[NSP] Re: 4mm or 6mm staples

2011-11-27 Thread Francis Wood
Colin's interesting account of making staples from sheet metal is a very good reminder that this was the staple [pun unavoidable] method of making staples for historical reeds - they generally relied on the binding to keep them airtight. No reason why that shouldn't work perfectly well today,

[NSP] Re: Alice Burn & Emily Hoile

2011-09-16 Thread Francis Wood
On 16 Sep 2011, at 13:18, Richard Shuttleworth wrote: > Why did I get Rachmaninov? > > Richard > (Puzzled in Quebec) Because that is the first item on in the programme. For Alice and Emily go to 1.09 (hours and minutes). Good luck Francis To get on or off this list see list information

[NSP] Re: Alice Burn & Emily Hoile

2011-09-16 Thread Francis Wood
Good result, Anthony! This lovely item can be heard for the next 6 days at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014fj7j Emily and Alice's slot is at 1.09 Francis On 13 Sep 2011, at 22:58, Anthony Robb wrote: > > Some might be interested to know I sent a couple of tracks > recorded recently

[NSP] Re: Farewell to Whisky - Niel Gow

2011-09-14 Thread Francis Wood
Thanks, all, for the many interesting and informative responses! Francis On 13 Sep 2011, at 17:54, Francis Wood wrote: > The note accompanying the fine tune 'Farewell to Whisky' appearing in the Gow > 5th collection states: > > "This tune alludes to prohibiting t

[NSP] Farewell to Whisky - Niel Gow

2011-09-13 Thread Francis Wood
The note accompanying the fine tune 'Farewell to Whisky' appearing in the Gow 5th collection states: "This tune alludes to prohibiting the making of Whisky in 1799. It is expressive of a Highlander's sorrow on being deprived of his favourite beverage". Also in the 5th collection is the remedy t

[NSP] Re: (no subject)

2011-09-09 Thread Francis Wood
Is there an obvious repertoire of tunes for this useful variant? Francis On 8 Sep 2011, at 10:40, Richard York wrote: > I wonder when someone will develop the double action bellows - one to inflate > the pipes, another to fit a vacuum cleaner attachment, which if you think > about it could look

[NSP] Playing with a man-ometer . . .

2011-08-10 Thread Francis Wood
You really have to see this. A great demonstration of playing pressure, from full glory to Pipers' Droop. Especially the ending: http://youtu.be/fPedwnc5e_s Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

[NSP] Trivia

2011-08-06 Thread Francis Wood
Since it's August . . . . What tunes does your dog prefer? Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

[NSP] Our very own . . .

2011-08-06 Thread Francis Wood
A familiar figure appears on the Home Page of the British Library. See under Latest news": http://www.bl.uk/ Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

[NSP] Re: TOTM/shameless plug

2011-08-05 Thread Francis Wood
Hi Dave and others, It's a noble attempt and a kindness to Dunk. But I still think that it's impossible to make anything worthwhile out of that tune whilst remaining literally close to the original. Gilbert Askew and others associated with the compilation of the NPS Tunebook in 1937 treated it

[NSP] Re: Mr Dunk - Inspector of Public Nuisances

2011-07-17 Thread Francis Wood
On 17 Jul 2011, at 13:47, Dave Shaw wrote: > The question must therefore be why did Askew choose to re-write the tune or > could he not see what should have been staring him in the face either. Perhaps there are two distinct questions here. So here's an attempt at two answers: > - The quest

[NSP] Re: Mr Dunk - Inspector of Public Nuisances

2011-07-17 Thread Francis Wood
On 17 Jul 2011, at 14:10, Francis Wood quoted John Gibbons: >> If the NPS offered a trophy of a silver cup full of beer for anyone playing >> W on the W verbatim from memory . . . ., Just as an afterthought, John, . . . were you suggesting that the cup full of beer be awarde

[NSP] Re: Mr Dunk - Inspector of Public Nuisances

2011-07-17 Thread Francis Wood
ds on the Wall' is regarded as a 'successful essay', what on earth would an unsuccessful essay be like? I look forward to hearing Dave Shaw's recomposition of the piece. We can then compare it with Askew's own. Francis On 17 Jul 2011, at 13:47, Dave Shaw wrote: >

