I'm sorry if this is the wrong place to post this as I know this board is about sessions rather than recordings, but of the forums that I've found this seems to be the one most likely to know how to help me.
I'm a reformed violinist trying to get started in Irish fiddling, and I need a little help. I live in Little Rock, Arkansas, where there isn't a whole lot of traditional Irish fiddling going on as far as I can find.
The only way that I'm going to learn (or at least attempt to learn) traditional Irish fiddling is through recordings.
The first step seems to be find the style that I want to learn. Obviously I need to hear different styles to do this.
I would be very grateful if I could get recommendations of recordings of the different styles of Irish fiddling. I could try to shop for recordings on my own, but being ignorant of the styles and the players I really need some help in getting the right recordings to show me the differences between the major styles.
John Doherty, James Byrnes, Con Cassidy, Altan (good repetoire listening) (Donegal), Paddy Canny, Bobby Casey, Junior Crehan, Joe Ryan (Clare), Dennis Murphy & Julia Clifford & Padraig O'Keefe (Sliebh Luchra), Michael Coleman, Paddy Killoran, James Morrison, Fred Finn, Peter Horan (Sligo)
Now certainly there will be folk that pipe in and say "...well what about so and so!?" and "...what about such and such county!?" I though it best to start classic and obvious.
These fiddlers are all true enough to a specific regional style, and different enough from each other that even having not listened to alot of irish music you'll be able to hear the difference.
Start basic to help your untrained ear know what to expect. Coleman, Doherty, Canny, Murphy. Listen listen listen. Then branch out.
Specific recordings you should probably start with:
"An Historic Recording of Irish Traditional Music" (Canny, PJ Hayes, Peadar O'Loughlin, Bridie Lafferty)
"The Star Above the Garter" (Dennis Murphy & Julia Clifford)
"Music from the Coleman Country" (various Sligo musicians)
"The Celebrated Recordings" (John Doherty)
A good resource to help you crack the bowing mystery somewhat would be "Bowing Styles in Irish Fiddle Music", Vols I & II by David Lyth. Though you really need to have it all in your head before what's given there makes sense.
If you tire of trying to figure out whether a fiddler came from Sliebh Luchra or from Glencolmcille, and just want a wild ride:
Martin Byrnes. Patrick Kelly. Mick Conneely.
Cheers and happy fiddling. And please - for the love of all that's holy - refrain from listening to and imitating Martin Hayes! (ooohhhh I've got a metric ton's worth of fire and brimstone headed my way now yeeehaaaa)
Why not, indeed! There'll be as many Martin Hayes supporters here as there are detractors.
However, I'm not sure that it's a good idea to slavishly imitate any fiddler or style too much. Unless you're brought up in the tradition, you'll probably always have your own style. It's probably better that way, as long as you are aware of what others do.
Thanks for the suggestion jim troy, but I don't want to learn Arkansas Traveller. I'm a bit sick of it, and I take a sort of a perverse pleasure in being an Arkansan who doesn't know the tune
OK, OK, the real reason is that the bowing is beyond me at this point, at least the way that the tune is played around here. I'm new to fiddling and classical training in no way prepared me to bow like that.
I hate to generalize but it seems like I hear a good deal of classical violinists make their transitions to trad by trying to imitate Martin Hayes and/or Pierre Schryer.
*It's nothing more than a matter of personal taste*
I don't particularly care for his performance style of playing for starters, and even when played well, with more of a classical technique behind it, it gives me the heebie jeebies.
OK, now I'm having trouble finding these recordings. Amazon doesn't have them (though they sell some of them from other people ebay-style). I found an online shop that has them all but has a bug in their script that won't let me check out, and another shop that has most of them but charges about $25 each for them (ouch).
If you're not going to be in County Clare anytime soon, you can always order online from Custy's Traditional Music Shop - they've got everything you could possibly want to get your hands on (and more). The shipping is reasonable and timely.
I'd also recommend listening in on radio programs over the internet. Of course you will get more than just fiddlers, but if you're looking to drown yourself in the music this is one fine way to do it.
Ceilidh House is a great show and you can find archives posted at the Uilleann Obsession site:
if you like Kevin Burke (google for his homepage, theres links to his playing under 'discography'), he teaches a pretty decent tutor on VHS over at homespuntapes.com . Plus there's CD-base tutors too. Too bad for you, their sale just ended yesterday: the two-tape serious is now $70, and it was $35.
Custy's has Vol. 2 for sure (that's where I got my copy). You might shoot them an e-mail and see whether or not they'll have any copies of Volume 1 in anytime soon. I think I remember seeing it on sale in Miltown. Otherwise they're tough to come by.
Don't forget this: http://www.irishfiddle.com/legends.html
There are a few free mp3s of representative fiddlers of the Clare and Sligo regions. Hopefully this will tide you over till your CDs arrive.
