7/20/08 Lark on the Strand

[TonyHiggins]

7/20/08 Back from vacation (almost a month, now). That's me posing like I'm playing the whiste at Denali National Park, Alaska. There's a grizzly bear somewhere in the background. Here are three tunes, none of which I know the name. I lifted them straight off a recording from the '70's by a group called The Wild Geese. (vinyl to reel-to-reel to minidisc to cd- no info whatsoever). Played on Abell blackwood d. (saved in misc.) Also, a jig, Lark on the Strand. This version, I got from a Dervish cd. This version repeats the A and B parts.

[Tootler]

Only just got around to listening to this set.

Here are three tunes, none of which I know the name. I lifted them straight off a recording from the '70's by a group called The Wild Geese. (vinyl to reel-to-reel to minidisc to cd- no info whatsoever).

The first of your three tunes is called "Roxburgh Castle" and originates in the Scottish Borders. It is usually played a bit quicker than you played it and can be played as a hornpipe or a reel and is commonly played in Northumberland as a rant.

Boys of the Lough have recorded it, but I'll have to check which album.

I'm afraid I don't know the other two tunes.

Geoff

[MTGuru]

Ah, I missed this. There are track lists for all 3 Wild Geese albums here:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?thread ... 16#1586625

The third gan ainm polka-like tune is Ward's Brae; a transcription is here:
http://www.alnwickpipers.co.uk/Tunes/Re ... dsBrae.pdf

I can't ID the 2nd tune. Maybe you can find it in the track lists.

[TonyHiggins]

Well, that was a remarkable exchange of information. Thanks a lot, Geoff and Mt. I copied the Wild Geese album from a friend while I was stationed in Germany in 1976/77. It's always been one of my favorite trad albums. I did a google search a few years ago and came up with absolutely nothing.

I sorted out most of the tune titles over time as I heard them hear and there. One of my all time favorites, Fear & Bean an Ti, I never knew anyone who knew the name of it. (I thought Woman of the House was omitted from the track list, then with the tiny bit of Irish I understand, realized the title means Man and Woman of the House. So that gave me the first reel, Man of the House.) Their version in part b is a lot different than all the abc's I found online. They also play it sounding like an air, then speed up. The other thing is I never knew any of the performers names. The whistle player, Peadar O hUallaigh, is the only whistler I've ever heard who uses no tonguing and sounds good.
Having said all this, I'll post that track on Clips and hope the RIAA or whatever doesn't come after me.

(Get out your C whistle to play along)

Thanks again,
Tony

[Tootler]

The track list in the link MT posted shows that Roxburgh Castle and Wards Brae are in Side A, Track 5 of the first album, but that track only lists two tunes. Odd.

Boys of the Lough Recorded Roxburgh Castle in "Lonesome Blues and Dancing Shoes" as the last of a set of three hornpipes the other two being Minstrel's Fancy and The Atlanta Welcome.

Geoff