[NSP] Re: Mr Dunk - Inspector of Public Nuisances

2011-07-16 Thread Francis Wood
On 17 Jul 2011, at 00:16, barr...@nspipes.co.uk wrote: > I think they didn't get it! If I feel any suspicion towards that class it is > hugely mitigated by the Christmas Carols of Ralph Vaughan Williams Well yes, but quite a few other other British composers as well! Francis To get on or o

[NSP] Re: Mr Dunk - Inspector of Public Nuisances

2011-07-16 Thread Francis Wood
nise a tune that was good, and logically one that was not. So what was really going on here? Francis On 16 Jul 2011, at 23:11, Dave Shaw wrote: > Francis Wood wrote; >> I'm not convinced that this is anything else other than nonsense. It starts >> familiarly but then g

[NSP] Re: Shield's H'pipe

2011-07-15 Thread Francis Wood
On 15 Jul 2011, at 12:29, Francis Wood wrote: > . . .and another odd, inconsequential and irrelevant fact in the present > discussion. Shield is buried under the same stone as Salomon who 'brought > Haydn to England' as the inscription states: . . . Even more oddly, in

[NSP] Re: Mr Dunk - Inspector of Public Nuisances

2011-07-15 Thread Francis Wood
On 15 Jul 2011, at 16:59, Gibbons, John wrote: > But it's so free-form that it sounds like he was drunk when he wrote it. H . . . Dunk and disorderly. Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

[NSP] Re: Shield's H'pipe

2011-07-15 Thread Francis Wood
On 15 Jul 2011, at 14:48, Dave S wrote: > The Arethusa is from a musical farce called "Lock and Key" and in the British > Minstrelsy the melody is assigned to Shield. Hi Dave, That's interesting! More here: http://www.contemplator.com/sea/arethusa.html Francis To get on or off this list

[NSP] Re: Mr Dunk - Inspector of Public Nuisances

2011-07-15 Thread Francis Wood
the highbrow music scene agree? Francis On 15 Jul 2011, at 11:55, barr...@nspipes.co.uk wrote: > Quoting Francis Wood : > >> Another 'traditional' tune, J.L Dunk's Whin Shields on the Wall was >> unplayable nonsense when given to the NPS in a literate-looki

[NSP] Re: Shield's H'pipe

2011-07-15 Thread Francis Wood
On 15 Jul 2011, at 10:41, Francis Wood wrote: > Finally, there is an odd, tenuous and completely inconsequential connection > between Shield and Morpeth. . . . .and another odd, inconsequential and irrelevant fact in the present discussion. Shield is buried under the same stone as S

[NSP] Re: Shield's H'pipe

2011-07-15 Thread Francis Wood
On 15 Jul 2011, at 10:41, Francis Wood wrote: > Few people would now play Miss Forbes' Farewell to Banff at the speed Isaac > Cooper intended it, as a slow song. I think history and evolution have been fairly kind to Isaac Cooper. A lively 'Miss Forbes' Farewell'

[NSP] Re: Shield's H'pipe

2011-07-15 Thread Francis Wood
On 15 Jul 2011, at 09:48, Matt Seattle wrote: > I am fascinated by the 'soup' that accompanies traditional tunes, the > lore which has its own reality but is different from 'facts'. It is not > inconceivable that Shield composed the Morpeth Rant; I have seen no > evidence that convinces me

[NSP] Re: Rants again

2011-07-11 Thread Francis Wood
On 11 Jul 2011, at 13:05, Gibbons, John wrote: > Are there any essential stylistic features that this attempt at a description > misses? Wiktionary helpfully gives: > From Dutch ranten, randen (“talk nonsense, rave”). Can anybody help to clarify the difference between a Rant and a Rave? Or

[NSP] Re: Another Roxburgh Castle

2011-07-04 Thread Francis Wood
On 4 Jul 2011, at 19:19, John Dally wrote: > Intonation--I too discovered that recording > yourself really shows up intonation--I must work on that. Interesting point, John. I think there's a limit as to what can be done about intonation by the player in performance. Of course, a skilful pl

