[NSP] Re: [NPS-Discussion] Re: PS Forum
- Announcement on Dartmouth of any new topic or significant addition to the Forum which the provider thinks may be of general interest. That would be very helpful. One of the major advantages of the email list is that you don't have to go looking for it. Chris To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Tune books with arrangements for other instruments
And Matt Seattle has published 3 books called 'Airs for Pairs', 'Airs for Pairs 2', and 'Scottish Airs for Pairs'. I thought they might be out of print, but a quick google suggests they are still available - though maybe not with the original delightful cover art. Chris 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
Since the NSP chanter has a stopped end, there would be little point in adopting anything other than this fingering style, which allows separate notes with (usually) a distinguishable silence between each. This is something that no other bagpipe can do. In fact it would be difficult to think of another wind instrument capable of silence whilst pressure is applied. At present I can only identify the ocarina. The Uilleann pipe chanter can be, and often is, played closed, by resting the chanter on the knee. It's possible, but more difficult, to get just as clean, detatched playing as with nsp. However this isn't seen as a fundamental distinguishing feature, and is not insisted upon. The chanter can be played open or closed, and is indeed played both ways, to get more varied effects. Having a foot in both camps, it's interesting to compare the different attitudes, and the different aspects of playing that are felt to be important to the tradition. Regards Chris Harris To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: whatever
Thanks Julia, I really appreciate the wholly positive approach of your post. Chris -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Julia Say Sent: 22 May 2011 11:01 To: nps; inky-adrian; Richard Shuttleworth Subject: [NSP] Re: whatever On 21 May 2011, Richard Shuttleworth wrote: I say poor old Inky even though I have never met the man. Friends of mine who have had that pleasure report their encounters in glowing terms, he must be a really nice person. Unfortunately, his contributions to this column don't seem to reflect that. It saddens me to see the mean-spirited way in which some members of this list express their feelings. Adrian is one of the most helpful, generous with his time, and gentlest people that I know. He is an excellent teacher, and what he says in the workshop sessions that I've had the good fortune to be in has made eminent sense, and has been universally well received. He has thought through everything that he recommends, and his playing well justifies the approach. He is also a skilled fettler with an acute ear. I think my observation would be that he rarely does himself justice in print - it is not his natural medium of expression, perhaps. I first found this in the preparation of the first Billy Pigg book, where it rapidly became obvious that his notes needed the services of an editor - that job fell to me. His (and Colin's) generosity with their expertise and time in that project alone have left me with a lasting and profound respect for both of them, which transcends any apparent shortcomings in communication. We all have our bad days. I could frequently do a splendid grumpy old woman act on this list if I wanted (I have, occasionally). Adrian has views to which he is entitled, as does Anthony. As are all of us. Alice is a very competent young player who has demonstrated that she is capable of the sort of playing of which Adrian is a principal protagonist. I've heard her. (I don't know her competition record exactly, but she certainly became the youngest player to win the NPS Open class - I was there, I came a poor second). If she now chooses to play at virtuoso standard in a different style, then she is fully entitled to do that - she has earned her place. Welcome to the list, Alice, if you're reading this. Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1375 / Virus Database: 1509/3652 - Release Date: 05/21/11 - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1375 / Virus Database: 1509/3652 - Release Date: 05/21/11
[NSP] Re: whatever
Perhaps I should add that I have been in tutoring sessions led by Adrian, and have found them some of the most helpful I have experienced. And I loved the recording of Alice that Anthony posted. Chris -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Chris Harris Sent: 22 May 2011 11:08 To: 'nps' Subject: [NSP] Re: whatever Thanks Julia, I really appreciate the wholly positive approach of your post. Chris -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Julia Say Sent: 22 May 2011 11:01 To: nps; inky-adrian; Richard Shuttleworth Subject: [NSP] Re: whatever On 21 May 2011, Richard Shuttleworth wrote: I say poor old Inky even though I have never met the man. Friends of mine who have had that pleasure report their encounters in glowing terms, he must be a really nice person. Unfortunately, his contributions to this column don't seem to reflect that. It saddens me to see the mean-spirited way in which some members of this list express their feelings. Adrian is one of the most helpful, generous with his time, and gentlest people that I know. He is an excellent teacher, and what he says in the workshop sessions that I've had the good fortune to be in has made eminent sense, and has been universally well received. He has thought through everything that he recommends, and his playing well justifies the approach. He is also a skilled fettler with an acute ear. I think my observation would be that he rarely does himself justice in print - it is not his natural medium of expression, perhaps. I first found this in the preparation of the first Billy Pigg book, where it rapidly became obvious that his notes needed the services of an editor - that job fell to me. His (and Colin's) generosity with their expertise and time in that project alone have left me with a lasting and profound respect for both of them, which transcends any apparent shortcomings in communication. We all have our bad days. I could frequently do a splendid grumpy old woman act on this list if I wanted (I have, occasionally). Adrian has views to which he is entitled, as does Anthony. As are all of us. Alice is a very competent young player who has demonstrated that she is capable of the sort of playing of which Adrian is a principal protagonist. I've heard her. (I don't know her competition record exactly, but she certainly became the youngest player to win the NPS Open class - I was there, I came a poor second). If she now chooses to play at virtuoso standard in a different style, then she is fully entitled to do that - she has earned her place. Welcome to the list, Alice, if you're reading this. Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1375 / Virus Database: 1509/3652 - Release Date: 05/21/11 - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1375 / Virus Database: 1509/3652 - Release Date: 05/21/11 - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1375 / Virus Database: 1509/3652 - Release Date: 05/21/11 - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1375 / Virus Database: 1509/3652 - Release Date: 05/21/11
[NSP] Re: Alice Burn
Wonderful! Thanks for the link. Chris Hello folks There may be one or two apart from Adrian interested in the Alice person. Here she is playing with Emily Hoile at the Chantry Museum last night for the Windy Gyle Band Force 6 launch. This won't be to everyone's liking but gives a flavour of what she Emily get up to when left to their own devices. Aplogies for overloads, I started my Edirol running and then totally neglected the levels - Emily's harp shook the living daylights out of it! [1]http://www.robbpipes.com/AliceEmily Cheers Anthony P.S. it was a grand night - thank you Anne M. -- References 1. http://www.robbpipes.com/AliceEmily To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: pipe cases
I've just bought a set of Uilleann pipes which was supplied with the case seen here: http://www.bagpipecase.com/ May be a little bigger than strictly necessary for a set of NSP, but one always has extras to get in. The case takes both my (half) Uilleann pipes and my NSP. Very nice case with lots of extra pockets and straps. Regards Chris Not a controversial discussion point, or anything interesting about the music, just a question to pipers and other pipe-makers - where do you get your cases, and what sort of case do you prefer? Before the set I've just finished I'd not a made a full set for some time, having mainly done just chanters, and before that I'd had several cases in stock, and now I find that the people I used to get cases from don't seem to be in business any more. Graham Spencer of Savage and Hoy used to do them for me, and I believe a couple of other pipe-makers. However, although he still has a webpage up, there's no reply to emails and the telephone numbers I have don't work. Does anyone have any information and/or opinions and help in sourcing good cases for NSP? Preferably within UK of course. Philip To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Composing location
Now that really is offensive. :O) Chris Harris Presumably that clifftop experience already mentioned by others is what inspired the famous novel 'Fatal Fall' by Eileen Dover. Francis On 13 Aug 2009, at 16:25, Julia Say wrote: On 13 Aug 2009, colin wrote: My favourite place is a cliff path called The Warren outside of Polperro in Cornwall. Druridge Bay. A beach for all seasons. Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: re notes v. ear
I'm not an artist, but my wife is, and she swears by a book called Drawing on the right side of the brain. The premise is that the two halves of the brain work in different ways. The left side (and I may have got this garbled, correct me if I'm wrong) is analytical and logical, and the right side is intuitive. Drawing effectively doesn't need the analytical bit of our brain, but the other. And some people naturally tend one way, some the other. But either way, techniques for using the right part of the brain can be learned. I wonder if the same applies to this issue of playing by ear/learning from notes. As a highly analytical and logical computer programmer, I would expect that I naturally approach things with the left side of the brain, and I can't play by ear to save my life. This is a considerable frustration, and I realise it makes me a second class citizen in the traditional music world. There are a few tunes I have learned by heart (from music) and I can now play without; but if I don't play them on a regular basis, I forget them, and there's only a limited number of tunes one can play through regularly. But it's worse than that. I clearly remember one session in Hexham when someone suggested a tune that I knew without music, and regularly played. Great! I thought, I don't need to go scrabbling to find this in the tune book and come in after everyone else has already started. After the first couple of bars, I lost my way, and didn't find it again till the tune was finished. So now, even if it's a tune I know without music, if I'm in company, I find the dots just for reference if I need it. But I think the ability to play by ear is somehow buried somewhere in the other side of the brain if I could just learn how to access it. Sometimes I can be playing a tune (on my own, from the music) and my eyes lose track of the place in the music. But sometimes I can continue, if it's a tune I know well, for several bars, before my eyes get the right place again. If someone were to write a book on 'playing music on the right side of the brain' I'd be a customer. Chris Harris To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Colin Ross
I'm not sure it was an opportunity missed. If I understand the situation correctly (and maybe I don't), it wasn't possible, according to the rules. And Julia is absolutely right, that the rules can't just be set aside because they are inconvenient at a particular point. Having said that, I fully agree that Colin should be honoured in whatever way may be possible. If it is still possible for him to be President at this stage, within the rules, I'd be all for it. I do feel a bit sorry for the lady who's already been asked, though. Chris Harris -Original Message- From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Anthony Robb Sent: 21 May 2009 17:09 To: Matt Seattle; Daphne Briggs Cc: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: Colin Ross Hello All I managed to phone Colin after my last posting and was very interested to hear what he had to say. May I be naughty and ask people reading this to email me if they too think it was an opportunity missed to overlook Colin for this position. As aye Anthony --- On Thu, 21/5/09, Daphne Briggs daphne.bri...@waitrose.com wrote: From: Daphne Briggs daphne.bri...@waitrose.com Subject: [NSP] Re: Colin Ross To: Matt Seattle theborderpi...@googlemail.com Cc: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Date: Thursday, 21 May, 2009, 4:56 PM Likewise from me, with the same proviso. On 21 May 2009, at 10:49, Matt Seattle wrote: Another vote in favour - if Colin is willing, obviously To get on or off this list see list information at [1]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html Daphne Briggs 34 Thorncliffe Road Oxford OX2 7BB Tel/Fax +44 (0)1865 310712 -- References 1. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.339 / Virus Database: 270.12.32/2117 - Release Date: 05/19/09 06:21:00
[NSP] Re: Lisa Ridley
Yes, the clip sounded poor and yes, the article itself was unfortunate but Jessica isn't responsible. Then who is responsible? And why doesn't the Sage promote proper piping? I was asked to provide some piping tuition for a 4th year piping student who didn't know where the beat should sit in a jig. Unacceptable for a degree course. The Sage is about Jobs for the Boys and it stinks! They pretend to be about participation, but ultimately it's all about producing middle-brow pap for the coach party market to promote the incumbents of senior positions there! I've already had a yellow card tonight from Wayne, for something posted from another with the same IP address. I'll go before the red card is brandished. Enjoy mediocrity! Chris To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: That CD!
