[scots-l] Nigel's Book
The discount bookshope The Works in Sauchiehall St, Glasgow has Nigel's excellent book on the songs of Dundee for a bargain £3.00. Get one while you can. Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Kerr's Reel and Strathspey Pages
There is a clue in the Introduction to J.T. Surenne's The Dance Music of Scotland (Edinburgh 1852): This Collection contains two hundred and forty-five of the best Reels and strathspeys The tunes are distributed into sets of three, as they are generally danced; that is to say, Reel, Strathspey, Reel. Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] College of Piping
Regarding the College of Piping in Glasgow. Seamus MacNeill is long gone and the current principal is my 'binkies companion Rab Wallace. The college caters for a large number of beginners throughout the world and has produced very successful teaching material. The well known books have now been wholly updated. See their site at: http://www.college-of-piping.co.uk/ Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Scots Box Players?
Dominique enquired and Nigel suggested I might have something to say. I have been vary about contributing as my last post on the accordion in Scotland attracted considerable flame. To some the accordion family is still viewed as not quite Scottish. Scotland has a long and unbroken tradition of melodion playing which goes back to the 19th century and reached its peak in the 1920s and 30s when large numbers of gramophone records were made. Only a few have been re-released but Topic's Melodion Greats is worth a listen. Also Sleepytoon Records has been doing reissues. I have my own archive and hope to release some too if I can find the time. I have written two papers on the subject mentioned below. The most recent is in a very obscure publication and at present I am not allowed to distribute photocopies. However I do hope to post them in due course on my projected Scottish music website. Keith Chandler has a good article on the Wypers at: http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/wypers.htm The www.mustrad.org.uk Also, some interesting material is coming to light in the archives of German manufacturers which shows just how important the Scottish market was and how highly regarded the best players there were. Hope this helps. Stuart Eydmann Eydmann, Stuart (1999) As Common as Blackberries: The First Hundred Years of the Accordion in Scotland. Folk Music Journal 7 No. 5 pp.565-608. Eydmann, Stuart (2001) From the Wee Melodeon to the Big Box: The Accordion in Scotland since 1945. The Accordion in all its Guises, Musical Performance Volume 3 Parts 2 - 4 pp.107-125. Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Variations
Regarding Black Jock there is a nice recording c1977 of Archie Fisher and another (Lucy Cowan?) playing the tune with variations on guitar and mandolin on the LP Fylde Acoustic issued to feature instruments from that workshop. I have a copy somewhere - interested Nigel? Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] J.F.MacKenzie
Toby wrote: It is possible to come up with some effective finger-picked accompaniments for strathspeys.. Might I suggest The ewiie wi the crookit horn and The Marquis of Huntly's Highland fling from the late Tony Cuffe's 2003 CD sae will we yet Greentrax CDTRAX243. Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[no subject]
This is doing the rounds by email in Edinburgh. Stuart Eydmann: Johnny's family in Scotland will be having a celebration of his life on the 10th of January at 5pm in: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 30a Colinton Road Edinburgh 0131 337 3049 There will be a final farewell to Johnny in the Edinburgh Corn Exchange from 6:30 pm. Where we will have a chance to share stories about Johnny, have something to eat and drink. Please bring your instruments...Let's make this a session to remember. We look forward to seeing you there. Directions to the Corn Exchange will be given at the service: Edinburgh Corn Exchange 10 New Market Road, Edinburgh EH14 1RJ 0131 477 3500 Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Re: A flatpacked bagpipe tune
Could this be an old Swedish number from the Ikea collection? Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] ocarinas etc