[NSP] Re: [NPS-Discussion] NSP Lists duplication

2011-07-04 Thread Francis Wood
Thanks Julia. A really helpful response. I'm in favour of your suggestions. Francis On 4 Jul 2011, at 14:23, Julia Say wrote: > On 4 Jul 2011, Francis Wood wrote: > >> The Dartmouth list is for anyone interested in Northmbrian Small-pipes. > > It is administered

[NSP] Re: [NPS-Discussion] Re: PS Forum

2011-07-04 Thread Francis Wood
That would work very efficiently . . . in fact, probably too efficiently. Wouldn't it be better to leave it to the individual writer to decide whether they want their addition to the forum announced on Dartmouth? And isn't there a facility for the individual reader to opt in to an email alert f

[NSP] Re: Roxborough Castle TOTM

2011-07-04 Thread Francis Wood
Wot, no comments? This certainly deserves some appreciation! Nice account, John. Very toe-tapping. I particularly admire your very economical finger movements. A very good basis for effective closed-fingering and it certainly shows up well in the playing here. Congratulations! Francis On

[NSP] Re: Another Roxburgh Castle

2011-07-04 Thread Francis Wood
On 4 Jul 2011, at 08:10, Edric Ellis wrote: > Here's my somewhat plodding effort. I really like this. Very neat, very musical. Actually, I prefer the tune un-ranted, though I've enjoyed the other versions. > I recorded this mostly so I could listen back for my own education, As Robert Burns s

[NSP] Re: PS Forum

2011-07-04 Thread Francis Wood
#x27;s is for extraordinary pipers, like him, >>> otherwise why would there be two forums? Are they both open to the general >>> public? >>> >>> Many thanks, >>> John >>> >>> On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 2:03 PM, wrote: >>> >>>

[NSP] Re: Breaking a promise

2011-07-03 Thread Francis Wood
Dear Anthony, I should probably keep out of this. However . . . So I've just re-read this from a few days ago: > I am the vile editor of the NPS Journal who changed the title of Anthony's > article without his consent and I have apologized to him privately and will > publish a full apology in

[NSP] Re: Your Video

2011-07-01 Thread Francis Wood
On 1 Jul 2011, at 21:44, barr...@nspipes.co.uk wrote: > However, how long does video persist on Utube? Easy for the account holder to remove videos from YouTube videos , as the help pages indicate. > Will our hesitant attempts at playing still be floating in the ethernet in > 2525. Interest

[NSP] Re: Re:

2011-07-01 Thread Francis Wood
On 1 Jul 2011, at 20:39, david...@pt.lu wrote: > How about posting the article here? There are lots of people who are > interested but are not NPS members Hi Dave, I think you've made quite a good case here for joining the NPS. Francis To get on or off this list see list information at ht

[NSP] Re: July's Tune of the month

2011-07-01 Thread Francis Wood
I normally find my toes are a pretty good judge of these things and they're tapping away! Loads of other good items appearing as suggestions on the right of the page. Especially liked the first, the Far Frae Hame set: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLjJ8-G_2NQ&NR=1 Francis On 1 Jul 2011, a

[NSP] Re: Tune of the Month, July, "Roxborough Castle"

2011-06-30 Thread Francis Wood
that easy. Aren't we talking about a variety of musical accents here? Francis > On 30 Jun 2011, at 20:09, Anthony Robb wrote: > > --- On Thu, 30/6/11, Francis Wood wrote: > > Hello Anthony, > I don't think we disagree. At Stuart Hardy's musical al

[NSP] Re: Tune of the Month, July, "Roxborough Castle"

2011-06-30 Thread Francis Wood
lcome! All the best, Francis On 30 Jun 2011, at 11:50, Anthony Robb wrote: > > -- On Thu, 30/6/11, Francis Wood wrote: > >It's a lot easier to play Roxborough Castle in dotted rhythm, as is > done here. I prefer it played absolutely straight, which is really v

[NSP] Re: the man with the tin ear

2011-06-30 Thread Francis Wood
On 30 Jun 2011, at 09:22, smallpi...@machineconcepts.co.uk wrote: > I agree with francis. Another mangalisation this time using the Uillean > pipes as the weapon of choice. > http://www.youtube.com/user/disinpass#p/a/u/0/dkK4_tcPaG8 And, guessing from the size of those arms, he's using the UP

[NSP] Re: Tune of the Month, July, "Roxborough Castle"

