Maybe this has already been done before (if it is so I'm sorry), but I think it can be very useful in order to know more about each other.
The question is: Which is YOUR TUNE? Just one. The one you'd like your session mates would say "hey, that's ******'s tune". The one you'd like to be played in your birthday, wedding day, funeral or any other special occasion in your life (or death). The one you'd choose if you contact an alien culture deeply interested in ITM (which happens every now and then, actually).
And if you feel in a writing mood, explain why that one and not another one.
I'd say a set of The Congress and Star of Munster. Why? The drive. The enormous amount of punch and "yipee" when played by good players. It has a "straight down highway 45 doing 130 miles in hour plucking away on the banjo".
Hopefully, I'll have a lot more to choose from by the time my funeral comes around. Unfortunately, my favourites change daily.
"I'm a' doon for the lack o' Johnnie" might be appropriate, if anyone cared that much. However, it's a Scottish tune.
I think someone's favourite tunes and his or her "signature" tunes are not always the same. Some of my favourite tunes are Scottish and I'm very reluctant to play them in the local predominantly Irish music session. I sometimes do but not so often, so they're not my "signature" tunes.
I'm trying to popularise The Rolling Waves (aka. The Lonesome Jig or Maguire's Kick) in the local session, but I'm not so willing to play it every time.
I have tunes I associate playing with other people. i.e - A certain local fiddle player and myself love to play the Limestone Rock / Tom Moylans (we both learned it off the Paddy Carty CD). Another fiddle player and I usually play Bantry Lasses / Josie McDermott's together (we both learned it off of the Maple Leaf).
In May 2003 I attended a flute workshop in Louisburgh, County Mayo. I was the only American in a class of about 20! The teacher made everyone in the room play a tune. I sat in the back trying to just blend in and keep a low profile. He spotted me right out and asked where I was from (oh god!), so everyone knew I was American...so then I played a reel that I knew I could play even if I was half-dead: The Torn Jacket...and luckily it came off surprisingly well. So this is my "safety net" tune I use in emergencies such as this one. I don't really have any "party pieces" at this early stage in the game but I'm starting to learn some good flute tunes that might evolve into good solid tunes for me to play on the spot....
slainte - we love Rolling Waves. You can't go wrong with that lovely jig!
Not an Irish tune, but played by Chris Norman (I know, not an official ITMer, but good nonetheless), Billy McComiskey, and a few others. It's called "Valse Frontenac" and it's on Chris's "Beauty of the North" CD. If I ever get married (guess I need a girlfried first-- isn't that how it usually works?), it's gotta be played as the first dance. Wife can dictate everything else about the wedding as long as I get that tune. Lovely tune.
Joyce, I don't think you stand out in the workshop in Ireland like me. A dark-haired, short guy always attracts too much attentions in the session or workshop in Ireland. I always prepare some sets of "safety net" tunes, which are slightly old-fashioned, so it usually goes well.
The Rolling Waves is a real safety net for me. It's a fairly simple and lovely tune, which is played not so often in many parts of the world, so I always play it in a new place and get positive reactions from the local musicians and the audience.
But, as I wrote it's not become my tune yet. I think I need to keep playing the tune for a long time in the same place to convince others that's my tune.
I didn't know "Rolling waves" and it's really excellent. I found two tunes with this same name in the tunes section. Which one did you mean, slainte?
This is the great point of being a begginer, there is so much wonderful music to be discovered and enjoyed for the first time...
I can see we are a lot of scottish tunes lovers in this big bunch of insane musicians. Do you know a tune called "The massacre of Glencoe"? More than one with that name, but the one I mean was played with an absulute breathtaking skill by the scottish harper Alison Kinnaird.
Not even one I can play...but the tune that always makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck and gets me really into it is Tam Lin...IF it's done right.
Well, *my* Rolling Waves was the one posted by Will. I love the other one too. Actually I'm flirting with too many tunes now. "If We Hadn't any Women in the World" is really cool on the flute. If I find a nice girlfriend, I may stop playing it.
Glasgow Reel. I play it constantly and think that it stands out because the melody is so deep and its in a minor key which makes it stand out even more.
Your tune
Your tune
Hello everybody.
Maybe this has already been done before (if it is so I'm sorry), but I think it can be very useful in order to know more about each other.
The question is: Which is YOUR TUNE? Just one. The one you'd like your session mates would say "hey, that's ******'s tune". The one you'd like to be played in your birthday, wedding day, funeral or any other special occasion in your life (or death). The one you'd choose if you contact an alien culture deeply interested in ITM (which happens every now and then, actually).
And if you feel in a writing mood, explain why that one and not another one.
# Posted on June 13th 2004 by jorge o'lochlainn
Re: Your tune
I'd say a set of The Congress and Star of Munster. Why? The drive. The enormous amount of punch and "yipee" when played by good players. It has a "straight down highway 45 doing 130 miles in hour plucking away on the banjo".
Lars.
# Posted on June 13th 2004 by Larshansen
Re: Your tune
"Thick 'n Thin." I wrote it for my fifth wedding anniversary. Some day I'll post it. It's on my "some day" list.
