Chiff and Fipple Forums

kenny wrote: ↑Fri Oct 08, 2021 3:33 pm I've never heard of Sean Keane being a member of "Reel Union". Sister Dolores was, of course, but I suppose it is possible he toured with them at some point. I do remember

I have a reasonably clear memory of at least one Reel union gig with Dolores, Faulkner, Kieran Crehan and Ciaran Curran. Was there anyone else? I don't remember. Memories of other occasions are less clear.

I mentioned it because Keane talked about being in the band during the interview. It was new to me too. . He did say they were in the US for long spells. So perhaps he wasn't with them when they played in Europe? That would explain why I have no memory of seeing him at all during those years.

Mr.Gumby wrote: ↑Wed Oct 06, 2021 3:11 am Here's a novelty thought: why not go back to the song itself (you know, sung, by a good singer*) and take it from there?


*Sean Keane will do, for starters

Seconded. I'm of the dour old school of thought that, ideally, a song air's phrasing should recall the scansion of actually singing the song. It's why I have trouble choosing among Messrs. Spillane et al. They're perfectly entitled to do what they want because their Trad cred is unassailable, but the style's not for me.

I'm still not sure I can say who played it best but after watching them all a couple times more, I have some thoughts.

Davy Spillane is perhaps the most expressive. He has some really long notes he plays. He either has incredible lung capacity or he is employing circular breathing or both. For that matter, his breathing is barely noticeable which I ascribe to just carefully placing the breath he takes. As others have mentioned, he hits the note and then adds the vibrato after the note has has developed, more like a singer does. His notes also bend more as he rises to the notes. He has extraordinary breath control as he does that. I think this is the most ornamented version and the most expressive. Do I detect a little reverb in there? Not sure but I like it. Clearly masterful in my opinion.

John McSherry, I mean what can I say. I think he is the best at making the jump from that lower note up to the higher notes, its just scintillating how he does that. Spillane makes the transition a little more relaxed or slower. John's playing seems more, well, technical if you catch my drift. His timing is just so precise. His finger vibrato are just spot on with each note. There is something to be said about that technical precision, and I like it about the same as I like Davy's expressive version. I like the way his whistle sounds the best. It has that classic low whistle sound to it. Overton?

Chris McMullan, I like how he slides off or fades some off some of the notes at the end of some phrases. As others have mentioned the recording quality is the best on this version. I think he also has the best background music. He has an interesting virbrato technique where he uses his bottom hand to do the virbrato on what would normally be done with his top hand. It is no less effective on this song. I think he is a very good whistler, just excellent. He kind of has it all, the technical precision and the emotive expression. I like the chiffiness of his whistle and it's brightness. Comments say its a Goldie F. Just love how it sounds.

Phil Hardy, I like how he elaborates and improvises a little more on the phrases as he gets towards the end of the song. That's my favorite part of his version. He, like Davy, lets the notes develop more at times before he introduces the virbrato. At other times he introduces the vibrato right away. So sort of playing it both ways at times. He also uses breath vibrato more than the others. Not even sure if the others do this at all. Its pretty expressive. It looks to me like he is working harder than the other guys to play this song. That's not a knock because he is very good, its just if we are discriminating between the others, we have to have something to base it on.

Hello there,

I'm not a good whistle player. Regardless, I know what I hear & the skill it takes to play such a slower song.

May Morning Dew is a beautiful song on the low whistle. After lurking here for a good while & reading the thread, I was fascinated to discover who else played the slow piece & would be worth posting here.

After a thorough search on YouTube & out of the many renditions I've heard, the low key f whistle player below was absolutely mind-blowing. Oh my, that was incredible. Wow!

Spillane, Hardy, McMullan & McSherry, are all talented performers worth mentioning. I am a little surprised the player below was not included among the aforementioned. Never heard of him until a week ago. Now, I finally have time to submit my input. We are all entitled to our opinions, so hopefully no one will mind me giving my own thoughts. The player's description of the song was really informative. Thanks.


https://youtu.be/Y33DBk_YIL0

The Youtube video was posted just a few days ago. That might be a reason, why nobody mentioned it .

Sedi wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 4:03 pm The Youtube video was posted just a few days ago. That might be a reason, why nobody mentioned it .

As in all things - not least including music - timing is paramount, and even telling. And I would point out that the aforementioned individual was, in fact, brought up earlier on in this thread (if not to the poster's liking), so the assertion that he wasn't mentioned is patently false.

You're right. Didn't even notice that .
But I was more referring to the video itself. As specified by the word "it" not "he" .
At one point I was so into this song that I even made a play list on YT.

I too love it mightily, but for some reason reserved it for the uilleann pipes. Any source I could tap - singer, fiddler, piper, whistler - and I was on it. That helped me develop my own version, but in the end I found myself mostly channeling Paddy Moloney's sean-nós singing of it on Water From The Well, as if done word for word. That's my approach when it comes to airs: I want the cognoscenti to be able to sing along (under your breath, please! ), as it were. Needless to say, one becomes a bit picky. Or stodgy, depending on your angle.

Sedi wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 4:40 pm You're right. Didn't even notice that .
But I was more referring to the video itself.

Not to worry. I'm quite certain Nano was not referring to you, but to, "I am a little surprised the player below was not included among the aforementioned. Never heard of him until a week ago."

Tunborough wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 6:22 pm

Sedi wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 4:40 pm You're right. Didn't even notice that .
But I was more referring to the video itself.

Not to worry. I'm quite certain Nano was not referring to you, but to, "I am a little surprised the player below was not included among the aforementioned. Never heard of him until a week ago."

Yeah, basically that was it. I think.

Nanohedron wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 5:30 pm That helped me develop my own version, but in the end I found myself mostly channeling Paddy Moloney's sean-nós singing of it on Water From The Well, as if done word for word.

The singer on the track is Kevin Conneff.

oleorezinator wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 11:31 am

Nanohedron wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 5:30 pm That helped me develop my own version, but in the end I found myself mostly channeling Paddy Moloney's sean-nós singing of it on Water From The Well, as if done word for word.

The singer on the track is Kevin Conneff.

Oh, dear. I stand corrected, and will take my place in the corner. Somebody, please fashion a dunce cap for me; I fear I'll screw that up too.

Asking who played it best is like asking what is your favorite color. Everyone has a different opinion and they are all right.l myself like the hardy version best and his version is one of the tunes that got me interested in learning to play the low whistle.