Re: [scots-l] Benjamin Franklin on Scottish music
In a message dated 3/30/03 9:09:14 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: So the answer would be everything they would normally play when their instruments are dry :-) Oh, my dear Toby. :-) This is precisely why we use the term /damp/, not /dampen/, just to try and cut down on this sort of mis-communication and confusion. We've tried just about everything in our search for techniques, and I'm sure someone has tried using water. However, the process of dampENing strings, for certain types of wire, would result in oxygenation issues. While this wouldn't be an issue for other metals, there are those pesky water stains on the soundboard. :-D --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/
Re: [scots-l] Re: Burns Night
In a message dated 1/29/03 6:51:59 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Wow, you're serious that you couldn't find any Scottish players at the Grandfather mountain games? We hide out in the ski lodges and have ceilidhs. Honestly! Hook up with ACGA at the Gaelic tent and we'll tell you where we lurk. (We won't be in the campground, certainly not. With a harp? Are you kidding? It's too much of a party scene up there.) --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/
Re: [scots-l] Tempos
In a message dated 1/19/03 5:34:19 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: We certainly know that harpers accompanied warriors/chieftains into battle, but we don't have a very clear idea of the protocol of battle. The more I read about this, the more I get the impression of a ritual stand-off where a fairly small group of opponents might decide the day - maybe even a fixed combat between champions Ah! Now this does make sense. I wonder if you are on to something here. Of course, I see your point regarding the march in _dance_. What I'm talking about is indeed something else, and obviously it's what I focus on, even in my MSR sets. :-) I remember one of my first lessons in the march, which came early on in my harping career. I was keen on finding out more about ornamentation, and not having a harp teacher (there were none!) I searched out a Great Highland Bagpiper. Made sense to me. Anyway, I fell in with a fine player who had the sensitivity to help me, a very positive influence (and he's on my CD, too). ANYWAY, one of the first things I learned was that the highland "march" was not the "HUP two three four" kind of march. (David, I loved your description of a "stride down metalled roads".) Rather, Mike told me it was a "swinging fast walk". Maybe he was thinking of the kilts, but a "louping jog" could fit the description as well. The theories I've heard (and, well, developed) on the harped brosnachadh are that it would have been performed in the camp either the night before the battle or the morning of the battle. Maybe just for the "generals". The concept of a ritual stand-off that you refer to is intriguing. Can you share more? (And if everyone else is groaning right now, let us know...we can take our conversation off to a quiet corner.) It's a great pity we do not hear wire strung harp very often in Scotland, It's not just Scotland. I played a concert last night in Pennsylvania, in a very newly renovated concert hall. I asked the presenter if this was their first concert after the renovation. She said, "well, no, but it IS our first wire-harp concert..." I smiled politely. Then she laughed and said, "...ever." There just aren't many of us, but it's growng. For instance, you can find teachers now! And the next HarpCon in the US has *four* different wire instructors coming, from what I understand! Most exciting!! --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/
Re: [scots-l] Tempos
In a message dated 1/17/03 11:50:04 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Still this is interesting and surprising info. on the requirements of your organization. Can you elaborate on how these requirements were developed? My understanding is we looked at the Fiddle competition and patterned ours on it. I too am sad that there isn't at least a requirement to play, oh, a couple of laments and a lullabye and all those things that do indeed sound so lovely on the harp. The organization on whole doesn't reflect this concentration. I edit our newsletter and we do indeed focus on the "whole picture" (as best as I can, that is...) So, it's mostly just the comps. And that's why I asked, is this just the way competitions are? Can they be more flexible somehow? Remember, we got here in this thread by discussing competition rules dictating metronome markings. Interesting connection. --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/
Re: [scots-l] re: A Fiddler's Book of Scottish Jigs
In a message dated 1/14/03 7:10:54 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: The tempo is determined by the dance, and you really have to honor it. If there are no dancers, you are a lot freer to play with the tempo, vary it, etc I'm heartened to read this! As a clarsair, I don't find myself in demand as a dance accompanist. The fiddlers can have it (more appropriate anyway, IMHO). So, when I play dance tunes, I'm honoring the melody, not an arbitrary metronome marking. --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/
Re: [scots-l] A Fiddler's Book of Scottish Jigs
