What's the deal with Molloy's Black album?

Eldarion · Post by **Eldarion** » Sat Sep 21, 2002 4:29 am

I was reading a Garry Shannon interview and read this:

"My early hero was Paul Roche of Stocton's Wing. One of the best. Cannot persuade him to do a solo album. "Where's the point?", he says, "if one can't produce something better than Molloy's black album"."

The interview can be read at: http://www.firescribble.net/flute/shannon.html

Then at http://www.madfortrad.com, I saw under the catalogue featuring the "Black Album":

"Recommended by Seamus Egan (Flute Tutor)

Recommended by Brian Finnegan (Whistle Tutor)"

I think there are also other flute players commenting very favourably about "The Black Album". I have the CD, but I don't understand why its so highly rated, besides Molloy using crans on the flute, which I suppose was a breakthrough then. This is one of my least listened to CDs. Can someone show me why this is considered such a great album?

(duplicate post at the ITM board to facilitate people who do not read the flute board)

JamieHamilton · Post by **JamieHamilton** » Sat Sep 21, 2002 9:33 pm

Eldarion,

Just out of curiosity, what are some of your favorite albums? Seriously not trying to pick a fight here or anythin', but that might answer you're lookin' for! For instance, "The Black Album" (not Metallica), happens to be one of my all-time favorites too; meanwhile, after all the hype I'd received from various and sundry flute sources, I've bought albums from Josie McDermott, Frankie Kennedy, and Harry Bradley that I've used as Coca-Coasters and book-ends since the day I picked 'em up. Not that any of those guys aren't fantastic flute players and might not be just "The Sh*t" for someone else - 'tsall in yer perspective, yeh?

Best regards all 'round,

Jamey.

Eldarion · Post by **Eldarion** » Sat Sep 21, 2002 9:47 pm

Hi Jamie, thanks for the reply. Yeah I guess its a matter of tastes too, but I don't understand why some of the flute players I enjoy listening to, and people who admire the same flute players I admire rate that specific album so highly.

Just to cut and paste some stuff I wrote on the ITM board, for flute players I like to listen to John Creaven, Frankie Gavin, Eamonn Cotter and of course Catherine McEvoy. I have just recently discovered Harry Bradley's playing and fell in love with it. I also enjoyed the flute geezer's stuff that Bil put up. Fiddle and flute duet albums like the Crotty/Cullinan one also appeal to me.

JamieHamilton · Post by **JamieHamilton** » Sat Sep 21, 2002 10:02 pm

Eldarion,

Well, just from that little "Rogues Gallery", I can venture a guess why that particular album doesn't agree with you. On the "Black Album", the ornamentation and complexity of the melody lines is amped up, even by Matt Molloy standards - doublings, twin-cut D short rolls, crans, trills on pretty much every note, you name it.

Now for me, that little litany of ornamentation is enough to get me *aroused* - but for me, ornamentation is strictly and fiercely melodic, and as wholly detatched from the rhythm as possible... which would be about as for removed from the overall style of that list you just posted as you could possibly get...

If you, on the other hand, favor more rhythmic emphasis and punch and less ornamental "clutter" (if you will...), I'd take it as granted that the Black Album wouldn't climb your charts in any kind of a hurry! But I'd venture to guess that's why it's so highly regarded - it's kind of an expose of the limits to which complex ornamentation and expression can be taken. It's certainly a watershed album, even if it's been surpassed since then.

But I guess it's true what they say - different strokes for different folks.

Regards,

Jamey.

Eldarion · Post by **Eldarion** » Sun Sep 22, 2002 8:29 pm

Hrmm.. its true that I like rhythmic playing, but I don't think I shy away from ornamenting myself, nor from highly ornamented recordings. I loved Niall Keegan's CD, with all the multitudinous triple tonguing and flutter tonguing. I also reckon that Matt Molloy's later album were much more flamboyant than the Black album. But after reading all the threads on the board and the ITM board, I do agree that it did set standards and must have sounded pretty impressive in the past. Thanks Jamie!

