[NSP] Re: Preserving the tradition...a non-traditional approach.
On Thu Nov 2 0:37 , 'Doc Jones' [EMAIL PROTECTED] sent: I've been watching the jazz thread a bit. There seems to be a certain reluctance to see the NSP being used in venues that are not strictly traditional. The jazz thread is a total red herring. Nobody can play jazz on the NSP, the people who are talking about it can't play jazz on anything as far as I know - I would be very surprised to be corrected on that. Jazz is not something you dabble in, and neither is trad music, or classical music, they are total disciplines. I would suggest that the best way to preserve the tradition of NSP is to have them played in as many venues and types of music as possible. The tradition of the NSP is that there are maybe half a dozen players at the most at any one time who actually uphold the tradition, the rest support it by aspiring and learning and in other ways. It's not a mass movement, why does anyone want it to be? I'm always suspicious of evangelists, they make me suspect some deep insecurity somewhere. I hope we don't cling so tightly to the tradition that we strangle it into extinction. :) The danger lies in precisely the opposite direction, there is so little understanding of the real essence of the tradition and so much watering down that Northumbrian smallpiping has all but disappeared into the general celtoid miasma. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] A chiel amang ye takin notes
Hi all, This thread reminds me of the criticism which arose after Robert Sherlaw Johnson`s compositions, based on the Nelson theme, for Pauline Cato a couple of years back !! I also distinctly remember that Richard Butler was working with an avant garde composer approximately 20 years ago, the results of which were broadcast on German television. If any of you want to take a closer look at good, functional composition and arranging, take a look at Dick Hensold`s more recent material which he wrote on commission for Lance Robson, however--I couldn`t agree more with Matt. I stayed out of this latest flurry of activity, just to see how it would develop. Each musical composition stands on its own as a creative effort and is therefore fully and completely justifiable in its own right. Whether you like it or not, or whether it fits into a genre, is always a matter of personal, intellectual and emotional taste. Some people like J.K. Rowling, others prefer J Joyce. Some people like Cage and! Scriabin, others prefer to slide into Mozart and Bach, because they are more accessible. However to compare two writers or composers directly from different genres (classical/traditional, for example), in an off-hand, unqualified manner, with the pernicious virus of pan-celticism lurking in the musical background is a fundamental error of cognitive methodology in the area of modern esthetics and only echos what Matt has said in his most recent post. =3Fxml:namespace prefix = o ns = urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office /o:p /o:p Max is an eminently qualified composer and I will support to my last day of piping his continuing compositional career. o:p /o:p Cheers now o:p /o:p Ina -- 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.
on 11/2/06 3:03 PM, Colin at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This debate reminds me all too much of something that happened back in the 60's in the folk scene when a fellow called Bob Dylan did the second half of his show with an electric guitar and half the audience walked out (I was there). Who's this Dylan guy? Must be Irish. Best wishes. Steve 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