Other CDs that you could consider for listening to styles:
Paddy Canny's solo CD - my favourite living fiddler, East Clare
Tommy People's The High Part of the Road - Virtuosic Donegal fiddling
Bobby Casey's Taking Flight, or Casey in the Cowhouse - magnificent West Clare fiddling
Michael Coleman's 2 CD set - the most influential fiddling recordings ever, instrumental in promoting his Sligo style of playing
Kerry Fiddles with Padraig O Keefe, Julia Clifford and Dennis Murphy - another great CD of Sliabh Luchrua fiddling
Michael Gorman's The Sligo Champion - earthy Sligo Fiddling, sounds a bit different from Coleman
Tommy Potts - The Liffey Banks - inventive Dublin fiddler with a strong personal style
You can also try getting your CDs here:
www.claddaghrecords.com
or seeing how you're based in the US, you can also try Philippe Varlet of Celtic Grooves: http://celticgrooves.homestead.com/CGhome.html
No one has mentioned Rounder's Milestone at the Garden, which is the closest thing available for a fiddle style primer, at least until they come out with IrishFiddle Obsession or the like. These are old 78 RPM recordings, which limits the selection somewhat, but still you get to hear players from all over the country, most of them very good.
Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
I'm sorry if this is the wrong place to post this as I know this board is about sessions rather than recordings, but of the forums that I've found this seems to be the one most likely to know how to help me.
I'm a reformed violinist trying to get started in Irish fiddling, and I need a little help. I live in Little Rock, Arkansas, where there isn't a whole lot of traditional Irish fiddling going on as far as I can find.
The only way that I'm going to learn (or at least attempt to learn) traditional Irish fiddling is through recordings.
The first step seems to be find the style that I want to learn. Obviously I need to hear different styles to do this.
I would be very grateful if I could get recommendations of recordings of the different styles of Irish fiddling. I could try to shop for recordings on my own, but being ignorant of the styles and the players I really need some help in getting the right recordings to show me the differences between the major styles.
Any help will be much appreciated.
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by Marklar
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
Start at the obvious places:
John Doherty, James Byrnes, Con Cassidy, Altan (good repetoire listening) (Donegal), Paddy Canny, Bobby Casey, Junior Crehan, Joe Ryan (Clare), Dennis Murphy & Julia Clifford & Padraig O'Keefe (Sliebh Luchra), Michael Coleman, Paddy Killoran, James Morrison, Fred Finn, Peter Horan (Sligo)
Now certainly there will be folk that pipe in and say "...well what about so and so!?" and "...what about such and such county!?" I though it best to start classic and obvious.
These fiddlers are all true enough to a specific regional style, and different enough from each other that even having not listened to alot of irish music you'll be able to hear the difference.
Start basic to help your untrained ear know what to expect. Coleman, Doherty, Canny, Murphy. Listen listen listen. Then branch out.
Specific recordings you should probably start with:
"An Historic Recording of Irish Traditional Music" (Canny, PJ Hayes, Peadar O'Loughlin, Bridie Lafferty)
"The Star Above the Garter" (Dennis Murphy & Julia Clifford)
"Music from the Coleman Country" (various Sligo musicians)
"The Celebrated Recordings" (John Doherty)
A good resource to help you crack the bowing mystery somewhat would be "Bowing Styles in Irish Fiddle Music", Vols I & II by David Lyth. Though you really need to have it all in your head before what's given there makes sense.
If you tire of trying to figure out whether a fiddler came from Sliebh Luchra or from Glencolmcille, and just want a wild ride:
Martin Byrnes. Patrick Kelly. Mick Conneely.
Cheers and happy fiddling. And please - for the love of all that's holy - refrain from listening to and imitating Martin Hayes! (ooohhhh I've got a metric ton's worth of fire and brimstone headed my way now yeeehaaaa)
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by _Steph_
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
Excellent reply underscoreStephunderscore! You just about said it all. Fully agree with not imitating Martin Hayes.
There certainly is a rich world of fiddle culture out there.
Jim
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by Worldfiddler
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
um...why not martin hayes?
a sincere question- not trying to start anything.
clue me in.
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by FiddleMama
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
Why not, indeed! There'll be as many Martin Hayes supporters here as there are detractors.
However, I'm not sure that it's a good idea to slavishly imitate any fiddler or style too much. Unless you're brought up in the tradition, you'll probably always have your own style. It's probably better that way, as long as you are aware of what others do.
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
Thank you very much Steph, that's exactly what I needed to know
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by Marklar
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
Thanks for the suggestion jim troy, but I don't want to learn Arkansas Traveller. I'm a bit sick of it, and I take a sort of a perverse pleasure in being an Arkansan who doesn't know the tune
OK, OK, the real reason is that the bowing is beyond me at this point, at least the way that the tune is played around here. I'm new to fiddling and classical training in no way prepared me to bow like that.
