Who are your favourite pipers, and why? I'm not really familiar with enough pipers at this point, to state who my favourites are, but the sound has really got under my skin lately, after a long incubation period... I'm curious to hear recommendations.
Hands down, Jerry O'Sullivan. I think Jerry is so unique because he is able to play a variety of different styles on the pipes. "The Gift" cd even showcases the pipes in three Bach pieces. Jerry is an excellent piper in both technique and phrasing.
I love the musicality of Liam O'Flynn, Jerry O'Sullivan is wonderful in so many ways, Kieran O'Hare is my favorite of the young up-and-coming hot-shots, sitting on his lawn and listening to Kirk Lynch talk is wonderful (as well as listening to his airs), and Eoin O'Riabhaigh is hands down the funniest of the pipers I've met, both in his personality and the humor he brings to his music (as well as being a damned fine piper, of course). Paddy Keenan, of course, goes without saying -- his ability to take all of the influences he loves and take it into his piping is legendary, and his sound truly underpinned the Bothies.
All the pipers, like all players, have different wonderful things about their playing. I can't truly say I have a single favorite piper any more than I can say I've a single favorite fiddler!
Finbar Fury is the most amazing. There's an album he did with Scottish guy, Bob Stewart, called tommorrow we part which is absolutly amazing. The flat set sets are particularly beautiful.
And he is also the most powerfull player. Listen to him playing the regulaters in the second octave. He can only do this because of a really hard read in the chanter. Brilliant
Paddy Keenan, of course, but there was this young guy (I think it was John O'Brien) who played at the Celtic Fest in Chicago who was amazing, really incredible. Definitely got into the zone, and pulled in the audience as well. He packed the tent and got standing ovations. He said he didn't have any CDs out yet, but he's another one to watch.
Cillian is playing with his brother, Niall, this Saturday night at the Unitarian Church (across from library on Main St) in Montpelier, VT at 8:00. Not much for advertisements....should be a fun show...
I love that story about when Seamus Enis got a recording contract from the BBC in the 70's. It was a three album deal and he signed it in the morning, then went into the studio in the afternoon and recorded all three albums, one after the other, in a single take. They're pretty ropey and out of tune and that, but hey, that's Seamus Enis for you
I agree with Michael Gill, it has to be Finbar Furey.
I've seen him a few times now both with and withouy his brothers, and his playing is incredible. If you want to hear the pipes played with passion, this is the man.
Finbar is such a great beast of bloke. I just love the way there is nothing prissy about his playing. You can listen to Liam O'flynn an hear his beautiful clean tone, steady rythm, perfect ornamentation. Don't get me wrong, I love that style of piping, I love Liam O'Flynn. But don't you feel yourself nodding off
I love listening to solo pipers in real life but never much care to listen to them on records. Maybe it's because there is no 'space' in piping, with the continual drone, it just feels a bit oppressive coming out of the speakers. But if I was to put on a piping record it might well be Finbar Furey, he plays with such exuberance, or it might be Leo Rowsome, I love the way he used the regulators (Why are they called regulators?). Listening to pipers within the context of a band is a different matter, but I wouldn't feel qualified to sat whether Liam O'Flynn was better than Paddy Keenan or indeed Cillian Vallely.
I'm looking forward to hearing all these people that I haven't heard before... and more Paddy Keenan too - I've been listening to his new CD non-stop. (if anyone can help to elucidate on the last 2 tunes of that album, please add to the Long Grazing Acre thread in Recordings/Comments.)
Anyone have anything to say on Ronan Browne? Or Davy Spillane? It was Davy Spillane that got me interested in the first place, his Atlantic Bridge album is still a favourite, probably 15 years (ow!!) after I first heard it.
Davy Spillane may be a great piper, but what I have heard of him on recordings leaves me cold. I have a lovely tape of Ronan Browne with fiddle/flute player Peter O'Loughlin, playing old-style West clare music, on a B set of pipes, with the fiddle tuned down to match. If there is one style of piping I prefer, it is the slow, laid-back Clare style, rather than the fast, furious and, to my ears, rather mechanical style, which there seems to be a lot of nowadays.
