are hard to call
I know, I am very much in agreement with Tommy People's view.. That there was a very strong player in that area, and that his is what became that regional style. Maybe I should have Said this -
Co, Donegal
Johnny Docherty
Co, Louth
Rose O'Connor
Co, Sligo
Michael Coleman
Co, Leitrim
Ben and Charlie Lennon
Co, Kerry
Paddy Cronin
Co, Antrim
Sean Magure
Co, Tyrone
Not sure - But I remember John Loughren
saying to me once in Pomeroy...
'' The old tunes are always the best son ''
Took another 10 yrs for me to realize, He was so Right !
John Doherty, for example, was a fiddler from Donegal, but in speaking with Seamus Connolly once, I was impressed that Seamus categorized Doherty more as traveler music than Donegal music. Coleman is a good example of one type of Sligo music, but totally underrepresents the sort of music played by Fred Finn and Peter Horan, or the McDonagh brothers in Ballinafad, or the Henry brothers Kevin and John Watt, all of whom play a less-ornamental, more driving rhythmic style. Paddy Cronin represents not just Kerry but Sliabh Luachra music, but he was heavily influenced by the music of James Morrison, and thus tends to have a lot more ornamentation and a subtly different bowing attitude than most fiddlers from his home. As for Casey and Canny, you're trying to recognize the West/East difference, which really breaks down the point that all the counties have sub-styles, and that John Kelly really plays in a West Clare style, having learned from Nell Galvin and Patsy Geary as a young man. So - well! Yeah. It's complicated, that. If you believe in regional styles at all...
On his latest recording, James Kelly plays a set of polkas in Denis Murphy's style. He also recorded a strathspey in John Doherty's style many years ago.
I don't think it's a matter of belief. You just shouldn't think that once you're inside one county everybody plays a certain style. 'Regional' is a rough description, some people who put more effort into looking at it can identify styles that only covered two or three townlands and then tell you how these fit into the 'regional' picture. There are a lot of shades and nuances that make up the full picture.
Yes -
Thanks for this torching - lol.
I think maybe before TV, Records, Recorders, Internet , etc . There may have be some credence to Regional and even Area styles ,, But I reckon most if not all is lost there now !
And I'll go back to what Tommy Peoples said - There is no area styles as such, It was just a strong player in that region, and the rest kind of imitated him -
Co, Donegal Johnny Docherty,, Co, Sligo Michael Coleman,, etc..
Always a fun topic, Jim, as are so many that you post.
I should think Mr. Peoples probably nailed the subject, in the main. Isolation was likely the key ingredient, whether with the tunes or the manner of playing them.
And, of course, the dancing.
It had to work for the dancers, too.
Some Regional Styles ..
Some Regional Styles ..
I was ask by a you fiddler learner from Sligo about Regional Styles, which topic is brought up a lot on here. Would like to hear your thought's on these guy's.. I reckon I'm in for a kicking on some of these - lol.
jim,,,
Co, Donegal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUxEvGJwvgI
Co, Louth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD1eqDIQvz8
Co, Sligo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J_v0uh9LpU
Co, Leitrim
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwkOE2ztIcY
Co, Kerry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upEilWXAJn4
Co, Antrim
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCx_eNgaK4A
Co, Tyrone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urp8pNkas7Q
Co, Clare
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KKIcByicvU
Co Dublin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb1K5BCtLY8
# Posted on April 13th 2011 by FIDDLE4
Re: Some Regional Styles ..
James my boy,
You're pushing it there saying that these are clear and distinctive county styles, Jaysus, I've no idea where one county ends and the other starts, I can go with Clare, Donegal and Kerry even Sligo but the rest is are hard to call
Regards
Shylock
# Posted on April 13th 2011 by Shylock
Re: Some Regional Styles ..