It's a wonderful book! One of my "top of the pile" collections. (As in, I have a huge pile of music here and Charlie's book is always near the top.) I bought it a couple of years ago at a Highland Festival in the States. Besides recognizing Charlie's name, I was attracted to it because of the fact that it's all Jigs! One of the harp societies I'm active in has been really pushing Reels and Strathspeys as "the" dance music of Scotland, and I suspected there was more. I'm so glad that Charlie published this collection, because it confirmed my suspicions! Now, here is a question that I am a bit hesitant to ask, because it reveals a certain ignorance on my part, but, here goes. Please be kind to me if you decide to answer! Some of the tunes in Charlie's book are in 6/8 time, but are labeled as reels. Now, I was taught that all reels are in 4/4 time, no exceptions. (Of course, I was also taught by the same source that they are all fast, which I question. I mean, really, mm130 to a half note?) So. Are these mis-named reels in Charlie's book which are really jigs? Or do I need to change my understanding of what a reel is? I begin to wonder if I just haven't been paying enough attention all these years. My compensating plea is I'm not a fiddler. Harpers and clarsairs are pretty new to dance music. --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/
Re: [scots-l] A Fiddler's Book of Scottish Jigs
In a message dated 1/9/03 11:14:57 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Does this book have an ISBN number? Thanks. ISBN 0 946868 21 2 The Hardie Press (1997) 17 Harrison Gardens Edinburgh EH11 1SE --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/
Re: [scots-l] Few Notes
In a message dated 4/14/02 9:55:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I'm trying to find Scottish tunes which use as few notes, for use in teaching complete beginners. We've been discussing "Come Give Me Your Hand" on the wire harp list. It's ALMOST pentatonic, but I think it goes outside the range of one "octave". Do you know "Blow the Man Down" on your side of the pond? (I'm in America...) Six notes, but lots of pettern repeats make it a good teaching tune. Skye Boat Song, of coursefamiliar as the day is long, and only 5 notes though again it's not limited to the range of one octave. Almost. May I put on my Pedagogy Hat? Now, I don't play the fiddle, and maybe it's different from my experience. But I look more for tunes that have lots of repetition in pattern, rather than focus solely on tunes that have just a few notes. The Steve Foster tune "Oh! Susanna" for example, works real well with my American students, because it is very familiar (they already know the tune, so I don't have to teach that) and the first, second and fourth phrases are identical. Au Clair de la Lune is the same way. Besides looking for tunes with absolute, dead-on repeated passages, I also look for repeating *patterns* (sequences and/or repeating rhythmic patterns). Skye Boat comes back to mind...the same rhythm over and over again. You learn the rhythm once, you got it. They Stole My Wife Last Night has a great repeated melodic pattern (if you ignore the gaps. I tell my harp students to pretend the gapped strings are not even there.) BTW, anyone know what "Stole My Wife" is about? Is it reflective of some old wedding tradition, like the American tradition of decorating the newlyweds' car so they can't get away quietly for the honeymoon? --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/
Re: [scots-l] Re: Few Notes
In a message dated 4/14/02 4:16:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Neither do I... :-) Fancy that! All this time I imagined you with the fiddle, but goodness, I know better than that, don't I? Dear me, wake up, Cynthia. I will start scouting tunes for you! Anything to launch new musicians! Besides, there might be something that would work for me and my students, too. Re: They Stole My Wife Last Night. It is in the Patrick McDonald collection (1784). My Gaelic is very shaky (read that V-E-R-Y shaky) and so I ran it past a friend who has pretty solid Gaelic for a translation, and he came up with the same thing. Ghoid iad mo bhean uam an reir. It's a very cool tune, pentatonic. I should try my hand at ABC notation so y'all can see it...it's also in my second book, where I have arranged it so one can play it on a clarsach tuned with either one sharp (F), one flat (B) or no sharps or flats. It's my perenial "workshop tune". Great for teaching fixed finger, gapped scale theory, and wire-strung clarsach ornaments. Do you have the McDonald collection? It's in the middle of page 3. I'm putting it on my CD with some really rhythmic damping. Verycool. --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/
[scots-l] Kerr's Merry Melodies
Hello friends, I'm preparing the bibliography for my new book (I've been a very busy girl), and need to include Kerr's Merry Melodies, but there is no date to be seen anywhere in the books. Anyone know when these were published? Thanks much! --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/ 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] Schehallion
One of my favorite albums is called Schiehallion by a group called North Sea Gas. No parodies, though. All pretty straight ahead traditional tunes. I picked it up at Blackfriars the first time I visited Edinburgh. Perhaps these guys did some other work that was parody? --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/ 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] Elegy on Rob Roy Macgregor
Speaking of laments, I am putting the Elegy for Rob Roy MacGregor in the book I'm currently working on. It's from the Angus Fraser collection, as published by Taigh na Teud. In the notes for this piece, reference is made to the words being found in the collection of Gaelic poetry songs by A D Stewart P. 301. Anyone have this book? These words? And for this English speaker, a translation? :-} And if you, friend, are doing the translating…let's talk about credit! --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net/ 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] Is anyone there?