I went to see Finbar Furey several years ago and was sorely disappointed. He played mostly what seemed to me to be middle-of-the-road Country songs. He got his pipes out for a short instrumental set, in which he did some showing off, played The Loansome Boatman on the whistle, then went back to his guitar.
If you're referring to the classic "South West Wind" album, then you'll be pleased to know that Ronan and Peter have got together again to make another classic "Touch Me If You Dare". A very generous album (23 tracks). They're joined by Maeve Donnelly (formerly of Moving Cloud and just released a great solo album on her own label) on fiddle and the accompanist of choice for the discerning, Geraldine Cotter, on piano.
I'll stick a track listing up in the recordings section here if it's not there already!
Both those Ronan Browne albums, plus 'The Wynd you Know', are on my CDs-to-buy-when-I'm-not-quite-so-skint list. I read a great review of the Wynd You Know on mustrad, and I really can't wait to hear it.
He played a heart-stopping slow air (maybe the Wild Geese?) on the TV programme River of Sound, which is all I've heard by him so far, but it's absolute magic.
David, I know poor old finbar can be dissapointing, all that country nonsense. But, as he says, it pays the bills. Do try to get a copy of the "tommorrow we part" album though. You'll love the tracks with the flat set. He really makes that slow steady thing sing
Davy Spillan? I love the sound of the unison pipes on the storm. But usually its just a bit too technical. And one of the things that neally made me vomit was his blues on the pipes. Blimey, what a din
As I said, there's a piper for everyone, and if a piper happens to play in a style that you like, well, talk about connections. I quite liked the Davy Spillane/Kevin Glackin recording, I thought it very good. Passion, you know, is where you find it, and just as well or imagine how overpopulated we'd be now.
In the past i used to be irritated by the sustained sounds made by the drones and assorted plumbing, but as i get more and more into Irish music, i wish that more pipers would use the whole instrument. Not necessarily in a session, but a uillean pipes solo with the drones and regulators going is a gorgeous thing, almost like a pipe organ solo.
Actually, if the piper has a full set, I quite like having the fullness of the sound with the regulators and all. I'm not so crazy about pipers who leave their drones on for everything, especially if there are accompanists around, but someone who can work their regulators (which, by the way, are so called, I believe, because they regulate the pitch, yes, you pipers?) well is a fab addition to a session, to me, anyway.
In the eight years of playing pipes and reading all I can find, no one has offered any provable reason for why they are called regulators, nor indeed why sometimes they are called uilleann and other time elbow. The one english name that makes sense is elbow, but then all pipes use one elbow to create a steady pressure on the bag/reed. It all is part of the mystery of the instrument.
Finbar and Joe McKenna are the two pipers whose music is playing a lot on my sound system this past month. Both for their wild, play with abandon style, supplemented with lots of regulators and in the case of Joe, no guitars backing him, disrupting the use of drone and regs. Joe is sometime joined by his wife, playing a very tastefull harp. Their recordings were all done in the 70's on those large black disks. I do not think that they have been rereleased in modern formats.
You have got to hear Finbars playing of Madame Bonaparte and Joes version of The Contradiction Reel. They are just so exuberant, with regulator blasting. Variants abound, particularly with the Madame Bonaparte. The only problem is both of the guys are pretty unsteady players, speeding up and slowing down, or sometimes like Bonaparte, just getting faster and faster and faster, pretty breathless playing.
Right now the favored piping style is controlled playing, Liam being a wonderful example. When I talk to other pipers about style, everyone seems to want it all in a nice package, guitar, fiddle and all. There is very little interest in pure piping. Paddy Keenan is an excellent example, ever see him in a public performance without one or more accompaniast to hide behind? I'd love to hear him solo...
Hey Mike! I might be out to visit family for a wedding next spring, maybe I can make it up to your place for once for some tunes. Anyway, "uilleann" means "elbow" in Irish gaelic. So the names are more or less interchangeable. Or so I've been told by Irish speakers.
