[NSP] Re: March 2012 TOTM: Adam a Bell selected by Julia Say
-Original Message- From: brimor bri...@aol.com To: theborderpiper theborderpi...@googlemail.com Sent: Wed, Feb 29, 2012 3:48 pm Subject: Re: [NSP] Re: March 2012 TOTM: Adam a Bell selected by Julia Say It certainly is also useful to read in G and play in F, if you are a fiddler and want to play along with NSP F chanters and, as Matt says, the more you do it the easier it becomes. Sheila -Original Message- From: Matt Seattle theborderpi...@googlemail.com To: Dartmouth NPS nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Wed, Feb 29, 2012 9:47 am Subject: [NSP] Re: March 2012 TOTM: Adam a Bell selected by Julia Say On Wed, Feb 29, 2012 at 2:21 PM, Dave S [1]david...@pt.lu wrote: Reading in F and playing in G is also very worthwhile -- all the renaissance and boaroque dance music --- In my not necessarily humble opinion, transposing at sight is a useful skill for any piper curious to look beyond the confines of a single tradition, given that the nominal pitch of the 6-finger note is a movable feast. As with any other skill, you get better the more you do it. -- References 1. mailto:david...@pt.lu o get on or off this list see list information at ttp://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Alice Burn Emily Hoile
I seem to be unable to pick up any of the several slots, those with Alice and those of Emily alone. Is anyone else having the same probl;em? Can anyone suggest a way of seeing and hearing them? Sheila -Original Message- From: Francis Wood oatenp...@googlemail.com To: Anthony Robb anth...@robbpipes.com Cc: Dartmouth NPS nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Fri, Sep 16, 2011 5:07 am Subject: [NSP] Re: Alice Burn Emily Hoile Good result, Anthony! This lovely item can be heard for the next 6 days at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014fj7j Emily and Alice's slot is at 1.09 Francis n 13 Sep 2011, at 22:58, Anthony Robb wrote: Some might be interested to know I sent a couple of tracks recorded recently by Emily Alice down to Radio 3. The response has been very positive and as a result they will be playing on this week's 'In Tune' (Thurs 15 Sept. 16:30 - 18:30 local time). Anthony -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead
In our search for the correct way to play a piece, I think that we are all overlooking the point that composers tend to make minor (occasionally major) alterations in a lot of their pieces (embellishments, dynamics and even notes and whole phrases) each time they perform, depending on their mood, the location, the time of day, the type of audience, the level of skill and musicianship of the performers (if it is an ensemble piece), etc. This is certainly true of many of the contemporary composers we know, and looking at the various revisions of the older masters was obviously also the case with them. This is referring not to the correct way to play the Northumbrian Small Pipes, which has been one of the subjects under discussion, but to the interpretation - for want of a better word - of written music. As a composer myself, I know only too well that it is impossible to indicate one's intentions on paper and have been amazed - occasionally horrified, sometimes delighted - at performances of same piece. Sheila -Original Message- From: Christopher.Birch christopher.bi...@ec.europa.eu To: cwhill cwh...@santa-fe.freeserve.co.uk; nsp nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Fri, Jun 24, 2011 4:35 am Subject: [NSP] Re: Deaf/dead If Beethoven were alive today and could hear (:)), would he have recognised his compositions as played I'm very sure he would have recognised the pieces but he might have thought eople had a very funny way of playing them. Though I did once hear a recording of piece by Palestrina that I had actually ung myself and failed to recognise it. his was the choir of the Sistine Chapel around 1935 with masses of vibrato, oor tuning in general and rubato all over the shop. I also once heard a local choir singing three pieces - one by Haydn, one by ruckner and one by Britten, and I couldn't tell which was which. And I once failed to recognise that a rock band had played Little Wing in one of heir sets. But I don't think it's this kind of gross inaccuracy that we're talking about. B To get on or off this list see list information at ttp://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: Esoteric tuning relationships
Hi Chris, I am sure that you will be finding Anthony Robb's suggestions most helpful. He is a most practical person as well as being a very good player. No doubt you have his two CDs, Windy Gyle and Force 6 I don't know what other instruments you play. At some point I think you said something to the effect that everyone else uses the tempered scale, who don't the NSP? Perhaps you are aware that really good string and wind players, when playing in small ensembles, definitely alter the pitch of certain notes when playing together? I well remember one rehearsal session where one of the players was obviously not as sensitive as the others and could not get his note in tune for the final chord. He kept on insisting that he was playing exactly the same B as he had in the chord at the beginning of the piece. The rest of us immediately said, That is the problem. In the first chord your B was the fifth in the E minor chord, and at the end it is the 3rd of the G major chord. Likewise, when playing the Northumbrian pipes with really good violinists who will, of course, have tuned their violins to the NSP G (i.e. concert F or G depending on which chanter is being used) because that is a better note to tune to than the traditional A - especially if most of the tunes to be played will be in G, you will notice that these violinists will frequently not use an open string A or E when playing along with you, because it would sound out of tune. If you have listened to some of the recordings made with Nsp and fiddles playing in unison you will notice that some sound great but others hurt your ears and make you shudder. When you listen to really good a capella (unaccompanied) small vocal ensembles such as the King's Singers you are struck by the perfection of their harmonies. Perhaps other people disagree with me and this will stir up a hornet's nest. It is just my personal thoughts on the subject and i don't claim to be an expert. Sheila -Original Message- From: Christopher Gregg chrisdgr...@gmail.com To: nsp nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Fri, Feb 4, 2011 11:13 pm Subject: [NSP] Re: Esoteric tuning relationships So that is why my pipes always sound out of tune, and I thought it was just poor musicianship on my part! I have just checked out the deviation on my pipes with a tuner on my Iphone. Very interesting results.I offset the tuner to A398, so that the needle would hold still on the G. I did not use a mamoneter and I rounded out the notes to the nearest five cents. There was some correlation with Mike Nelson's chart, but also some serious differences. The b above g was approx ten cents flat, the upper B more than 25 cents flat. The upper A is 20 cents sharp, which explains why the B always sounds so flat and I try and compensate with the bag. Now my e and f#s are both on the sharp side which is the opposite to Mikes chart. I can see that I need a new chanter, but my question is, why not use equal temperament Now I can see why the fifths on the drones should be tuned pure, but in equal temperament the fifth would only beat one time in two and a half seconds, which is hardly noticeable. Is it so bad to have a little beating on the third and sixth with the drones? It is not like we can play chords on the chanter, unless it is with another set of pipes. Every one else in the world pretty well plays to equal temperament and also use tuning machines to verify their results. I am aware of perfect pitch but never having just intonation. That is very interesting. The whole tuning thing is a bit of a quagmire, and as a solo instrument it is not a problem, but I would like to know how people get around it in recording sessions. Chris Gregg -- Forwarded message -- From: [1]christopher.bi...