I'd need to hear it to be certain who/what was being played in the fast Jigs set - I played everything too fast in those days! Any chance of an MP3 of that set so I can post more detail. If it was 1990 it wasn't the year of the floods - I remember this as Jamie was 4 months old in July 1990 and we were kept awake all night by some latter-day Jacobites on the campsite. As the Tennents Super Strength flowed they got more and more vociferous in their hatred of the *** Unglish. Dunno why they came to England - beats me! Chris -Original Message- From: Anthony Robb [mailto:anth...@robbpipes.com] Sent: 18 March 2009 06:51 To: Dartmouth NPS Subject: [NSP] That CD! Hellos apiece I'm delighted at the reponse to this. I'll be getting these in the post to you this week. I'm sorry I haven't had the time to respond individually to requests, but here is my list so far; please check to make sure you're on it if you want to be. Let me know quickly if not (only those with addresses supplied are on the list) - others I know about but need an address. Nigel Barlow Alan Corkett Richard Heard John Gibbons Ross Anderson Mike Sharp Gill Lyons , Mrs. Honor Hill John Bagnall Barry Julia Say Bill Telfer Jim Grant John Birchall Rev John Clifford Colin Hill Mel Leggett Richard and Anita Evans Ian Lawther Andrew P. Killick, Ph.D. Jim Richmond Debbie Lawther Mr D. SINGLETON Peter Dunn, Edmund Spriggs Hartmut Wiechern Malcolm Craven Roger Howard Mark Stayton Marianne Hall. Eddie Brady SHEILA BRIDGES Philip Gruar Here's a brief description of what is on it (as you know it has evolved a bit since my first idea) tracks are: (At Rothbury Mart) 1) Fast jigs by Chris Ormston (N. smallpipes), Cathy Goss (Flute/whistle), Andy .. ?(mandolin), I hear guitar backing in there too could this be Cathy C. as was? Doesn't sound like the duet I mentioned but certainly prizewinning stuff! (was that another year, Chris, when you were all washed out we rescued 5 of you in our camper van??) 2) Stromash Waltz (Tombigbee) Started by Will Taylor joined by other fiddles - wait for Joe's entrance! It still makes me cry. 3) Two Step Jigs (+ audience participation, lowpin' aboot, kicking over beer cans etc.) 4) Rants Reels (Alistair tries to arrange this on the hoof and give Will T. a solo spot in the middle of Nancy Taylor. It brings peels of joyous laughter from Joe at the slickness of it all! (audience participation as above) (At Queen's Head) 5) Rants Reels (standard session tunes - about 9 tunes with verbal directions from Alistair Anderson) There is more than enough here for an Eightsome Reel. Some of the visitors don't always get in the groove but it's pretty close to what's needed for that dance. Enjoy! As aye Anthony -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: That CD!
Thanks Anthony! The fast jigs are Cahir's Kitchen (comp. Paddy Keenan) Morrison's Jig Yours truly on pipes, Cathy Goss (whistle), Andy Hornby (mandolin) and Cathy Ormston (now Hornby) on guitar. Chris From: Anthony Robb [mailto:anth...@robbpipes.com] Sent: 18 March 2009 18:44 To: Chris Ormston Subject: RE: [NSP] That CD! Don't knock it - it's stunning! --- On Wed, 18/3/09, Chris Ormston ch...@chrisormston.com wrote: From: Chris Ormston ch...@chrisormston.com Subject: RE: [NSP] That CD! To: 'Anthony Robb' anth...@robbpipes.com, 'Dartmouth NPS' nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Date: Wednesday, 18 March, 2009, 5:58 PM I'd need to hear it to be certain who/what was being played in the fast Jigs set - I played everything too fast in those days! Any chance of an MP3 of that set so I can post more detail. If it was 1990 it wasn't the year of the floods - I remember this as Jamie was 4 months old in July 1990 and we were kept awake all night by some latter-day Jacobites on the campsite. As the Tennents Super Strength flowed they got more and more vociferous in their hatred of the *** Unglish. Dunno why they came to England - beats me! Chris -Original Message- From: Anthony Robb [mailto:[1]anth...@robbpipes.com] Sent: 18 March 2009 06:51 To: Dartmouth NPS Subject: [NSP] That CD! Hellos apiece I'm delighted at the reponse to this. I'll be getting these in the post to you this week. I'm sorry I haven't had the time to respond individually to requests, but here is my list so far; please check to make sure you're on it if you want to be. Let me know quickly if not (only those with addresses supplied are on the list) - others I know about but need an address. Nigel Barlow Alan Corkett Richard Heard John Gibbons Ross Anderson Mike Sharp Gill Lyons , Mrs. Honor Hill John Bagnall Barry Julia Say Bill Telfer Jim Grant John Birchall Rev John Clifford Colin Hill Mel Leggett Richard and Anita Evans Ian Lawther Andrew P. Killick, Ph.D. Jim Richmond Debbie Lawther Mr D. SINGLETON Peter Dunn, Edmund Spriggs Hartmut Wiechern Malcolm Craven Roger Howard Mark Stayton Marianne Hall. Eddie Brady SHEILA BRIDGES Philip Gruar Here's a brief description of what is on it (as you know it has evolved a bit since my first idea) tracks are: (At Rothbury Mart) 1) Fast jigs by Chris Ormston (N. smallpipes), Cathy Goss (Flute/whistle), Andy .. ?(mandolin), I hear guitar backing in there too could this be Cathy C. as was? Doesn't sound like the duet I mentioned but certainly prizewinning stuff! (was that another year, Chris, when you were all washed out we rescued 5 of you in our camper van??) 2) Stromash Waltz (Tombigbee) Started by Will Taylor joined by other fiddles - wait for Joe's entrance! It still makes me cry. 3) Two Step Jigs (+ audience participation, lowpin' aboot, kicking over beer cans etc.) 4) Rants Reels (Alistair tries to arrange this on the hoof and give Will T. a solo spot in the middle of Nancy Taylor. It brings peels of joyous laughter from Joe at the slickness of it all! (audience participation as above) (At Queen's Head) 5) Rants Reels (standard session tunes - about 9 tunes with verbal directions from Alistair Anderson) There is more than enough here for an Eightsome Reel. Some of the visitors don't always get in the groove but it's pretty close to what's needed for that dance. Enjoy! As aye Anthony -- To get on or off this list see list information at [2]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. http://uk.mc11.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=anth...@robbpipes.com 2. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Medal
I'd just like to publicly thank the person who sent me the Queen's Medal for Proper Piping http://chrisormston.com/miscellany.aspx Much appreciated! Chris Ormston chrisormston.com borderdirectors.com To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] The Lost Music of Newsham
Hi All, In the new-found spirit of altruism on this list, and for those of you who've not already had a bootleg copy, I've uploaded some tracks of tunes from the Clough MS here: [1]http://chrisormston.com/clough.aspx Chris Ormston chrisormston.com borderdirectors.com -- References 1. http://chrisormston.com/clough.aspx To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: The Lost Music of Newsham
The recordings were made in 1987 as part of a plan to release an album of the Clough MS. The album never appeared for reasons I cannot disclose without creating more antagonism, unfortunately! They were recorded on old-fashioned reel-to-reel tape, and were never fully completed, but I've tidied them up as best as I can. Glad you enjoy them! Chris -Original Message- From: Robert Greef [mailto:rob...@greef.fsnet.co.uk] Sent: 15 March 2009 16:25 To: Dartmouth NSP Subject: [NSP] Re: The Lost Music of Newsham Hear Hear to that! Interesting query, too. Trade secrets? Robert - Original Message - From: Paul Rhodes oxpi...@hotmail.com To: Dartmouth NSP nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Sunday, March 15, 2009 2:36 PM Subject: [NSP] Re: The Lost Music of Newsham Thank you so much for these super recordings Chris. It's easy, with all the antagonism that turns up on this forum, to forget that most folks who play the Northumbrian Pipes are friendly, and generous with their expertise and talents. Good website too. Out of interest, how did you make the recordings, and what mikes do you use? all the best, Paul Date: Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:28:27 + To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu From: ch...@chrisormston.com Subject: [NSP] The Lost Music of Newsham Hi All, In the new-found spirit of altruism on this list, and for those of you who've not already had a bootleg copy, I've uploaded some tracks of tunes from the Clough MS here: [1]http://chrisormston.com/clough.aspx Chris Ormston To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: The Lost Music of Newsham (and mics)
-Original Message- From: anth...@robbpipes.com [mailto:anth...@robbpipes.com] Sent: 15 March 2009 22:42 To: 'NSP List'; Chris Ormston Subject: [NSP] Re: The Lost Music of Newsham (and mics) Great stuff Chris! I've your prize winning duet set (with Cathy Goss) from the same Rothbury bash. Do I have your permission to include it in my walk down memory lane? YES! Though I remember getting lost at one point - nobody's perfect! As for your recordings; there's a familiar air about these and if I'm correct they were very probably recorded with AKG 451s. The people involved at the time (If the cider manufacturer has anything to do with it) swore by AKG 414s for vocals and 451s for instruments. The ideal mics for pipes have as flat a frequency response as possible. Bruel Kaejer 406s were unbeatable in this respect but they cost 5 times as much marginal improvement offered. These days many professional engineers go for sE electronics. They are made to the highest standards in China. The sE 4 has wowed the pros as a little stunner costing just under A-L-250 (about the same as a 451). The sE 4400a has an even flatter response but these are A-L-850 for a matched pair. If money's no object go for Schoeps at about A-L-1500 apiece. (specs very similar to 4400a!) As aye Anthony Yes it was Mr Magners! As for mics - I just play the pipes grin Chris --- On Sun, 15/3/09, Chris Ormston ch...@chrisormston.com wrote: From: Chris Ormston ch...@chrisormston.com Subject: [NSP] The Lost Music of Newsham To: 'NSP List' nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Date: Sunday, 15 March, 2009, 12:28 PM Hi All, In the new-found spirit of altruism on this list, and for those of you who've not already had a bootleg copy, I've uploaded some tracks of tunes from the Clough MS here: [1][1]http://chrisormston.com/clough.aspx Chris Ormston chrisormston.com borderdirectors.com -- References 1. [2]http://chrisormston.com/clough.aspx 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://chrisormston.com/clough.aspx 2. http://chrisormston.com/clough.aspx 3. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Keep on Ranting!