Scartaglon should be Scartaglen the small town in east Kerry associated with Padraig O'Keefe and the Sliabh Luachra fiddle tradition. The local tradition contains a large amount of Scottish based tunes, for whatever reason, but not the big reels as in Donegal. There are a number of polkas with the Scartaglen handle. Jackie Daly, when he played at the Aberdeen free reed bash two weeks ago, said that he is partly to blame as he put some of the names to the tunes in the 1970s when he was making records. Regarding the Munster Cloak I seem to remember the Armada yarn goes back to Sean O'Riada or Paddy Moloney. The Corries used to play it also and may have called it the Spanish Shawl. I seem to remember the Corries and Chieftains playing it together on a Scottish TV programme a long time ago including two flutes. The Spanish composer Enrique Granados (1867 - 1916) wrote his ten Danzas españolas for piano (subsequently reset for guitar and orchestra and dance number 6 is quite close to the Irish/Scottish piece. The dance is said to be a rondalla Aragonesa which describes the scene of guitars being strummed in the streets and is in the rhythm of the jota, a dance from Aragon and Valencia. Granados was drowned in the English Channel when the boat on which he was returning home from an American tour by way of Liverpool was torpedoed. Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] The Trumpet in Scotland
I have a student interested in a dissertation on the Trumpet in Scotland. The period up till 1800 has already been tackled at PhD level by another but I'm sure there must be some nuggets out there (Jack?). The obvious ones are Nathaniel Gow who trained as a trumpeter, the references in Purser, Jim Cameron's Dance Band in the 1950s. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Skinner's Colours
The late Tom Anderson was another noted fiddler who said he saw colours in music although I understand he was somewhat sensitive about discussing the matter. For example, when asked what he thought of the Tim Wright Band's inclusion of a clarinet in their line up he replied that he quite liked the brown sound of the instrument which he felt worked well with the overall colour of the fiddles. Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Ferintosh in Linlithgow
Just a note to say that Ferintosh (Dave Greenberg, Abby Newton and Kim Robertson) will give an informal and FREE performance in St Peter's Church, Linlithgow this Sunday 15th September as part of Doors Open Day/Linlithgow Folk Festival. Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Edinburgh's Fiddle 2003 : Hector MacAndrew
Yes Nigel there's a great line up this year (as always). Gregor and others will talk about Hector on the Sunday and there will be an opportunity to hear recordings of the great man earlier in the day during my usual Desert Island Disks slot. We were also hoping to show the video of Hector at Blair Castle with Yehudi Menuhin but we are having great difficulty finding a copy - even Hector's family have lost theirs. Can anyone help? Also on the Friday eveing Derek Hoy and I will be kicking off a tune in the bar - if you were to join, Nigel, then perhaps it could become the Scots-L Session! Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Re: Lochgoilhead Fiddle Weekend
Nigel, Wish I had known about this session. I was down the road at a big wedding on Bute and would have welcomed the sanity of a good tune to slip away to. Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] John Carruthers
Nigel, I have a couple of nice photos of John in my archive taken c1980 at Newcastleton. I'll pass them on. Yes he was a Borderer. Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Free Reed Day, Glasgow, 16 March
The latest details are: Free Reed Day 16 March 2002 Alexander Gibson Opera School Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama The event seeks to draw attention to this unique family of musical instruments and illustrate their variety and versatility within the field of Scottish music, illustrate their history and provide opportunities for informal networking. Space is available for informal playing, tuition and discussion. 10.00 am Welcome and introduction 10.30 am Brian McNeill - Head of Scottish Music RSAMD A noted concertina player and multi-instrumentalist shares of his experience taking Scottish music round the world. 11.00 am The Piano Accordion - Robert Black and Freeland Barbour Two leading experts play and discuss their approach to playing one of Scotland's most popular instruments. 12.00 am The Button Box - Stan Reeves An introduction to the capabilities of the different types of button box with a presentation on the early history of the instrument in Scotland from Stuart Eydmann. 2.00 pm The Concertina - Norman Chalmers with Stuart Eydmann Scottish music played on the English concertina and the unique story of this once highly popular instrument. 3.00 pm The Mouth Organ - Iain Grant and Bryce Johnstone A chance to meet and hear two of the best performers of Scottish music on mouth organ. Norman Chalmers will demonstrate how the instrument can be specially adapted to suit the performance of Scottish music. 4.00 pm Informal Session An opportunity for guests and visitors to play together. 5.00 pm Close 7.30 pm Ceilidh Dance with The Stewart Cameron Ceilidh Band Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Essential discography, bibliography?