2011-06-30 Thread Francis Wood
On 30 Jun 2011, at 08:15, John Dally wrote: > Here are a couple of youtube items that already fit the bill for July. > > [1]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHBO8CGAIeQ&feature=related > > [2]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKC0ZoVqfzU&NR=1 > > What's your take on the tune? Hi John, Two

[NSP] Re: KVR online

2011-06-29 Thread Francis Wood
On 29 Jun 2011, at 18:06, Julia Say wrote: > I see the copy digitised was donated to NLS by Dorothea Ruggles-Brise - she > of > "pulling Dixon out of the flames" fame. Not famous enough for me to have heard of her . . . so what's the rest of this interesting story? Francis To get on or

[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead

2011-06-27 Thread Francis Wood
On 26 Jun 2011, at 13:23, cwhill wrote: > I wonder what the bag is made from then - a shepherd perhaps? Interesting idea! Perhaps make shepherds pie from the other bits? Francis 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

2011-06-27 Thread Francis Wood
On 24 Jun 2011, at 12:24, cwhill wrote: > Imagine some guy sitting watching his goats playing a shawm, getting out of > breath (and they do take a lot of puff) and thinking "I have a cunning plan". Hi Colin and all, Goats are pretty clever creatures and apparently have been playing bagpipes

[NSP] Re: Was Mr. Fenwick right?

2011-06-23 Thread Francis Wood
On 23 Jun 2011, at 12:01, barr...@nspipes.co.uk wrote: > Fassbender offers some grudging compliment to Schoenberg So he does! The essential difference between Schoenberg and Proper Piping is that in his case it was a 12 tone row, whereas in the recent discussion (Proper Peacock Piping) it be

[NSP] Re: Was Mr. Fenwick right?

2011-06-23 Thread Francis Wood
On 23 Jun 2011, at 11:20, Julia Say wrote: > "The most important thing in a tune is the spaces between the notes, not the > notes > themselves." This is also consistent with the musical principles of the composer Bruno Heinz Jaja, demonstrated by the musicologists Dr Klauss Domgraf-Fassbaende

[NSP] Re: Was Mr. Fenwick right?

2011-06-23 Thread Francis Wood
Hello Barry and others, Well this is certainly interesting. Firstly can anyone (i.e you, Julia!) throw any light on Fenwick & his background? > Was Mr. Fenwick right? I think he was, in the 1885 context of the aims of that tutor and the unfamiliarity of the instrument. > I would suggest a be

[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead

2011-06-22 Thread Francis Wood
On 22 Jun 2011, at 09:39, wrote: > What would you say was the opposite of "legato". Ooooh, I'm not going there!! Saying that something is _not_ the opposite of another is only one assertion. Saying what _is_ an opposite requires a number of bold and foolhardy propositions which will keep th

[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead

2011-06-22 Thread Francis Wood
On 22 Jun 2011, at 09:31, wrote: > Word's spellchequer used to suggest "fellated" for "filleted". Further light has thus been thrown on the term 'codpiece' Francis 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

2011-06-21 Thread Francis Wood
On 21 Jun 2011, at 23:13, barr...@nspipes.co.uk wrote: > PS my spellchecker offered as alternatives to 'stratocaster': 'toastmaster' > or castrated. Ah! the wonders of a digital age. Don't know about 'toastmaster', but 'castrated' is a proper musical term. In Italian, that is. More seriously,

[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead

2011-06-21 Thread Francis Wood
P On 21 Jun 2011, at 15:51, Richard York wrote: > Then there's the Beethoven version- poppopaDOM Or this, anyone? Poppadom, Poppadom, Poppadom-pom ? Francis 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

2011-06-21 Thread Francis Wood
Oh, good! Francis On 21 Jun 2011, at 15:44, Ian Lawther wrote: > Thank you Francis.you had me whistling the Radetzky March while cooking > breakfast.I'm probably stuck with it for the day! > > Ian > > > > > Francis Wood wrote: >> On

[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead

2011-06-21 Thread Francis Wood
On 21 Jun 2011, at 14:54, Tim Rolls wrote: > Popapoms would be the Australian version then? Well, which country is this? : Poppadom, Poppadom Pom Pom Pom . . . Francis 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