@ec.europa.eu Date: Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 2:40 AM Subject: [NSP] Re: Esoteric tuning relationships To: [2]rich...@lizards.force9.co.uk, [3]nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Btw, Rob Say's nsp simulator is in equal temperament. I've discussed this with him and he agrees that it's less than ideal but it's neverthless a good starting point for beginners - which was what is was intended to be. When it tells you that, for example, the G and D drones are in tune, the d is still slightly (2 cents) flat relative to the G, but the just increment is not available - next click and it's sharp. Add the B on the chanter to the in tune fifth and you get an equally tempered G major triad, which is OK on a percussion instrument like the piano, where inharmonicity (q.v.) is part of the basic sound anyway and the sound mercifully decays fairly rapidly, but it sounds jarring to the ears of, for example, a sensitive piper or string-player. I hope I can feel confident that Rob will not object to my taking his name in vain. Csirz P.S. Have any fiddlers/violinists out there wondered why
[NSP] Re: A 70 cent divergence
Hi Alan, In connection with the question of intonation and the perception of in-tune-ness, your quotation is very interesting. Violinists have the problem of having to decide whether to tune their A to whatever has been decided as the pitch for the ensemble with which they are playing 440, 442 or whatever the fixed instruments (piano, NSP, accordion, etc.) may determine, and then either tuning their other strings to perfect fifths - which keeps string players happiest, or tuning to an electric tuner, which uses an equal temperament scale. Last night I was listening to a recording of the Kings Singers which a friend had forwarded me via e-mail (see http://www.classicalty.com/v945/the-kings-singers-from-byrd-to-beatles ) This is a perfect example of something which is absolutely in tune and so beautifully not only harmonious, but also peaceful. It makes one realize how rarely one hears something where everyone is using just tuning, and really listening to the rest of the gang while performing.(You may not like madrigals, but you can always fast-forward to Spirituals or the Beatles.) I agree completely that vibrato can enrich music, and certainly has its place. Likewise that with pieces which include frequent modulations to different keys, especially where/when large groups of instruments are involved, the equal temperament scale is probably the best solution but, since our pipes are (supposedly . . . we hope . . .!) perfectly tuned when playing in G, and almost so in the other 3 most frequently used keys (D, Ami, Emi), a sensitive string/wind player will probably find themselves adjusting their playing to just intonation. I.e. when they are playing B when the melody/NSP is suggesting a Gmajor chord, the note will be fractionally different from when the melody/NSP requires it as the 5th for an E minor chord. That's my pennyworth. cheers, Sheila -Original Message- From: Alan Corkett a...@bcorkett.freeserve.co.uk To: gibbonssoi...@aol.com Cc: NSP LIST nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Sat, Jan 8, 2011 9:37 am Subject: [NSP] Re: A 70 cent divergence Having looked up what a cent was on wikipeadia, here is what it said about uman perception. HUMAN PERCEPTION t is difficult to establish how many cents are perceptible to humans; this ccuracy varies greatly from person to person. One author stated that humans an distinguish a difference in pitch of about 5-6 cents.[2] The threshold f what is perceptible, technically known as the just noticeable difference, lso varies as a function of the timbre of the pitch: in one study, changes n tone quality reduced student musicians' ability to recognize as ut-of-tune pitches that deviated from their appropriate values by ±12 ents.[3] It has also been established that increased tonal context enables isteners to judge pitch more accurately.[4] When listening to pitches with vibrato, there is evidence that humans erceive the mean frequency as the center of the pitch.[5] One study of ibrato in western vocal music found a variation in cents of vibrato ypically ranged between ±34 cents and ±123 cents, with a mean variation of 71 cents; the variation was much higher on Verdi opera arias.[6] Normal adults are able to recognize pitch differences of as small as 25 ents very reliably. Adults with amusia, however, have trouble recognizing ifferences of less than 100 cents and sometimes have trouble with these or arger intervals.[7] I thought this to be quite revealing! lan Corkett -Original Message- rom: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu]on ehalf Of gibbonssoi...@aol.com ent: 08 January 2011 14:04 o: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu ubject: [NSP] Re: Doublin' (Keenan Glackin) A 70 cent divergence between one set of pipes and another is alarming! More than a third of a tone in old money. We are approaching the territory of that Irish flute player I mentioned. A tactful cull of the outliers might be a good idea - 'Your pipes are more suitable for solo playing' perhaps? -- o get on or off this list see list information at ttp://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Doubleday et al
What really got me interested was the gift of Kathryn's first cassette, On Kielder Side. Wonderful music! It was given to me by friends who live on Orkney and heard her at the Orkney festival. At that point I was trying to learn to play the Highland chanter. The teacher had just received a notice from Alan Jones about the North Hero weekend (the 2nd, I think). I phoned Alan forthwith to enquire whether I would be able to borrow and try the NSP if I went. He assured me that I would - but in actual fact that did not happen! However I was so impressed by Richard Butler's playing and teaching that I ordered a set right away. Sheila -Original Message- From: Richard York rich...@lizards.force9.co.uk To: John Dally dir...@gmail.com; NSP group nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Sun, Dec 19, 2010 7:55 am Subject: [NSP] Re: Doubleday et al (I've missed a day on this, while I was daft enough to honour a gig in Hampstead: 1 hr 40 there, 7 hours 20 back. The joys of the soft south!) You're absolutely right, John. It is, to adapt an earlier comment, pointless comparing apples and potatoes. But since we've mentioned it I was going to write and comment that it's all down to so many elements of time, place, mood, etc. And before seeing yours below, was going to say that for me hearing Billy Pigg (interesting how often his name crops up in this) playing the Wild Hills of Wannie just Did It when I when I was about 18, had never even heard of Northumbrian smallpipes or any pipes other than GHB's, (as played by buskers when crossing the border on Scottish holidays) ... a seed was set, and ever since then I wanted to play these things. (Pity it took until I was in my mid 50's before actually pursuing them!) And it is enormously subjective. It's like foods, tastes vary so widely. I'm not surprised that Paddy Keenan's Blackbird is John Gibbons' defining one (quite agree!) Irish pipes, Irish tune (yes I know they're an English invention). We could go off topic and discuss which instruments do different jobs for different people - for me a one