I know, I am very much in agreement with Tommy People's view.. That there was a very strong player in that area, and that his is what became that regional style. Maybe I should have Said this -
Co, Donegal
Johnny Docherty
Co, Louth
Rose O'Connor
Co, Sligo
Michael Coleman
Co, Leitrim
Ben and Charlie Lennon
Co, Kerry
Paddy Cronin
Co, Antrim
Sean Magure
Co, Tyrone
Not sure - But I remember John Loughren
saying to me once in Pomeroy...
'' The old tunes are always the best son ''
Took another 10 yrs for me to realize, He was so Right !
Co, Clare
Bobby Casey / Paddy canny
Co Dublin
John Kelly, The father of James ???
# Posted on April 13th 2011 by FIDDLE4
Re: Some Regional Styles ..
Ooh, you're in for a trouncing, Jim! :P
John Doherty, for example, was a fiddler from Donegal, but in speaking with Seamus Connolly once, I was impressed that Seamus categorized Doherty more as traveler music than Donegal music. Coleman is a good example of one type of Sligo music, but totally underrepresents the sort of music played by Fred Finn and Peter Horan, or the McDonagh brothers in Ballinafad, or the Henry brothers Kevin and John Watt, all of whom play a less-ornamental, more driving rhythmic style. Paddy Cronin represents not just Kerry but Sliabh Luachra music, but he was heavily influenced by the music of James Morrison, and thus tends to have a lot more ornamentation and a subtly different bowing attitude than most fiddlers from his home. As for Casey and Canny, you're trying to recognize the West/East difference, which really breaks down the point that all the counties have sub-styles, and that John Kelly really plays in a West Clare style, having learned from Nell Galvin and Patsy Geary as a young man. So - well! Yeah. It's complicated, that. If you believe in regional styles at all...
Oh my.
# Posted on April 13th 2011 by Danjo
Re: Some Regional Styles ..
On his latest recording, James Kelly plays a set of polkas in Denis Murphy's style. He also recorded a strathspey in John Doherty's style many years ago.
# Posted on April 13th 2011 by slainte
Re: Some Regional Styles ..
'If you believe in regional styles at all...'
I don't think it's a matter of belief. You just shouldn't think that once you're inside one county everybody plays a certain style. 'Regional' is a rough description, some people who put more effort into looking at it can identify styles that only covered two or three townlands and then tell you how these fit into the 'regional' picture. There are a lot of shades and nuances that make up the full picture.
# Posted on April 13th 2011 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Some Regional Styles ..
Good man jim.
Alot of those clips are'nt great examples really. Why are you skipping the classics on YouTube? Tansy, Peter horan & Fred Finn...
Are there more styles you should include?
Does London music have a style and could it be defined as being a regional style?
# Posted on April 13th 2011 by Hugo Chavez
Re: Some Regional Styles ..
County Bronx.
County Chicago.
County Boston.
COunty Frisco.
And so forth...
# Posted on April 14th 2011 by Piece
Re: Some Regional Styles ..
Yes -
Thanks for this torching - lol.
I think maybe before TV, Records, Recorders, Internet , etc . There may have be some credence to Regional and even Area styles ,, But I reckon most if not all is lost there now !
And I'll go back to what Tommy Peoples said - There is no area styles as such, It was just a strong player in that region, and the rest kind of imitated him -
Co, Donegal Johnny Docherty,, Co, Sligo Michael Coleman,, etc..
Thanks for this all the same Folk's !
jim,,,
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by FIDDLE4
Re: Some Regional Styles ..
Always a fun topic, Jim, as are so many that you post.
I should think Mr. Peoples probably nailed the subject, in the main. Isolation was likely the key ingredient, whether with the tunes or the manner of playing them.
And, of course, the dancing.
It had to work for the dancers, too.
Good stuff.
# Posted on April 15th 2011 by Piece
Re: Some Regional Styles ..
What tunes are those Jim McKillop is playing in that Antrim clip?
# Posted on August 24th 2011 by fiddlelearner