Correct! A short cycle ride for me on a Sunday - and a longer ride back :-) http://www.petersen-stainless.co.uk/blb/brewery.html Chris -Original Message- From: julia@nspipes.co.uk [mailto:julia@nspipes.co.uk] Sent: 14 March 2009 10:11 To: 'NSP List' Subject: [NSP] Re: Keep on Ranting! On 14 Mar 2009, Chris Ormston wrote: T:Keelman Brown of Newburn Presumably this is a dark form of liquid refreshment from the microbrewery at said location; or have the re-enactors been in? Yet another good tune! Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Moving away from the First 30 tunes
Yes, I think Colin hit the nail on the head when he referred to people just getting on with it! Nobody taught me to play like that, I absorbed it from those around me. I couldn't really start to define exactly what I do. Talking of absorbing from those around you, my own misty-eyed period is the 1970s at the Sallyport where a dapper gentleman would rattle through Peacock variation sets with swagger, confidence, lyricism and rippling technique. Wonder where he is now?? ;-) Chris From: Anthony Robb [mailto:anth...@robbpipes.com] Sent: 12 March 2009 13:34 To: tim.ro...@btconnect.com; NSP List; Chris Ormston Subject: Re: [NSP] Re: Moving away from the First 30 tunes Hello Chris and all, Talking sense as usual bonny lad. You are absolutely right in that the tree trunk of the piping tradition is as you describe it but there are branches too. My reply to Tim R crossed with yours in the ether, but we are virtually saying the same thing. A couple of points though: 1. When a piper does hit the rant groove it is absolutely delicious! Clean, crisp and stunning - you've done this yourself at the Bridge of Aln sessions and they rocked! 2. There are inevitable similarities between the north Northumberland bands and those over the border especially in choice of line up, but the only band to follow the Shand type sound was Robert Whitelaw and the Danelaw Band. These were certainly popular but not the full story. Oh how I wish videos had been around as I watched Will Taylor dancing Morpeth Rant to John Daggs' Tillside Trio. It was as far removed from Scottish dance or music as any proud Northumbrian could wish As aye Anthony From: Chris Ormston ch...@chrisormston.com Subject: [NSP] Re: Moving away from the First 30 tunes To: tim.ro...@btconnect.com, NSP List nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Date: Thursday, 12 March, 2009, 11:50 AM Hi All, I agree with Anthony on the importance of recognising regional styles, and that dance and music go hand in hand. I think it's important to remember, though, that the North Northumberland style is much more to do with Scottish country dance music, and was heavily influenced by Jimmy Shand. I admire and respect the music of the fiddlers and moothie players Anthony has cited, but see it as a separate tradition. The piping tradition is different, with a separate repertoire that shows off the pipes to their best, which, over the past couple of hundred years has developed a focus on listening/performance rather than dance. As my recent article in the NPS Magazine suggested, the piping tradition is a post-Industrial Revolution one, with its hotbed in South-East Northumberland. The style of the preferred tunes in the North of the county does not always sit well on the pipes, particularly the Burnt Potato tunes which a sizeable number of people now think are Northumbrian. I'm not suggesting that there weren't pipers participating in the N Northumberland scene, but it's interesting that the pedigree (I hate that term - please suggest another) of the prominent pipers in the North of the county can be traced back to Newsham. The music in the North seems to me to be a fiddle/accordeon tradition in which pipers participated rather than led. There are parallels in Ireland where uilleann pipers may join in with all sorts of reels , jigs etc in sessions, but the hard core repertoire is seen as the big 5-plus part piping jigs like frieze Britches and the Gold Ring. Discuss!!! Chris Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:13:14 + To: [1]...@cs.dartmouth.edu From: [2]tim.ro...@btconnect.com Subject: [NSP] Moving away from the First 30 tunes Hi Anthony, Obviously I don't have your knowledge and background of Northumbrian music, so I don't have the same depth of feeling for these matters that you do. My purpose in following the threads on this group is to get an understanding of piping as it is, and was, from experienced people like you, and this is an incredibly rich source of knowledge. Because there is such a diverse range of opinions, often based on historical or geographical connections, often deeply held, the picture is rich and colourful. Long may that continue. You are perhaps correct that the direct relevance of masonry to the first 30 tunes is had to see, and maybe a new title was appropriate, but as a thread of thought I felt it was pertinent, and indeed the mason's decision was perhaps food for thought. I don't think there is any wish to gloss over
[NSP] Re: Moving away from the First 30 tunes
No, it was me who was being flippant! Oh the joys of aging! Often I rely on the hours of practice I put in as a kid to keep me going. I find it's not the technical or physical demands of the Peacock repertoire that are challenging (as the same musical shapes occur in different variation sets), but remembering the order of the bloody variations!!! In dark moments I wonder whether the good old repertoire is valued any more, except by a few remaining diehards. It was much easier in the days before employment, kids, German Pointers (are you a pointer or are you just pleased to see me?) and computers. In those days we could just get on with playing, rather than wasting valuable rehearsal time discussing it online, the bus fare to the Sallyport was three farthings and you still had change for a pennorth of chips, footballs were made of leather that got heavier when wet and the laced-up bit hurt when you headed it... Regarding bands, did you not mean Willie Whitelaw and his Waves of Toryism? Chris __ Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 03:18:44 -0700 From: anth...@robbpipes.com Subject: Re: [NSP] Re: Moving away from the First 30 tunes To: tim.ro...@btconnect.com; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu; ch...@chrisormston.com Hi Chris Gave a rather flippant reply to an important question earlier. Before answering it can I just point out that its Robert Whitehead with the Danelaw Band, not Whitelaw as I mistakenly called him - oops, better get it right!!! Yes, where has that piper gone? I would like to think to a location where the music still demands hours of commitment, vast experience, good musicality but not the physical dexterity demanded by such a repertoire. Getting the notes out is challenge enough for old fingers, putting in that extra needed to keep them flowing, rhythmic and accurate, thereby doing the tunes justice is just a bridge too far these days. I've heard offerings in the past couple of years which fail on some if not all of these counts (your goodself excepted of course) and it is quite educational in terms of making me stick to what I'm reasonably good at! Anthony --- On Fri, 13/3/09, Chris Ormston ch...@chrisormston.com wrote: From: Chris Ormston ch...@chrisormston.com Subject: [NSP] Re: Moving away from the First 30 tunes To: 'Anthony Robb' anth...@robbpipes.com, tim.ro...@btconnect.com, 'NSP List' nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Date: Friday, 13 March, 2009, 7:52 AM Yes, I think Colin hit the nail on the head when he referred to people just getting on with it! Nobody taught me to play like that, I absorbed it from those around me. I couldn't really start to define exactly what I do. Talking of absorbing from those around you, my own misty-eyed period is the 1970s at the Sallyport where a dapper gentleman would rattle through Peacock variation sets with swagger, confidence, lyricism and rippling technique. Wonder where he is now?? ;-) Chris From: Anthony Robb [mailto:anth...@robbpipes.com] Sent: 12 March 2009 13:34 To: tim.ro...@btconnect.com; NSP List; Chris Ormston Subject: Re: [NSP] Re: Moving away from the First 30 tunes Hello Chris and all, Talking sense as usual bonny lad. You are absolutely right in that the tree trunk of the piping tradition is as you describe it but there are branches too. My reply to Tim R crossed with yours in the ether, but we are virtually saying the same thing. A couple of points though: 1. When a piper does hit the rant groove it is absolutely delicious! Clean, crisp and stunning - you've done this yourself at the Bridge of Aln sessions and they rocked! 2. There are inevitable similarities between the north Northumberland bands and those over the border especially in choice of line up, but the only band to follow the Shand type sound was Robert Whitelaw and the Danelaw Band. These were certainly popular but not the full story. Oh how I wish videos had been around as I watched Will Taylor dancing Morpeth Rant to John Daggs' Tillside Trio. It was as far removed from Scottish dance or music as any proud Northumbrian could wish As aye Anthony From: Chris Ormston ch...@chrisormston.com Subject: [NSP] Re: Moving away from the First 30 tunes To: tim.ro...@btconnect.com, NSP List nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Date: Thursday, 12 March, 2009, 11:50 AM Hi All, I agree with Anthony on the importance of recognising regional styles, and that dance and music go hand in hand. I think it's important to remember, though, that the North Northumberland style
[NSP] Re: Spelling of names
And then there's the electronic version Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:50:21 + To: theborderpi...@googlemail.com; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu From: j.gibb...@imperial.ac.uk Subject: [NSP] Re: Spelling of names Couldn't have been before 1731, as Jack was yet to dance his way to world stardom... I'm very impressed the tune - or at least the new title - spread so wide, so quickly. Or was he already famous when still a live teenager? John -Original Message- From: nsp-request+j.gibbons=ic.ac...@cs.dartmouth.edu [mailto:nsp-request+j.gibbons=ic.ac...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Matt Seattle Sent: 13 March 2009 12:31 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: Spelling of names If you read Note 8 in the new edition of Vickers you'll find 13 different spellings of Jack Lattin's name, and some other unrelated titles which became attached to his tune. Who cares? Well, I care enough to note them as they are the labels attached to the versions referred to, but other than that, I'd rather discuss the tune. And more than that, I'd rather play it. It was the one that got me hooked, and Chris Ormston and Anthony Robb were there in the room in Rothbury when it happened. 1985, I think, or was it 1733? Wull Allan would have been around, but Jamie was still a twinkle in his Dad's eye. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: Moving away from the First 30 tunes
Hi All, I agree with Anthony on the importance of recognising regional styles, and that dance and music go hand in hand. I think it's important to remember, though, that the North Northumberland style is much more to do with Scottish country dance music, and was heavily influenced by Jimmy Shand. I admire and respect the music of the fiddlers and moothie players Anthony has cited, but see it as a separate tradition. The piping tradition is different, with a separate repertoire that shows off the pipes to their best, which, over the past couple of hundred years has developed a focus on listening/performance rather than dance. As my recent article in the NPS Magazine suggested, the piping tradition is a post-Industrial Revolution one, with its hotbed in South-East Northumberland. The style of the preferred tunes in the North of the county does not always sit well on the pipes, particularly the Burnt Potato tunes which a sizeable number of people now think are Northumbrian. I'm not suggesting that there weren't pipers participating in the N Northumberland scene, but it's interesting that the pedigree (I hate that term - please suggest another) of the prominent pipers in the North of the county can be traced back to Newsham. The music in the North seems to me to be a fiddle/accordeon tradition in which pipers participated rather than led. There are parallels in Ireland where uilleann pipers may join in with all sorts of reels , jigs etc in sessions, but the hard core repertoire is seen as the big 5-plus part piping jigs like frieze Britches and the Gold Ring. Discuss!!! Chris Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:13:14 + To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu From: tim.ro...@btconnect.com Subject: [NSP] Moving away from the First 30 tunes Hi Anthony, Obviously I don't have your knowledge and background of Northumbrian music, so I don't have the same depth of feeling for these matters that you do. My purpose in following the threads on this group is to get an understanding of piping as it is, and was, from experienced people like you, and this is an incredibly rich source of knowledge. Because there is such a diverse range of opinions, often based on historical or geographical connections, often deeply held, the picture is rich and colourful. Long may that continue. You are perhaps correct that the direct relevance of masonry to the first 30 tunes is had to see, and maybe a new title was appropriate, but as a thread of thought I felt it was pertinent, and indeed the mason's decision was perhaps food for thought. I don't think there is any wish to gloss over the heritage, just a lack of knowledge, which is why your contribution is so valued. Re many of these pieces were still being played by a strong cohort of traditional musicians in north Northumberland in a style which pleased them and fitted their needs extremely well. Do you feel, as you have used the past tense, that this is no longer so? Is the (North?) Northumbrian style of playing lost apart from recordings? Has it been subsumed by Tyneside influences? Which current players do you feel best demonstrate that style? Is that style better/truer then other styles currently in evidence? Should any style be preserved in aspic or should we accept evolution, whilst treasuring, and being influenced by styles of the past be they on vinyl or in mp3? Discuss. Tim - Original Message - From: Anthony Robb anth...@robbpipes.com To: NSP group nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu; Richard York rich...@lizards.force9.co.uk Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 6:20 AM Subject: [NSP] Re: First 30 tunes Sorry to butt in folks, especially since I'm not sure what the exact context is! As the subject matter is the First 30 tunes the relevance of Victorian / Medieval masonry escapes me. I do get the impression, Richard, that you might be regarding these tunes as treasures from an earlier age. Let me reassure you that many of these pieces were still being played by a strong cohort of traditional musicians in north Northumberland in a style which pleased them and fitted their needs extremely well. It is the lack of appreciation of this and the fact that they played their reels with a phrasing that was neither march, polka or reel. This pulse fitted the dance step of choice, the Rant, so perfectly that they referred to the tunes themselves as rants. This was far more than a social pastime for the likes of Will Atkinson whose payment from The Tanner Hops made his, Bella's and their 10 bairns lives, much more bearable. It is the glossing over of this unique heritage that drives me to bring