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by Marklar
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
Without turning the screws too much...
"...why not Martin Hayes..."
I hate to generalize but it seems like I hear a good deal of classical violinists make their transitions to trad by trying to imitate Martin Hayes and/or Pierre Schryer.
*It's nothing more than a matter of personal taste*
I don't particularly care for his performance style of playing for starters, and even when played well, with more of a classical technique behind it, it gives me the heebie jeebies.
I'll stop there!
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by _Steph_
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
OK, now I'm having trouble finding these recordings. Amazon doesn't have them (though they sell some of them from other people ebay-style). I found an online shop that has them all but has a bug in their script that won't let me check out, and another shop that has most of them but charges about $25 each for them (ouch).
Can anyone recommend a good place to shop?
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by Marklar
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
Elderly Instruments (Lansing, MI) is an excellent source for many recordings you normally can't get outside of Ireland. Check out this page:
http://www.elderly.com/recordings/cats/73.htm
If you're not going to be in County Clare anytime soon, you can always order online from Custy's Traditional Music Shop - they've got everything you could possibly want to get your hands on (and more). The shipping is reasonable and timely.
http://www.custysmusic.com/mall/CustysTraditionalMusicShop/index2.htm
Cheers!
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by _Steph_
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
Must...not...buy...more...CD's...
Now that those pages are open and I've been browsing a bit, it is taking a large amount of self-control to not drop a few hundred dollars today.
Off to a session I go in sunny Buffalo.
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by _Steph_
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
I'd also recommend listening in on radio programs over the internet. Of course you will get more than just fiddlers, but if you're looking to drown yourself in the music this is one fine way to do it.
Ceilidh House is a great show and you can find archives posted at the Uilleann Obsession site:
http://www.uilleannobsession.com/links_radio.html#latesession
And also "Atlantic Ceilidh" out of U. Toronto on Thursday nights at 7PM ET, hosted by Pat Simmonds:
http://www.ciut.fm/schedule.html
That's enough from me. Off to the session I go in sunny Buffalo. Yes, really - sunshine - AND heat!
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by _Steph_
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
if you like Kevin Burke (google for his homepage, theres links to his playing under 'discography'), he teaches a pretty decent tutor on VHS over at homespuntapes.com . Plus there's CD-base tutors too. Too bad for you, their sale just ended yesterday: the two-tape serious is now $70, and it was $35.
# Posted on September 4th 2004 by sifudave54
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
_Steph_; Where can I find copies of the Bowing book you referred to? I did a web search and came up empty handed.
# Posted on September 5th 2004 by Murph
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
Custy's has Vol. 2 for sure (that's where I got my copy). You might shoot them an e-mail and see whether or not they'll have any copies of Volume 1 in anytime soon. I think I remember seeing it on sale in Miltown. Otherwise they're tough to come by.
# Posted on September 6th 2004 by _Steph_
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
Don't forget this:
http://www.irishfiddle.com/legends.html
There are a few free mp3s of representative fiddlers of the Clare and Sligo regions. Hopefully this will tide you over till your CDs arrive.
Other CDs that you could consider for listening to styles:
Paddy Canny's solo CD - my favourite living fiddler, East Clare
Tommy People's The High Part of the Road - Virtuosic Donegal fiddling
Bobby Casey's Taking Flight, or Casey in the Cowhouse - magnificent West Clare fiddling
Michael Coleman's 2 CD set - the most influential fiddling recordings ever, instrumental in promoting his Sligo style of playing
Kerry Fiddles with Padraig O Keefe, Julia Clifford and Dennis Murphy - another great CD of Sliabh Luchrua fiddling
Michael Gorman's The Sligo Champion - earthy Sligo Fiddling, sounds a bit different from Coleman
Tommy Potts - The Liffey Banks - inventive Dublin fiddler with a strong personal style
You can also try getting your CDs here:
www.claddaghrecords.com
or seeing how you're based in the US, you can also try Philippe Varlet of Celtic Grooves:
http://celticgrooves.homestead.com/CGhome.html
# Posted on September 6th 2004 by Eldarion
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
No one has mentioned Rounder's Milestone at the Garden, which is the closest thing available for a fiddle style primer, at least until they come out with IrishFiddle Obsession or the like. These are old 78 RPM recordings, which limits the selection somewhat, but still you get to hear players from all over the country, most of them very good.
# Posted on September 7th 2004 by KLR
Re: Fiddle Recordings of Different Styles
take care about the notion of regional styles!
a style is a fiddler style, and an individual style, i'm affraid
# Posted on June 6th 2007 by awfull girl