row melodeon does a fantastic job with some dance tunes, but is 'orrible even when played by a great Irish master for a slow air. But that's another big discussion, and I've take us off topic too often recently, so I won't suggest it :) It would be interesting to know how many people, either within the North Eastern fold or out of it, were first inspired by hearing Mr Pigg's playing, though. Best wishes, Richard. On 18/12/2010 17:51, John Dally wrote: Thanks to everyone for the edifying discussion. To me Doubleday seems to be saying, the NSP are a rude, wee thing with enough charm to make them worth preserving, and within its narrowest scope in its own way it's quite nice, really. Another way of looking at it is that he's saying fa\g a phiob bhochd, leave the poor pipes alone, which makes good sense to me too. All that is fair enough. Contrast that with George Sand's novel, The Bagpipers, which is truly inspired by the rude sounds of peasant instruments. I think she wrote about the same time as Doubleday. The discussion lost me when it took on the topic of most expressive instrument. Whatever gets you through the night, as the late, great Liverpudlian once sang. All music is nostalgic and so much depends on your frame of reference. When I first heard the NSP when I was about fifteen I was drinking tea in a close corner by a wood stove after a cold, wet day of scavaging fire wood from a logged off patch where alder and madrona were left to rot. My friend, Sandy Ross (somehow related to Colin), put a recording of Billy Pigg on the record player and I was hooked. If he had put a recording of the best violinist in the world I would have hurried out the door without finishing my tea. There is much more to the context of that moment, social and personal, that made it so important to me. But suffice it to say that for all it's many flaws and short comings the NSP are the only thing that works to express some things for me, and every time I hear and play them that moment of contentment and happiness shines through. Of course, I have many flaws and shortcomings, which explains a lot! To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: Help please
Sorry, Anthony, but that's the way we 're hearing it also. I know that it sounded interesting when you combined Windy Gyle Slow Air and fast Jig, but interesting is not the adjective I'd use for this combination. Sheila -Original Message- From: Anthony Robb anth...@robbpipes.com To: Chris Almond chrisalmo...@aol.com; John Birchall Andrea Egner john.birch...@t-online.de; Ewan Barker e.bar...@ballarat.edu.au; NIGEL BARLOW barlowsmallpi...@btinternet.com; Kim Bibby-Wilson k...@northumbriana.org.uk; Anne Dolphin Bill Toy annedolp...@hotmail.com; Edmund Boulting lkmar...@bellsouth.net; Sheila John Bridges bri...@aol.com; Steve Campbell s.campbell...@btinternet.com; Paul Tabbush Carolyn Robson paul.tabb...@virgin.net; Margaret Cato dmc...@talktalk.net; Tevye Celius t-cel...@onu.edu; Sue Clark sue.cl...@blueyonder.co.uk; Roger Clubley ro...@clubleys.co.uk; Dave Cook dco...@talk21.com; John Corrigan j...@x1jjc.wanadoo.co.uk; Graham O'Sullivan grahamjosulli...@yahoo.co.uk; David Oliver dmomu...@hotmail.co.uk; Sara Paton cookie_...@hotmail.com; Tristan Seldon lord.nit...@googlemail.com; Gill Sergeant gsat5...@aol.com; Dave Singleton david...@pt.lu; neil smith' nwspi...@hotmail.co.uk; Neil Tavernor neiltaver...@b! tinternet.com; Jenny Tunbridge g.tunbri...@allsaints-gosforth.org.uk; Lindy Turner l.turne...@btinternet.com; Hans Waltl wa...@compuserve.com; Francis Wood oatenp...@googlemail.com Sent: Tue, Nov 16, 2010 9:54 am Subject: Help please Hello Folks May I ask for your help to see if you experience all clips playing automatically and simultaneously (OUCH!!) when viewing my website www.robbpipes.com It seems fine from this end but there is at least 1 person out there finding this problem and I'd like to see how universal it is. Hugs thanks all round for any assistance with this. Anthony -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] David Burleigh
Greetings friends, Can anyone send me the current e-mail for David Burleigh? I would indeed be most grateful. Hoping you all are enjoying the last days of summer, in the northern hemisphere, and the approaching spring in the southern hemisphere. Here in western PA we are having some perfect weather - night temperatures are dropping to around 7C (40sF), cloudless skies and sunshine take us up to 24 - 26C (high 70sF) by day; the the first maples are turning red and the wild grapevines are becoming strands of gold draped over the oaks etc. Ideal for sitting outside and piping! cheers, Sheila bri...@aol.com -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Musical Instruments Museum in Brussels
Hi Edric, So glad to have a reminder of this museum. It certainly is one of the most fascinating for musical instruments. We have not been back to it for several years, although we were in Brussels this spring (staying with some good friends). I am sure that many of the NSP members do not know of it, although these days many English people seem to pop over to Belgium for Christmas shopping, etc. and it would be well worth their including it in their itinerary. Regards, Sheila -Original Message- From: Edric Ellis edric.el...@mathworks.co.uk To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Tue, Aug 24, 2010 4:09 am Subject: [NSP] Musical Instruments Museum in Brussels Hi all, Apologies if this is common knowledge - couldn't see it mentioned in the archives. If you're in Brussels, the Musical Instruments Museum (http://www.mim.be/en) is very well worth a visit. They have 60 sets of bagpipes of all types, including a musette de cour (with a very elaborate bag cover that makes it look like some sort of cushion rather than a set of pipes), and a set of NSP (Reid I believe). Cheers, Edric. -- o get on or off this list see list information at ttp://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Reeds
In Trinidad there is a tradition to only cut bamboo on Dark nights', otherwise it will quickly be destroyed by insects. Research shows that more photosynthesis occurs when the moon is shining so that there is a greater accumulation of starch ( a favourite food of insects) when the moon is shining. I think that the timing for cutting the bamboo will affact the density more than any differnce between North and south sides. The cane closest to the nodes will be harder and denser than material taken from between the nodes. On a lighter note I once met a Bamboo specialist who found that it was difficult to construct structures with round bamboo. so he made some steel moulrs and grew the bamboo through these to produce square sectioned bamboo. It worked but was not a commercial success. For more technical information there is a May 1980 book Bamboo Research in Asia published by the IDRC in Ottawa John Bridges -Original Message- From: Gibbons, John j.gibb...@imperial.ac.uk To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Fri, Jul 9, 2010 9:21 am Subject: [NSP] Re: Reeds Anthony's comments about adjacent slips from the same piece of cane made me onder if the north and south side of the cane would be of differing elasticity r density?? Variation with height is clearer, of course. John -Original Message- rom: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of rancis Wood ent: 09 July 2010 14:00 o: Anthony Robb c: Dartmouth NPS; neihutch...@yahoo.com ubject: [NSP] Re: Reeds n 9 Jul 2010, at 13:38, Anthony Robb wrote: I have looked at the resources you list but have found that Mike Nelson's methods give by far the best results. Hello again . . . yes, you're right. I certainly should have included Mike's ages at: http://www.machineconcepts.co.uk/smallpipes/reeds.htm#chanter I agree too that there are so many variables in all of this. Samples of cane rom the same batch and even the same stem can differ greatly, the density and ardness depending on the height the piece is cut from. Incidentally I made a surprisingly good reed from a Coke can a month or so ago. urther attempts demonstrated that even Coke cans vary a lot. Cheers, rancis o get on or off this list see list information at ttp://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] travelling with NSP