Dominique asks, Which recordings and books (tutors, tunebooks...) would you consider as essential for a newcomer to Scots music? I suggest Andrew Hunter's 'La musique ecossaise - pour comprendre tout un courant de la musique celtique' published by COOP Breizh in 1998 Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Fiddle 2001
Just a note to say the programme for Edinburgh's Fiddle 2001 on 23-25th November should be available soon. Meanwhile keep an eye on: http://www.fiddle2001.musicscotland.com/ or contact: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] See you there, Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Tune Archive
Just another note to say that my band the Whistlebinkies did a live webcast from the Edinburgh Festival for BBC Radio 3 last Tuesday evening. The show can still be accessed at the following: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/edinburgh/ram/edjunction.ram Sound and pictures are a bit ropey, but - hey its the BBC! Our bit is clip 4 at the end - after earlier spots by a flamenco band and Jackie Leven. I'm the bald one with the glasses. If anyone is able to save the clip for me I'd be eternally grateful - there's a free CD in it. Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Whistlebinkies Webcast
Sorry, this should not have been under Tune Archive. Just another note to say that my band the Whistlebinkies did a live webcast from the Edinburgh Festival for BBC Radio 3 last Tuesday evening. The show can still be accessed at the following: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/edinburgh/ram/edjunction.ram Sound and pictures are a bit ropey, but - hey its the BBC! Our bit is clip 4 at the end - after earlier spots by a flamenco band and Jackie Leven. I'm the bald one with the glasses. If anyone is able to save the clip for me I'd be eternally grateful - there's a free CD in it. Also, we are playing at the Church of St Andrew and St George, George Street, Edinburgh this Saturday night as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe - see you there? Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Tenor Banjo Players in Edinburgh?
Concerning tenor banjoists in Edinburgh - what about Jock Broon? Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Mrs. Somebody's Favourite
Nigel asked of me: ...Bellany's Brush was written for the painter in the hope that he would give a priceless canvas in return... Which I don't suppose panned out. He did, however, provide several paintings for your (i.e. The Whistlebinkies) album covers; what was the arrangement? Did he get a fee? A free LP? Derek suggested: 1 LP if he delivered, and threatened with 2 LPs if he didn't stump up. _ Well, To set the record straight in the interest of the history of Scottish painting Bellany did paint one canvas for a fee in 1979 for the album Whistlebinkies 2. It's a big one too and after the artwork for the album was set up it was offered for sale. I was just a new member at the time and did not play on the album which was released in 1980 and felt I had little claim on it. It was going for a ridiculously low sum but I was just about to be married and could not get my hands on the required amount. Before I could pursue the matter it was snapped up by a Glasgow journalist who was a fan of the group. He was really chuffed with his bargain buy that he had us all round for drinks to celebrate! I regert not having been to see my bank manager more quickly to this day. We played at most of Bellany's big exhibition openings in Scotland during the 80s and 90s. The other painting by him which were used on covers were from existing stock in private or public collections. Copies of these albums are still available. I keep meaning to hand a full set into the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art for their collection. I note that a number of book publishers have used Ballany's for their book covers of late and that this has attracted a lot of attention - as always Scottish traditional music was leading the other arts! I never did get my canvas in return for the tune but I know that my manuscript hangs framed on Bellany's wall. Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Mrs. Somebody's Favourite
Following Nigel's ramble on the naming of tunes after folk: The practice of naming tunes after people to curry favour or say thanks for services rendered is a long an honourable tradition which includes the planxties and fancies of earlier periods. I saw a tv prog once about flamenco which talked about the tradition of 'homage' composing in that culture. I've tried to carry the tradition on: The Old Man Hoy was composed for Derek Hoy to avoid having to buy him a proper 40th birthday present, Bellany's Brush was written for the painter in the hope that he would give a priceless canvas in return, The Boston Cuffes was for guitarist Tony and his family to pave the way for a free holiday in the States, the list goes on. On the subject of favourites and delights I've had loads of luck recently in my quest to collect every Scottish fiddle record ever released and I borrowed to copy a cassette re-release of JF Dickie called James F. Dickie Delights on Scottish Fiddle which, of course, contains his own playing of JF Dickie's Delight. What do others think about his playing? Stuart Eydmann (delighted) Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Edinburgh Fiddle Festival 2001
