Ted Hastings wrote:
>> Ah, but I always think of where the music originally came
>>from. Sure
>>there are plenty of Irish-style players that play strathspeys, now and
>>in the past. Liz Carol always composes and records a couple on each
>>album. It's just like all those jigs that Scottish players play that
>>come from O'Neil's, or other sources of Irish music. Just because
>>someone else plays them, doesn't change the origin of the tunes, or even
>>the style of the tunes. So even if an Irish person, or an American plays
>>or composes a Strathspey, it's still fundamentally a Scottish-style tune.
>
>
> You're getting on to some very dangerous ground here. Reels originated in
> Scotland as well and many of the reels played in Ireland are of Scottish
> origin.
> Nigel recently listed some of those to be found in O'Neills. By your logic,
> these aren't realy Irish. Since the reel is currently the dominant form of
> music played in Ireland, where does that leave Irish music?
Sure they're Irish, if an Irish person is playing them. Even if the
original musical form is Scottish or origin of the tunes is Scottish. In
the end that really isn't what matters. The Irish have their own
distinct take on the tunes, their own unique way of playing them. That's
what makes the music "Irish" or "Scottish", not the notes on the paper,
or where those notes might have originally came from.
I have always separated the "tune" (which are the notes printed on the
paper) from the "music" which is what each individual player breathes
into those notes, how they're phrased, the subtle differences in
intonation, timing, dynamics, etc.. The music is much more important
then the tunes.
Just like all those jigs that the Cape Bretoner's play for square
sets. Sure, those jigs all come from Ireland, they are Irish "tunes",
but the music that the Cape Bretoner's play sure don't sound like it.
Even if they're playing them really "straight". There is no mistaking
that someone from Mabou Coal Mines is playing them, and not someone from
County Claire.
The really hard part of traditional music is trying to develop the
"style" or the "music" in one's own playing. Just playing the notes...
No big deal... Even all those hairy William Marshall tunes in flat keys.
If you sit there and hack away at them long enough, you'll eventually
get them in tune, in time, etc.. That doesn't mean that you're playing
the music though.. In my limited experience, getting to play the music
is almost intangible.. It's maddening, it requires listening over and
over to 15-second soundbites of poorly recorded hometapes.
That's why, I hate to say it, but there are some really technically
excellent players here in the US that make Scottish music sound really
dead.. They have an amazing command of the notes, much better command of
them then I ever will! However there's just something that isn't there.
Their playing is about as interesting as that of a player piano. Then
there are modest amateur players whose music is just dripping with
flavor. Even their mistakes send a shiver down your spine.
Thinking about this type of stuff depressed me so much that I stopped
playing for quite some time. Only recently am I coming out of this big
long slump.
Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To
subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