When the bags are going through the scanning cameras I always say, These are bagpipes, they probably look peculiar,. Frequently the reaction is, oh, we've never seen bagpipes, Then, turning to the rest of the security crew, Come and take a good look at them. Occasionally it involves you in long, and interested discussions with the security staff, about different kinds of pipes. But in Edinburgh airport, it was a Och, them's no bagpipes! We know what bagpipes look like! - in the broadest of Scottish. And, needless to say, they had never, never, heared of NSP, were very friendly and polite, but could not believe that anything other than the GHB exist. We find that the very stiff, cardboard, post office mailing tubes also do the job as well as the drain-pipes, for both chanters and drones. Sheila -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: NSP duet with other instruments
Hi John, Steve and all, Would you say that this conforms to the limits of the list? Hopefully, Sheila -Original Message- From: bri...@aol.com To: dir...@gmail.com Sent: Sat, Feb 6, 2010 6:51 pm Subject: Re: [NSP] NSP duet with other instruments Hi John, Yes, as Matt commented, it is done frequently, and in my humble opinion, almost sounds better than duets played by two pipes. Listen also to CDs by Anthony Robb and others who use pipes ( F or G chanter) also with viola or fidola (which I think - and no doubt will be immediately slapped on the fingers if wrong - is a fiddle tuned like a viola, i.e. a fifth lower). I also often use a clarinet, which has similar range to the viola and, in my part of the world, is much easier to find than a viola (especially very much easier to find than a viola who enjoys playing what purely classically trained musicians would tend to refer to as folk stuff). Not only do you get the combination of different pitches, but also the exciting variety of the tone colours of the different instruments. I have composed a lot of cross-over chamber music - a mixture of traditional NSP with more or less classical, for Northumbrian F or G pipes with violin, cello, and viola or clarinet. The viola has the advantage of being able to play pizzicato as well as bowed, which adds another dimension, but the clarinet has the advantage of its lovely different timbre and combines beautifully with the pipes.The same can be said in favour of flutes, whistles, oboes, bass etc. and most of these other instruments have a wider range than the basic 7-keyed chanter, and can play in numerous different keys. Thus you can get wonderful variety of sound by having, for example, pipes alone, or with any or all of the other instruments, interspersed with passages when the pipes just drone quietly in the background while one or several of the other instruments do their stuff, and/or even move to another key for a short passage. To my way of thinking, the only time the combination of any other instruments with the pipes is not very satisfactory is when they play in unison, because the other instruments are frequently more used to playing in equal temperament (like the piano), while the pipes use what is often referred to as just tuning. If you have really sensitive string/wind players they will adjust to the pipes, or automatically use just tuning but, listening to many recordings of unison playing, you notice that it does not always happen, and the result is a bit of a mess. (Not good for the ears of the listener!). The only other thing to bear in mind, and which used sensitively can be a terrific asset, is that the other instruments can vary their dynamics, and can easily overpower the small pipes. The lower pitched D chanter is very easily drowned, whilst the brighter G can cut through more easily, but can still be out-shouted by a loud violin especially if the latter is playing notes at a higher pitch. Arrangements have to be carefully made, and if necessary don't be shy about reminding the other instruments when they should be letting the pipes be heard!. Have fun experimenting. Sheila -Original Message- From: John Dally dir...@gmail.com To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Sat, Feb 6, 2010 2:45 pm Subject: [NSP] NSP duet with other instruments I've been listening to a lot of UP flat set and fiddle duets, and laying my SSP in A a bit with a fiddler. I'm smitten with the sound ix of low pipe and fiddle. I think fiddle and NSP would go well ogether, but perhaps the NSP in D would produce a better match up ith a fiddle than F or F# and the G chanter which can be, to my ear nyway, shrill. Has anyone experimented with this sort of thing at ll? thanks, ohn PS Is there a monument at the Morpeth Chantry to those who have fallen n the bagpipe wars? To get on or off this list see list information at ttp://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: From notation to music
Yes, Chris, you are absolutely right both about amatuer orchestras and that among the enormous amount of people who took music lessons in the 20th century the arts of playing by ear, improvizing etc did appear to have been lost. However, I remember that in one section of the final exam for the GGSM (Music Education degree at the Guildhall School of Music) in the early '50s, students were given a 2 bar phrase upon which to imrovise and expand into a march, minuet, or whatever. in the style of x, y or z. Quite a number of the most brilliant performers and teachers I am coming across, do it. Our grandson's violin and fiddle teachers encourage and help him to do it. The composers who coach our composition group are stunningly impressive - . . so you don't know what to do next . . ? Well, Beethoven would have done this using your theme . . . Chopin would have done this . . . . Debussy would have done this . . . Bernstein would have done this . . . and if you want to sound as though you are quoting a Hoedown or a Shottish you would turn it this way . . . I think that many people want to do it but don't know how to set about it and the series by Robert Pace (Lee Roberts Music Publications Inc. can be obtained through Schirmer, Inc.) is excellent. Basicly a piano method, each level includes Finger Builders (technique), Music for Piano (pieces), Theory Papers (explanations of harmony, etc) and CREATIVE MUSIC where the pupil is given a musical phrase and must improvise/compose an answering parallel and contrasting phrase, with the same and/or different bass patterns. All of the keys signatures are introduced and used right from the beginning and the phrases are transposed into all of the keys. Alas, as adults most of us don't have the patience to do that sort of simple baby stuff which, of course, does lead on to the sort of stuff we would like to be able to do. End of lecture - now I really will shut up! Sheila -Original Message- From: christopher.bi...@ec.europa.eu To: bri...@aol.com; matt...