# Posted on June 13th 2004 by rocking bow
Re: Your tune
Hopefully, I'll have a lot more to choose from by the time my funeral comes around. Unfortunately, my favourites change daily.
However, it's a Scottish tune. 
"I'm a' doon for the lack o' Johnnie" might be appropriate, if anyone cared that much.
# Posted on June 13th 2004 by Johannes J
Re: Your tune
I think someone's favourite tunes and his or her "signature" tunes are not always the same. Some of my favourite tunes are Scottish and I'm very reluctant to play them in the local predominantly Irish music session. I sometimes do but not so often, so they're not my "signature" tunes.
I'm trying to popularise The Rolling Waves (aka. The Lonesome Jig or Maguire's Kick) in the local session, but I'm not so willing to play it every time.
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by slainte
Re: Your tune
I have tunes I associate playing with other people. i.e - A certain local fiddle player and myself love to play the Limestone Rock / Tom Moylans (we both learned it off the Paddy Carty CD). Another fiddle player and I usually play Bantry Lasses / Josie McDermott's together (we both learned it off of the Maple Leaf).
In May 2003 I attended a flute workshop in Louisburgh, County Mayo. I was the only American in a class of about 20! The teacher made everyone in the room play a tune. I sat in the back trying to just blend in and keep a low profile. He spotted me right out and asked where I was from (oh god!), so everyone knew I was American...so then I played a reel that I knew I could play even if I was half-dead: The Torn Jacket...and luckily it came off surprisingly well. So this is my "safety net" tune I use in emergencies such as this one. I don't really have any "party pieces" at this early stage in the game but I'm starting to learn some good flute tunes that might evolve into good solid tunes for me to play on the spot....
slainte - we love Rolling Waves. You can't go wrong with that lovely jig!
Joyce
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by JMH
Re: Your tune
The bluebell polka
...on the box
:~}
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Your tune
Not an Irish tune, but played by Chris Norman (I know, not an official ITMer, but good nonetheless), Billy McComiskey, and a few others. It's called "Valse Frontenac" and it's on Chris's "Beauty of the North" CD. If I ever get married (guess I need a girlfried first-- isn't that how it usually works?), it's gotta be played as the first dance. Wife can dictate everything else about the wedding as long as I get that tune. Lovely tune.
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by Jason G
Re: Your tune
Neil Gow's Lament for his Second Wife. (OK, it's not Irish. Sorry!)
Sara
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by sara g
Re: Your tune
Joyce, I don't think you stand out in the workshop in Ireland like me. A dark-haired, short guy always attracts too much attentions in the session or workshop in Ireland. I always prepare some sets of "safety net" tunes, which are slightly old-fashioned, so it usually goes well.
The Rolling Waves is a real safety net for me. It's a fairly simple and lovely tune, which is played not so often in many parts of the world, so I always play it in a new place and get positive reactions from the local musicians and the audience.
But, as I wrote it's not become my tune yet. I think I need to keep playing the tune for a long time in the same place to convince others that's my tune.
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by slainte
Re: Your tune
Oh course the teacher probably smelled my fear and could see I was trying to hide behind the big kid in front of me so I wouldn't have to play a tune
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by JMH
Re: Your tune
Langstern's Pony.
# Posted on March 1st 2003 by dafydd
Re: Your tune
The Hungry Top.
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by EastPole
Re: Your tune
Farewell to Ireland.
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by Ailin
Re: Your tune
Mine is "The Bunch of Keys." What a great tune...
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by violynnsey
Re: Your tune
At the moment it seems to be 'And The Colour Of Her Golden Hair was Black.' Which of course it it. Once apon a time it was the Ottery Tune....
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by Ottery
Re: Your tune
Which of course, it is.
I meant...
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by Ottery
Re: Your tune
I didn't know "Rolling waves" and it's really excellent. I found two tunes with this same name in the tunes section. Which one did you mean, slainte?
This is the great point of being a begginer, there is so much wonderful music to be discovered and enjoyed for the first time...
I can see we are a lot of scottish tunes lovers in this big bunch of insane musicians. Do you know a tune called "The massacre of Glencoe"? More than one with that name, but the one I mean was played with an absulute breathtaking skill by the scottish harper Alison Kinnaird.
# Posted on June 14th 2004 by jorge o'lochlainn
Re: Your tune
Not even one I can play...but the tune that always makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck and gets me really into it is Tam Lin...IF it's done right.
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Crysania
Re: Your tune
Well, *my* Rolling Waves was the one posted by Will. I love the other one too. Actually I'm flirting with too many tunes now. "If We Hadn't any Women in the World" is really cool on the flute. If I find a nice girlfriend, I may stop playing it.
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by slainte
Re: Your tune
"Slunken" by Swedish group Vasen. Always makes me happy in a bitter-sweet kind of way.
You can hear it here if you have some time to listen to the radio show it's on - (PHC, 25th October 2003, segment 3)
http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/20031025/
# Posted on June 16th 2004 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Your tune
Glasgow Reel. I play it constantly and think that it stands out because the melody is so deep and its in a minor key which makes it stand out even more.
# Posted on June 23rd 2004 by Smiley