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Many laments don't really contain much anger I don't know about that, David. I don't mean to challenge you, it's just that my experience is different from yours. I find that most laments do indeed have at least one phrase that expresses anger. Usually at the beginning of the B part. Often, the melody rises at that point and it's almost set up for you to express anger with big chords underneath that melodic line. That, or you can swell the dynamics along with the melodic line. As I sit here and think through the half-dozens laments I played at my gig this afternoon, I arranged them all with an increase in dynamic or harmonic expression in the beginning of the B part. Some of them, I build up large chords, sometimes unexpected chords. Like, an E minor chord underneath a melodic line that has several repeated G's (where the impulse might be to use a G major chord.) I'm not familiar with Carolan's Owen Roe lament. There is a Lament for Owen Roe in Alison Kinnaird's Small Harp Tutor which I played today. Alison says she learned it from her husband, and that it's Irish, but she doesn't credit Carolan, so it must be different. If you have the opportunity, take a look at her arrangement. The A section is just the melody, with a single broken chord at the end of each phrase. Then, at the begining of the B section, she increases the tension through a slow glissando at the beginning, building up to a large rolled chord and parallel octaves. You can't help but feel the anger there. Maybe you found this out...it's the arrangement, how you build the harmony and dynamics of the lament to make it something more than just a pretty, slow air in the minor mode. --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net 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] Is anyone there?
Hello friends, I sure would like to talk about music again, and try and move my mind away from the events of the last few days. Of course, that may not be possible. I read in the Washington Post today something about the stages of grief. First is disbelief, then rage, then sadness and finally acceptance. I'm caught somewhere between disbelief and rage. But, reading about these steps made me think of the laments in my repertoire, and I find it interesting that the music can be played to fit these emotions, in that order. For example: The Elegy for Rob Roy MacGregor. Death of My Friend. And I find that Though I Go To My Bed fits the stages of grief. I know, a big difference from lively discussion of reels strathspeys, but I imagine this is where several of us are right now. --Cynthia Cathcart 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] Session Tunes
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: What would YOU put on that list? This is a clarsair speaking, remember, so don't know how this would work for your gang, Nigel, but I'm using Mrs. Crawford of Donside with my students. It plays very nicely and hauntingly if done slowly, so I do not have them play it as a reel, but rather as a slow air. This is still experimental, I only noticed this tune about 3 weeks ago. My idea is that once I have a student who can play it perfectly well slowly, I'll tell them to bring it up to reel tempo. My pedagolgical intent is that I will finally be able to convince *someone* of the advantage of slow practice, as opposed to jumping right in there at full speed and missing half the notes. --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net 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] Mist-Covered Mountains
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: What's the RR website? I get to it via the ABC index, which is at a ridiculously long address: http://www.gre.ac.uk/~c.walshaw/abc/index/wwabc.html It takes awhile to load, so be careful if you go there! No graphics or anything, but tons of information. Of course you may know all about this site Jack, since you are one of the sources listed. Anyway, the RR is Richard Robinson's abc's, lots of tunes there. Hard to tell, but it looks like the website is www.leeds.ac.uk. I visited the website Triona recommended, with the lyrics and translations...thank you. (And thank you, Kate, for offering to send them.) I will say this much: it's a nice poem, but I like the story my Grandfather told much better! Thanks everyone for the help...great information. --Cynthia http://www.cynthiacathcart.net 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] Mist-Covered Mountains
Hello all, I am writing out my arrangement of this lovely WALTZ ( not the jig by the same name). I learned it from my Grandfather long time back, and I seem to remember he called it the Mist Covered Mountains of Home. At any rate, I searched through the abc-index online and the melody I remember is very similar to the one I found at Richard Robinson's tune book. My questions: does anyone know where this tune came from? The Gaelic on the RR website is Chi mi na mor-bheanna. What is the tune about? (I know what my Grandfather said it was about, but one time when I told the tale I was laughed out of the roomThat's not right! If you knew the Gaelic, you'd forget that story fast!) Kindness is *always* appreciated! Thanks in advance for your help! --Cynthia Cathcart http://www.cynthiacathcart.net 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] Tuning and Electronic Tuners
I second David's comment on tuning a clarsach. It certainly helps to have a tuner if you have 30 some strings to get in tune. It truly does save time, and I'd rather be playing than tuning endlessly. However, I do still tweak a few strings after I use the tuner. Some tones just won't sound right. Always the B needs tweaking. Regarding tuning forks, they represent the perfect fundamental. There are no upper-partials when you strike a tuning fork. A professor of music told me once that a tuning fork is the *only* instrument that produces a perfect fundamental, but I don't know if that's true. --Cynthia Cathcart 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] What makes a style Scottish?
