Polka recordings on whistle (or flute?)

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squidgirl
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Polka recordings on whistle (or flute?)

Post by squidgirl »

I haven't played in a long time, and polkas are often suggested as an easy place to (re-in-my-case)start. But looking through my music library, I haven't been able to find many to model my playing after, aside from that one track on Mary Bergin's second album with Julia Clifford's, Jenny Lind's, etc.

Part of the problem is that it's been so long since I've played (ongoing health issues, sigh) that I can no longer associate tune names to tune type very well anymore. So if anyone can suggest any other recordings of polkas on whistle (or if not, flute, since the phrasing will be similar), I'd be super grateful.

As for what's in my collection, I have most of the tinwhistle CDs I've ever seen available for purchase, plus I put together this playlist of all the whistle music I could find on Spotify, so if anyone has Spotify (yes, we've had a whole discussion about ethics of Spotify in the past) and wants to scan for polkas for me, I'd be very grateful. Long COVID brain fog makes for huge and frustrating memory gaps.
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kenny
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Re: Polka recordings on whistle (or flute?)

Post by kenny »

Early Chieftains ? Na Fili had a few - try iTunes. [ see link below ] Flute player Conal O'Grada seems to have taken a liking to polkas in the past few years.
Billy Clifford is a Sliabh Luachra flute player, and has recorded a few polkas over the years.

https://youtu.be/dUryWtopX40

https://youtu.be/PawmXsxNT4g

https://youtu.be/b9d3VY-CIJc

https://youtu.be/r_4r6Q_sT9w

https://youtu.be/qEpeah7La1I
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Mr.Gumby
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Re: Polka recordings on whistle (or flute?)

Post by Mr.Gumby »

You are not likely to find a whole CD of polkas but some will slip in a few, look at Sliabh Luachra players first of all, Kenny already suggested some, Aine O Connell and Francis O Connor's lovely recording has at least a few. Hammy Hamilton, Seamus Creagh, Con Ó Drisceoil played some (it's no secret) and I have heard Eibhlin de Paor and Connie Connell touch on the odd polka as well. But you can look at other areas too: Peter Horan and Gerry Harrington did a set of polkas including the Lakes of Sligo. There's a recording floating around (mostly in my head but I have it somewhere) of Bill Malley and Joe Bane playing a set of East Clare polkas (that have been taken up by both Andrew and Mary McNamara) but there's no clear cut go to recording with loads of them that I can think of, not on whistle/flute anyway.

Kenny already mentioned Billy Clifford, a download of Billy and Julia Clifford's Ceol as Sliabh Luachra is here. Some nice polkas on that one.

And there's this sort of thing:

Bryan O'Leary and his mother Ellen on the whistle, can't beat their pedigree :) : here is a bit of Ellen and her father, Johnny Leary

more Bryan O'Leary, with some fluteplaying by Colm Guilfoyle
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bigsciota
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Re: Polka recordings on whistle (or flute?)

Post by bigsciota »

I would whole-heartedly recommend the Julia/Billy Clifford recording as well, and Billy has another album that is available on that Ceol Alainn website with a good number of polkas. The backing is kinda weird, ceili band-style accordion and snare drum, but the flute playing is lovely.

Conal Ó Gráda also has some great polkas, both of a Sliabh Luachra variety and some more in the Connacht style, like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9d3VY- ... DenisLucid

If it's Connacht polkas you're looking for the John McKenna compendium "The Buck from the Mountain" has a few on there, and it's nicely done little book/CD set.

One thing I will say is that a lot of people suggest polkas for beginners because there are fewer notes, but I've heard more people screw up polkas than jigs and reels. They can be tough to really get the feel of.
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squidgirl
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Re: Polka recordings on whistle (or flute?)

Post by squidgirl »

Thanks to all who answered! There are some artists there that I already enjoy a lot, and some new to me too!
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