@alledora.co.uk; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Wed, Dec 2, 2009 8:53 am Subject: RE: [NSP] Re: From notation to music Well said, Sheila! Those who damn classical musicians are usually in fact damning their own isconceptions of them. here is a big difference between the people who have received some sort of classical training but wouldn't be able to play anything without dots in front f them, and then don't play very well because they're not real musicians to egin with (string-sections in amateur orchestras are full of them - all relying n each other to cover up for them) (where was I?) and the fine classical usicians for whom reading, writing, listening and in some cases improvising are ll just self-evident elements in a musician's arsenal. Alas, since the classical period in the strict sense (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven etc.) the art f improvising has largely been lost among classical musicians - exceptions eing organists, harpsichordists (improvising continuo from figured bass) and arly-music specialists, who will improvise ornamentation. ike with so many things, the rot set in in the 19th century. Here endeth the second lesson. -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of bri...@aol.com Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 1:31 AM To: matt...@alledora.co.uk; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: From notation to music I'll give my half-pennyworth and then shut up. I admire and respect quite a lot of folk musicians who play only by ear., I also admire and respect quite a lot of classically trained musicians who play from the dots, and it seems that many who are damning the classically trained on this nsp list don't realize that many of the very best among the classically trained can (and frequently do) play brilliantly by ear, and can capture the nuances of different styles, be it folk, national, period, or whatever. I agree that many classically trained musicians tend to be glued to their dots. But do all those who learn by ear play superbly? Re: musical dictation. Like so many things in life, this is a matter of practice. Children learning to read words first do it by spelling everything out letter by letter but with practice comes fluency. None of us as adults needs to read aloud in order to understand what is written. Similarly with music. As far as dictation is concerned, usually you first are given a short phrase and learn to jot down the rhythm, then start with simple melodic lines.If you keep it up you become fluent - if you don't you get rusty!. As you look at the dots of a tune you hear it in your head. Conductors are probably the experts in this field, hearing not only one line but a whole score in their heads as they look at it - and woe betide a member of the orchestra who plays a sharp when it
[NSP] Re: From notation to music
I'll give my half-pennyworth and then shut up. I admire and respect quite a lot of folk musicians who play only by ear., I also admire and respect quite a lot of classically trained musicians who play from the dots, and it seems that many who are damning the classically trained on this nsp list don't realize that many of the very best among the classically trained can (and frequently do) play brilliantly by ear, and can capture the nuances of different styles, be it folk, national, period, or whatever. I agree that many classically trained musicians tend to be glued to their dots. But do all those who learn by ear play superbly? Re: musical dictation. Like so many things in life, this is a matter of practice. Children learning to read words first do it by spelling everything out letter by letter but with practice comes fluency. None of us as adults needs to read aloud in order to understand what is written. Similarly with music. As far as dictation is concerned, usually you first are given a short phrase and learn to jot down the rhythm, then start with simple melodic lines. If you keep it up you become fluent - if you don't you get rusty!. As you look at the dots of a tune you hear it in your head. Conductors are probably the experts in this field, hearing not only one line but a whole score in their heads as they look at it - and woe betide a member of the orchestra who plays a sharp when it should be a natural or a flat, or is late with an entry - even though the whole gang may be playing. There is nothing arcane about the process but for most of us it does require practice, ! working at it, and keeping it up. End of lesson, Keep smiling. Sheila -Original Message- From: Matthew Walton matt...@alledora.co.uk To: gibbonssoi...@aol.com Cc: anth...@robbpipes.com; cwh...@santa-fe.freeserve.co.uk; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Tue, Dec 1, 2009 8:18 am Subject: [NSP] Re: From notation to music It's got a lot to do with training, I think. I learned music in what ight be termed a 'classical' style - in that there was an instrument, e, a teacher, and a sheet of paper with music notation on it. Over ime I learned to read the notation and play what's written there, and hen learned things about how to interpret that to give a good erformance, as the notation never encompasses every aspect of how one hould play it. You can put a sheet of music in front of me and, rovided it's within the capabilities of my instrument, I can have a tab at playing it. Assuming it's not beyond my technical skill, I an, given enough time, turn it into a fluent performance, much as I ight practise reading a speech aloud so that I can deliver it well. What I cannot do, however, is listen to music and write it down. It's ifficult. It's slow. It requires me to play around with an instrument o make sure I've got the idea of which notes are involved correct. 'm also terrible at notating heard rhythms, even though I can play otated rhythms fairly easily. I don't know why it works this way, but t does - and this is common in classically trained musicians. I also find it very hard to listen to a piece of music and play it, ither joining in or copying afterwards. I have never learned to play by ear'. I suspect if I could do that, notating heard music would be great deal easier... It is, of course, possible to learn both ways. I should do that. On Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 10:25 AM, gibbonssoi...@aol.com wrote: The trouble is some think 'reading music' and 'reading music notation' are synonymous - the trick is to read the dots and put the music back into them. I guess the player who can only play from a notated copy she'd just written down, on hearing,, would be a good ear-player if she believed in it. Notation has its uses, particularly in complex music, but the people who can't play unless they are reading are limiting themselves. John -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: Greetings from Elisabeth Uli
This is to other pipers who have been to Germany to any of the piping events or workshops and have probably met the excellent pipe-maker, Uwe Seitz and his charming wife, Rosalba. She also played the Norhumbrian pipes, and other pipes, and helped Uwe in both his pipe-making and teaching. She enriched the lives of those who came in contact with her. Sheila -Original Message- From: crocpi...@aol.com To: bri...@aol.com Sent: Thu, Oct 15, 2009 11:33 am Subject: Greetings from Elisabeth Uli Dear Sheila, dear John, we have sad news: Rosalba passed away last Friday after being in hospital for two weeks. Yesterday we were at her funeral. The church was full of her friends. John, Boris and the two of us played two tunes for Rosalba during the ceremony. Uwe asked us to inform the piping friends we know. We are very sad that we lost her. Rosalba and Uwe did so much for German Northumbrian pipers and we owe her such a lot. She was our first teacher and we will always remember her patience and kindness - and temperament. We hope you are both fine and send you our kindest regards - Elisabeth Uli -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Tune title spelling