Paddy is a lovely solo player. But he does like having an accompanist for performances, mainly, I think, because Paddy Keenan is actually very very *very* shy -- it's my understanding that performing isn't his favorite thing and he's rather uncomfortable being in front of large groups of people, playing or speaking. He's always very very careful to make sure that his accompanists get lots of recognition and goes out of his way in interviews to talk up their abilities and is anxious that they get what he considers their due.
Ronan Browne is much overlooked in his talent. He is actually an incredible piper. His traditional works with Cran and his not so traditional works with Afro Celt Sound System are a testament to his versatility. BTW, Liam O'Flynn is on Afro Celt's Vol. 3 album. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? You go boy!
When I saw Paddy Keenan at the Hammersmith Irish Centre last year, he had a guitarist accomanying him - and a good one at that - but he was turned up so loud, he was drowning out the pipes half of the time.
There are loads of brilliant pipers and I will only be able to think of a small handfull of them.
Mick O'Brien is great, his cd May Morning Dew is very melodic and not too busy and has a lovely selection of tunes on it, very listenable, even to non piping aficionados.
Jimmy O'Brien Moran is great to listen to also, with a light sound, not too heavy, and a nice choice of pieces on his cd Sean Reid's Favourite.
Tommy Keane is a lovely player and is always very llistenable, his cd with his wife, Jacqueline McCarthy, The Wind Among the Reeds is beautiful.
Then there are the real blazing solo pipers like Robbie Hannan who has a solo cd as well as a duet one with Paddy Glakin, wild, fast and full music. Also Sean Potts who has a solo cd out now. Neil Mulligan is also brilliant.
Of course the old pipers are great, the likes of Seamus Ennis, Tommy Reck, Willie Clancy, Leo Rowsome, there are loads of them if you care to look, though being a rare pastime, it can be difficult to find material.
As with any instrument, it is almost always better live.
My favourite pipers would have to be Paddy O'Hare, Francis Mcpeake III, Francis Mcpeake IV, Paddy Kennan, John Mcsherry, Francis Mcllduff, Davy Spilliane. the list goes on there are so many brilliant pipers out there.
I would say your favourite piper depends on two things - how far on you are in learning the pipes (if your a piper) and what mood your in. Liam O'Flynn was my first coz of his lyricism. You can really hear and appreciate the beauty of the melody coz he doesn't play at a mental speed - (which also gives him the opportunity to put in class ornaments). John McSherry is another one because of his technique - with Donal O'Connor in First Light he sound so crisp and bright (class arrangements and variations to their tunes too). Tiarnán Ó Duinnachinn is one i've just recently heard - check out his album with Stephanie Makem called Ceol is Píob - amazing tunes he sounds very like paddy kennan with the E and Back D triplets as does the chanter itself!! Suppose we could go on forever as every name mentioned would be in my collection - whatever mood your in i suppose is the best piper!
Also, its worth remembering what the music is for and about!! This perception can really affect people's choice in musicians. In my opinion It is dance music after all and therefore should "not" really be played a lightning speed!! (hate using the word "not" when it comes to talking about a tradition). Some pipers do play far too fast though just for show and as a consequence the music misses ornaments and the regulators - i find that only a few can manage to avoid this a fast speed! Being showy and over the top, as most Irish musicians will say, is not in the nature of the tradition! I've even heard beautiful slow airs butchered by pipers who shove in 500 ornaments to a bar and improvise over constant arpeggios and scales as if it were jazz!! yuk
Lovely stuff - I think Ive just realised that I like all northern style music, my favourite pipe players are John McS, Jarleth and Cillian Vallely, my favourite bodhran style is top end and I like crazy tunes which they have a tendancy to play in belfast - interesting - Ive never made the connection before.
Does anybody know how I may contact Francis McPeake IV. I have been trying to contact him for some time now, off of the email given to me off of the McPeake Music School, and have had no success. I know that they have closed their doors, and he may not be receiving my emails at all.