Just a short note to say that preparations for the annual Edinburgh Fiddle Festival (Fiddle 2001 this year!) are well underway and that a programme should be available during the summer months. Meanwhile, a new charity The Scots Fiddle Festival Ltd has been established to run the festival this and in future years. The organisation will be launched on Friday 22 June at The Nova Hotel, 5 Bruntsfield Crescent, Edinburgh at 8.00 at which a short meeting will be followed by a buffet, social and session. All potential memebers are invited to attend. Bring your fiddle. Details of this year's festival (last full weekend in November) in due course. Stuart Eydmann Organising Committee, Fiddle 2001 Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Oswald's CPC
Rob wrote: The Hardie Press are to publish the Cally Pocket Companion later this year. That is a secret, by the way, I am not meant to know, so don't tell anyone else either... Well, that's good news - I'll have to get a bigger pocket though! Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Interesting 78 rpm Scottish fiddle record
Nigel wrote: Do you have any Thomas Shaw, or Lachlan Wynn (both fiddlers who recorded on Beltona)? I have one Shaw which does contain some interesting tunes which I've never heard of before. Now I can't find it - will post when I do. Sounds very interesting. Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] Interesting 78 rpm Scottish fiddle record
I found a very interesting old 78rpm fiddle record at a car boot sale yesterday featuring a player I've never heard of, tunes I've never encountered. The record is on the Beltona Label (serial no. 142001) and the player is "Farquar MacRame - Aberdeenshire's Bothy Fiddler". Side one features a set of jig tunes called "The Broken Fiddle" while side two features a strathspey (?) called "The ewie wi' the cheeky smile". I've posted a short fragment of the latter to the Whistlebinkies web site as an MP3 which should give some idea of the guy's style: www.sol.co.uk/w/whistlebinkies/birls/old78.mp3 The playing is quite unlike any other fiddlers to be heard today (although there is a guy who plays in Sandy Bells pub in Edinburgh who come close - can't remember his name but he owes me seven pints). I've checked Alburger's book but there is no mention of the man - can anyone throw any light on the player and tunes. Have I stumbled on something really important? Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] John McKinnon
Nigel wrote: I notice that John McKinnon played fiddle and mandolin on various albums, with Hamish Imlach, Archie Fisher amongst others. I don't know anything about him - anyone else? Good question Nigel - I'd like to know too. Please tell us if you find out. Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Decorative Techniques and their names
Bob said: my wife is a violinist, and i've been examining the wave forms of recordings, trying to figgure out how to explain the ornaments in her language. one thing i seem to have discovered is that grace notes are played much shorter in traditional music than in classical music. after i first explained a roll, she said "oh, that's a mordent", but when she played it, it wasn't right. her grace notes were articulated, whereas when someone like alisdair frasier plays grace notes, sometimes you get a tone, but sometimes not, just a tap on the string. i'm still working on this stuff too, so i might not have said everything exactly right. Glad to see someone else looking at traditional music waveforms - the only real way to understand how the music in actually played and particularly valuable when it comes to timing and super quick effects such as grace notes. I have a number of "trained" violinist friends who have great difficulty with the grace notes just as you describe - it seems they tend to think the notes while the traditional players just feel them. Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Decorative Techniques and their names
Now that we have exhausted the fiddle birl - any thoughts on the "doodle"? Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Rockin Step
I may be too lte with this but I note that MA Alburger has the following in her book: "Bill Duguid, an Aberdeenshire fiddler, received advice about Skinner's tune "The Rockin Step": "Play four time sthrough with great force. This will be the leading strathspey in my future collection, 50% of which is ready... Learn this tune as I want to associate it with the Reel o'Tulloch and Highland Fling". Rock on Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Birlin' once more
