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Joanie Madden's Blind Mary

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:11 am
by joeryan
Hey,

Does anyone out there have the notes for the version of Blind Mary that Joanie Madden recorded on A Whistle on the Wind? See link below.

I've had a hard time figuring it out. It differs from O'Carolan's original. And it's not, unfortunately, in Joanies' tune book.

Thanks and best,

Joe

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/m8as6DFwq6Y/

Re: Joanie Madden's Blind Mary

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 4:18 pm
by an seanduine
Please be aware that it is extremely difficult to notate an air, without doing grave injustice to an artist's particular rendition.
I know of no traditional air titled Blind Mary.
Listening to the link, it appears Joannie has created an air inspired by the tune Blind Mary, often ascribed to Carolan, apparently dedicated to Maire Dhall, a blind harper loosely contemporaneous with Carolan.
I do not think the air is composed entirely De Novo by Joannie. Listening closely you can hear her refer back to strains from the harp tune.

Lacking the lyrics (in Gaelic) to the harp tune, which would of necessity be extemely metric, your only reference will be the air itself as Joannie performs it.

What I would do is listen to the work intensely. . .a hundred time or more. . .until I woke up with it playing in my mind. You might then refer to a transcription of the harp tune to get the 'bones' of some of phrases Joannie employs. Then you might attempt to copy some of what she is doing. Record yourself and hope you have not done too much violence to Joannie's effort. Then go back and listen a great deal more.
When you perform an air, you should not try to slavishly copy another's rendition, but try to make an effort of your own, and hope you have not totally violated the spirit of the air.

my two cent's worth
Bob