Any help would be appreciated.
Please reply to morganetnyre@yahoo.com
Favourite pipers
Favourite pipers
Who are your favourite pipers, and why? I'm not really familiar with enough pipers at this point, to state who my favourites are, but the sound has really got under my skin lately, after a long incubation period... I'm curious to hear recommendations.
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by Nell
Re: Favourite pipers
Hands down, Jerry O'Sullivan. I think Jerry is so unique because he is able to play a variety of different styles on the pipes. "The Gift" cd even showcases the pipes in three Bach pieces. Jerry is an excellent piper in both technique and phrasing.
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by SPeak
Re: Favourite pipers
I love the musicality of Liam O'Flynn, Jerry O'Sullivan is wonderful in so many ways, Kieran O'Hare is my favorite of the young up-and-coming hot-shots, sitting on his lawn and listening to Kirk Lynch talk is wonderful (as well as listening to his airs), and Eoin O'Riabhaigh is hands down the funniest of the pipers I've met, both in his personality and the humor he brings to his music (as well as being a damned fine piper, of course). Paddy Keenan, of course, goes without saying -- his ability to take all of the influences he loves and take it into his piping is legendary, and his sound truly underpinned the Bothies.
All the pipers, like all players, have different wonderful things about their playing. I can't truly say I have a single favorite piper any more than I can say I've a single favorite fiddler!
Zina
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by Zina Lee
Re: Favourite pipers
Finbar Fury is the most amazing. There's an album he did with Scottish guy, Bob Stewart, called tommorrow we part which is absolutly amazing. The flat set sets are particularly beautiful.
And he is also the most powerfull player. Listen to him playing the regulaters in the second octave. He can only do this because of a really hard read in the chanter. Brilliant
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by ...
Re: Favourite pipers
Anthony Santoro! He's a young and upcoming Irish Piper from Burlington Vermont. He'll start recording his first CD this fall. Watch out for this guy!
I also love Liam O, Jerry O, Brian McNamara, Benedict Kohler & Paddy Keenan of course! The pipes are so amazing!
Joyce
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by JMH
Re: Favourite pipers
I was going to say Paddy Keenan and the piper in the Bothy band, then i realized, it's all Paddy Keenan!
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by glauber
Re: Favourite pipers
Except peter brown did some gigs with the bothy band. Not so good
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by ...
Re: Favourite pipers
Paddy Keenan, of course, but there was this young guy (I think it was John O'Brien) who played at the Celtic Fest in Chicago who was amazing, really incredible. Definitely got into the zone, and pulled in the audience as well. He packed the tent and got standing ovations. He said he didn't have any CDs out yet, but he's another one to watch.
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by chicagofiddler
Re: Favourite pipers
Keep an eye out for Martin Nolan and Leo Rickard.
And the word on the streets is that Cillian Vallely is set to give some of the old hands something to think about!
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by Aidan Crossey
Re: Favourite pipers
Cillian is playing with his brother, Niall, this Saturday night at the Unitarian Church (across from library on Main St) in Montpelier, VT at 8:00. Not much for advertisements....should be a fun show...
Oh yeah, how could I forget Seamus Ennis!
Joyce
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by JMH
Re: Favourite pipers
I love that story about when Seamus Enis got a recording contract from the BBC in the 70's. It was a three album deal and he signed it in the morning, then went into the studio in the afternoon and recorded all three albums, one after the other, in a single take. They're pretty ropey and out of tune and that, but hey, that's Seamus Enis for you
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by ...
Re: Favourite pipers
I agree with Michael Gill, it has to be Finbar Furey.
I've seen him a few times now both with and withouy his brothers, and his playing is incredible. If you want to hear the pipes played with passion, this is the man.
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by Casey
Re: Favourite pipers
Finbar is such a great beast of bloke. I just love the way there is nothing prissy about his playing. You can listen to Liam O'flynn an hear his beautiful clean tone, steady rythm, perfect ornamentation. Don't get me wrong, I love that style of piping, I love Liam O'Flynn. But don't you feel yourself nodding off
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by ...