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: For harp you would assume that tuning using an advanced electronic tuner set to the same kind of temperament used for virginals, I gotta get one of those tuners! What I do on my clarsach is tune with the aid of a tuner (it saves time) and then I play a couple of pieces and adjust some of the intervals, until it sounds right. So I can't really say which tuning system I'm using. I'd love to find out if I am getting close to an established system. I don't do pure Pythagorean because I like to have sweet sounding 6ths. --Cynthia Cathcart 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] old books (was ABCs)
Speaking of old books, I found one in my mother's house. (She died recently, quite tragically, in an auto accident, so if you think my book is a pointless, useless piece of garbage, please don't tell me.) Mom left nothing but trash, mostly, but this one book crawled out from under a pile of magazines and papers and caught my eye. It is not dated. Called Scotland Calling in 50 Scottish Songs, it has both staff notation and sol-fa. For someone who has only a vague knowledge of sol-fa, this is rather like finding the rosetta stone. The book was published by Mozart Allen, 84 Carlton Place in Glasgow. Lots of standard stuff, like Scots Wha Hae and Auld Lang Syne, but a couple of tunes I don't already know (which you all probably know like the back of your fiddle, so I won't embarass myself by listing the ToC). I *shall* embarass myself by admitting I don't know the arranger, who is Mr. C. MacKay Collier. Does this clue help date it? Any pearls of arcane knowledge out there on the list? I imagine this book must have belonged to my Grandfather Ogilvie. Mom never worried herself about her roots. I wish I knew how old it was. Probably not very. But I'd be interested to know if it was one of the few things Grandad's parents brought with them when they came here from Scotland. If I knew the age of the book, I could speculate... --Cynthia Cathcart 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] What makes a style Scottish?
In a message dated 7/7/01 10:01:13 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: What about Shetland tunes? Those are allowed in SHSA competitions. A different style of playing than a lowland air, naturally. Your advice to yourself to listen to recordings is the best advice. Also try and hear some live performances. --Cynthia Cathcart 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] Scottish music Harp competitions
Any opinions on whether I could justify the inclusion of Northumbrian tunes into a competition setting? Hi Janice, I have a friend from Northumberland, and I asked his opinion about playing a Northumbrian pipe tune in competition. He said, Either I'm English or Scottish, it just depends on how far back you go. Since many tunes are part of the traditions of more than one country, I think it's OK if you can show that the tune was part of the Scottish musical tradition. I played Off She Goes in competition once, having found it in the Skye Collection. I learned afterwards that it was Irish. But being in the Skye Collection showed it had a connection to Scotland...I've also played a Northumbrian pipe tune on my clarsach in competition and was not questioned (Alison Kinnaird was the judge that competition.) What the Scottish Harp Society of America is trying to avoid by that rule is someone playing a tune that has no relationship to Scottish music or culture. --Cynthia Cathcart SHSA comp committee member Editor, the Kilt Harp 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] Scottish music Harp competitions
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Do you have to play the music in a Scottish manner? Absolutely. Scottish Style is one of the Evaluation Criteria. As Jo Morrison (Chair of the Competition Committee for the SHSA) wrote regarding a Master harper's qualifications in the most recent Kilt Harp: A strong feeling of a Scottish lilt of Scottish accent to the tune is needed. The arrangement of the tune must be Scottish in style. So if you're playing a strathspey, there'd better be a jink 'n' diddle in the rhythm. (To steal a phrase from Robert Burns.) --Cynthia Cathcart 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] Lyrics for Going Home ?
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I am trying to find the lyics for the Pipe Tune for Funerals and Memorials in Scotland called "Going Home". Hi, They're in my book for the wire-strung harp! It took a LOT of time to find them, and I'll tell you, if this were a harpers list I'd just ask you to wait till the book comes out in about 3 weeks. But, since otherwise the book probably wouldn't help this list's members much (unless you're into tune histories), here goes. I have to say they're rather weak, so I see why they aren't too popular. The story goes like this: (And this is quoted directly from my book, so please no plagiarizing. Thanks.) This melody is from the Largo movement of the Ninth Symphony, From The New World, composed by Antonin Dvorák in 1893. Dvorak was very familiar with elements of folk music: pentatonic scales, flattened sevenths, and even the Scots snap (the sixteenth note-dotted eighth note rhythm common in Scottish music). Dvorák was in America at the time this piece was written, serving as the Director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York. Dvorák’s student, William Arms Fisher, writes that this melody was the result of Dvorák’s study of the spiritual music of the African Americans. Fisher felt that the words “Goin’ Home” were suggested by the melody itself. He also believed that the melody was written at a time when Dvorák was homesick for his native Bohemia. Thus, when Fisher wrote the words for his vocal arrangement of the melody, he