AaronMalcomb · Post by **AaronMalcomb** » Mon Sep 23, 2002 12:28 am

I think probably the reason why the album is so highly rated by these flute players is the impact it made at that time. I'm rather young so I can't really speak much about it from a contemporary standpoint. When that album came out I was a 6 year-old farm boy from North Dakota who had never heard Irish music.
But from a historical perspective it probably marked a paradigm shift in flute-playing. It was probably the first time the new piping influenced style, which was largely pioneered by Matt, was showcased in a replayable format. And lets not forget the fact that most of the tracks are played on an Eb flute.
Matt's Eb flute stirred a lot of interest. For one because it wasn't in a pitch most instruments could play it took the flute out of the session and into the solo realm. Now other musicians had to sit back and listen to the flute.
And I think by the time the Black album came out Matt Molloy was already an icon of flute playing and the trad scene having played with the Bothy Band, Planxty, and now the Chieftains. Now people could just listen to Matt.
Slainte!
Aaron

Gordon · Post by **Gordon** » Mon Sep 23, 2002 6:08 pm

While I appreciate Malloy's playing on (almost) every level, I don't much care for this album, either. Nothing about it ever grabbed me, or made me want to pick up my flute and play along. It is all about taste -- I prefer to listen to Frankie Gavin or John Creaven, too; they just hit the right spot for me, as do many others. This album was a real breakthrough for solo flute playing and I guess it should be appreciated for that, but in response to why you should like the Black Album, my feeling is that you really don't have to.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Mon Sep 23, 2002 7:56 pm

Eldarion,
Have you checked out Gary Hastings' (flute) and Seamus Quinn's (fiddle) duet CD- "Slan le Loch Eirne"?

Nice tunes from flute country with great bouncy playing, judging by the stuff you mentioned you might enjoy it if you have'nt heard it yet.

While Matt's playing is very enjoyable listening for me of times, I'd be the same in that it would'nt make the hairs on the back of the neck spring up ( I too enjoy a bit more spit than polish). Definately a case of " whatever mows your lawn".

All the best, Harry.

energy · Post by **energy** » Mon Sep 23, 2002 11:12 pm

The first place I heard Matt Molloy's playing was on a track from the Seane Keane/Molloy duet CD "Contentment Is Wealth."

Molloy does one solo track on there, backed by Arty McGlynn. He starts out a bit tentatively on a tune called "Kitty In the Lane", and then works up the tempo and by the time he's finished, he racing along like a madman, improvising like crazy; I really can't describe it, it's a thunderous cut thats just sets the CD player on fire.

Anyway, I was expecting more of the above from his Black album, and I didn't get it so I was rather disappointed. It seemed like I was listening to a completely different flautist. So to bring this ramble to the point, how does the Black album compare to other CDs of his? Are the others pretty much more of the same stylisticly, or no?

_________________
True Believer
Nate

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: energy on 2002-09-24 01:15 ]</font>

Eldarion · Post by **Eldarion** » Tue Sep 24, 2002 4:30 am

Hey Harry, thanks for the recommendation! No I haven't heard that CD yet. I will most definitely check that out the next time I order CDs from Ireland.

AaronMalcomb · Post by **AaronMalcomb** » Tue Sep 24, 2002 9:51 am

Stony Steps And Heathery Breeze are better CDs in my opinion although I do enjoy the Black album.
Cheers,
Aaron

RudallRose · Post by **RudallRose** » Mon Sep 30, 2002 2:41 pm

I can't agree more, the Stony Steps album is, IMHO, Matt's finest.
but the "Black Album" is so much more in many respects. It's matt's "look-at-me" attitude on it, with stunning virtuosity and speed. However, key to it all, and which should be admired most of all, is his control. Many players can lose a step here and there at that speed, or intonation will suffer too.
Matt suffers none of those afflictions on this recording. Also, listen intently to the variations. Not just what he's doing, but how and where.
That micro-listening will tune you into many different possibilities. You may not like his playing, but admire his ability by listening to it.

gcollins · Post by **gcollins** » Mon Sep 30, 2002 5:11 pm

Right on! Those are fabulous CDs...but if you like the Bb flute, don't forget the Shadow on Stone CD. Amazing low Bb tunes, where he shows his maturity here by exhibiting new skills of restraint and subtle embouchure work. Then he'll explode into something really fast and complex like the Mason's Apron, which is the kind of tune you'd find on the Black Album.

Quite great stuff.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Mon Sep 30, 2002 5:30 pm

Speaking of Bb's G., did you get yours yet?

Loren

theweirdscotsman · Post by **theweirdscotsman** » Tue Oct 01, 2002 1:02 pm

Just got Molloy's Black album yesterday. I think it is an incredible piece of work!