2011-06-21 Thread Francis Wood
Hello Julia and others, I like this reply very much. This has been a good thread and a great endorsement of the varied interests which emerge from and return to the discussion of our favourite instrument. It's also a good demonstration of both the value and the disadvantages of this list mediu

[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead

2011-06-21 Thread Francis Wood
On 21 Jun 2011, at 10:38, wrote: > now that I'm emerging from the doldrums Doldra, surely? Francis 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

2011-06-20 Thread Francis Wood
On 20 Jun 2011, at 09:34, wrote: >> However, I think we differ over the harpsichord's ability to >> play 'long-sustained'. > > I was having this discussion with my wife the other day (she plays keyboards > rather better than I can), so I went to the harpsichord and tried it to > check.

[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead

2011-06-17 Thread Francis Wood
On 17 Jun 2011, at 22:26, Francis Wood wrote: > 'NSP's coming out of a pod". Or rather, NSP's coming out of an iPod. You hear it every day on the Metro, surely? Francis 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

2011-06-17 Thread Francis Wood
> Positive remarks only, about it's neatness of execution. When I said "it's", I hope it's obvious that its real meaning was its. Francis 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

2011-06-17 Thread Francis Wood
On 17 Jun 2011, at 21:44, barr...@nspipes.co.uk wrote: > The sound of skeletons copulating on a corrugated tin roof. "Rattling the parrot's cage with a toasting fork" is another. What a good thing nobody would ever say anything so cruel about our magnificent instrument. Positive remarks only,

[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead

2011-06-17 Thread Francis Wood
On 17 Jun 2011, at 14:14, ch...@harris405.plus.com wrote: > 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 fundamenta

[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead

2011-06-17 Thread Francis Wood
Hello Richard, I think we pretty much agree. Who, for example, would want to play Rothbury Hills in a staccato manner? (Who, indeed would want to play RH in any manner whatsoever, some might interject.) However it was composed by a significant piper who happened to be the official piper to th

[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead

2011-06-17 Thread Francis Wood
On 17 Jun 2011, at 12:39, cwhill wrote: > I'm thinking here of the closed fingering techniques, one finger off at a > time, no choyting etc. Hi Colin and others, The closed-fingering technique derives much more from the nature of the instrument rather than any opinions about style. Since th

[NSP] Re: Deaf/dead

2011-06-17 Thread Francis Wood
On 17 Jun 2011, at 09:24, wrote: > I reckon being dead is an even greater impediment to hearing them played now. Well, if he hadn't been the late Beethoven, how could he have composed the Late Quartets? Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu

[NSP] Re: divorce

2011-06-16 Thread Francis Wood
Hello Dave and others, I see things a little differently. Two things have happened here, the first being a move to have opinions, information and other resources made permanently available in the form of a forum. This is currently happening in the NPS Forum and the Traditional NSP Forum estab

[NSP] Re: Dartmouth

2011-06-11 Thread Francis Wood
Well the day the NPS starts dictating how I have to play my pipes will be the day I pick up my chanter and drones and go home. I certainly don't want any elders of that church telling me about being boiled eternally in hot oil (of any variety) because of my fingering technique - (forgive me) -

[NSP] Re: Ovingham Goose Fair

2011-06-01 Thread Francis Wood
Without wishing to disadvantage any geese, might this be an opportunity to resolve the recent discussion on Facebook concerning the use of goose quills as drone reeds? Francis On 1 Jun 2011, at 09:23, Julia Say wrote: > Could anyone planning on coming to this (Sat 18 June) > > a) let me know

[NSP] Differences in Tradition

2011-05-29 Thread Francis Wood
On December 10, 1929, Stanley Kennedy North gave a talk to the Musical association in London. With him was Tom Clough who played his own 17 key chanter. Kennedy North had brought an unfinished 18 key chanter (additional G key) which he was himself making. However on this occasion he played a 7 k

[NSP] Re: Pipes concerts etc.

2011-05-29 Thread Francis Wood
On 29 May 2011, at 09:40, Anthony Robb wrote: > It's such a pity that this part of the tradition (which was in some > ways a truer and longer tradition than the Clough one) is not only > ignored but actively denied in some quarters. Someone once said 'A language is a dialect with an army'.