followed the theme of going home. Owing to the source of the melody’s inspiration, he chose to write the lyrics in the form of a negro spiritual. So, while some believe that Dvorák borrowed this melody from an early American folk song, it seems more likely that it is an original melody which he wrote in the style of a folk song. The tune has since passed into the repertoire of the Highland Bagpipe. And here are the lyrics. (Note: the part inside the quotes ... is for part of the melody that is usually not played on the pipes, and I left that bit out of my book, so these are "bonus words" for you all. To figure out how they fit, listen to Dvorak's symphony). So, here goes: Goin’ home, goin’ home, I’m a goin’ home; Quiet like, some still day, I’m jes’ goin’ home. It’s not far, jes’ close by, Through an open door; Work all done, care laid by, Gwine to fear no more. Mother’s there ‘spectin’ me Father’s waitin’ too; Lots o’ folk gather’d there, All the friends I knew. All the friends I knew. Home, home, I'm goin' home! Nothin' lost, all's gain, No more fret nor pain, No more stumblin' on the way, No more longin' for the day, Gwine to roam no more! Mornin’ star lights the way Res’less dream all done; Shadows gone, break o’ day, Real life jes’ begun. Dere’s no break, ain’t no end, Jes’ a livin’ on; Wide awake, with a smile Goin’ on and on. Goin’ home, goin’ home, I’m jes’ goin’ home, It’s not far, jes’ close by Through an open door. Hope you enjoyed that...and if you are interested in the whole book, do let me know! (shameless self promotion). :-) --Cynthia Cathcart 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] celtic font
In a message dated 3/11/01 3:57:12 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Does anyone know where I can get a so-called 'celtic' font Dover Publishers has a disc of celtic fonts, but then that's for pay, isn't it? Did you hear that they are actually developing a WEBSITE!?! --Cynthia Cathcart 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] The Unfortunate Rake
In a message dated 2/23/01 1:21:03 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Indeed. Maybe the best idea is to call it "The Bard of Omagh", and note in the text that it's a variant of the earlier tune "The Unfortunate Rake" and the later American ballad "The Streets of Laredo". I certainly could do this, and that's my line of reasoning for using the "Unfortunate Rake". But, I've got the same problem with "The Bard" as I do with "The Rake": finding a copy of it with a pre-1927 date! I have a book here that claims the Bard was written in 1801 by Thomas Campbell, but I need some kind of "proof" of that. Even if it's a facsimile re-print of an old book containing that title, melody, and I'll take whatever lyrics I can find at this point! I had great success at the Library of Congress with some of the tunes I chose to use. I actually held in my hands broadsides from circa 1800 for some of them. For those, no one had better dare to claim I violated copyright! It was interesting to see how the words for some of these tunes have changed over the last two centuries. I used the older lyrics, for very obvious reasons! So, anyway: if I get stuck for the Rake, does anyone know where I can find an old copy of "The Bard of Armagh"? --Cynthia Cathcart 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 Unfortunate Rake
I need some help. After spending many hours in the library and countless more searching the internet, I've decided to ask my friends for help. I have finished writing a book of "familiar melodies" for beginning players of the clarsach. I have one tune that is giving me trouble, and I am just about ready to cut it from the book, but I really don't want to. That tune is known in America as "the Streets of Laredo". Someone here claims copyright to those words and the familiar melody (also used for the Bard of Armagh) and that someone will not allow me permission to use it if I sell the book outside of the U.S., which as a book for the CLARSACH I most certainly want to do! (All the other tunes in the book are public domain.) The ancestor of this song is "The Unfortunate Rake". I have been trying to find a citation for that song, and for the melody. My research indicates that it was published as a broadside in London in 1790, but I can't find any copy of that. Does anyone know an early printing of this melody? Early words, that pre-date the American ones? Any ideas or leads will be VERY welcome. I want to go to press so I can get this project off my desk, and move on to the next one! Thank you, even if all you can do for me is read this far! --Cynthia Cathcart 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] Was Burns a racist?
In a message dated 1/16/01 3:09:23 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: In Maryland, at least, they are beautifully indexed, so you're not hunting needles in haystacks looking for reference to your folks. I'm in Maryland, but my Grandfather lived most of his life in Virginia, so I guess I'll have to look there. Thanks for the idea. --Cynthia 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] Was Burns a racist?
In a message dated 1/16/01 4:28:39 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: He may have thought, in an idealised moment, that slavery was wrong, but he obviously was prepared to accept it and engage himself in its practices had his poems failed to sell. Reminds one of Thomas Jefferson. --Cynthia Cathcart 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'
Just two cents: wire harpers do this quite handily. We just roll our fingernails on the strings...one-two-THREE. For what it's worth, I think I do it on the beat. Sometimes it's hard to tell, if I'm playing fast enough! --Cynthia Cathcart 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] Was Burns a racist?