Hi Anthony, Windy Gyle is such a beautiful CD, we play it over and over.? If anything . .. Appelbo is maybe a trifle too slow but, as Colin said, you can play a tune any way you like it best and, after all, maybe?the walkers were?admiring the view as they went.?? Could you send me the dots -?all the?parts - for Shingly Beach - a lovely tune,? nice arrangement and beautifully played. Sheila ? ? -Original Message- From: Anthony Robb anth...@robbpipes.com To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu; julia@nspipes.co.uk Sent: Wed, Aug 19, 2009 4:58 am Subject: [NSP] Re: Tune title spelling Hello Julia Have put a clip of a bit of the Windy Gyle version at [1]http://robbpipes.com/ Not sure if it is slow enough - perhaps you, Sheila or Margaret can check. At least we seem to have the title and spelling right! Cheers Anthony --- On Wed, 19/8/09, Julia Say julia@nspipes.co.uk wrote: From: Julia Say julia@nspipes.co.uk Subject: [NSP] Re: Tune title spelling To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Date: Wednesday, 19 August, 2009, 8:39 AM On 18 Aug 2009, [2]bri...@aol.com wrote: Margaret has spellt it out perfectly for you. Thanks to everyone who helped. ?? My Word? and Open Office have all of the accents for the vowels but I have not found a way to access them for e-mail.? I I have access to the necessary through Word, but no, the emailer doesn't do it. the Ganglats are definitely Walking Music .???Years ago,?when I was in UK I took 3 of the tunes, including the Ganglat fran Appelbo ?along to a session at the Sun Inn, and? talked a bit about this Walking Music, however, as soon as the tune had been played a couple of times, someone said, Oh, we know this tune, we call it the Appleblossom Polka?and we play it like this, ?and promptly galloped through it. I remember, I was there. Shortly afterwards we were visited by a Swedish lady who was also horrified at the speed at which we played them. Stockholmslaten is already in tunebook 3, but Appelbolaten does also come up at intervals so I thought I'd put it in the upcoming folio. Maybe we can get it back to its Swedish speed - we'll have to see. Thanks again Julia To get on or off this list see list information at [3]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. http://robbpipes.com/ 2. http://uk.mc12.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=bri...@aol.com 3. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] the piping course
I really hate to prolong this discussion, but just want to point out that in the mid '90s I persistently begged and pleaded, in person, by e-mail and?by snail mail, ?with the NPS chairman and committee members to organize a week-long piping course such as Susan is now doing, and was told it was quite out of the question, for numerous reasons.? For the two (?) years that the Northumberland (Northumbria?) Festival took place, it would have been an ideal?combination.??? As it was, there were all manner of wonderfully interesting events taking place in the evenings, but absolutely nothing during the day.??Dave Burleigh and Maureen Davison could not have been more helpful with suggestions for places to visit and things to do to make valuable use of the time, and for?most generous hospitality.???No one was interested in playing ?a couple of duets - probably fair enough - you don't just welcome with open arms every stray who lands on you doorstep,?but finally I was put in contact w! ith Lance Robson, who could not have been friendlier.? And Colin Ross was most helpful in fettling the drone reeds he had installed a few years previously and which by then needed some further TLC. At that point in time there were no other pipers in Western Pennsylvania, and there were fairly cheap, direct flights from USA to England.??And now, ironically, over a decade later,? there is this course, which by all accounts is excellent, but air fares are much more expensive, there are no direct flights to UK from our local airport, and I have become so involved with musical activities in this area this autumn that I can't leave.? Good luck, Susan.?? It is great that you have this course, now in its 2nd year.?? Long may it continue.?? Hopefully I'll be better organized?another year and be able to join in.? And how would we all know about it if it were not mentioned on the Dartmouth NSP list?? Keep on smiling and keep on piping, (and, yes, there are now a couple of good pipers living close by, and I do play the pipes with lots of other instruments) Sheila??? -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: How the brain reads
This word stuff is interesting. We tried a similar test on our then 6yr old grandson and he had no problem reading it aloud straight away. Similarly with music, people find that as they continue with reading not only do they pick up the bar/phrase at a glance, but they also hear the music accurately in their head, and the fingers go automaticly to the right place on the instrument. Only if there is a very unusual pattern do they have to stop a spell it out note by note. The brain is amazing, isn't it. Sheila -Original Message- From: tim rolls BT tim.ro...@btconnect.com To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:00:58 0100 Subject: [NSP] How the brain reads .don't know if there's any relevance to the way we read music, currently I find I have to read each dot when I see a new tune, but this gives me hope that maybe when I've had more practice I'll be able to read whole bars at a time. Don't delete this just because it looks weird. Believe it or not, you can read it. I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Tim To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: piper
I just had to pass this on as a change from some of the current threads. Sheila -Original Message- From: schenk2...@windstream.net To: John Bridges bri...@aol.com Sent: Fri, 5 Jun 2009 3:59 pm Subject: piper THE IRISH BAGPIPPER As a young bagpiper, I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man, with no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there. As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost and being a typical man did not stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late. I saw the backhoe and the crew, who were eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and stepped to the side of the open grave, where I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long, but this was the proper thing to do. The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch. I played out my heart and soul. As I played the workers began to weep. I played, and I played, like I'd never played before: From My Home and The Lord Is My Shepherd to Flowers of the Forest I closed the lengthy session with Amazing Grace and walked to my car. As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I overheard one of the workers saying to another, Jeezuz, Mary'n Joseph, I never seen nothin' like that before - and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] tradition etc
For heaven's sake, don't let us get back to all the back-biting and bitching of the previous messages - making unjustified allusions to people, without mentioning names etc. If classical music had remained in the tradition Mozart would have been shot, Beethoven would never have dared to experiment and to shock his contemporaries, as he most certainly did, and we would all still be playing like the troubadors. I like the music of the troubadors, but isn't it great to have the other developments also - even though I am quite happy to admit that, I personally may not like all modern music. If you want to stick at being 100% traditional take all of the keys off the pipes. I very much admire the playing of both Chris and Adrian, but I also admire that of Pauline, Kathryn, Uwe Seitz and others. If I could play even 1/10th as well as any of them I would be thrilled. Sheila To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Wet Monday.
