What slow tune would you recommend I learn next?

[Tia]

ack every couple of months, someone asks for tune ideas, and I read/listen to them all, and then try to learn most of them, annnd then just as i'm starting to know at least a few...another huge bunch comes

...so many tunes!!!!

but so much fun!

[HDSarah]

Neil Gow's Lament On The Death Of His Second Wife
It's typically done in D, which fits nicely on a low A whistle. I love to play this on my Burke composite low A.

Other slow tunes I love:
Blind Mary (a lovely Turlough O'Carolan tune; I think it's Maire Dhall in Irish but I probably spelled it wrong)
Fanny Power (another O'Carolan)
Inisheer

[david_h]

Neil Gow's Lament On The Death Of His Second Wife

Ooh yes, I was going to suggest that earlier but I thought the discussion had finished. I play it in G on a D whistle but bought a Dixon A in case I ever meet a friendly fiddler to play it with - and to play along with fiddle recordings.

[DrPhill]

Wow, lots more good suggestions.... thanks folks (but don't stop if you have another suggestion....).

I am working my way through all of thee listening and enjoying. Then I am going to have to prioritize. But not yet. It takes me a long time to 'learn' a tune (learning never ends), so I am going to be busy a while even if I only pick a few of the suggestions.

[Tootler]

Neil Gow's Lament On The Death Of His Second Wife

Ooh yes, I was going to suggest that earlier but I thought the discussion had finished. I play it in G on a D whistle but bought a Dixon A in case I ever meet a friendly fiddler to play it with - and to play along with fiddle recordings.

That's what I do. I play it in G on the flute but have an A whistle for playing with fiddlers. A fiddler friend of mine was horrified when I said I played it in G, but I pointed out it fits the instrument and takes advantage of its characteristics. It certainly goes down well when I play it solo at my local folk club.

As for Hector the Hero, I agree that Jenna Reid and Aly Bain's version is superb - they are after all the best.

However if you want something much less offputting, here is my effort - played on harmonica rather than whistle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk3y3aWBIwY

I also play it on flute, but usually in G rather than the original key of A. This is because I first found it in a Northumbrian Pipers tune book where they had it in G to fit the pipes better.

I think when you are playing airs, you really need to feel them as you play and that way they come out right. Also, pay attention to your phrasing of the tune.

Geoff

[cboody]

Seems to me the original poster is caught in a common conundrum: Fingers won't go fast enough to play quick pieces and breathing and tonguing are not far enough along to make slow airs sound good. Young children usually have an easier time getting through this stage since they don't have as large a background against which to judge their efforts and so don't get as dissatisfied.

I'd suggest you pick the tune or tunes you like and can easily play technically (like Dark Island or Hector the Hero??) be sure you are past the struggling with which note is next and then take some time experimenting with how you blow and tongue in an effort to shape the phrases in pleasing ways. Getting a satisfying tone and control of articulation and perhaps vibrato can be a worthy goal. Contrary to the famous quote you don't just "pucker up and blow." Maybe this approach can help.

[david_h]

FWIW (I'm not ahead of DrPhil). [edit after hearing the clip ]
I settled on Pete Clark's playing of Neil Gow's lament as favourite for learning. The clip now on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6YSd7OuMdg) has the first part chopped off but it is mainly the second part that people play in very different ways (timing and emphasis) .
Having got Hector the Hero in D, then G, playing it in A is part of my practice for the cross fingered G#.
Try the Dark Island in D as well as the more obvious A. I find I can do more with it but it may just be due to my whistle's tuning.

[DrPhill]

Seems to me the original poster is caught in a common conundrum: Fingers won't go fast enough to play quick pieces and breathing and tonguing are not far enough along to make slow airs sound good. Young children usually have an easier time getting through this stage since they don't have as large a background against which to judge their efforts and so don't get as dissatisfied.

Thanks cboody, an interesting thought. My first reaction was defensive, but upon reflection, maybe you are right. How do I tell where I am in my progress?

I don't play much 'dance music' (jigs and reels and such) because they do not enthuse me to play (or, to be honest to listen over much). I picked up the low whistle because I like slow haunting music. There may be a subconscious awareness of my lack of skill driving these choices, but I am not sure how to assess this. I have had positive reactions from people I have played to, but these may not always be as sincere as I would like.

Perhaps this recording would allow you to elabourate, should you wish. (Yep, I can do better two weeks later and not with a microphone but its a reasonable marker). I know I wont get sugar coating on this forum...

[MTGuru]

Perhaps this recording would allow you to elabourate, should you wish.