[NSP] Re: Wedding in Perth, Scotland
Please could you advise what happens to the local gigs - we only seem to get requests for long-distance work via this list? Regards Chris -Original Message- From: julia@nspipes.co.uk [mailto:julia@nspipes.co.uk] Sent: 23 February 2009 20:39 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Wedding in Perth, Scotland Is there anybody within range of Perth who could play nsp for a wedding on 24th Oct. for About 1-1.5 hours. PLease contact me if you think you could take this on. Thanks Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Maggie Lauder article online
Hear Hear! Thanks Matt, and Anita! Chris Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:07:42 + To: theborderpi...@googlemail.com; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu; bellowspi...@yahoogroups.com; scots_mu...@yahoogroups.com From: bill_tel...@tiscali.co.uk Subject: [NSP] Re: Maggie Lauder article online Matt, Brilliant. thanks Bill -Original Message- From: Matt Seattle [mailto:theborderpi...@googlemail.com] Sent: 09 February 2009 12:53 To: nsp; bellowspipes; scots_music Subject: [NSP] Maggie Lauder article online A new article on Maggie Lauder, with sheet music and basic midi playback, is now online at the LBPS website, thanks to heroic webwork by Anita Evans. It should be of interest to Uilleann, Northumbrian and Border pipers as well as fiddlers and others. http://lbps.net/MaggieLauder/index.html Hope you enjoy it It joins its companion article on Rattlin Roarin Willie: http://lbps.net/RRW/index.htm Cheers Matt _ http://theborderpiper.co.uk http://borderdirectors.com http://myspace.com/mattseattleband To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: NSP and pop music
The NSP tracks I recorded with Peter Gabriel never made it onto the album, but the first track features me playing GHB, digitally re-tuned to A and put through a Lesley unit (the great big fan used to give the distinctive tremolo effect on Hammond organs!). NSP DO feature on Ommadawn, if you listen very, very carefully, but it's mostly drones and one long chanter note if my memory serves me right. Paddy If-it-makes-a-noise-I'll-jam-along-and-market-it-as-fusion Moloney plays the UP. Chris Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 09:58:54 +0100 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] CC: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [NSP] Re: NSP and pop music I believe Chris Ormston plays on a Peter Gabriel album, but I haven't chased it up yet. An NSP player is credited on Mike Oldfield's Ommadawn, but apparently didn't actually appear on the album because his reed broke and some UP player, er, played instead (information from Chris O). c -Original Message- From: Mike Sharp [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 9:02 PM To: Steve Bliven Cc: NSP Mailing List Subject: [NSP] Re: NSP and pop music Hi Steve, when is doubt, ask wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nontraditional_bagpipe_usage Among other notable uses mentioned on wikipedia: * [1]Sting used Northumbrian smallpipes, played by [2]Kathryn Tickell, on his hit song Fields Of Gold, from his 1993 album [3]Ten Summoner's Tales --Mike Sharp Bagpipes Reeding fettling NSPs and SSPs __ From: Steve Bliven [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: List - NSP nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Wednesday, December 3, 2008 11:40:05 AM Subject: [NSP] NSP and pop music Greetings - Got a call today from the Museum of Fine Art in Boston where they are teaching a course on the use of traditional instruments in pop music. They were specifically looking for examples where bagpipes were used in widely recognized pop songs. I could recall some instances where Loud Highland Bagpipes and Uilleann pipes were involved but nothing off-hand for NSP (other than Ryofu and let's not go there again.). Appreciate any input related to NSP - and any other types while you're at it. Best wishes. Steve -- To get on or off this list see list information at [4]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sting_%28musician%29 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Tickell 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Summoner%27s_Tales 4. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/%7Ewbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: English culinary traditions - a rough guide
And what type of knife should be used to cut them - rusty, risty or busty??? According to the ancient scrolls. or was it the cup and ring marks at Routin Linn.. Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 13:25:33 +0100 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [NSP] English culinary traditions - a rough guide Hi All, Ian mentioned Bakewell Tarts. Without wishing to be in any way pedantic (having read and enjoyed Jamie Allan's latest contribution to the NPS magazine) please allow me to offer a warning to potential visitors to Bakewell about a local tradition. Derbyshire people seem to take mild offence at the use of the term Bakewell Tart. I was quite firmly told some years ago that Bakewell Pudding is the correct name for this wonderful confection. If I properly understood what I was told, a Bakewell Pudding is soft and squishy, tastes of almonds and jam, and lingers on the tongue - a Bakewell Tart, on the other hand, may be soft and squishly but lingers under streetlamps and .. .. anyway, do take care in the back streets of Bakewell to ask for the right thing. Richard 33% off Norton Security from Tiscali - http://www.tiscali.co.uk/products/securepc/ __ To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: olympic games bagpipes
As played by Team GHB??? Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 12:47:38 + To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [NSP] olympic games bagpipes In case anyone's interested, on ebay now, the Highland pipes that were played at the olymic games opening ceremony, allegedly! As some of you may remember, these pipes can only play about 4 different tunes, including, we seem to remember Scotland the Brave, The Rowan Tree, and possibly Highland Cathedral. [1]http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40_trksid=m38_nkw=bagpipes+olympic; _sacat=See-All-Categories -- References 1. http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40_trksid=m38_nkw=bagpipes+olympic_sa cat=See-All-Categories To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: Oil and health
I used to get itchy hands from the brass on Tom Clough's pipes - nasty cheapo Reid things that had poisoned successive generations of the Clough family since the early 19th Century! The health safety conscious amongst you will be relieved to hear that they're now encased in bubble wrap and never see the light of day :-( Chris -Original Message- From: Paul Gretton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 24 November 2008 18:03 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: Oil and health Be afraid! Be very afraid! But if you're into this kind of thing, you might also like to take some time to worry about percutaneous copper and zinc poisoning from the brass of your keys (assuming you have one of those nasty cheapo sets - yuk! I prefer solid gold). I myself never play the pipes without wearing at least three pairs of rubber gloves. Natural latex only, of course! Cheers, Paul Gretton -Original Message- From: Richard York [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 24 November 2008 18:41 To: NSP group Subject: [NSP] Oil and health Hello all. I'm wary of opening a debate which could possibly re-visit too many personal differences, but would welcome any bio-chemically-minded comment on something I found recently. A leaflet we have describes all sorts of personal household products with natural alternatives, and the advantages disadvantages of each - with an obvious spin towards the green/natural alternatives, which appeals to me emotionally at least. It included the statement that petroleum-based things had carcinogenic properties, and didn't recommend them at all. Admittedly it was discussing what it politely called intimate personal lubricant, so it's referring to contact with more mucous membranes than are generally encountered by the average chanter... but it's often commented that using different oils on your chanter does affect your hand skin, so it does obviously penetrate the player's skin. And it's possible to spend quite a few hours plugged into the pipes over the years! Any comments, preferably polite, welcome :-) Richard. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: An ear for drone music
Thanks John - you've hit the nail on the head! More to come from me in the forthcoming NPS magazine! Chris Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:45:22 -0500 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [NSP] Re: An ear for drone music Good point John Dally made - perhaps this explains why there's such a split in repertoires? If you like the effect of drone harmony you will like Peacock, Bewick, Clough tunes - but if the drones are just something you tune to the tonic and dominant, then forget about, you prefer tunes with more modern harmonies - whether or not they fit the drones -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: Music for funeral
Now I can't get Highland Cathedral out of my head! Grrr I wonder if they've tried using it as a form of torture at Guantanamo Bay??? Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:03:40 + To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] CC: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [NSP] Re: Music for funeral And don't play effin' Highland Cathedral either Should that be Highland Cathedral ineff and a ' , Tim - Original Message - From: Paul Gretton [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 6:40 PM Subject: [NSP] Music for funeral My gut reaction is: play anything appropriate - there are lots of options - but please, please, please don't play Amazing Grace! I don't think one should do anything that might contribute to that awful piece of slop becoming a part of the Northumberland repertoire too. It would be dreadful if it ever became a standard feature of funerals on this side of the Atlantic the way it has in the States. And in the States the problem is not just with funerals: over there, there are only two tunes associated with bagpipes (of any type), namely Amazing Grace and that other one. There was no Amazing Grace at the Cenotaph this morning and I think you may agree that the somber ceremony of commemoration was still pretty effective. And don't play effin' Highland Cathedral either Paul Gretton -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --- - No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.175 / Virus Database: 270.9.1/1781 - Release Date: 11/11/2008 8:59 AM --
[NSP] Re: York Waits concert
And, of equal relevance to NSP, The Pogues are at Newcastle Carling Academy on 11th December! -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 01 November 2008 18:05 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] York Waits concert Kim Bibby-Wilson has requested that we publicise the following: Pre-Christmas Concert -Music of the Tudors including the new tune William Turner´s Jig Tuesday 18th November 2008, 7.30 pm The Ballroom, The Town Hall, Market Place, Morpeth, NE61 1LZ Tickets £8.00 (Concessions £6.00) Available from Morpeth Town Hall or on the door Advance reservations/details on 01670 500700 or 513308 Hope this is of interest to some. Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: York Waits concert
Sorry folks - I read the original post as being about music of the Tudors and had assumed it was to do with Henry VIII etc which significantly predates our tradition. Now I realise it was to do with the Tyneside crisp manufacturer. Chris -Original Message- From: Philip Gruar [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 02 November 2008 23:07 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: York Waits concert On 2 Nov 2008, Chris Ormston wrote: And, of equal relevance to NSP, The Pogues are at Newcastle Carling Academy on 11th December! I think at least one member of the York Waits plays the NSP, whereas I doubt if the same could be said of The Pogues. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Extreme Choyting!
