Mary Bergin

King Friday · Post by **King Friday** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:59 pm

Anyone know what kind of whistles Mary Bergin plays on Feadoga Stain 2?

I just had the humbling experience of trying to play along with her CD. Even though I know she's a strong proponant of cheap whistles like I play I wish I could convince myself my humiliation had something to do with gear.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:35 pm

Generations! Although, she is now a user of Sindt Whistles.

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 7:31 am

Come to think of it, I don't ever remember Mary Bergin doing any touring. Has anyone seen her play? Is she still active?

Bretton · Post by **Bretton** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 7:45 am

She taught advanced whistle at the St. Louis Tionol 2 or 3 years ago...
That's the one and only time I've seen her.

-Brett

Romulo · Post by **Romulo** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 8:11 am

She's scheduled to teach at Willie Clancy Summer School this year.
http://www.setdancingnews.net/wcss/wcssmd.htm

You can also found on the web info about whistle beginner's lessons associated to a kind of Ireland tour, maybe similar to the ones Joannie Maden promotes.

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 8:17 am

King Friday wrote:Anyone know what kind of whistles Mary Bergin plays on Feadoga Stain 2?

I just had the humbling experience of trying to play along with her CD. Even though I know she's a strong proponant of cheap whistles like I play I wish I could convince myself my humiliation had something to do with gear.

over on session.org
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/9898

In the booklet in the cd cover at feadoga stain 2 it stand that she uses a wooden top made by Pat O'Riordan for slow airs, but what about the jigs and reels?

I don't have my cd cover any more (I usually put my CD's in a big carry case and toss the covers) so I can't confirm. Her slow airs do sound markedly different to me on that CD.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 11:26 am

More recently she has been playing with a baroque Itrad mixture band called Dordan.

King Friday · Post by **King Friday** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 5:27 pm

I wish my Generations sounded that good. Jerry Freeman time.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 2:03 am

King Friday wrote:I wish my Generations sounded that good. Jerry Freeman time.

Again, the usual comment, they will sound that well as soon as you put in the effort and learn to play them that well.

amar · Post by **amar** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 3:34 am

I was waiting for that comment.

Key_of_D · Post by **Key_of_D** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:59 am

I don't know... I'm going to be bold and say that I've got one of each in the same key, both brass... D to be exact... And one sounds alright, and the other sounds sweet. The sweet one being the Jerry tweaked. The "alright" one being a random Generation D purchased from the Whistle Shop. I play both whistles the same way... Seems to me, a whistle is either going to sound good or isn't. Assuming there's no fault in the whistle player's ability. I can play a whistle just fine, so, this opinion of mine isn't very biased. For my sake anyways, since I said this.

I honestly don't see what's so bad about Jerry's whistles... I mean really. If I took a Feadog, that sounded "alright", tweaked it so that it sounds beautiful as ever, does that make my tweaked feadog not worthy?

Each to their own though I guess... One person's trash is another's treasure.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:38 am

Key_of_D wrote:s.

I honestly don't see what's so bad about Jerry's whistles...

I don't think anyone said there was anything wrong with them.

Key_of_D · Post by **Key_of_D** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:59 pm

Peter Laban wrote:
Key_of_D wrote:s.

I honestly don't see what's so bad about Jerry's whistles...
I don't think anyone said there was anything wrong with them.

Right, no one did. In this thread.

Flywhistler · Post by **Flywhistler** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 6:27 pm

Check page 4 of the program notes. In reference to track 4 (Aisling Gheal) and track 12 (Seolfaimid Araon Na Geanna Romhainn): " A key factor in producing the soulful sound on these tracks is the timbre of the wooden-topped whistles, made specially for her by Pat O'Riordan, which Mary uses for the airs". She uses Generations on the other tracks.

King Friday · Post by **King Friday** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:50 pm

I'll beg to differ Peter. I've put in plenty of time on my current Generation D only to have the thing get worse on me. I used to tell people who complained of similar problems on Gens to give it time until I experienced it up close. Although mine is clearly flawed I still love the sound and have heard only good things about Jerry's Generations. Sounds like a good choice to me.

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Mary Bergin

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