Regarding birls and Skinner. My former ethnomusicology tutor Dr Peter Cooke of the School of Scottish Studies was a bit of a pioneer in using technology as an aid to understanding the fiddle traditions - hence my own interest in the scientific approach. Peter's view is that the human ear really needs all the help it can get in transcribing and analysing such music. You may be familiar with his book on the Shetland fiddle which includes sound waves of fiddlers there and I remember him showing me a huge roll of paper which represented the waveform of a recording of Tommie Potts being transcribed by Michael O'Sullibhean as part of his PhD thesis which was being examined by Peter. Anyway, I've measured a few birls selected at random from a number of Cape Breton fiddlers (using the 1970s Topic album of tapes by John Shaw) and I conclude that, if anything, the birls are in fact longer than the Skinner ones I looked at previously (although there could be a speeding up of the Skinner recording due to the mechanical recording and playback process). Furthermore, the general ratio of the three note lengths would appear to be close to 1:1:3 which is what I measured Skinner at. The Skinner birl seems to be very crisply executed with the first two notes almost precisely the same length while there may be a bit more variation in the Cape Breton ones with the first just a bit shorted than the second - it is difficult to be precise here. Listening to the Cape Breton record (its one of the few Cape Breton fiddle disks I don't get tired listening to) I note that the birl often precedes a long note - am I correct? If so then it might be possible that the ear links the third note with that which follows - if it does this could result in the ratio 1:1:6 or so. Hardly a scientific sample but what do you think? I can post some more MP3s to explain if necessary. The more of Skinner's playing I listen to the more of a fan I become. Yes, he was bilingual in both art and traditional music and he had personality traits which many find hard to stomach, but, hey, he could certainly birl and I'd have shared a drop of Talisker with him anytime - I probably would not take my fiddle out of its case though - I've read what he has said about sloppy, untutored fiddlers! Birl on. Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Jock Tamson's Brains: new album
Nigel, Good review of a good record. Nice to see Miss Girdle making an appearance. I played that one 20 years ago on my first 'binkies recording and had almost forgotten it till I heard the Bairns the other night at their launch bit of a do. These guys are tuneyloons. Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] concert
Regarding the concert and free wine at the Crawford, St Andrew's. Sounds great, Rob. In connection with your previous message regarding Burn's as a potential 'Negro driver' - no doubt you are famous with the super portrait of the Glasgow tobacco merchant Glassford and his family in which one of his seven children is playing an early guitar. Were the instrument and its players linked to the slave trade? We need to know. Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Birlin'
Happy New Year! Suzanne MacDonald asked: "Also I have hand-written music notated by the leader of one of Scotland's best known Strathspey and Reel groups which included tunes composed by Dan R. Mac Donald in which the birls were eliminated. Astonishingly, one tune in particular "Trip to Windsor" had to have been copied from a commercial recording of Winston Fitzgerald because Winston's version differed from all published versions [parts of Winston's version are Mixolodian], did of course include birls, but in the notated version they were eliminated. Perhaps someone from Scotland would comment." Commenting from Scotland, I would agree with Skinner and Johnson that the birl is an important and surviving component of fiddle music here. However, for many "refined" players and players of a "classical" background have worked to remove it from the music because 1. it is seen as something "coarse" and 2. becuase they just can't do it convincingly! Also, in fiddle ensemble playing, such as in strathspey and reel bands, the conductors have long frowned on the practice as it is impossible to get scores of fiddlers all birlin away at the same time and in the same manner. If only we could ask Scott Skinner! Well, can I offer the next best thing? I've been working on some old Skinner recordings, clearing out some of the noise so that you can hear just what he was doing and I've extracted a birl from his "The Devil in the Kitchen" and posted it as an MP3: www.sol.co.uk/w/whistlebinkies/birls/birl1.mp3 Through the wonders of modern science I also slowed the recording doen to twice the length while retaining the pitch (which is sharp of modern concert): www.sol.co.uk/w/whistlebinkies/birls/birl2.mp3 I've also posted an image of the wave pattern for the birl woth the notes attached: www.sol.co.uk/w/whistlebinkies/birls/birl1.gif The principal conclusions are: 1Skinner could certainly do it 2The birl is very fast ( 0.320 sec, approx) 3The third note is considerably longer than the first two in the proportions 1 : 1 : 3 This is a birl as part of the melody of the tune - for many fiddlers its an optional extra or ornament but I would suggest that the principal is the same. Any other thoughts and comments? Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] MISS BAIRD OF SAUGHTONHALL
Derek suggests: "Given the redevelopment of Saughtonhall, Miss B would now be known as 'Miss Baird of Makro'". Shouldn't the modern title be 'Ms Baird of Saughton Fort'? Seriously, Saughtonhall in Edinburgh is not the same place as Saughton which is a bit to the south. Saughtonhall is that area immediately to the west of the Water of Leith at the location of Murrayfield Rugby Ground and Ice Rink. I guess most of the houses there date from the 1920s and 30s and I'm unaware of any substantial house remaining. If I remember correctly the development contains a number of streets with 'Baird' in their names such as Baird Avenue, Baird Grove etc... Stuart Eydmann Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] 1970s Fiddlers (was Whistlebinkies)