Don't try this at home! [1]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wk85_nqi60k Chris Ormston www.chrisormston.com -- References 1. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wk85_nqi60k 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
I think the idea of solo playing in our group sessions is excellent, and I can see that it would be very beneficial. The problem is that as my turn approaches on the night, my enthusiasm would decrease in proportion. Although I don't feel nervous about performing before others, my fingers do, and I know that in that situation, my playing ability decreases by quite a few notches. I don't mind making mistakes and not playing well before others, if I know they're not going to come down on me for it; but what I do mind, and find very frustrating, is knowing that on my own at home, I can play much better than that. Of course the answer to that is to play more solo in front of others. So it's Catch 22. Chris Harris To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Fool, fearing to tread, aka Peacock marks
Richard, We don't really know what Peacock meant by the trill marks. It's even been suggested that Mr Wright, the publisher, was wholly responsible for the transcriptions, and, not being a piper, gave it his best shot. We don't know for certain that Peacock was musically literate (correct me if I'm wrong). I've found through playing the Peacock repertoire that I tend to use vibrato where a trill is marked - perhaps that's what was intended, who knows??? The pieces certainly work fine without the trills. Clough's comments on the Fenwick tutor would suggest that the classical definitions of some of these embellishments were quite alien to the piping tradition. Don't let it put you off persevering with the Peacock collection - it's really not as difficult as it may seem at first glance. There are common note patterns and sequences, and if you can master one Peacock variation set you're well on the way to conquering them all! For those of you who'd like something slightly more accessible, Clough's variations on Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be follow the Peacock pattern, albeit with some keyed variations thrown in for good measure. Chris -Original Message- From: Richard York [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 22 September 2008 10:17 To: NSP group Subject: [NSP] Fool, fearing to tread, aka Peacock marks After all the recent fireworks I hesitate to ask this but here goes anyway; not to be provocative, just wanting to know. In Peacock's facsimile (I don't know what happens in the re-edition) there are a number of tunes where he gives tr marks. For example, no 10, My Ain Kind Dearie has these, and also quite specific small grace-notes, written in elsewhere in the tune. While these tr marks are most frequently over longer notes, such as the dotted one of a pair of beamed notes, some of the markings (bar 14) are over semiquavers. OK, it's not a breakneck speed tune, but these are still going to be fairly short notes in the first place. I don't suggest he's suggesting more than a quick twiddle, rather than a full scale finished trill, but there are going to be at least 3 notes involved here. I'd be interested to know whether these are to be interpreted as separately fingered, whether you think the middle note would be above or below, or whether a dreaded quick lift of the finger above is even implied. Or whether, given that he puts these over pairs of semiquavers which are also slur marked, he's simply nicked a fiddler's version, and isn't thinking smallpipes at all; though.to be honest, one could do the [c-word] and slur onto the next note which was then lifted short before starting the next pair, on the nsp's. Well, someone with more technique than I have could, anyway :-) . With thanks, Richard. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] Re: George Atkinson
Colin, Have you been nobbled by a hockey mom/pig in lipstick??? Chris Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:15:23 -0400 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] CC: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [NSP] Re: George Atkinson Dear Adrian, Come on let's get?some musical sense into all this. The fact that I have not competed does not mean I do not have any idea of the nature of the instrument. My experience of playing the pipes both as an amateur and semi- professional as well as my broader experience of music other than small piping means that I can put the playing of the pipes in some sort of perspective that perhaps the less experienced in playing and listening to a wider range of music cannot. I fully appreciate the characteristics of closed finger playing that is almost unique to our pipes but the fundimentalist dogma of only one finger up at a time and playing every note detached closes off a range of other means of expression attainable on our pipes to make up for the lack of dynamics that the pipes suffer from and which I have mentioned previously. I am not trying to change the style of playing the pipes that older and now deceased players have established only to feel free to develop varied techniques while retaining the essential quality of the playing style. Be aware that in insisting on this rigid form of playing you are?putting off beginners who feel that they will be derided in playing in public if they cannot acheive this level of expertise and may put them off piping altogether. I have posted this on the list to widen the discussion. Colin R -Original Message- From: what.me lt;[EMAIL PROTECTED]gt; To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 0:33 Subject: Re: [NSP] George Atkinson Mr Ross,? have you competed in any piping competitions? (I do not think so)? I have.? What are you trying to say?? I am playing, now, in a most 'proper' form and you are trying to change it.? The correct method is closed fingering; if you cannot do it, give up; or at least try.? Mr Schofield ? ___ _ AOL Email goes Mobile! You can now read your AOL Emails whilst on the move. Sign up for a free AOL Email account with unlimited storage today. -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html --
[NSP] Re: Etymology of the 'C' word - 2
Thanks Francis, I'm not aware of any more George Atkinson recordings. I was fortunate enough to spend a few afternoons with him circa 1977, and while he was a little out of practice, he managed to combine detached fingering with delightful musicality. Chris -Original Message- From: Francis Wood [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 16 September 2008 15:25 To: Chris Ormston; NSP Mailing List Subject: [NSP] Re: Etymology of the 'C' word - 2 Well said, Chris. I'd add that, even without the traditional examples, the instrument itself is a good teacher. All musical instruments have their peculiar abilities and constraints and this is particularly true of NSPs. Our pipes alone, among other bagpipes, have the capability of producing truly detached notes and few people have studied this as closely and productively as you and Adrian. Whatever may happen in the evolution of tradition and style, that unique capability of the instrument (whether with keys or not) has remained constant. The evidence of both the past and the present seem to indicate that 'good piping' is actually what shows the instrument to its best and unique advantage. You mentioned George Atkinson as a good exponent of that style. I have heard only the three tracks on the Wild Hills O'Wannie LP. I like them a lot. Are there other recordings of him? Francis On 16 Sep 2008, at 12:05, Ormston, Chris wrote: I understand what you're saying, Matt, but I don't think comparison with the GHB tradition is directly relevant. The system of gracing for GHB may have been imposed by the army for the last hundred years or so and become accepted as truth by civilian pipers, but from what I understand, there was always some form of systematic approach to gracing. This may have varied from region to region, and evolved over time, but was not an every-man-for-himself free-for-all. Whatever the approach adopted, the GHB with its open chanter requires grace notes to separate notes of the same pitch, and all systematic approaches to gracing utilise the strength of different grace notes to aid articulation and rhythm. However, as Adrian has already stated, the NSP chanter is a closed cylindrical tube and therefore does not require open gracings. If we attempt to use open gracings they all come out at about the same volume, so their utility for rhythmic purposes is lost and they merely interfere with the melody. Using open gracings to separate notes of the same pitch stands out like a sore thumb amongst otherwise-detached fingering and I can't for the life of me understand how that might be aesthetically pleasing. Six generations of the Clough family seemed to grasp this concept without difficulty, and their peers over the generations - Thomas Hare, George Nicholson, Thomas Todd, and more recently Will Cocks and GG Armstrong - all subscribed to this approach. It lived on in the playing of George Atkinson and Joe Hutton. This is not, then, fundamentalism but rather the evidence that, over the generations, consensus was reached on what constituted good piping - not by academic analysis, but by pipers finding out what worked best through their experience of playing. This defines our tradition. Forster Charlton's notes in the Billy Pigg Border Minstrel album stated that learning the NSP was once taken as seriously as any classical instrument, and this would concur with the suggestion made by Francis that NSP are a parlour instrument rather than a folk instrument. The perception of NSP as a folk instrument has not been helpful as it leads to the notion that the music is unsophisticated and that there are few rules to be observed when playing. People use the 'folk' argument to justify a range of freestyle approaches, but in doing so they do a disservice to the previous generations who, in the absence of the internet, CDs, MP3s or whatever, explored in depth the possibilities of their instrument without dilution from other traditions. So, I believe that the 'right' way of playing is that developed over the last two hundred years or so - it wasn't arrived at by accident! The aesthetics are all to do with how each player works WITHIN the tradition to develop their own subleties and nuances. Tom Clough, George Atkinson and Joe Hutton all played from the same rule book, yet each had an individual style. Chris -Original Message- From: Matt Seattle [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 16 September 2008 09:49 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: Etymology of the 'C' word - 2 Thanks for these Richard. None of them are really close, which IMO indicates that this was an onomatopoeic(?) word used by a small circle, maybe a very small circle. The issue behind the word is whether to-choyte-or-not-to-choyte is an aesthetic or a moral choice. We have the right
[NSP] Re: the cry of the curlew, the wind in the reeds...
Me too! Used to go to the Liverpool Trad Club at the Cross Keys in the early 80s, and the Baltic Fleet, the Grapes on Matthew Street, and the shorter-lived Brook House Club, and made occasional forays to the Bothy in Southport. I mostly played in sessions though at the Cracke, the Nelson on the Dock Road, the Irish Centre and a pub somewhere behind the Philharmonic Hall, the name of which escapes me. Most memorable, though was a session on board the Irish Oak which was docked near the Nelson - had to give a backhander to the security man at the dock gates to get in, and nearly got arrested trying to leave again as we were mistaken for illegal immigrants! Chris -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 27 August 2008 10:38 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: the cry of the curlew, the wind in the reeds... There were many Folk clubs during the 60's - 80's including a few excellent traditional clubs (I ran one - and played my pipes there Which one was that? I was quite active on the folk scene in Liverpool in the mid-60s but had only ever encountered nsp on record (played by colin ross accompanying louis killen on derwentwater farewell). Strange our crossths didn't path ;-) To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] Re: More choyting!