Hi Valerio, Probably you have already received replies about Wet Monday. In case you have not done so, herewith:- Composed by Fiona Davison in 1993. It was written on a wet Monday morning as part of a portfolio of compositions for Fiona's Advanced Level Music examination. It was arranged as a duet by Myrna Luff in 1994. You can find it in the book PIPERS IN HARMONY book 1, a collection of duets for NS Pipes arranged by Myrna Luff, Text by Jane Robson. for the book contact :- Mrs Myrna Luff [1]Regards, Sheila __ AOL Search: Your one stop for directions, recipes and all other Holiday needs. [2]Search Now. -- References 1. mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 2. http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/10075x1212792382x1200798498/aol?redir=http://searchblog.aol.com/2008/11/04/happy-holidays-from-aol-search/?ncid=emlcntussear0001 To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Maa Bonny Lad
Matt, My husband, being interested in boats as well as in music, was intrigued by the words, and by the comment which someone made about keels being the sea-going boats as well as those used on the Tyne. Evidently similar boats were used on rivers and canals, at least in greater Northumbria - maybe further??? According to one reference which he read, some of the boats had leeboards and these, the anchors and anything heavy and not needed were left at some place near the mouth of the river, and presumably the boats were towed by horses?? through the rivers and canals.Might the keelman stay with his boat to its inland destination? Might he then return on foot, if his boats had not yet discharged all of its cargo, to his home, or to the boat depot to pick up another boat? This would be his ower land journey.We would be most interested if anyone could tell us more about this. The masts could be hinged down to pass under bridges ,and any heavy equipment such as anchors would not be needed on river or canal voyages. The Lee boards would get in the way when passing through locks so these also would be removed when not at sea.Could an ower land journey be made on board his boat with his feet on the deck and not actually on the ground? Sheila and John __ Plan your next getaway with AOL Travel. [1]Check out Today's Hot 5 Travel Deals! -- References 1. http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/10075x1212416248x1200771803/aol?redir=http://travel.aol.com/discount-travel?ncid=emlcntustrav0001 To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Maa Bonny Lad
I urgently need the words of Maa Bonny Lad Can anyone come to my rescue? Please e-mail to[EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanking whomsoever in advance. Sheila __ Plan your next getaway with AOL Travel. [2]Check out Today's Hot 5 Travel Deals! -- References 1. mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 2. http://travel.aol.com/discount-travel?ncid=emlcntustrav0001 To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: solo vs. group playing
Going back to your initial e-mail, Barry, that many solos used to be played at NSP gatherings in the early days - at least before 1990, and now very few choose to stand up on their own before the gang. - At that point in time there weren't many expert pipers other than Richard Butler - and he was always very supportive and encouraging to beginners. Now we have the possibility of hearing a dozen or so superb players both live, and on CDs. Inevitably we compare ourselves with these performers and find ourselves wanting. Despite all of the compassionate and encouraging things which have been said on this thread in the last few days we nevertheless, still assume that others are going to make comparisons and be critical. It has been my experience that if there is a tutor, or a good piper with a strong personality, in the group session who can create a non-threatening atmosphere and give a gentle, encouraging push, after one person has broken the ice and set the ball rolling - and possibly made a few mistakes, the rest are usually happy to follow suit. Often, when a group of amateur musicians get together (whatever their instruments), it seems that everyone wants to play all of the time - especially if there is a common repertoire. Maybe we have to learn to enjoy sitting back and listening to each other more frequently - (really listening, and not starting to chat while someone plays his/her solo). Or perhaps it is a good idea to encourage people to bring along a new tune which lies well on the pipes, to share by first playing it to the group, and either hand out the dots or teach it by ear/rote - ( though this sometimes doesn't go down well, because it means sitting back and really listening when, as mentioned above, everyone wants to play all of the time). Well, that's my pennyworth Sheila __ Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? [1]Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators. -- References 1. http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/10075x1209382257x1200540686/aol?redir=http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall0001 To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Belly Dancing, Waltzes, and Jazz? It's Opera Theater!
Return-Path: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Received: from rly-mf03.mx.aol.com (rly-mf03.mail.aol.com [172.20.29.173]) by air-mf06.mail.aol.com (v121_r2.11) with ESMTP id MAILINMF061-95148d2c5ba226; Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:19:26 -0400 Received: from m1.amsnet.net (m1.amsnet.net [209.123.82.21]) by rly-mf03.mx.aol.com (v121_r2.11) with ESMTP id MAILRELAYINMF037-95148d2c5ba226; Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:18:50 -0400 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=simple; d=pmailus.com; q=dns; s=grahamcrackers; b=NVhdKVNmLicFJos3ylqvJADCA+kn0mQeVrqkrVBo5BBcJ0j+e37yRyoK/uAY yv90LM9Qc39MaA7ivosQmuw+j/nHxdNWdy5DPMrXdr1QVUWMsKrPcgmdV tgCf+UM1PI/54dW3V3WW+4nQSuPmyMZZf6DHcqfy/6pC0b7ogIP444=; Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:18:50 -0400 (EDT) From: Opera Theater of Pittsburgh [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Belly Dancing, Waltzes, and Jazz? It's Opera Theater! MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary==_Part_649673_1237153.1221772730178 X-CampaignID: patrontechnology-141917 X-CampaignEmailID: AdVBvFM2cg-Jxmrt7lq-rR2lME-D X-AOL-IP: 209.123.82.21 X-AOL-SCOLL-AUTHENTICATION: domain : m1.amsnet.net ; SPF_helo = n X-AOL-SCOLL-AUTHENTICATION: domain : operatheater.pmailus.com ; SPF_822_from = + X-Mailer: Unknown (No Version) --=_Part_649673_1237153.1221772730178 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Opera Theater of Pittsburgh Contact: http://operatheater.pmailus.com/pmailweb/f?cide=AXi2NE9XaIOkD6RxzQ .. A Season Only Opera Theater of Pittsburgh Could Offer! Visit Opera Theater Pittsburgh on the Web! http://operatheater.pmailus.com/pmailweb/ct?d=F7haMwCAAAH-AAIqXQ Two Sensational Series in One Stunning Season! Our Byham Theater series opens with a return of Pittsburgh-s newest holiday tradition, Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, the king of waltzes. Then in February, bring your Valentine to George Gershwin-s masterpiece, Porgy Bess, with its thrilling musical mix of classical, jazz, and blues. Join us for our new Salon Series, a trio of comic one-act operas preceded by cocktails and canapés performed in unusual, intimate spaces. First comes Djamileh by Bizet performed in a Persian rug emporium at Artifacts. Then comes Salieri-s Prima la Musica at a Fifth Avenue mansion. Lastly, we-ll have you rolling in the aisles of Buon Sapore - a church transformed into an art gallery - with Puccini-s Gianni Schicchi. All Operas Sung in English! Guarantee Great Seats... SUBSCRIBE NOW! Subscribe to 5 fabulous operas...or the stellar ByhamTheater series of Die Fledermaus and Porgy Bess...or the exciting Salon Series. Call 412.456.1390 or visit operatheaterpittsburgh.org Click Here! http://operatheater.pmailus.com/pmailweb/ct?d=F7haMwCHAAH-AAIqXQ Buy Tickets to Opera Theater's 2008-2009 Season *( http://operatheater.pmailus.com/pmailweb/ct?d=F7haMwJ0AAH-AAIqXQ )* This e-mail is powered by PatronMail, professional e-mail marketing for arts, nonprofits creative businesses. *( http://www.patrontechnology.com/lp/lp_gen1.htm )* --- NOTE: URL links included in this e-mail may be long and may wrap across several lines. When viewing the desired link, please be sure to copy the entire link into your browser. To help you to identify the entire link, we have started each link with *( and ended each link with )* --- To forward this e-mail to a friend or colleague, use the following link: *( http://operatheater.pmailus.com/pmailweb/raf?ide=AdVBvFM2cg-Jxmrt7lq-rR2lME-D )* --- This e-mail was sent from Opera Theater of Pittsburgh Immediate removal with PatronMail(R) SecureUnsubscribe. *( http://operatheater.pmailus.com/pmailweb/uss?ide=AdVBvFM2cg-Jxmrt7lq-rR2lME-D )* -- To change your e-mail address or update preferences, use the following link: *( http://operatheater.pmailus.com/pmailweb/setup?pide=ATTIP0uzhZrTw1YVPQ )* --- --=_Part_649673_1237153.1221772730178 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable htmlbody !-- If you can read this text, your mail client does not support HTML mail. Load the following link in your browser to change your mail preference to PLAIN TEXT: http://operatheater.pmailus.com/pmailweb/uss?ide=AdVBvFM2cg-Jxmrt7lq-rR2lME-D -- table width=500 bgcolor=#99 cellpadding=0 border=0 cellspacing=0 align=center trtd align=center bgcolor=white table width=100% border=0 cellpadding=10 tr td align=center font size=1 face=arial,sans-serif font style=font-size:8pt; color=black Sent by: Opera Theater of Pittsburghbr /a
[NSP] Re: More choyting!