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Gaelic speaking Scottish slaves, children rounded up by the burgesses of the port towns and shipped to the Americas for cash. This is really interesting to me. My grandfather Ogilvie always told me his grandparents came to this country as indentured servants or sharecroppers, and then he'd snort and say, "which meant SLAVERY!" The deal,as he told it, was that eventually you could purchase yourself, unlike the African slaves. I never have given this much thought...in fact, your brief e-mail here just brought it back to me, I'd have to say this hasn't been in my thoughts for years. I wish the old man was still alive, I'd go back and ask him a ton of questions. Maybe this is why my father, in his geneological research, cannot find a single word on my grandfather's ancestors. All we know is what we remember my grandfather telling us. He always swore he descended directly from the Ogilvies that fought at Culloden. I'm going to have to call my dad and remind him of the "sharecropper" thing. Anyone know any more about this? Is it just coincidence? Any sources? --Cynthia Cathcart 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] merry cholesterol
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: But is it CathCAART or or CathCAIRT?...You're going to be in for an interesting time getting USAns to do Scots vowels. HA! Well, I must tell you, we got into Edinburgh for our first visit to Scotland in 1998, checked into our bed breakfast, and our host says, "Welcome, Mr. Mrs. CathCAIRT" and Eric I look at each other, realizing with some degree of shame and confusion that we have been mis-pronouncing our name! Us USAans say "CATHcart". By the end of our stay in Auld Reekie our hosts were saying "CATHcart" to try and favor us, while we were practicing "CathCAIRT" on anyone who'd listen. Back in the states, I settle for saying "CathCAART". Otherwise it sounds, well, sort of like a fake accent, if you know what I mean. Luckily (or maybe not so luckily) there are no other Cathcarts left in my husband's family, or we'd be explaining to everyone why we insist on mis-pronouncing our name these past two years. --Cynthia 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: scots-l-digest V1 #351
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: It's easy to get names mixed up when there are too many which sound the same. I wish I had a nickle for everytime someone has called me "Mrs. Cartwright". Not even close. The nicest thing about visiting Scotland is people know my name! --Cynthia CATHCART 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] auld sang line\Rory Dall
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: First "Rory Dall" is said to mean "Blind Rory", and was a generic term for a blind Harper and doesn't point to anyone in particular. For the harpers I know (including folks like Alison Bill), we recognize two Rory Dall's: The Irish one (O'Cathain) and the Scottish one (Morison, Macleod's harper). We also understand that they got confused, since they were both "Rory" and both blind. I haven't heard that "Rory Dall" was used to describe ANY blind harper though. Not to sound rude, and with respect: what source do you have for that? Because if that is true, I'd like to know! Thank you! --Cynthia Cathcart 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] Inverness a City- OFFICIAL
In a message dated 12/18/00 10:23:43 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Fortunately there aren't many songs with Inverness in them. Hmm. I never thought about this before. But I happen to have two tunes in my repertoire that have Inverness in the title: The Cross of Inverness and the Prince's Welcome to Inverness. But then, I think Inverness is a nice town, so perhaps I'm attracted to tunes with Inverness in the title. --Cynthia Cathcart 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] auld sang line
I was at the Library of Congress yesterday searching for song histories. I found a book of reproductions of autograph manuscripts. Just letters, inscriptions, notes, things like that, from people like the Venerable Bede, John Locke, Geoffrey Chaucer, and so on. The contents were completely off my research path, but it was so interesting a book that I stopped to take a look through it. In one of those incredible circumstances where the resource comes to the researcher, I found in this book a letter of Robert Burns'. And the letter was about Auld Lang Syne! Just days before he died, Burns wrote to George Thomson, who was in the process of editing his book of "Scotish Airs", the following: "One Song more, I have done. - Auld lang syne - The air is but mediocre; but the following song, the old Song of the olden times, which has never been in print, not even in manuscript, untill I took it down from an old man's Singing; is enough to recommend any air-" And then he goes on to write out the poem. It's very difficult to read and I haven't transcribed it yet, though I intend to, and then compare it to what's in the SMM. (Lucky the Library lets you xerox stuff.) There was some commentary to the letter, which clung to the belief that Burns wrote the song and was just too modest to admit it. I think that's a long shot: it seems to me that the simplest explanation is most often the correct one: Burns was telling the truth, and indeed took it down from an old man's singing. --Cynthia Cathcart 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] auld sang line
Hi Rob, Well, I didn't think I was uncovering anything dark and secret: I had heard of the quote, but never was CONVINCED it was real, and I don't think I've ever actually heard it in it's entirety before. But seeing it in the Bard's own hand! That was a thrill! And now I KNOW what he said, and it IS "a right gude-willie waught" --Cynthia Thanks, Bruce, for passing along the date! 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: Auld auld lang syne
In a message dated 12/13/00 3:31:12 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I have a earlier tune that the one we're familiar with...did you know that? I've found three different tunes. Two are in the Scots Musical Museum, (Vol. I and Vol. V) and then there is the other one that we all know and are tired of from New Year's Eve celebrations. Personally, I like the one in Vol. I of the Museum. It has a big range, which is fun to work with on the clarsach. I wonder which version is in your c. 1695 collection, Rob? Do you have access to the Museum, can you compare and edify us? I find this revelation most exciting! Thank you for the information! (And very nice website, by the waygood work.) --Cynthia Cathcart 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] music notation
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Not to mention, the pickup notes usually make sure the bar lines don't line up exactly anyway That's true, but in the book I've been working on, I adjusted the placement of the pick-up notes so that my bars DO line up exactly. It's a book for beginning players, and I wanted to make clear the repeated patterns in some of the pieces I chose. If the first stave has a pick-up, and the second stave does NOT, I would leave the first half-inch or so of the second stave blank, so that the first full bar of the second stave lines up with the first full bar of the first stave. (This would be SO MUCH easier to just show you.) My point is, well, yes, the pick up notes make it a little more challenging, but it's easily gotten around. And I think it's worth the extra effort if it makes the music clearer. --Cynthia Cathcart 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] Music-writing program?
