Who's your Daddy?
- pancelticpiper
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These days many discussions are migrating to Facebook but I prefer the online chat forum format. - Location: WV to the OC
Who's your Daddy?
I have heard the original Overton Low Whistles described as "organ pipes with holes" and these photos make a strong argument for that: note the near-identical blades and proportions of the windows.
(Taken backstage at a concert last Sunday.)
Richard Cook
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
- RoberTunes
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Re: Who's your Daddy?
That photo suggests whistle players in Bach's time had far bigger lungs than they do today. If this trend continues, whistle players in 2200 will be playing micro whistles in triple high-D and pubs will be surrounded by dogs. We need to get back to musicians running sprints every day, to develop lung capacity, and repopularizing some real Earth-shattering low notes in music again!
- Byll
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Re: Who's your Daddy?
Ah, memories... As an erstwhile public school and college level teacher in the musical arts, one branch of my teaching over the years, was in Middle School. One course I taught over said years was a kind of potpourri experience, which touched on many different facets of music, and its place in society. One of my two-part lessons was on the history, function, use, repertoire, etc., of the pipe organ. I had the good fortune to live a stone's throw away from a local excellent organ builder - Brunner & Associates. I took organ lessons in my youth, until my teacher passed away, and had some knowledge of the instruments, in general. The organ builder gave to me quite a number of discarded organ pipes - both wooden and metal - plus other paraphernalia, which were organ-based.... The largest pipe I could safely have in my classroom, was an 8 footer. I also had a small wind chest, plus huge pictures of the Wanamaker and other huge instruments. The pictures, pipes, and tech were spread around the room, on lesson days.
The experience was a winner, and I usually placed the 8 footer in the front of my classroom, on a shelf below the blackboard, lying down - so that it was there during the lesson before the first of the organ lessons. When the students came in, they would invariably ask what it was... I would tell them it was a scud missile, or something like that, and ignore it for that day's lesson.
When the 2 lessons on organ tech were complete, I would always give brave students who wished, the opportunity to attempt to get a sound out of the 8 foot pipe. 'Twas kind of cool, because the big and strong ones - who at first were those who wished to try - blowing as hard as they could - were unable to get a sound out of the pipe. It slowly dawned on the kids, that it was not blowing 'hard' that would seize the day. It was low pressure - volume - of air that succeeded. It was often the smallest students who won the day. Very nice...
Yes... memories.
The experience was a winner, and I usually placed the 8 footer in the front of my classroom, on a shelf below the blackboard, lying down - so that it was there during the lesson before the first of the organ lessons. When the students came in, they would invariably ask what it was... I would tell them it was a scud missile, or something like that, and ignore it for that day's lesson.
When the 2 lessons on organ tech were complete, I would always give brave students who wished, the opportunity to attempt to get a sound out of the 8 foot pipe. 'Twas kind of cool, because the big and strong ones - who at first were those who wished to try - blowing as hard as they could - were unable to get a sound out of the pipe. It slowly dawned on the kids, that it was not blowing 'hard' that would seize the day. It was low pressure - volume - of air that succeeded. It was often the smallest students who won the day. Very nice...
Yes... memories.
'Everything Matters...'
Lisa Diane Cope 1963-1979
Lisa Diane Cope 1963-1979
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- Tell us something.: I'm in the process of buying some alto and low whistles. I already have a number of different instruments, but want to add to the array. I might even add a traditional flute too, such as a xiao or quenacho.
Re: Who's your Daddy?
Impressive comparison. Thanks for that.
- whistlecollector
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Re: Who's your Daddy?
Here you can get an idea what those big old whistles sound like:
32' Diapason
Also an object lesson in the meaning of the words "chiff" & "fipple"!
32' Diapason
Also an object lesson in the meaning of the words "chiff" & "fipple"!
-- A tin whistle a day keeps the racketts at bay.
-- WhOAD Survivor No. 11373
-- WhOAD Survivor No. 11373
- rhulsey
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Re: Who's your Daddy?
Having spent some 40 years involved in the pipe organ business, I found the similarities in the mouths of some whistles interesting, too. I had some correspondence with Michael Copeland some years back, and he talked about studying pipe construction. We talked about the ears and beards and other details as I recall.
That style of mouth (on the pipe in the OP's photo) is called 'Roman'.
That style of mouth (on the pipe in the OP's photo) is called 'Roman'.
"Those who can make you believe absurdities
can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire
can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire
- pancelticpiper
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These days many discussions are migrating to Facebook but I prefer the online chat forum format. - Location: WV to the OC
Re: Who's your Daddy?
Or in situ, herewhistlecollector wrote:Here you can get an idea what those big old whistles sound like:
32' Diapason
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W4PJUOeVYw&t=105s
the sublime use of the organ's lowest note
Richard Cook
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
- Terry McGee
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Re: Who's your Daddy?
I'm reminded of a story I heard somewhere about a Protestant church somewhere in Scotland in days gone by. A local was scathing about the installation of a pipe organ, referring to it as a "fist o' whistles" (a handful of whistles).
- Terry McGee
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Re: Who's your Daddy?
I'm also reminded of a concert we played in the newly constructed Sydney Opera House, back around 1973/74 from memory. At that point the building was finished and in use, but the organ, built by Melbourne maker Ron Sharp, was still being installed. The pipes were in, but not connected to anything yet. Depending on the air temperatures at various times of day, convection was sometimes enough to have the very big pipes quietly murmuring to themselves. The cleaning lady was apparently very superstitious, and having the organ pipes singing along all by themselves in the empty building didn't help her peace of mind one little bit...
Ron is now 90 years of age and has just sold up his old factory building where all his organs were built. He commented that “Life is about harmony rather than dissonance.”
Ron is now 90 years of age and has just sold up his old factory building where all his organs were built. He commented that “Life is about harmony rather than dissonance.”
- Peter Duggan
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Re: Who's your Daddy?
Sure that wasn't a 'kist o whistles', Terry?Terry McGee wrote:I'm reminded of a story I heard somewhere about a Protestant church somewhere in Scotland in days gone by. A local was scathing about the installation of a pipe organ, referring to it as a "fist o' whistles" (a handful of whistles).
Also, for those quoting/using Scots, beware the apologetic apostrophe!
- whistlecollector
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Re: Who's your Daddy?
Nice. Now, here's a kist o quyssills! (Including that hypersubcontrabass 64'!) Will be pure joy to experience ... hear just isn't the right word! ... this when that organ gets anything like rebuilt!pancelticpiper wrote:Or in situ, herewhistlecollector wrote:Here you can get an idea what those big old whistles sound like:
32' Diapason
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W4PJUOeVYw&t=105s
the sublime use of the organ's lowest note
-- A tin whistle a day keeps the racketts at bay.
-- WhOAD Survivor No. 11373
-- WhOAD Survivor No. 11373