Allan, As you have noticed, the small pipes are not tuned to a tempered scale and the E is frequently deliberately tuned so that it is correct when playing in A major and a minor i.e. a perfect fifth with the A (as Colin already mentioned). This means that it is not going to sound quite right when playing in the keys of G and D (concert F and C for your perfect pitch ear.) Try some tunes with the drones in A and see what you think. Cheers, Sheila __ It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal [1]here. -- References 1. http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv000547 To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: re-Tune title spelling
As you can probably well imagine this altering of names has occurred very frequently with immigrants whose names seemed quite unintelligible to the immigration authorities. A good friend told us the other day that his father and his 2 uncles (father's brothers) all arrived in New York at different times. The way their names were written down by the American agents both look and sound so utterly and completely different that no one would ever guess there was any relationship. Sheila __ Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget? [1]Read reviews on AOL Autos. -- References 1. http://autos.aol.com/cars-Volkswagen-Jetta-2009/expert-review?ncid=aolaut000307 To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Questions on D Chanter
Probably you have already had replies, in case not - this is usually played as a transposing instrument when playing the traditional NSP tunes. i.e. you read G but it sounds D (the note above middle C on piano). It is up to you what you do when playing any other music. In other words, if you read D = D (concert pitch) it is good for playing along with many singers, as the average voice range is comfortable with the actual range of the D chanter, which is (concert) low A to (concert) F# on top line of treble clef. If you are not used to transposing you may find it confusing to do both. If you are playing the traditional NSP literature along with other pipers, who are using either the F or G chanter, you will find that the D chanter does not go high enough. If you want to play fiddle tunes and are thinking in concert pitch (i.e. D = D) your high range is too limited. However, if you want to have it for the rich, mellow (somewhat quieter) tone, it is an enjoyable additional instrument. Many of the pipers on the USA/Canada Pacific coast seem to enjoy playing the D chanter (mainly as a transposing instrument) - probably simply because someone got the first people started on it and the others just followed suit. Sheila ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Practice
Greetings Roger, I have found Dick Hensold's exercises very helpful ([EMAIL PROTECTED] (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) ) . Although he is not a Northumbrian, he does play the NSP very well and is an excellent teacher. Sheila ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: the vagaries of the written note
As most people have already said, the written note is most useful, does show the pitch of the note and its duration, and is one of the best ways of preserving compositions for future generations. However so much more is not conveyed.I know that the discussion is mainly related to folk music and NSP in particular, nevertheless I would like to quote an example which I feel is pertinent. Recently, 12 good pianists gave an informal recital of the preludes and fugues from the Well-tempered Klavier by J.S. Bach. During 9 of the pieces the audience was yawning, looking at their watch and staring out of the window - bored stiff, anxious to get to lunch and longing for the program to finish !But when 3 of the pianists were performing, Bach suddenly came alive. It was the most wonderful music we had ever heard! Everyone's attention was rivetted to these beautiful sounds, interesting inner voices and exciting interplay of partsIt really brought home to the audience how much is needed in addition to just playing the written notes. Of course, how to develop this skill is another matter. Sheila -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: preserving the tradition....a non-traditional approach
I agree with Matt that is a very interesting discussion. However, I don't think that those of you who live at the centre of the NSP world can realize how difficult it is for those of us, who live many thousands of miles away, to know what the true Northumbrian tradition is. To us there are tunes which sound great on the pipes and others that either don't lie easily on the instrument, or which don't, to our ears, seem to show the pipes to what we feel is their best. Although I was born in Northumberland, I did not hear the pipes until my first visit to North Hero in 1987.This is why I begged that some of the people who are imbued with the tradition, and know which are, and which are not, the truly traditional tunes, would make a list of 20 - 30 traditional tunes to enlighten us. I am very sorry that no one has yet taken the trouble to do so and I think there are many, like myself, who would be grateful.We do have almost all of the CDs/ cassettes/ old 331/3 records etc that have been made, but how are we supposed to know, among all of the good (and some indifferent) playing what is 100% traditional !I gather that Jack Armstrong isn't, so what is? This is a sincere request. Pleasewill someone respond. Sheila -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] NSP-Tradition
Presumably the Traditional tunes for the NSP would be among those included in the basic tune books. However I have reason to believe that many of these started life as fiddle tunes and many more, which lie beautifully on the pipes (such as Madame Bonapart) came from other parts of what used to be called the British Isles. As there seems to be a lack of clarity in the subject under discussion, it would be most interesting to see a list of perhaps 20 - 30 tunes, compiled by those who regard themselves as purists, of what may be called the best NSP traditional music .Are they essentially tunes which started life as pipe tunes? Are they tunes which lie easily under the fingers of the piper? Are they tunes which make you smile and feel happy because they have that lovely bubbling sound which we feel to be typical of the instrument (and which often, basicly, means that they include lots of bouncing, ascending G major arpeggios) ? Are they simply tunes which make the pipes sound like the most beautiful instrument ever invented? Having grown up in canny Newcastle, hearing songs such as The Keel Row, The Waters of Tyne and Keep your Feet Still, Geordie Hinney I am well aware that they are (perhaps I should say, are considered by many as . . ?) traditional Northumbrian folk songs and, although they are frequently played on our favourite instrument, I personally don't feel that (excluding variations on the Keel Row composed by a certain eminent piper) in any way, they show off its true beauty. Equally, I think it has to be admitted, there are quite a few tunes in the basic books that don't really do much for the instrument. The Northumbrian pipes are enjoyed by so many people from many different national, cultural and musical backgrounds that I feel a definition of what is really and truly traditional would be appreciated. Sheila -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Current debate seen from my perspective (NSP prospective buyer)
Hi Sam, As a player of several classical and folk instruments, for many of which I also compose in what many people might consider not the strictly traditional style for a given instrument - I really appreciated your common sense, broad minded comments. Sheila -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