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I'm happy as a tuned carp. What??! Oops. That should have been an h. Happy as a tuned Harp. (But you CAN tune-a-fish, right?) Ok, I'm embarrassed. Gosh, I raise my head to submit a post after weeks of silence, and what do I domake a typo. sorry --Cynthia Cathcart 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] Music-writing program?
I think it only comes for PC, but I'm using Music Publisher for my book (soon to be published!) and it's worked great. It's easy to use, even though I've LOST the manual! Plus it turns my scores into PCX format so I can pop it into my book (which is in PageMaker) and I'm happy as a tuned harp. --Cynthia Cathcart 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] Hello/book recommendation
Regarding the "backwards playing" of the bagpipes, Jack wrote: It used to be very common. I've come across a comment from a 19th century pipe major that it was always a good idea to have a few left- handed pipers on the team so that, for special occasions, you could set up columns of two with neat mirror-image symmetry. This is absolutely fascinating for this harper. There is a huge debate as to whether all the ancient harpers played on the left shoulders, so that the left hand played the treble and the right hand played the bass. This is the reverse of the standard practice today. I've heard some pretty heated conversations on this subject among harpers! (I stay out of them, claiming that my brain cells are set from all the years of playing the piano: Treble is Right and Bass is Left). I never thought of taking this subject up with someone outside of the harping circles. To find out that some of the pipers at one time "switched hands".what a thing. Do any of you all have any thoughts about harpers? (I have seen pictures of the ancient harpers with the harp on their right shoulder, but have been told that those are all from printing the photograph of the picture in reverse, and thus a mistake). I look forward to seeing some opinions on this coming from somewhere outside of my harper connections! (But you're welcome to jump in, Sue!) --Cynthia Cathcart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: wire harps (was Re: [scots-l] music store frustration)
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Very different from the lever harp, and so far it's proving rather partner-unfriendly My husband Eric, also a professional musician, plays the Saxophones, and as I got more more involved in playing the wire strung harp I wanted to be able to play with him. I finally bought him a bodhran for Christmas one year, and it worked out great! He's gotten quite good at it, and have played out together quite a few times now, with success. (Success being judged by the number of people who ask if we have a CD out). We also do a lot of work with the wire harps and Eric on whistles. The low D whistle with my brass-strung Lamont reproduction is heavenly, but for the wee lap harp of Ardival's (and it just WOULD fit in a knitting bag!) demands the penny whistles. Otherwise, it's the bodhran every time. But if you want to make people cry, do a lament with big brass strings and the low whistle. Believe me, it works. --Cynthia Cathcart 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] music store frustration
In a message dated 9/15/00 2:20:38 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: If you do have broken harp I would be very interested in buying it and studying the way it's made, perhaps with a view to using the arm and crossbar and making a complete new soundbox. Hi David, I've been thinking about your offer quite seriously. But a few thoughts come to mind: first, I don't think you want to study the way THIS harp is made! Unless you're going to do the negative thing. (Don't do it this way) Second, I live in the U.S., and I have deduced that you live in or near Edinburgh? The shipping would be a pain! I talked to my husband about lugging it over with me on the airplane when I come to Scotland in October for a visit. But he pointed out that this means I need to, well, lug it. I'm planning to travel LIGHT! And then the third, and probably the biggest hold-up for me, is this is the very harp I inherited from my step father. It got me started on wire harp, and is the only reason I do what I do now. It was also the only thing I got from him. So, even though it's pretty trashed, and the harpmaker turned out to be a jerk, it's still "Ken's Harp". So, I guess mentally I'm just not quite ready to part with it. Do you understand? (If you do, could you explain it to my husband?) :-) Hope to hear back from you! --Cynthia Cathcart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: wire harps (was Re: [scots-l] music store frustration)