Re: Favourite pipers
I love listening to solo pipers in real life but never much care to listen to them on records. Maybe it's because there is no 'space' in piping, with the continual drone, it just feels a bit oppressive coming out of the speakers. But if I was to put on a piping record it might well be Finbar Furey, he plays with such exuberance, or it might be Leo Rowsome, I love the way he used the regulators (Why are they called regulators?). Listening to pipers within the context of a band is a different matter, but I wouldn't feel qualified to sat whether Liam O'Flynn was better than Paddy Keenan or indeed Cillian Vallely.
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by Ottery
Re: Favourite pipers
I'm looking forward to hearing all these people that I haven't heard before... and more Paddy Keenan too - I've been listening to his new CD non-stop. (if anyone can help to elucidate on the last 2 tunes of that album, please add to the Long Grazing Acre thread in Recordings/Comments.)
Anyone have anything to say on Ronan Browne? Or Davy Spillane? It was Davy Spillane that got me interested in the first place, his Atlantic Bridge album is still a favourite, probably 15 years (ow!!) after I first heard it.
# Posted on October 3rd 2002 by Nell
Re: Favourite pipers
Davy Spillane may be a great piper, but what I have heard of him on recordings leaves me cold. I have a lovely tape of Ronan Browne with fiddle/flute player Peter O'Loughlin, playing old-style West clare music, on a B set of pipes, with the fiddle tuned down to match. If there is one style of piping I prefer, it is the slow, laid-back Clare style, rather than the fast, furious and, to my ears, rather mechanical style, which there seems to be a lot of nowadays.
I went to see Finbar Furey several years ago and was sorely disappointed. He played mostly what seemed to me to be middle-of-the-road Country songs. He got his pipes out for a short instrumental set, in which he did some showing off, played The Loansome Boatman on the whistle, then went back to his guitar.
# Posted on October 4th 2002 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Browne & O'Loughlin
David,
If you're referring to the classic "South West Wind" album, then you'll be pleased to know that Ronan and Peter have got together again to make another classic "Touch Me If You Dare". A very generous album (23 tracks). They're joined by Maeve Donnelly (formerly of Moving Cloud and just released a great solo album on her own label) on fiddle and the accompanist of choice for the discerning, Geraldine Cotter, on piano.
I'll stick a track listing up in the recordings section here if it's not there already!
# Posted on October 4th 2002 by Aidan Crossey
Re: Favourite pipers
Both those Ronan Browne albums, plus 'The Wynd you Know', are on my CDs-to-buy-when-I'm-not-quite-so-skint list. I read a great review of the Wynd You Know on mustrad, and I really can't wait to hear it.
He played a heart-stopping slow air (maybe the Wild Geese?) on the TV programme River of Sound, which is all I've heard by him so far, but it's absolute magic.
# Posted on October 4th 2002 by Nell
Re: Favourite pipers
David, I know poor old finbar can be dissapointing, all that country nonsense. But, as he says, it pays the bills. Do try to get a copy of the "tommorrow we part" album though. You'll love the tracks with the flat set. He really makes that slow steady thing sing
Davy Spillan? I love the sound of the unison pipes on the storm. But usually its just a bit too technical. And one of the things that neally made me vomit was his blues on the pipes. Blimey, what a din
# Posted on October 4th 2002 by ...
Re: Favourite pipers
As I said, there's a piper for everyone, and if a piper happens to play in a style that you like, well, talk about connections. I quite liked the Davy Spillane/Kevin Glackin recording, I thought it very good. Passion, you know, is where you find it, and just as well or imagine how overpopulated we'd be now.
# Posted on October 4th 2002 by Zina Lee
Re: Favourite pipers
In the past i used to be irritated by the sustained sounds made by the drones and assorted plumbing, but as i get more and more into Irish music, i wish that more pipers would use the whole instrument. Not necessarily in a session, but a uillean pipes solo with the drones and regulators going is a gorgeous thing, almost like a pipe organ solo.
