(updated January 2nd 2004)
I am 45 years old and live in Cologne Germany with my wife and her 9 1/2 year old daughter
The first time I came across Irish folk was back in the 70s when I was about 17 years old. I was absolutely impressed by Finbar Furey playing whistles and the pipes.
I bought a cheapy whistle and started a bit all by myself. It was not too hard since I knew a little bit about playing a recorder. Only I quite missed the keyed notes (being spoilöed from the recorder with all it's cross-fingerings) so about a year later I started with a silver-flute. In the years after I just played sometimes for myself.... and wasted a lot of time ...
;-)
A few years ago (maybe in 2000) a collegue of mine mentioned that he had a low whistle (low D) and he let me try it for a weekend. This was kind of a starting point for my second trial on Irish Traditional Music and I was sure I had to buy my own.
Finally got one late in 2001 ... crazy enough to start with an Overtone low-b-flat made by Colin Goldie (since it was available with no waiting time).
Surprisingly enough I was very sattisfied and got along with it from the beginning although it did hurt my hands for a couple of days.
;-))
In the meantime I have bought a low d for me and high d and b flat for my wife to play together.
Colin's whistles have a very good sound and are quite easy to play throughout both octaves soI am sure I will stick with them.
My dream though has been and still is learning to play the Uilleann pipes....
So in fall 2002 - encouraged by my latest experience with the low whistles - I contacted Tom Kannmacher, a known German piper and teacher, started to take lessons and a couple of weeks later bought my first practice set.
Last summer (2003) I was lucky to buy a Half Set made by Charles Roberts and just go on practising ...
;-))))
When I met Charles during a trip to Ireland in October 2003 I was quite impressed by his work and all the nice pieces he was working on in his workshop. So I was crazy enough at the end of the year to order a flat-chanter (b-flat) from him which I hope will be the starting point for 'my instrument' for the future.
Now I can hardly wait for August 2004 when I will go to Sligo and pick it up.
Tunes in low b flat's tunebook: 287
| The Wild Keys | Mikie Smyth | February 1st 2006 |
| May Morning Dew | Mick O' Brien | May 6th 2005 |
| Discussions | Re: A Whistles | November 30th 2008 |
| Discussions | Re: Bernard Overton R.I.P. 1930 - 2008 | June 24th 2008 |
| Tunes | January 7th 2008 | |
| Recordings | February 1st 2006 | |
| Recordings | Very nice CD by Mikie Smyth not only for Uilleann Pipes enthusiasts | February 1st 2006 |