March of the Kings of Laois - a problem

el oscuro · Post by **el oscuro** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 6:43 pm

I am a learner piper and I'm having a roller coaster ride with my pipes. SOme days everything hangs together other days I get shrieks and squeaks or fail to co-ordinate my bellows arm with the air demands of the tune. To cut to the chase - I discovered the music or March of the Kings of Laois and can play a substantial prt of it until I get to a low C. Impossible on my D chanter

or is there a work round.

The ABC notation is below and the troublesome bit is highlighted in red

A2F A2D | [D2F2A2]F A2D |\
[D2G2B2]G A2F | G2FE2D| \
[D2F2A2]F A2D | B>Gd A2G |
F2F E2{FE}D | F>ED G2E | \
A3 {B}AGF | E>cG E>GE | \
E>cG E>GE| D>ED D>ED | D>ED D2 :|
|: \
B2G d2G | B2{cA}G d2B | \
A2d A2F | A2d F2c | \
B2e d2A | G>AG E>FG |
F>ED G>AB | A3 AGF|\
E>cG E>CE | G>cG E>CE |\
D>ED D>ED | D>ED D2:|

TIA

PJ · Post by PJ » Mon Oct 31, 2005 6:47 pm

Have a look at Mick Coyne's website: www.uilleannpipestutor.com

He plays a few versions of the March.

djm · Post by **djm** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 6:53 pm

I think there's a version on one of the NPU tutor videos, as well. If you're not using these - why not?

djm

eskin · Post by **eskin** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:37 pm

Replace the low Cs with low Ds or just do long rolls on E.

misterpatrick · Post by **misterpatrick** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 9:47 pm

The Coyne version is really nice for working on chanter control. Listen to the vibratos and stops. He also plays the end part with rolled D's.

boyd · Post by **boyd** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:29 am

Play "ordinary" C not low C for ALL those C's that you see on that ABC

[cos that's exactly the way that I play it first time round the tune]

See...its simple, you see!!!

Boyd

[ps I CRAN the D's and don't play E in that bit, the 2nd line of your red section]

Some alternatives? Well, the whole of the 2nd half could be completely different, but just looking at your red section:
E3 cE2 G3 cE2
D3 D3 D3 D....

E3 cGE G3 cGE
etc

boyd · Post by **boyd** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:34 am

....another version, again, you've gotta mess around with it to let it sit properly on the pipes....

X:14
T:March of the Kings of Laois
T:Rory of the Hills
R:march
C:Rory O'Moore
Z

boyd · Post by **boyd** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:39 am

Most importantly, perhaps....which version/whose version are you listening to ??

Boyd

John S · Post by **John S** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 11:07 am

Hi El oscuro, this tune was originally a "Big Pipe"(similar to modern GHB) tune and the lower note was available (as in most European Pipes). In the transition from Pastoral to Uillean pipes the lower note was lost so the only way to get that note is to play it in another key namely A mixolidian (2#). The problem then is that the D drone is incorrect and will weaken the tune.
To my taste loping of the bottom notes seriously weakens the tune, but it's not a moral issue so make your own mind up.
While I'm here this is an old tune with a version in Playford called "Washington's March" (1657) and at least 2 pibrochs use the theme.

John S

el oscuro · Post by **el oscuro** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 1:07 pm

PJ wrote:Have a look at Mick Coyne's website: www.uilleannpipestutor.com

He plays a few versions of the March.

Thanks for the pointer. it's just what I was after. I like the rest of the stuff there too.

el oscuro · Post by **el oscuro** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 1:09 pm

boyd wrote:Most importantly, perhaps....which version/whose version are you listening to ??

Boyd

The Chieftains and Dan ar Braz are the ones that I listen to. Love them both.