Sorry to hear about Derek's memory problem - doen't seem to have affected that part of the brain that retains tunes though, thank goodness. Many thanks for all the suggestions - Can I add the following?: Willie Beaton of Glasgow and Wester Ross, how did we miss him? There was also a fiddler living in Glasgow called Roy Mitchell who was outstanding on both the Skinner repertory and American country styles. He played with a local bluegrass group for a while but I know he suffered from health problems. He used to come to the Irish Sessions sometimes and Jimmy McHugh would always encourage him to play a few strathspeys. Is he still around? Stuart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] Whistlebinkies
Perhaps I can step in here. Ted is correct. The Deacon record does represent an early manifestation of the group now known as the Whistlebinkies and is so far away from the current group musically and ideologically that it is understandable that it might be assumed that there was no direct link. I've heard the record (there is a copy in my my archive but it is minus the cover - a blessing perhaps) and it ranks among the most unlistenable discs I've heard. I had hoped that all copies would have found their way to landfill sites by now! More commonly people enquire if we have any connection with the two bars called "Whistlebinkies" in Edinburgh and Stirling - and before you ask, we don't. In the band we refer to it as "Whistlebinkies minus 2" as a reference to its place in relation to the range of numbered discs discs issued by Claddagh of Dublin on vinyl: "The Whistlebinkies" (1977), "the Whistlebinkies 2" (1980), "the Whistlbinkies 3" (1982), "the Whistlebinkies 4" (1986) and "the Whistlebinkies 5" (1989). "Whistlebinkies minus 1" was an album recorded in East Berlin around 1975. The group's style developed in the early 1970s when Eddie McGuire returned to Glasgow after his studies in London and Stockholm and joined the group as a contemporary composer/flautist who wished to become more integrated into Scottish traditional music. At that time the band was Jim Daly and Mick Broderick from the Deacon record, Gordon Hotchkiss, Eddie, and for some time, a red haired flute player that nobody seems to talk about - at least that's how I remember them when I moved to Glasgow from Fife in 1971. Rab Wallace brought bellows pipes in 1974 or 5 (the first to revive the instrument in regular performance) and by thaat time Eddie was playing clarsach as well as flute - the group were also the first to use the Scottish harp in regular performance. The concept of building an acoustic, guitarless group centred on Collinson's three core instruments of the Scottish tradition, fiddle, harp and pipes was thus established. The influence of the Chieftains' contribution to Irish music was not coincidental although the drive was to establish a trully Scottish sound. For the record, Rhona MacKay, who played on the first 3 Claddagh records, was replaced by then teenager Judith Peacock who is still with the group. While Judith was unable to perform with us during her Gaelic and musical studies in Dublin and London we were joined by a number of other harpists including Mary Ann Kennedy and Savourna Stevenson. Eddie McGuire is currently writing a piece to be premiered at the Edinburgh Harp Festival in 2001 which features all the Scottish harp players who have been associated with the band - should be interesting. Rhona still joins us occassionally - at a recent festival gig in Belgium I was amazed at how much of the old material she could remember and her sheer skill - I recommend her as one of the truly great musicians working in Scotland today. Ted's reference to the "Firemen" is correct too. This (very) loose association of musicians was established in the early 1970s by John Gahagan, Jamie MacMenemy and myself when we were students in the students together in the same year at the Glasgow School of Art. John and Jamie later joined the Battlefield Band with Brian McNeill and Alan Reid who were also students in the city at the time. John subsequently joined Kentigern along with fiddler Jimmy McGuire (who was also a student with us the Art School), Sandy Stanage, Dougie Pincock (later Battlefield) and Jim and Sylvia Barnes. I got a proper job and teamed up with fiddle Chris Miller (another unsung hero) and singer Mick West among others as "Molendinar". Strangely enough, I never played with the Whistlebinkies till I moved to Edinburgh in 1979. "the Whistlebinkies 2" was in the can by then and, as Ted said, I played on all subsequent recordings. The 1970s was an interesting time in the instrumental side of the folk revival which is worthy of recording and to this end I'm making my contribution to the talks in this year's Edinburgh Fiddle Festival on the subject of the fiddle in Scotland during that time. Perhaps members of the list can help jog my memory. Come on Ted, Derek and Nigel! Who do you remember as fiddle players active in the 1970s? Nigel, we really must touch base sometime on our respective growing collections of Scottish music ephemera. Stuart Eydmann http://www.whistlebinkies.net - Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
