On Davy Spillane, Sean Tyrrell and St. Jude

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Wed Oct 02, 2002 4:23 am

Heartened by yesterday's group effort at rehabilitating both Sweetones and Susatos—highly successful until the reactionary plonkers emerged from their caves to try to spoil it all—Wombat thought 'these are exciting times, revolution is in the air.' With all the seriousness of purpose familar to those who follow the trail of Wombat droppings, I decided that today was the day for the big one. Today lets rehabilitate the reputation of Davy Spillane.

Wombat knew it wasn't going to be easy. Putting aside my current favourite CD—'Tommy Peoples plays the Micky Katz Songbook'—I looked for help in the usual place. I asked St. Jude. Sometimes the good saint refers me to a better qualified specialist, but this is a Celtic thing and he knew, .... he knew. He whispered two words: 'Sean Tyrrell.'

Now for those of you who think that Moving Hearts was a bad mistake I have only pity. But since then Davy has ... well, veered a bit off course at times. Now lets be clear about the charges. Yes, I know that Riverdance was probably the worst recent example of stage Irishness this side of 'Father Ted'—and which side would that be?—but don't blame Davy for that. The only genuine complaint is his contribution to making the mystically mysterious misty use of low whistle a musical cliche for all things even vaguely celtic. In years to come, we'll probably think of 'new age' low whistle as the '90s and '00s equivalent of the synthesiser string wash in the '70s. Barrffff.

But Davy has been doing other things and if C&Fers don't know about the things he has been doing with Sean Tyrrell then they really are missing out on a treat. Nothing wimpy or dodgy here, just beautiful poetry (by Sean and others), wonderfully sung by Sean, set to traditional enough backgrounds to warm the hearts of all but the worst plonkers. And Davy's in there amongst it all. Check out 'Cry of a Dreamer' and 'The Orchard'—stunning. Thanks Sean. Thanks St. Jude. Oh, ... and thanks Davy.

elbogo · Post by **elbogo** » Wed Oct 02, 2002 11:10 am

Absolutely right, Wombat!! My all time favorite piece of music right now is Starry Night on Spillanes A Place Among the Stones. This is a great piece, not only for Seans singing, but the piping is terrific.

I'll have to order 'Cry of a Dreamer' and 'The Orchard'. Spillane plays pipes on these?

OutOfBreath · Post by **OutOfBreath** » Wed Oct 02, 2002 11:21 am

worst recent example of stage Irishness this side of 'Father Ted'

Hey! Let's don't be dis'n my favorite show, man!

John

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 12:14 am

On 2002-10-02 13:10, elbogo wrote:
Absolutely right, Wombat!! My all time favorite piece of music right now is Starry Night on Spillanes A Place Among the Stones. This is a great piece, not only for Seans singing, but the piping is terrific.

I'll have to order 'Cry of a Dreamer' and 'The Orchard'. Spillane plays pipes on these?

Don't think so. Just whistles. But 'just' isn't the right word for it. He plays beautifully and he's just right for Sean. Actually the performances are all stunning, especially on 'The Orchard'. Sean sets Yeats and other poets of comparable calibre to traditional tunes and sings with the power and magnetism of a shaman. Even this only hints at just how good this stuff is.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Thu Oct 03, 2002 12:21 am

On 2002-10-02 13:21, OutOfBreath wrote:
worst recent example of stage Irishness this side of 'Father Ted'

Hey! Let's don't be dis'n my favorite show, man!

John

Perhaps *this* side of 'Father Ted' is the less tasteful side. Don't get the wrong idea John, I actually *like* 'Father Ted' too. But don't let any of this prevent you from checking out Sean Tyrrell, although of course he could never match Ted's stellar performance for the Eurovision Song Contest wasn't it.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Wombat on 2002-10-03 02:22 ]</font>