I like it, Phill. A lot, actually. It's lovely playing. Well done indeed, A+

Is that nasty enough?

[DrPhill]

Thank you, MT. High praise indeed, and I am glad you enjoyed it.

[Tootler]

I don't play much 'dance music' (jigs and reels and such) because they do not enthuse me to play (or, to be honest to listen over much). I picked up the low whistle because I like slow haunting music. There may be a subconscious awareness of my lack of skill driving these choices, but I am not sure how to assess this. I have had positive reactions from people I have played to, but these may not always be as sincere as I would like.

Play what you enjoy. It takes as much skill to play a slow air well as it does to play the dance tunes and it uses different aspects of your technique. You really need to control your instrument effectively to play a slow air well. I once read that a measure of a good musician is how they handle the slow stuff. If you are playing quickly, mistakes, especially wrong notes are often missed because they pass so quickly, but in a slow tune, hit a wrong note and it is obvious.

When I started on the flute, I deliberately chose to play slower tunes, airs and waltzes mainly as it gave me space to work on aspects of technique and to get my playing right. I reasoned if I could play slow tunes well, then the quicker stuff would come later with practice. I feel it has worked for me and I still tend to concentrate on slower tunes on the flute.

I liked your playing of Cape Clear, btw.

Geoff

[m31]

Perhaps this recording...

Very shakuhachi-like. Congrats. Nice pix too.

[cboody]

Perhaps this recording would allow you to elabourate, should you wish.

Well, first off Bravo! Here you had us all suckered into thinking you were a beginner!

That said, I'll take a shot at some thoughts. These will sound very critical. Please understand I'm being picky in the hope that some one thing I say might "grab" you and be helpful. Over all I think you should be very pleased with where you are.

1) Each individual phrase makes a good music shape, but sometimes the overall shape of several phrases gets lost. There is always some sort of over arching shape to this sort of melody. Obviously you can hear it, but it doesn't always come through to the listener. This is a very cerebral thing but I suspect you know what I mean.

2) Try to connect things when you need to breathe. That is, grab the breath faster and restart the sound sooner and without too much tongue. That will connect phrases better and will also make the long phrases that you can't get in one breath sound better. BTW push yourself to extend the length of a phrase you can play in one breath. For the ultimate in this check out Raphael Mendez playing Mexican Hat Dance on the trumpet on you tube. You won't believe it even after watching it...

3) Once in a while you seem to have some problem getting into the upper octave, particularly when coming from the lower. Try playing octave shifts very legato a bit and see if that doesn't help things. Part of the issue is hearing where that upper note is, but it seems to my you hear that and it is just a breath thing that sometimes causes the slip.

4) Think about adding some slides and more cuts and rolls to the tune. Where? It depends on how you hear the tune. This sort of thing can again help the direction of the music.

Please understand that I make these comments from the perspective of some 50 years of coaching chamber groups and soloists. One can always find things to focus on to improve a performance. That does not, however, take away from your very nice playing.

Congratulations to you. And, don't worry about the dance stuff, play what you enjoy. That's what's it's all about (Hey!)

[DrPhill]

Tootler, M31, CBoody, Thanks, glad you liked it. My first goal is to give pleasure to others (well my second actually, first I have to like it).

CBoody, Thank you for taking the time to elaborate with constructive criticism. I do not take this in a negative way - I welcome it. I didn't start this thread to gain feedback, but such is always helpful. I really consider myself a beginner still (just over one year of serious trying). I don't know when beginning ends.

(1) I understand. I think this is more about getting what I hear in my head out through the whistle. So partly technique (practice) and partly confidence (though that has just had a fillip).

(2) I understand in theory, sometimes in the music I 'hear' a slight silence between phrases. So some is technique, some practice.

(3) Yes indeed. I was playing the whistle from my small collection that I find most difficult. Why? Simple, I love the sound, with lovely high notes and a really strong low end too. Downside is that I find the breath requirements really tricky, and overblown D is really finnicky. I have hardly played any other low whistle for four or five months and I am only just getting it now. More practice..

(4) The most difficult point for me. I sometimes practice cuts and rolls and such, but have little idea where to insert them into a tune. So I just wait for them to happen of their own accord. Maybe I need a different strategy.

Anyway thanks to all.

[DrPhill]

And thanks to all for the suggestions. I am having fun listening to them. As a relative newcomer there are plenty of pleasant surprises in the list. I have started on 'Niel Gows' but there are at least four more that have been added to my 'must learn' list.

Feel free to suggest more, but I have my festive season practice time filled now......