Sounds more like Billy Smart than Billy Pigg. The possibilities are endless - pipers could arrive at performances in a car where the doors fall off! Is there any chance the NPS could manufacture Society badges that squirt water in people's faces, and should the audience at competitions throw custard pies to create a general sense of hilarity? :) Chris -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 26 August 2008 14:30 To: Ormston, Chris Cc: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: More choyting! What about the Three Tenors doing doing all that warbling at the end of O Sole Mio. It was done in fun and because they could do it and it went down a storm. Why can't we do the same thing on our pipes if we want to for fun and mischief to get laughter and response from our listeners?which is probably the main thing we are trying to do in playing in public (you could do it in a forest as well even if no one is listening). Something like jazz compared to classical playing. Cromwell would have been proud of this strict puritanical rule of no more than one finger off at a time that Clough is supposed to have advocated. Colin -Original Message- From: Ormston, Chris lt;[EMAIL PROTECTED]gt; To: colin lt;[EMAIL PROTECTED]gt;; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:03 Subject: [NSP] Re: More choyting! Colin said:I often wonder why the style of playing causes so much attention and why the odd choyte causes so much concern..Imagine if Pavarotti had thrown in the odd yodel in Nessun Dorma, and you'll get the idea! lt;gringt;ChrisThe information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.To get on or off this list see list information at htt! p://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html AOL Email goes Mobile! You can now read your AOL Emails whilst on the move. Sign up for a free AOL Email account with unlimited storage today. -- The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: The great choyte debate redux
Thanks for your comments, Sheila. Firstly I'd like to say that being away from Northumberland is not the disadvantage it's sometimes perceived to be. People often think there's a hotbed of piping, with virtuosity to be heard in some pub every night of the week - it's not like that! The Clough tradition is the only handed-down tradition we have evidence of - the rest is hearsay - and as Julia has already illustrated, the other respected pipers of the 20th Century can be directly linked to the Clough tradition. People often think of the NSP tradition as being folk music, so anything goes, but Forster Charlton's description of the approach while the Cloughs were active tells us that learning our instrument was taken as seriously as any classical instrument, and why not, unless you're not up to scratch?. As a young piper I was subject to the myths of the time = NSP were a rare instrument, difficult to play, and their mysteries closely guarded by a compact group of Northumbrian shepherds. Jack Armstrong was the standard to aspire to because, well, he himself had told people so, even though Pauline Cato's interview with Bill Stafford now informs us that Jack wasn't fond of Northumbrian music. I could digress here into a debate about the relevance, in the 21st Century, of patronage from Percys, Trevelyans, Blackett-Ords and Charltons. Shew's the Way to Wallington? - erm, No Thanks! Anyone care to bite?? My own mission, when teaching piping, is to cut out the sentimental view of much of the 20th century and to avoid learners wasting time in the associated musical cul-de-sacs. Unfortunately there continue to be sentimental lies broadcast by individuals who seek to earn their living from piping, and copying of their styles by those who should know better but see a fast buck in the making. I'm glad that recent research has finally supported the gut feelings I had when I started playing 32 years ago. Unfortunately this new knowledge challenges the schemas of many who were sucked in by sentiment and myth, and I fear there will be a few broken hearts on the journey to the truth. Still, if you can't stand the heat. Chris This is going to hurt me more than it will hurt you PS Sorry to ramble - been in the.. http://chrisormston.com/Documents/Bridge_End.pdf -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 23 August 2008 15:06 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: The great choyte debate redux Obviously everyone has there own opinion regarding what is good form and what is not.However, as a person who is on the periphery of the field, I find it difficult to know what indeed is correct, and what is considered WRONG and to be DAMNED apart from the fact that it should basicly be mastered with closed fingering.From this thread, the impression is given that Clough was virtually the only pure. traditional, expert, and that everyone should be following his dictates. Comparing these arguments with similar discussions on Baroque music, where there are those who hold that it should be played as written i.e. virtually unembellished, there are also those who put forth a very good case for embellishments and whose performances tend to be wonderfully inspiring and musical. Incidently, the unembellished school quite happily accepts, as perfectly correct, the many different renderings of the figured bass which are now found in most editions - modern performers usually being at a loss if handed a copy with the bass as originally written. For the soloist, . . . playing a full set of satisfying variations is the most fun one can have . . . But for the audience, most frequently, this can seem like the most boring performance of an endless set of technical exercises.(Wow! I bet I get either completely ignored ,or slaughtered, for such a heretic remark!!) Frequently group piping tends to sound like a bunch of kids reciting the multiplication tables and seeing who can do it the fastest, combined with the kazoo effect, which in part, is bound to result from lack of standardization of the pitch of the F chanter.We have only to listen to various recordings, some of which are highly recommended as listening material for beginners and for those living outside the native heath; and which seems to be inevitable in all sessions, especially if involving more than 2 pipers. 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: jhf
-Original Message- From: Adrian [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 22 August 2008 00:37 To: nsp Subject: [NSP] jhf I would like a straight version of Forsters 'Jim Halls Fancy' Well you'll not find it on Canal Street! p.s. can I choyt at the Bellingham Show? You can - but don't expect a prize! Tom Clough's Bellingham adjudication speech from the 1930s still applies!! Chris -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] Re: jhf
Thanks - I hope my fingering is more accurate than my memory for dates! Chris Tough on choyting, tough on the causers of choyting -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 22 August 2008 10:11 To: nsp Subject: [NSP] Re: jhf On 22 Aug 2008, Ormston, Chris wrote: Bellingham Show? Tom Clough's Bellingham adjudication speech from the 1930s still applies!! October 1923: The chief aim of any player is to produce good music. Now this can only be attained by the proper use of his musical instrument. There are two fundamental principles of good piping, namely winding, and execution on the chanter. The chanter, unlike any other form of pipe is close fingered - it emits no sound when the finger-holes are closed, hence its distinctness. In the hands of an expert the music can be produced with surprising distinctness. The principles mentioned, combined with the proper musical ideas of the performer, makes good piping and tasteful music. Thanks for the warning, Chris! Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] Re: jhf
Just this morning I couldn't hear the pit hooter for all those pesky curlews and sheep! Chris -Original Message- From: Gibbons, John [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 22 August 2008 11:16 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: jhf Adrian gives an excellent description of the top a to g note gracing as sounding like a seagull in pain if not executed properly, which is one prominent example of open gracing very commonly heard. Not executed properly? But isn't it meant to sound like that? The cry of the curlew, bleating of sheep etc John -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 22 August 2008 11:10 To: nsp; Ormston, Chris Subject: [NSP] Re: jhf On 22 Aug 2008, Ormston, Chris wrote: , I've just had an off-list request for an explanation of choyting. Clough described it as To grace a note in the manner of a Highland piper i.e. to play a grace note, then a melody note without silence between the two. and (in reference to the 1895 Fenwick tutor): Regarding the shake: In many instances it is understood and played by pipers in the following manner: They lift the principal note, and successively strike the note above while the principal note is kept running. A grievous error in smallpipe playing. Clough had been asked for his opinion on an update of the tutor to be published in 1931, and I added a note to the above paragraph: Clough was adamant that this, a technical description of a trill and an inverted mordent, should be omitted - it was not, but a note was added to the effect that lifting several fingers at once was not good technique. For me, the skill of Northumbrian piping is to play without resorting to open gracings. I interpret that as obeying the one finger off at a time rule at all times, (when possible - it isn't if you're going to use finger vibrato) but I get my ear bent that I'm ower rigorous in my interpretation. And doubtless will again after this post! Adrian gives an excellent description of the top a to g note gracing as sounding like a seagull in pain if not executed properly, which is one prominent example of open gracing very commonly heard. HTH Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] Re: jhf
While we're fortunate to have some written evidence of Clough's thoughts on all this, it's important to recognise other examples of clean, closed fingering from recent history - it's not just a Clough thing. Joe Hutton's playing clearly demonstrated detached fingering and contained few open gracings, and I'd urge readers to listen to his earlier recordings - those made when he was a well man and before his focus drifted from Northumbrian to strict tempo Scottish Country dance repertoire. George Atkinson's name appears again and again on the competition cups, and his contributions on the Wild Hills of Wannies LP shows why - some of the most clear, musical interpretations of hornpipes you could wish for! Chris -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 22 August 2008 11:10 To: nsp; Ormston, Chris Subject: [NSP] Re: jhf On 22 Aug 2008, Ormston, Chris wrote: , I've just had an off-list request for an explanation of choyting. Clough described it as To grace a note in the manner of a Highland piper i.e. to play a grace note, then a melody note without silence between the two. and (in reference to the 1895 Fenwick tutor): Regarding the shake: In many instances it is understood and played by pipers in the following manner: They lift the principal note, and successively strike the note above while the principal note is kept running. A grievous error in smallpipe playing. Clough had been asked for his opinion on an update of the tutor to be published in 1931, and I added a note to the above paragraph: Clough was adamant that this, a technical description of a trill and an inverted mordent, should be omitted - it was not, but a note was added to the effect that lifting several fingers at once was not good technique. For me, the skill of Northumbrian piping is to play without resorting to open gracings. I interpret that as obeying the one finger off at a time rule at all times, (when possible - it isn't if you're going to use finger vibrato) but I get my ear bent that I'm ower rigorous in my interpretation. And doubtless will again after this post! Adrian gives an excellent description of the top a to g note gracing as sounding like a seagull in pain if not executed properly, which is one prominent example of open gracing very commonly heard. HTH Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] Re: The great choyte debate redux
Where would music be today if tritones had continued to be proscribed and thirds widely disapproved of as in the middle ages? It might have saved us from that Maxwell-Davis stuff grin To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] Re: The great choyte debate redux
I'm afraid I glaze over once we get into classical music theory - my own formal training was limited to being forced to learn 3rd clarinet in the junior wind band as an 11 year old - enough to put any young musician off for life. As a piper I've relied on me fingers and lugs! Seriously, though, you make an important point about use of ornaments BY CHOICE. Without this we'd never have had the raw expression of Billy Pigg (He was a wild piper, but a lovely bloke - Tom Clough IV) or the edgy earthiness of the first Cut Dry LP. It's my personal belief that pipers should first ground themselves in the closed style before going off to try other things, like Billy Pigg did as a pupil of Clough. As Barry alluded to earlier, it's easier not to learn bad habits in the first place rather than to try to undo them later. In fact I'd advocate that new learners should start on a simple set, not just to develop skills in the basic octave, but also to preserve the older tunes, but that's probably a bit too radical for most on this list, as is my opinion that the supply of extended chanters should be subject to a Freudian psychological analysis of the purchaser ;-) Chris -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 22 August 2008 11:38 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] The great choyte debate redux An analogy FWIW: I remember reading somewhere (possibly in Boyden's book on the history of violin playing, inter alia) that harpsichordist do out of choice (for expressive reasons) what string players do out of necessity - in other words arpeggiate chords. Lutenists do the same thing so as not to leave the instrument empty, as frescobaldi put it. Could we not make a similar case for the judicious use of choyting out of choice for expressive reasons? Doing out of choice what other pipers (not only highland) do out of necessity. OK, Tom Clough and others may not (have) approve(d) but the odd choyte along with other forms of ornamental surely extends rather than restricts the expressive capacity of the instrument - doesn't it? Where would music be today if tritones had continued to be proscribed and thirds widely disapproved of as in the middle ages? Don't all shoot at once ;-) Chirs To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] Re: Articulation
Paul wrote: I don't think Clough meant that everything should be played staccatissimo. That's not how he played himself, to judge by the recordings. Quite the opposite - Clough's suggestion was that the notes should be given their full length, and the skill was to make the silences in between as short as possible. Chris -- The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Seeking The Galloway
Seeking the Galloway is also on Gordon Mooney's O'er the Border CD, and may well be in one of his tune collections Chris -Original Message- From: Richard Evans [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 23 July 2008 11:44 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Seeking The Galloway 'Folk Songs From The North' contains Seeking The Galloway, Silver Street Lasses and The Swaggering Lads O' Percy Main. It's by Gwen and Mary Polwarth, pub. Frank Graham 1970 Richard -- Richard Evans To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] Re: Rusty Gulley
I'd agree, Matt, about the subtle distinction. On NSP, highly-developed chanter skills are required to make evident any differences in emphasis - we can't use dynamics and ought not to be choyting, so instead we rely on subtle adjustments to note length. However. on first hearing All the Night With Jockey years ago (albeit with the wrong drone tuning) it struck me that the underlying straight rhythm can be heard in different ways and one can perceive a difference in emphasis according to how one chooses to listen to the tune. Sometimes it's best to play the piece 'straight' and let the inherent syncopations speak for themselves (I never thought I'd believe all that bunkum from the modern jazz people about learning to listen differently grin) A more-recent example is the variation on Jim Hall's Fancy (I think it's the last one, that was er..., borrowed from Clough's Nae Guid Luck variations), where the minuet-style rhythm momentarily gives way to jig time, no matter where one tries to put the emphasis!! Chris -Original Message- From: Matt Seattle [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 21 July 2008 10:32 To: Gibbons, John Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: Rusty Gulley Good examples, John. Everything you mention here I would consider as syncopation rather than change of metre, or in the case of Risty Gulley, alternating metre. Maybe this is a too-subtle distinction, but it's one that I experience. I use syncopation a lot in my own playing, and for me it works precisely because the underlying 'straight' rhythm is there as a context for the sophisticated syncopations snaking sinuously out of my chanter. AFAIK no other sources notate RG in alternating metre. Why would they? It's simply wrong. Not to put too fine a point on it, Vickers was 'sort-of' musically literate - he knew what he meant, but didn't write it 'correctly'. When *played in G*, does Jack Lattin have one sharp, as everyone else plays it, or three sharps, as Vickers writes? Numerous other examples can be cited. One thing I learnt in the 21-year gap between my editions of Vickers was context. There is a huge contextual literature around many of these tunes; when the only person saying something different from *everyone else* is not known for his accuracy he is not necessarily the genius who is the only one to discern the truth, even if some of us find his quirks appealing. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] RE: [NSP] Främling Composers ..
