This is my favourite Flute album at the moment (just bought it recently). It's a re-release of an older recording plus some new tracks. I really enjoy hearing Hammy play his own compositions "The Woodcock" and "The Kerfunten". He is joined by fiddler Connie Conell, concertina player Peadar O Riada and flute player Paul McGrattan on some of the tracks.
I've heard a lot about Hammy but I've never had the pleasure of hearing him yet. I'll have to pick up this recording, the tunes look good & I've heard nothing but good stuff about him so it sounds like a safe bet.
PS. Did Hammy write the "House on the Hill"? If so I'd get a kick out of it because a friend of mine said, "a flute player wouldn't ever write a tune in A" I'd like to make him eat his words if so.
I don't think he wrote "House on the Hill".The booklet gives "The Woodcock", "The Kerfunten" and "Sarah's Reel" as Hammy Hamilton's compositions and "The Torn Jacket" as Connie Conell's. All the others are traditional. Sorry - but if I ever come across a tune in "A" that is written by a flute player I'll let you know!
I just got my copy (bought it from the Knotted Chord, in Ireland). What a delightful CD! It's already becoming one of my favourite flute CDs too. Hammy is a master of the unpretentious sound, very precise, with no showyness. The tracks where he plays with Paul McGrattan (another flute player) are amazing.
As Glauber wrote there are some great flute duet tracks on this recording. But Hammy Hamilton made a serious mistake in the identification of a tune. The second tune on the track 5 is not "The House on the Hill" but actually "Miss Thornton's." Why serious? Because Paul McGrattan recorded it as "The House on the Hill," and Norbeck transcribed it with that name! P. McGrattan's album predates H. Hamilton's, but P. McGrattan clearly states he learned it from H. Hamilton.
"The House Band" have Joe Thoma as composer of "The House On The Hill". Joe is a fiddle player who last I heard was living in Kenmare.
So it wasn't composed by a flute player.
I'd been avoiding this recording for several reasons, and I confess, some of them are silly, but have their reasons, justifications and proofs. Among these are -
* The number of compositions, including the self-composed, by Hammy Hamilton = 3 - not excessive
* That weird first track slapping a 32 bar barndance, "If There Weren't Any Women in the World" together with a 16 bar highland fling, "Moneymusk" and calling them both highlands, and naming the CD after that one highland...
* Other silly problems with tune naming, aside from that mentioned already, including track 11...
* Not quite sure about his ways with the flute...
However, I finally worked past all that, in part from enjoying the recording "It's no Secret" so ~ http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/515
I broke down and saved up my pennies and recently purchased this CD. Once past track 1, and ignoring the little niggles, I found this thoroughly enjoyable and won't be giving it away. I love it and it will be a repeated enjoyment for the ears... AND - I like all three of Hammy's compositions too...
"John Brosnan: The Cook in the Kitchen" - track 3 http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/1279
"These two polkas came from Johnny O'Leary and Timmy O'Connor, two (button) accordion players from the Sliabh Luachra area." - John Brosnan
This is my favourite Flute album at the moment (just bought it recently). It's a re-release of an older recording plus some new tracks. I really enjoy hearing Hammy play his own compositions "The Woodcock" and "The Kerfunten". He is joined by fiddler Connie Conell, concertina player Peadar O Riada and flute player Paul McGrattan on some of the tracks.
# Posted on March 7th 2002 by Irina
I've heard a lot about Hammy but I've never had the pleasure of hearing him yet. I'll have to pick up this recording, the tunes look good & I've heard nothing but good stuff about him so it sounds like a safe bet.
# Posted on March 7th 2002 by B Rad
PS. Did Hammy write the "House on the Hill"? If so I'd get a kick out of it because a friend of mine said, "a flute player wouldn't ever write a tune in A" I'd like to make him eat his words if so.
# Posted on March 7th 2002 by B Rad
I don't think he wrote "House on the Hill".The booklet gives "The Woodcock", "The Kerfunten" and "Sarah's Reel" as Hammy Hamilton's compositions and "The Torn Jacket" as Connie Conell's. All the others are traditional. Sorry - but if I ever come across a tune in "A" that is written by a flute player I'll let you know!
# Posted on March 9th 2002 by Irina
Moneymusk
I just got my copy (bought it from the Knotted Chord, in Ireland). What a delightful CD! It's already becoming one of my favourite flute CDs too. Hammy is a master of the unpretentious sound, very precise, with no showyness. The tracks where he plays with Paul McGrattan (another flute player) are amazing.
# Posted on April 1st 2002 by glauber
Erratum
As Glauber wrote there are some great flute duet tracks on this recording. But Hammy Hamilton made a serious mistake in the identification of a tune. The second tune on the track 5 is not "The House on the Hill" but actually "Miss Thornton's." Why serious? Because Paul McGrattan recorded it as "The House on the Hill," and Norbeck transcribed it with that name! P. McGrattan's album predates H. Hamilton's, but P. McGrattan clearly states he learned it from H. Hamilton.
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by slainte
Joe Thoma's composition
"The House Band" have Joe Thoma as composer of "The House On The Hill". Joe is a fiddle player who last I heard was living in Kenmare.
So it wasn't composed by a flute player.
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Kenny
IT'S NOT "HOUSE ON THE HILL" !!!!!!!!
Track 5 - tune 2 of 2
It is as slainte has said, "Miss Thornton's"
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/744
# Posted on November 30th 2011 by ceolachan
Dear Miss Thornton, bless her...
I'd been avoiding this recording for several reasons, and I confess, some of them are silly, but have their reasons, justifications and proofs. Among these are -
* The number of compositions, including the self-composed, by Hammy Hamilton = 3 - not excessive
* That weird first track slapping a 32 bar barndance, "If There Weren't Any Women in the World" together with a 16 bar highland fling, "Moneymusk" and calling them both highlands, and naming the CD after that one highland...
* Other silly problems with tune naming, aside from that mentioned already, including track 11...
* Not quite sure about his ways with the flute...
However, I finally worked past all that, in part from enjoying the recording "It's no Secret" so ~
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/515
I broke down and saved up my pennies and recently purchased this CD. Once past track 1, and ignoring the little niggles, I found this thoroughly enjoyable and won't be giving it away. I love it and it will be a repeated enjoyment for the ears... AND - I like all three of Hammy's compositions too...
# Posted on November 30th 2011 by ceolachan
Track 11 - 2 polkas
a.) Pádraig O'Keeffe's / John Clifford's / Johnny O'Leary's / John Brosnan's -
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/4824
b.) Johnny O'Leary's / The Brosna / The Newmarket / John Brosnan's - all 3 parts - in the database twice:
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/3835/comments
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/4430
This set can also be found here:
"John Brosnan: The Cook in the Kitchen" - track 3
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/1279
"These two polkas came from Johnny O'Leary and Timmy O'Connor, two (button) accordion players from the Sliabh Luachra area." - John Brosnan
# Posted on November 30th 2011 by ceolachan
Hammy Hamilton Flutes
http://hamiltonflutes.com/Welcome.html
# Posted on November 30th 2011 by ceolachan
& Publications
"The Irish Flute Player's Handbook" - updated & improved, with CD
http://hamiltonflutes.com/The_Irish_Flute_Players_Handbook.html
DVD: "Wooden Flute Maintenance"
http://hamiltonflutes.com/DVD-ROM.html
# Posted on November 30th 2011 by ceolachan