[NSP] Re: Concerts in France

2011-05-29 Thread Francis Wood
Well, it's absolutely worth while following the link, even if you can't go. A truly wonderful line up! > http://4pipers.wordpress.com/ Pauline needs no introduction here, but another of those musicians, François Lazarevitch is also a fantastic small-piper, in this case on the French aristocra

[NSP] Re: Rules

2011-05-28 Thread Francis Wood
On 28 May 2011, at 00:13, Julia Say wrote: > They are also well aware that there is a playing tradition that we all strive > to > continue and develop, each in our different way. I agree . . . a case of taking the Clough with the Smooth really. Francis To get on or off this list see list

[NSP] Re: Proper piping group

2011-05-27 Thread Francis Wood
Hi Richards (both of you good folk!) I rather agree with Adrian that this kind of discussion is best held in a dedicated area. Some people are passionately interested in this aspect of piping, whilst others will find it totally boring. The problem with Dartmouth is that it is very difficult t

[NSP] Re: new group

2011-05-24 Thread Francis Wood
On 24 May 2011, at 20:24, Matthew Boris wrote: > I'm sensing a "Judean Peoples' Front" vs. "Peoples' Front of Judea" > schism here... Excellent! What has the NPS ever done for us ? Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/ind

[NSP] Re: re-Tune of the Month

2011-05-24 Thread Francis Wood
On 24 May 2011, at 13:12, Richard York wrote: > Love and piece indeed... did you have any particular piece in mind this > month, Francis? Well, as a matter of fact, yes! The last 'piece' I played was 'Handel's Water Piece', a duet arrangement of Handels 2nd Water Music Suite (the Ouverture),

[NSP] Re: tune of the month

2011-05-24 Thread Francis Wood
On 24 May 2011, at 11:04, Gibbons, John wrote: > Free-reed instruments in Europe are only a half-century or less younger than > keyed NSP, mind Well OK . . a good point. But concertinas were infants at a time when smallpipes had an ancient lineage! Francis To get on or off this list

[NSP] Re: tune of the month

2011-05-24 Thread Francis Wood
Since I've never felt the urge to compete, perhaps I shouldn't really comment. But from what I've observed, the competition element in the NSP world is nothing like that in GHB piping. It seems to me that NSP competition is far more about participation in traditional events and receiving some p

[NSP] Re: new group

2011-05-24 Thread Francis Wood
On 24 May 2011, at 08:25, Anthony Robb wrote: > Are they rivalists as well as revivalists? Oh, just taking a detached view . . . For enquiring minds the best demonstration of true detached fingering technique is Helen Fish's admirable video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7paLft9_ms Franci

[NSP] Re: new group

2011-05-23 Thread Francis Wood
On 23 May 2011, at 21:28, Mark Stayton wrote: > Is this different than the "Proper Northumbrian Pipers" group? It's a slightly different chapel but we worship the same God. Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

[NSP] Re: Alice Burn

2011-05-20 Thread Francis Wood
On 19 May 2011, at 22:28, Anthony Robb wrote: > Here she is playing with Emily Hoile at the Chantry Museum last night Definitely the right kind of Hoile . . . Lovely item, Anthony! Got any more? Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lut

[NSP] Re: Cocks & Bryan Book for sale

2011-05-18 Thread Francis Wood
On 18 May 2011, at 09:05, Julia Say wrote: > There was also a " lively discussion" with another person at the time > as to whether it was adequate. I can imagine that it was lively! But as to whether or not any pipe-making book can be adequate, that depends entirely on what one expects. A go

[NSP] Re: Heavy pipes

2011-05-18 Thread Francis Wood
Saves messing around with those fiddly reed things. And you can probably play in E maj. No problem! Francis On 18 May 2011, at 09:33, Tim Rolls wrote: > Hi All, > > Fed up with carrying around those heavy old Northumbrian smallpipes in their > bag? Learn to play the Scottish smallpipes instea

[NSP] Re: Wishful thinking or feasible science?