That's why I tend to favour Clough repertoire, where the only concern is to differentiate between some Tom, Dick or Harry ;-) Chris www.chrisormston.com -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 07 July 2008 09:45 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Främling Composers .. Whilst at Newcastleton at the weekend I was playing 'Happy Hours' and got into a nerdy discussion about composers .. and I got it mixed up :) So in an attempt to clear it up and given that lots of people who were there are on this list .. Emile Vacher who composed Happy Hours was in fact a French accordionist whose heyday was in the 1920's and 30's ( I think). The Glaswegian fiddler who allegedly changed his name to sound more exotic/authentic/continental was in fact Parazotti (composer of The Bank's). His grandfather was Italian and had moved to Glasgow much earlier. So it might have been a resurrected family name as well.. Rob To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] Re: Holmfirth
I guess All types of pipes was always going to be a shambles - a bit like All types of stringed instruments would be! Or the fact that most of the nation associates Holmfirth with tedious, safe Sunday evening TV, somewhere between the antiques slot and the god slot! Chris - Original Message - From: Adrian [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: nsp nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 7:34 PM Subject: [NSP] Holmfirth Hello all, the Holmfirth 'all types of pipes' was a shambles. The only pipers were Mark Carmichael and Brian Howard and a bit of an audience. I arrived at 1245, shorlty before Dave Ashton, but it had finished at 1200, also in the pamphlet, it did say 1200 finishing time. I've asked Dave and the woman who organises the festival for a 1400hrs to 1600hrs slot next year. Adrian -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: SNP Tune South Wind
I have versions of this in a couple of Irish tune books titled 'An Ghaoth Aneas'. One of them says this about it: The South Wind. Edward Bunting says he got this air in 1792 from an old man known as Poor Folk who walked the northern counties playing on a tin fiddle. It is in Bunting's Collection (1809) as 'Oh Southern Breeze' Regards Chris -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 03 May 2008 15:07 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [NSP] Re: SNP Tune South Wind On 3 May 2008, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Does any one know the origins of the tune South Wind from the Northumbrian Piper's Second Tune Book Page 34. Is it Northumbrian, Scottish or Irish? Well, googling South Wind traditional tune brings up a lot of sites with Irish, Gaelic, or waltz in the description, so. I've always assumed it's Irish. So perhaps your typo in the title SNP tune wasn't quite what you meant. Flower of Scotland, anyone? grin Hope this helps Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 8.0.100 / Virus Database: 269.23.8/1412 - Release Date: 02/05/2008 16:34
[NSP] Re: OT Humphrey Littleton
I always wish they'd tried The Wild Rover to the tune of Nights In White Satin! Chris - Original Message - From: Ian Lawther [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Nsp@Cs.Dartmouth.Edu nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 12:38 AM Subject: [NSP] OT Humphrey Littleton I have just read on the Guardian website that Humphrey Littleton has died. I, for one, will miss him as an essential part of the quirky humour of I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again and my only reason for posting about it here is that this group has occasionally slipped into online NSP versions of Late Arrivals... and Mornington Crescent which have made me nostalgic for home and has confused the hell out of North American members of the list. For me that was always a sign that many of those who share my interest in Northumbrian pipes also share my enjoyment of British radio humour and an important link with home. Thanks to those of you who played those games, Ian Lawther To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: You want puerile; we have puerile!
... or that famous song in praise of the Tyne dredgermen - Haul Cackie Through the Water Cacky Layton? Ok, I stop now ;-) To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Plumbing the depths, and further
I blame the liquid paraffin ;-) This one will run and run. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Flowers...OT
Vickers at weddings?? I think you meant Vicars ;-) -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 07 April 2008 10:49 To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: Flowers...OT On 6 Apr 2008, Richard York wrote: inappropriate tunes for weddings? Ooh, good, I need a giggle: The Bride's No a Maid (topical -its in Vickers!) The Clumsy Lover (good tune...erno further comment) Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure under the NHS Code of Openness or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the information contained in this e-mail is intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute, or take any action or reliance upon it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited.
[NSP] Inky Bob - 2nd attempt
Apologies if you've received this twice - I'm not sure that my first attempt to send worked! Here's a new tune, hot off the press, to celebrate the TV appearance of Bolton's greatest piper - the legendary Shameless Ennis! X:1 T:Inky Bob's Rant C:Chris Ormston M:C R: K:G (3DEF|GABdB2AB|cBAGE2DE|GABdB2AB|c2E2E2 (3DEF|GABdB2AB|cBAGE2DE|Ggfg cAdc|B2G2G2:|| (3def|gBBgB2AB|cEEcE2(3def|gBBgB2AB|c2E2E2(3def|gBBgB2AB|cEEcE2DE|Ggfg cAdc|B2G2G2:|| Chris To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: old Towler
While this is written in straight jig time, it's much more effective played in a 'dotted' manner. Also, make sure the dotted crotchets are given their full value. Tom Clough's advice to sing the song in your head is relevant here to help with the phrasing. Ooops, sorry! Got the Champion of Champions at Bellingham mixed up with Crufts - sorry to interrupt the doggy talk ;-) Chris - Original Message - From: Ged Foxe [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 5:48 PM Subject: [NSP] Re: old Towler Maybe, or else related to Towser, also a common name for a dog. Towser is originally rough-haired (as tousled) or, as implied in Dictionnaire Royal Anglois-Francois 1768, a turbulent or nosy person. Jeremy - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 4:10 PM Subject: [NSP] Re: old Towler My 1994 OED has: towl v. dial. To yowl. The two examples of use are from 1906 (Kipling, Puck of Pook's Hill), and a Punch article of 1930. So, a noisy hound then. Pedantically, Richard Leach On Wed, Dec 12, 2007 at 02:05:19PM -, Colin has written: Oh, as a PS, this is from thefreedictionary.com Jowl´er n. 1. (Zool.) A dog with large jowls, as the beagle. Colin Hill - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Dru Brooke-Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: nsp nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 6:36 PM Subject: [NSP] Re: old Towler What does the word towler mean? I've looked it up on a couple of on-line Scots and Geordie dictionaries, but found nothing. For me the tune title conjures up an image of an oldster wrapped in a soggy towel having just emerged from his bath. I'm happy to replace it with that of a beagle or stag hound leaping over hill and dale. John Dru Brooke-Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED] 12/11/2007 10:20 AM To nsp nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu cc Subject [NSP] old Towler Oh dear. This is embarrassing. I hadn't thought of checking the words. As this song is linked in my mind, rightly or wrongly, with Yorkshire, I'd taken for granted Old Towler pursued foxes. Dru On 11 Dec 2007, at 15:39, Colin wrote: Er, a little more than implied. The last line of the chorus is This day a stag must die which is then repeated.(I have been singing it for over 30 years anyway). Colin Hill - Original Message - From: Ged Foxe [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: nsp nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu; Dru Brooke-Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, December 10, 2007 9:08 PM Subject: [NSP] Re: old Towler I've missed the beginning of this thread, I think, so this may have already been refuted, but the song implies that Old Towler was a stag hound. Jeremy - Original Message - From: Dru Brooke-Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: nsp nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 7:20 PM Subject: [NSP] Re: old Towler Old Towler was indeed a fox hound. Hence the wintry connection. Dru On 7 Dec 2007, at 17:31, Marianne Hall wrote: I always though Old Towler was a fox hound. We learn something new every dayMarianne. -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- -- This email has been verified as Virus free Virus Protection and more available at http://www.plus.net -- Richard A Leach | Why look through windows when you can walk through gates? The great little festival -- http://www.PennineSpringMusic.co.uk A Centre of Excellence for Domestic Information Technology Solutions 5344.9735,N,00201.2268,W,263.0
[NSP] Re: German word - and strictly speaking off topic
I thought it was an Irish drum :-( According to German grammar, the 1. casus, Nominativ, undefined pluralis (any), is Bordune. 1. casus Nominativ defined pluralis (these) is Die Bordunen. Can you refer me to any authority you are quoting here? And what would the terminology be if you stuck to one language rather than a mixture of Latin, English and German/Scandinavian (nominativ)? Nominative plurals of *adjectives* not preceded by an article (indefinite (sic)) end in e while those preceded by the definite (sic) article (die = the) end in en. these is the demonstrative adjective in English, corresponding to the German diese). Bordun is not, however, an adjective. It's a noun, hence the above rule is irrelevant. Chirs Hartwig Den 24. apr. 2007 kl. 10.23 skrev [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Hartvig Körner wrote: Theoretically, the plural form would be die Bordunen According to which theory? According to both Wildhagen and Harraps (the only German dictionaries I happen to have at hand), Brockhaus and bagpipe.de it's Bordune (except in the dative. All German plurals end in n in the dative.) at http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bordun we find Bordun defined as: 1) an organ stop, 2) the lowest pitched in a set of bells, and 3) einen während der gesamten Melodie oder signifikanter Teile eines Musikstücks ausgehaltenen Begleitklang gleicher Tonhöhe [An accompanying sound of constant pitch sustained throughout the entire melody or significant parts of a piece of music] (in other words, a drone) and last but not least: 4) umgangssprachlich auch die Bordunpfeifen und Bordunsaiten (siehe weiter unten). [colloquially also the drone pipes and drone strings (see below for further information)] So, if we want to be pedantic, Bordun refers to the droning phenomenon and the bit(s) of the instrument producing it is one Bordunpfeife or several Bordunpfeifen (the n here is the plural in all grammatical cases, not just the dative (German is complicated)). I suppose strictly speaking it's the same in English ; drone pipes produce the drone. So we call them drones for short. To further complicate matters, some nouns in German can, but need not, add an e in the dative singular - so we can find, at http:// www.mittelalter.de/shop/produktkatalog/ Sackpfeifen,Sackpfeifen_32_produktkatalog_liste.html , for example - mit 1 [einem] Bordune (dative after mit) [with one drone]. Very confusing, but correct. So, to sum up: It's one 'Bordun' (but can - but doesn't have to - be with, from, to etc. one 'Bordune') and more than one 'Bordune' (but *must* be with, from, to etc. more than one 'Bordunen'). And colloquially the word can be used to mean drone (hardware) No prizes for guessing what I've been doing for a living since 1974 ;-) HTH. chirs To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Back onto topic