# Posted on October 4th 2002 by glauber
Re: Favourite pipers
Actually, if the piper has a full set, I quite like having the fullness of the sound with the regulators and all. I'm not so crazy about pipers who leave their drones on for everything, especially if there are accompanists around, but someone who can work their regulators (which, by the way, are so called, I believe, because they regulate the pitch, yes, you pipers?) well is a fab addition to a session, to me, anyway.
# Posted on October 4th 2002 by Zina Lee
Re: Favourite pipers
Yeah, depending on how many box players are there, trying to do more or less the same kinds of sounds with their left-hand buttons.
# Posted on October 4th 2002 by glauber
Re: Favourite pipers
In the eight years of playing pipes and reading all I can find, no one has offered any provable reason for why they are called regulators, nor indeed why sometimes they are called uilleann and other time elbow. The one english name that makes sense is elbow, but then all pipes use one elbow to create a steady pressure on the bag/reed. It all is part of the mystery of the instrument.
Finbar and Joe McKenna are the two pipers whose music is playing a lot on my sound system this past month. Both for their wild, play with abandon style, supplemented with lots of regulators and in the case of Joe, no guitars backing him, disrupting the use of drone and regs. Joe is sometime joined by his wife, playing a very tastefull harp. Their recordings were all done in the 70's on those large black disks. I do not think that they have been rereleased in modern formats.
You have got to hear Finbars playing of Madame Bonaparte and Joes version of The Contradiction Reel. They are just so exuberant, with regulator blasting. Variants abound, particularly with the Madame Bonaparte. The only problem is both of the guys are pretty unsteady players, speeding up and slowing down, or sometimes like Bonaparte, just getting faster and faster and faster, pretty breathless playing.
Right now the favored piping style is controlled playing, Liam being a wonderful example. When I talk to other pipers about style, everyone seems to want it all in a nice package, guitar, fiddle and all. There is very little interest in pure piping. Paddy Keenan is an excellent example, ever see him in a public performance without one or more accompaniast to hide behind? I'd love to hear him solo...
# Posted on October 6th 2002 by unionpiper
Re: Favourite pipers
Hey Mike! I might be out to visit family for a wedding next spring, maybe I can make it up to your place for once for some tunes. Anyway, "uilleann" means "elbow" in Irish gaelic. So the names are more or less interchangeable. Or so I've been told by Irish speakers.
Paddy is a lovely solo player. But he does like having an accompanist for performances, mainly, I think, because Paddy Keenan is actually very very *very* shy -- it's my understanding that performing isn't his favorite thing and he's rather uncomfortable being in front of large groups of people, playing or speaking. He's always very very careful to make sure that his accompanists get lots of recognition and goes out of his way in interviews to talk up their abilities and is anxious that they get what he considers their due.
# Posted on October 6th 2002 by Zina Lee
Re: Favourite pipers
Ronan Browne is much overlooked in his talent. He is actually an incredible piper. His traditional works with Cran and his not so traditional works with Afro Celt Sound System are a testament to his versatility. BTW, Liam O'Flynn is on Afro Celt's Vol. 3 album. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? You go boy!
# Posted on October 6th 2002 by SPeak
Re: Favourite pipers
I've got this music dictionary that defines the regulators as "tunable drones". Pipers hate that. ho ho
# Posted on October 6th 2002 by ...
Re: Favourite pipers
When I saw Paddy Keenan at the Hammersmith Irish Centre last year, he had a guitarist accomanying him - and a good one at that - but he was turned up so loud, he was drowning out the pipes half of the time.
# Posted on October 7th 2002 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Favourite pipers
There are loads of brilliant pipers and I will only be able to think of a small handfull of them.
Mick O'Brien is great, his cd May Morning Dew is very melodic and not too busy and has a lovely selection of tunes on it, very listenable, even to non piping aficionados.
Jimmy O'Brien Moran is great to listen to also, with a light sound, not too heavy, and a nice choice of pieces on his cd Sean Reid's Favourite.