2011-05-12 Thread Francis Wood
On 12 May 2011, at 16:00, cal...@aol.com wrote: > You'll note that flutes, shawms, sackbutts (gotta love that name) and other > instruments that are directly mouth-blown are far more prone to > cracking, Flutes and shawms, yes. But sackbutts, definitely no! Francis To get on or off this

[NSP] Re: even more on G and D

2011-05-10 Thread Francis Wood
On 10 May 2011, at 14:08, Rob Say wrote: > My thought is that there aren't enough long chanters and extended range > players to form a solid judgement at the moment. I agree totally, Rob. And would add only this: that there are even fewer'extended range players' than there are 'long chanters'.

[NSP] Re: Historical image of John Dunn, John Peacock?

2011-05-04 Thread Francis Wood
On 4 May 2011, at 09:52, Matt Seattle wrote: > Also, I wonder whether the keywork added by Dunn was 'chromatic' at > this stage, but others will know more about this than I do. Hi Matt, I think the problem with this text is that it allows some ambiguity. It's true that Dunn was the first t

[NSP] Re: missing C# key

2011-02-21 Thread Francis Wood
The best way to get a David Burleigh C# key would be to ask David. Francis On 21 Feb 2011, at 19:15, ina.gilchr...@web.de wrote: > > > OK folks, have a good laugh. I`ve fettled a 17 key F chanter from David > = Burleigh for Helene Moelo. Unfortunately we can=E2=80=99t play any > duets in

[NSP] Re: Tuning/pitch

2011-02-11 Thread Francis Wood
I've just bought it, and first > indications are that it is excellent! > Bob > > - Original Message - From: "Francis Wood" > To: > Cc: "Dartmouth NPS" > Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 2:38 PM > Subject: [NSP] Re: Tuning/pitch >

[NSP] Re: Tuning/pitch

2011-02-11 Thread Francis Wood
Paul, if you mean acoustic effects . . . probably nothing audibly detectable resulting from minor warping. If the warping has resulted in a mismatch between the tenon and socket, permitting a small leak, that's another matter. It would probably be true to say that all wooden artefacts warp, as

[NSP] Re: Tuning/pitch

2011-02-10 Thread Francis Wood
On 10 Feb 2011, at 13:43, Julia Say wrote: > a small depression could surely catch a sound > wave at a funny angle and cause it to behave in a less than theoretically > perfect > manner It's really much more like the effect caused by a tiny irregularity in a tooth. It seems massively more i

[NSP] Re: Tuning/pitch

2011-02-10 Thread Francis Wood
Interesting speculation there, Julia. One notable thought is the difference between modern and earlier-centuries perception of this matter of the work marks in the bore. They are very common in Reid instruments which all show an extraordinary degree of craftsmanship. I've just had a look inside

[NSP] Re: Esoteric tuning relationships

2011-02-09 Thread Francis Wood
(for anyone puzzled by this discussion, one cent is 1/00 th of a semitone. So 20 cents is 1/10th of a whole tone, or 1/10th of the difference between C and D.That's not a subtle difference, of course!) On 7 Feb 2011, at 17:26, Julia Say wrote: > Shortly after Andrew Davison took over the 17 key

[NSP] Re: Tuning/pitch

2011-02-09 Thread Francis Wood
On 9 Feb 2011, at 16:02, Anthony Robb wrote: > Hello Francis, John and others with the stamina to keep reading this, > The puzzling thing is that we have had two reports in recent postings > of Reid sets happy to play up near F# (for example Billy Pigg) and yet > Andrew Davison's Reid set

[NSP] Re: Tuning/pitch

2011-02-09 Thread Francis Wood
On 9 Feb 2011, at 15:11, Paul Gretton wrote: > I would assume that the Reids worked to a chosen pitch standard in the same > way as did Silbermann or - more relevant here - the Hotteterre gang. And at least the Hotteterre gang had the sense to pitch their instruments a whole tone below modern p

[NSP] Re: Tuning/pitch

2011-02-09 Thread Francis Wood
On 9 Feb 2011, at 07:20, Paul Gretton wrote: > So in fact the variety of pitches for the NSP is extremely traditional! Two > hundred years ago it wouldn't have been thought in any way remarkable. Hello Paul and others, I must say, I disagree here. It's often forgotten that the the NSP of two h

[NSP] Re: Esoteric tuning relationships

2011-02-07 Thread Francis Wood
On 7 Feb 2011, at 13:03, Gibbons, John wrote: > Reid pipes were generally made sharper than the current F+; > close to modern F# in many cases, so Francis and Graham tell me. Yes, that's right. Or to be more precise, Reid pipes play most happily at F# using (and insert italics here) the most a