In a message dated 9/22/00 2:41:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: There are none in Scotland?? Aren't wire harps the traditional harps of the Gaels that date back to antiquity? David said he's never SEEN one there, not that there aren't any! And you're quite right Toby, the Wire Harp IS the traditional harp of the Gaels. David: the folks that made your Dupplin harp, Ardival Harps, also make wire strung harps. They even make them in the ancient manner of the soundbox being carved from a single block of wood. Alison Kinnaird just ordered their wee wire-strung, just 19 strings but what a wonderful harp! I have one, too. And I think Alison also has a Robert Evans wire-strung harp. There's the dis-placed American, Bill Taylor, who plays lots of wire as well. And Mary McMaster, of course, plays wire. I had a blast when I was in Scotland two years ago, and took my bronze-strung clarsach to the Royal Oak in Edinburgh to meet up with Martin Burns, formerly of this list. (What ever happened to him? Anyone know?) Coming from a land where I'm often asked "Is that a Harpsichord?" it was wonderful to walk into the pub and have people recognize it as a clarsach before I even opened the case! And it was most gratifying to see everyone's eyes when they saw it was strung with wire. I truly believe the wire harp is coming back, and everyone will be seeing and hearing them in Scotland soon enough! --Cynthia Cathcart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: wire harps (was Re: [scots-l] music store frustration)
Hello, Well, this could be lively! I'm afraid I must respectfully disagree with you David! To begin with, certainly the wire harp came later than the earliest harps, such as the horse hair harp, because the invention of the wire harp had to wait until people had figured out how to make the metal strings. And yes, even after the wire came on the scene, the other harps continued to be played. But that doesn't mean it wasn't played in Scotland! I'm a bit confused by your statement that the wirestrung harp would have been an unlikely instrument for the inventors of the triangular harp. It was precisely the addition of the pillar that enabled the instrument to withstand the stress of wire strings. Also, this is the GAELIC Harp we're talking about: the harp of the Gaels, who lived in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and in Ireland. I'm confused why you go to exam the relics of the Celts in Europe to determine if the Clarsach belongs to Scotland. Despite the fact that folks call it the "Celtic Harp" this is a mis-nomer. I suppose if there is a "celtic harp" it's the rather newly developed levered nylon harps, but even that I expect someone to disagree with! I believe it's Alison Kinnaird Keith Sanger who, in their book "Tree of Strings" state that the Gaels got the idea of putting wire strings on the triangular frame harp. They further go on to more-or-less prove that the famous wire harps we have left (The Trinity College, Queen Mary Lamont) were all made in Scotland, likely by the same workshop. It's certainly true that the wire harp lasted a bit longer in Ireland than in Scotland, but the instrument was very much a part of Scottish history, and at one time the Irish would go to Scotland to study. Rory Dall Morison, last harper to Clan McLeod, played on wire. I most certainly do agree with your last statement, David. If I could time travel, I'd head straight back to hear the Clan Harper play on wire strings! Problem is, I probably wouldn't come back to share what I learn! --Cynthia Cathcart 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] music store frustration
I hope that you didn't loose too much money on that harp! How sensitive are harps to the age, type and finish of the wood used in them? Hi Toby, Sorry for the long delay in answering your question. I lost no money on the broken harp, as I inherited it from my stepfather. It was my very first harp, and when I got it I didn't know I'd enjoy playing it so much, so when it died I had to replace it. It is my understanding that harps, particularly the wire-strung variety which I play, are very sensitive to age. They are in a continual state of collapse. Some last longer than others. I heard a maker say once that if a wire harp lasts 75 years you've got a great instrument. Wood type is crucial for the sound and strength of a clarsach. It has to be a hard wood. My harps (that aren't broken) are made out of Scottish Sycamore and Maine Beech and Maple. The sycamore has an incredible voice, but it's a lap harp and I'm not sure how much of that is the wood or the size of the harp. But I can fill a pub with it's sound! It also has a soundbox carved from a single piece of wood, and the harp maker insisted that makes a difference in the sound as well. And with soundboards approaching the thickness of half an inch or more, I'm not too worried about them cracking. My first harp, the one in the basement, had a soundboard about an eighth of an inch thick. No sooner would the maker of that harp replace one soundboard than a new crack would start. I suggested to him, the last time, that he thicken it but he refused. That was about six months before his life ended. I'm thinking of putting that harp in a consignment shop as a decorative piece. Maybe I could get 20 bucks for it, eh? --Cynthia Cathcart Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