Tommy Keane is a lovely player and is always very llistenable, his cd with his wife, Jacqueline McCarthy, The Wind Among the Reeds is beautiful.
Then there are the real blazing solo pipers like Robbie Hannan who has a solo cd as well as a duet one with Paddy Glakin, wild, fast and full music. Also Sean Potts who has a solo cd out now. Neil Mulligan is also brilliant.
Of course the old pipers are great, the likes of Seamus Ennis, Tommy Reck, Willie Clancy, Leo Rowsome, there are loads of them if you care to look, though being a rare pastime, it can be difficult to find material.
As with any instrument, it is almost always better live.
# Posted on October 8th 2002 by geb
Re: Favourite pipers
almost always?
Where did you get the "almost" from?
# Posted on October 8th 2002 by ...
Re: Favourite pipers
My favourite pipers would have to be Paddy O'Hare, Francis Mcpeake III, Francis Mcpeake IV, Paddy Kennan, John Mcsherry, Francis Mcllduff, Davy Spilliane. the list goes on there are so many brilliant pipers out there.
# Posted on August 5th 2007 by murlach
Re: Favourite pipers
My top 3 pipers of All-Time have to be: Davy Spillane, John McSherry, Liam O'Flynn
My top 3 best for the future have to be: Tyler Duncan (USA), Jarleth Henderson, Ryan Murphy.
They're a bit more contemporary then most and are reaching new heights with a limited instrument. Excellent performers.
# Posted on July 8th 2008 by byheck
Re: Favourite pipers
I would say your favourite piper depends on two things - how far on you are in learning the pipes (if your a piper) and what mood your in. Liam O'Flynn was my first coz of his lyricism. You can really hear and appreciate the beauty of the melody coz he doesn't play at a mental speed - (which also gives him the opportunity to put in class ornaments). John McSherry is another one because of his technique - with Donal O'Connor in First Light he sound so crisp and bright (class arrangements and variations to their tunes too). Tiarnán Ó Duinnachinn is one i've just recently heard - check out his album with Stephanie Makem called Ceol is Píob - amazing tunes he sounds very like paddy kennan with the E and Back D triplets as does the chanter itself!! Suppose we could go on forever as every name mentioned would be in my collection - whatever mood your in i suppose is the best piper!
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by DeckyPipes
Re: Favourite pipers
sorry for the terrible spelling - i meant Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by DeckyPipes
Re: Favourite pipers
Also, its worth remembering what the music is for and about!! This perception can really affect people's choice in musicians. In my opinion It is dance music after all and therefore should "not" really be played a lightning speed!! (hate using the word "not" when it comes to talking about a tradition). Some pipers do play far too fast though just for show and as a consequence the music misses ornaments and the regulators - i find that only a few can manage to avoid this a fast speed! Being showy and over the top, as most Irish musicians will say, is not in the nature of the tradition! I've even heard beautiful slow airs butchered by pipers who shove in 500 ornaments to a bar and improvise over constant arpeggios and scales as if it were jazz!! yuk
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by DeckyPipes
Re: Favourite pipers
Here's some class piping by Paddy O'Hare in a Belfast bar if anyone is interested!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_khsMrI65R0
Francis Mcllduff is also there and i the guitarist Stevie Dunn and the Bodhrán player is Tomaí Taylor
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by DeckyPipes
Re: Favourite pipers
Lovely stuff - I think Ive just realised that I like all northern style music, my favourite pipe players are John McS, Jarleth and Cillian Vallely, my favourite bodhran style is top end and I like crazy tunes which they have a tendancy to play in belfast - interesting - Ive never made the connection before.
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by bb
Re: Favourite pipers
Does anybody know how I may contact Francis McPeake IV. I have been trying to contact him for some time now, off of the email given to me off of the McPeake Music School, and have had no success. I know that they have closed their doors, and he may not be receiving my emails at all.
Any help would be appreciated.
Please reply to morganetnyre@yahoo.com
# Posted on April 6th 2010 by Morgan Flynn Etnyre