[NSP] Re: Rotting of The Cotton Threads

2011-01-17 Thread Francis Wood
On 17 Jan 2011, at 13:00, Margaret Watchorn wrote: > I suspect both these tunes are based on the old north Northumbrian air 'The > Throttlin' of the Reeds/Reids' Margaret, I think you're probably right. The problem with "Rotting of The Cotton Threads" is the question: why would anyone want to

[NSP] Re: Rotting of The Cotton Threads

2011-01-16 Thread Francis Wood
2| > M:3/4 > .EAB.c e/2c/2B/2A/2 |. DAB.c d/2B/2A/2G/2:||:/ > M:9/8 > .gAg .ABc .ee/2c/2B/2A/2|.gAg .ABc .dd/2B/2A/2G/2| > M:3/4 > .EAB.c e/2c/2B/2A/2| .DABc .d/2B/2A/2G/2:| > > Best wishes, > Richard. > > > On 15/01/2011 00:07, Francis Wood wrote: >&g

[NSP] Re: Shellac

2011-01-15 Thread Francis Wood
On 15 Jan 2011, at 14:44, Paul Scott wrote: > It is a set made in the 70's by my godfather who followed Colin ross's > designs and advice. I used a hot hair dryer and pliers to pull off the > ferrule and I think there is shellac underneath. So if I applied the solution > and then allowed it to

[NSP] Re: Shellac

2011-01-15 Thread Francis Wood
Paul, this largely depends on what the pipe-maker has used in the first place. Shellac would be an appropriate material for antique pipes, fulfilling two functions, both as an adhesive and a gap-filler. In this case the material would be solid shellac rather than in solution which will obviousl

[NSP] Re: oil - and for other instruments?l

2011-01-14 Thread Francis Wood
True, but the problem with that is that whatever may be suitable for a wide bore wet blown instrument may be highly unsuitable for a dry-blown bore, typically 4.3 mm in diameter. Francis On 14 Jan 2011, at 23:54, gibbonssoi...@aol.com wrote: > Almond is still popular for woodwind, and has be

[NSP] Re: Rotting of The Cotton Threads

2011-01-14 Thread Francis Wood
A Strathspey, surely? Francis On 14 Jan 2011, at 23:57, gibbonssoi...@aol.com wrote: > Is 'The rotting of the cotton threads' the title of a tune I haven't > learned yet? To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

[NSP] Oil and all that Jazz

2011-01-14 Thread Francis Wood
Exactly one year ago, on January 14th 2010, the main topic on this forum was the choice of appropriate oil and the dire consequences of using the wrong stuff. Unfortunately, nobody could quite agree what the right stuff was. A year ago yesterday, the same discussion was in swing including disc

[NSP] Re: rotting of the cotton threads

2011-01-14 Thread Francis Wood
On 14 Jan 2011, at 20:07, barr...@nspipes.co.uk wrote: > If we are going to discuss possible effects of mineral oil (liquid paraffin) > on thread Yes, there's been a lot of interesting discussion about that but why on earth would anyone want to use liquid lubricant on thread or anywhere else

[NSP] Re: [nsp] re-conditioning ...

2011-01-14 Thread Francis Wood
On 14 Jan 2011, at 11:31, Julia Say replied: >> ( a while ago i remember there was some discussion of oils. . .) > > And then another one, and then another one. Its one of the > recurrent topics. It's one of those things that has no definitive answer. Almost every option has

[NSP] Re: Intonation

2011-01-12 Thread Francis Wood
copy. > > Happy droning on the plateau! > > > On 1/11/2011 12:18 PM, Francis Wood wrote: >> Colin, are you using composite drone reeds or all-cane ones? Adjustment >> techniques will, of course differ. >> >> Whatever you're using, I'd check the dron

[NSP] Re: Intonation

2011-01-11 Thread Francis Wood
Colin, are you using composite drone reeds or all-cane ones? Adjustment techniques will, of course differ. Whatever you're using, I'd check the drone itself as a priority, checking that everything is sealing correctly (tuning beads are often suspect), that the bore is clean and smooth, and that

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