- Original Message - From: Anita Evans [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: nsp nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 1:24 PM Subject: [NSP] Re: Back onto topic Gibbons, John wrote: We could try discussing piping again maybe? The time we tried that about a year ago, war nearly broke out though oh no it didn't! Yes it did! They invaded Poland grin To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Shivers Down Your Spine
How about the Dowie Dens of Babayaro, Harper's Frolic, The Taylor's Have All Gyen Styen Blind, Canny Robbie Elliott, OR Nae Guid Luque Aboot the Hoose? -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 15 February 2007 22:31 To: NSP List [nsp] Subject: [NSP] Shivers Down Your Spine Who had the idea the other day in the chain of correspondence about ...tune, that this title might be a good one? Well I've just watched Newcastle United's win in the European UEFA Cup this evening and their defence certainly puts shivers down my spine. That was about 35 minutes ago during which time this little tune popped out. Hope you like it, its in D, but uses C naturals. If anybody would like it in pdf give me an e-mail and I'll see what I can do. Regards, Roy Hugman T:SHIVERS DOWN YOUR SPINE M:C| L:1/8 Q:180 C:Roy M Hugman R:15 2 07 N: K:D AG|F2AF G2BG|FGAd =cBAG|F2AF G2BG|FGAd =c2:: z2|B=cdc B2G2|FGAF GE =c2|B=cdc B2G2|1FDdF A2:|2FDdF G2|] % ABC2Win Version 2.1 15/02/2007 Best Wishes from Roy Hugman and don't forget to visit www.soundsnorthumbrian.co.uk -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Wannies Boxing Day session
-Original Message- From: Chris Ormston [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 22 December 2006 17:38 To: 'Helen Capes' Subject: RE: [NSP] Re: Wannies Boxing Day session Play Elsey's Waltz for me. Cheers Helen Participants are reminded that Boxing Day rules apply! This means that Elsey's Waltz can only be performed after The Cott and before Whittingham Green Lane, except in a leap year, when, at the discretion of the Committee, the latter two tunes may be substituted with Caddam Woods or A Scary Night in Shetland. Leaving Lismore needs written dispensation ratified by a quorum of the membership, including the signature of at least one winner of the Blackthorn Stick trophy. Major Misunderstanding VSO, VC, MFI, DCS Commander in Chief of Allied Carpets (Retd.) Hesleyside To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Xmas Freebie NSP Download
Dear All, I recently got some old vinyl stuff put onto CD. Here's a track I recorded over a quarter of a century ago for a compilation of Irish music in the North West of England!!! Ok, ok... I was exiled in Liverpool at the time, and the tunes are Irish! http://www.chrisormston.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/media.htm The other musicians are Dublin's Shay Black (brother of Mary) on guitar and Tony Gibbons (who assured me Ormskirk is in Sligo!) on bouzouki. The tunes are Walsh's Hornpipe and The Little Stack of Wheat. Enjoy! Chris To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Xmas Freebie NSP Download
I'm not sure about the movies, but it sounds like the same Shay! He was a resident at the Liverpool Trad Club at the Cross Keys and also sang with Stormalong John. I remember he qualified as one of the first male midwives in the country. I've heard he's in the USA now! Chris -Original Message- From: Colin [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 18 December 2006 21:08 To: NSP List Subject: [NSP] Re: Xmas Freebie NSP Download Is Shay Black the same Shay that made an appearance in a big-time movie - a prisoner or something in Alien 2 or 3? (I'm rotten at remembering names). If so, he used to perform as a floor singer at the Folk club I helped run in Liverpool back in the 80's (Adrian House). Oh heck, he probably heard me play the pipes when I was learning them as well (I as one of the residents). Wouldn't have been a nice experience. A talented guy though. Alas, I haven't seen him for years. Small world. Colin Hill - Original Message - From: Chris Ormston [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: NSP List nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 8:47 PM Subject: [NSP] Xmas Freebie NSP Download Dear All, I recently got some old vinyl stuff put onto CD. Here's a track I recorded over a quarter of a century ago for a compilation of Irish music in the North West of England!!! Ok, ok... I was exiled in Liverpool at the time, and the tunes are Irish! http://www.chrisormston.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/media.htm The other musicians are Dublin's Shay Black (brother of Mary) on guitar and Tony Gibbons (who assured me Ormskirk is in Sligo!) on bouzouki. The tunes are Walsh's Hornpipe and The Little Stack of Wheat. Enjoy! Chris To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Ormston caught in open fingering scandal!!!!
I've not yet worked out how to pick my nose and maintain closed fingering! -Original Message- From: andy may [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 18 December 2006 22:04 To: Chris Ormston; NSP List Subject: Ormston caught in open fingering scandal Hi List, Check out Chris' video clip 'the bonnie pit laddie' - it starts off with a rare, maybe unique, opportunity to see Chris with more than one finger off the chanter at once. Hell the whole right hand is off. Obviously a load of open-fingered rubbish!!! (Only kidding. Happy Christmas} --- Chris Ormston [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear All, I recently got some old vinyl stuff put onto CD. Here's a track I recorded over a quarter of a century ago for a compilation of Irish music in the North West of England!!! Ok, ok... I was exiled in Liverpool at the time, and the tunes are Irish! http://www.chrisormston.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/media.htm The other musicians are Dublin's Shay Black (brother of Mary) on guitar and Tony Gibbons (who assured me Ormskirk is in Sligo!) on bouzouki. The tunes are Walsh's Hornpipe and The Little Stack of Wheat. Enjoy! Chris To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
[NSP] Wi - I Man!
Unfortunately, Ian, trade in consoles is restricted by those folk at the Sega Gateshead! To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: All What Jazz?
They may also, as Chris Ormston does, play Stranger on the Shore Hear it at www.youtube.com/chrisormston !!! To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Kathryn Tickell on Radio 3
I managed to listen for a few minutes, then had to switch off. The little that I heard clearly demonstrated the composer's lack of understanding of the instrument and its music. Bagpipe music is all about the relationship between melody and drones, yet we were subjected to strange intervals that neither sit comfortably on the chanter nor relate to the drone accompaniment. Previous works by this composer have included a piece for pipes which goes beyond the range of the chanter - enough said??? More high-brow, emperor's-new-clothes fodder using the pipes as a gimmick! Chris -Original Message- From: Matthew Walton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 28 October 2006 08:47 To: Richard Shuttleworth Cc: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: Kathryn Tickell on Radio 3 I had some of the same feelings myself. It definitely wasn't in the mould of the traditional music for the pipes, and while I do like to see composers and players branching out into other types of music for instruments from time to time, in a lot of cases unless one does stick close to the traditional style, one doesn't get the most out of the instrument (this is something I've also observed on the recorder, although modern recorder music is something quite evil which relies on techniques fit to drive you mad). But as you say, Kathryn played it well. There were some bits in there which I definitely wouldn't have wanted to attempt on any instrument! On Fri, 2006-10-27 at 18:24 -0400, Richard Shuttleworth wrote: Thanks for the heads-up. I managed to catch it but was quite disappointed. The pipes were under-recorded most of the time and were often drowned out by the orchestra. The second (slow) movement raised my hopes for a while but sadly missed a golden opportunity to showcase the pipes, almost as though to composer didn't really know how to treat the instrument and tried to bend it into a classical mold instead of taking advantage of the traditional gendre that the pipes could have made available to him. None of the above detracts from Kathryn's playing, she was superb! Just my 2 pence work, Richard Matthew wrote: It's working right now as I'm in the middle of the relevant piece. Probably won't be available after today though, as they take them down after seven days - may not even be available later this evening. I'm in no position to comment on Kathryn's playing style but it certainly doesn't sound like the sort of pipe music she usually plays on her albums. Of course, on her albums she's not got the Northern Sinfonia playing with her either. Tis good. On Sun, 2006-10-22 at 23:47 +0200, Bart Blanquart wrote: WILLIAM REEDER wrote: Was this program ever archived? I seem to be completely unable to find it. The BBC seems to be having difficulty with the archiving feature; they have 'Performance on 3' archived for all days this week but friday. At the top of their radio player (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio3.shtml) it currently says We regret that many programmes are unavailable. We are working to restore normal service... so hopefully it'll show up soon. Bart To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- --
[NSP] Re: NSP Birl?
I remember Sooty once playing a cran on his xylophone. It was on TV so it must be the correct way of playing! Next, who was born in the West Midlands, brought up in Scunthorpe, then Tynemouth, then Gateshead? Nowhere near Wark! Answers on a postcard Chris -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 02 June 2006 21:48 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: [NSP] Re: NSP Birl? So the debate has moved on from why highland graces are a bad idea, to the question of which ones you can do. I suppose they aren't technically bad piping if the chanter is properly closed between each note the next, but the idea does sound a bit wrong-headed. Is this what the instrument is for? Next, can you play cranns on a xylophone? John -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Onlist Re: New Highland Laddie-OK
Sorry! This should have been on-list! -Original Message- From: Chris Ormston [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 24 May 2006 23:30 To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Subject: RE: [NSP] Re: New Highland Laddie John, At least you know what you're aiming for! It bothers me that so many people don't care! Some of the excuses for bad technique on this thread have been inexcusable i.e. If I'm not up to it, it must be wrong !!! Chris -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 24 May 2006 23:01 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [NSP] Re: New Highland Laddie Chris, Thanks for this - so my theory is on the right track, mostly. Won't say the same about the execution however. I try to get the rippling effect you describe, and it happens sometimes. I try not to choyte, but the semidemiss come out like mushy peas, sometimes, I'm afraid! All the best, John -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
