Newcomer wants listening suggestions.

Only Human · Post by **Only Human** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 8:00 am

Hi Everybody,

One of the ways I practice the fiddle is to get solo fiddle recordings, learn the tunes I like and then play along with the recording.

But my son suggested that it might be more pleasant for the listener if I played along with some other instrument. He likes the sound of the fiddle and pipes together. This seemed like a good idea.

So I am planning to go and get some recordings of solo pipers, and I thought this might be the place to ask for suggestions on who and what to listen to.

I like my Irish music in a fairly "pure" form, traditional jigs, reels and hornpipes played with taste, skill, clarity and passion.

Which solo Irish piping recordings would you suggest, and (if you like) why?

I don't know yet how busy and "real-time" this discussion board is, but I'm going for my first trip to the music shop in an hour, and I'll look before I go to see if there have been any instant responses.

Bernie

djm · Post by **djm** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 8:06 am

Bernie, there are about a hundred albums that might fit your description. Are you interested in old style or new style playing? Do you only want to practise against people playing sets in D, or does it matter to you?

Old style: Seamus Ennis (C#), Willie Clancy (D, C, B)
Newer: Brian McNamara, Jimmy O'Brian-Moran, Robbie Hannan, Ronan Browne, and many more.

You could end up with quite a list by the time everyone here has listed all their friends and favourites.

djm

Only Human · Post by **Only Human** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 8:20 am

Hi djm,

Thanks for the thoughtful response. I didn't even know there were sets in different keys! I don't suppose it matters much, I don't mind retuning the fiddle a bit as long as it's not for every tune.

I think my natural tendency would be to go for the older styles of playing, but it would depend how different the newer styles are.

I'll take your list to the music shop and listen to some of these.

Bernie

PJ · Post by PJ » Fri Jul 22, 2005 8:25 am

For the Old Masters, there are several CDs of Seamus Ennis, although I'd personally advise against buying the Pure Drop and the Fox Chase (sold as a double CD - the Best of Irish Piping) until you're really hooked on Ennis. I prefer the Bonny Bunch of Roses and 40 Years of Irish piping. But first, have a listen to the Seamus Ennis pieces at the following link:

http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/rja14/music/

SE's pipes are pitched in C# (or thereabouts) so playing along is not very easy unless you have special software.

Anything by Brian McNamara. He has a relaxed, flowing style of piping and takes the time to ornament his playing. Great for learning. He does a lot of solo stuff as well as a few duets with concertina with harp or guitar accompaniment. However, if most of your repertoire is in D (or G), the down side is that many of Brian's recordings are done on pipes which are pitched in C.

Another suggestion would be Liam O'Flynn, but he doesn't have a huge amount of solo piping recordings. Again, some of his stuff is played on pipes pitched B or C.

Paddy Keenan has a bunch of solo piping CDs. Most, if not all of his piping is on pipes pitched in D. However, he plays very quickly and varies tunes constantly. Not the best for learning the basic tune but great listening.

For a comprehensive list of piping CDs, have a look here:

http://www.uilleannobsession.com/shop_pipes.html

billh · Post by **billh** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 9:09 am

How about pipe/fiddle duets?

I would heartily recommend either of the duet albums of Ronan Browne and Peader O'Loughlin, or the duet album 'Kitty Lie Over' by Mick O'Brien and Caoimhin O'Raghilleagh (O'Reilly).

Be warned however that the fiddles are mostly tuned down to B (i.e. three semitones) in those recordings, you will want to retune before playing along!

I think that sometimes the style of play on 'solo piping' recordings is less conducive to fiddle accompanyment that the duets above.

For concert pitch duets, the Paddy Glackin/Paddy Keenan 'Doublin' album is good, and they are playing familiar tunes at moderate pace. Of course the tunes on the other albums I mentioned are real classics too, and not at all fast.

Rick Hall · Post by **Rick Hall** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 10:15 am

David Power My Love is in America CD !!!

Rick

PJ · Post by PJ » Fri Jul 22, 2005 10:23 am

If I've got it right, the Seamus Ennis recordings which appear on the link in my post above were made for an Irish-American fiddler, Louis Quinn, in 1949.

Birl · Post by **Birl** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 10:41 am

Hello Only human

you could try this cd : Robbie Hannan, Traditional Irish Music palyed on the Uilleann Pipes, Claddagh Records Limited.

Robbie play a very traditionnal piping, and this is a great solo piping album.
17 tracks of traditionnal tunes !

You can enjoy too the Piper's Call from Liam o Flynn, in wich he plays pipes with a quiet accompaniment.

And why not Niall and Cillian Vallely album, Callan Bridge. This is a duet concertina/pipes (Cillian also plays whistle on some tracks)

Cheers !

Birl · Post by **Birl** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 10:44 am

notice that Robbie Hannan plays pipes pitched in B

fancypiper · Post by **fancypiper** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:01 am

Check out Johnson's Uilleann Pipe Discography & Tune Index for some good recordings.

john · Post by **john** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:13 am

For nice piping at a steady unrushed pace I'd go for Tommy Keane and Mick O'Brien. I listened recently to Mick O'Brien's contribution to the Drones and the Chanters Vol 2 and thought his playing stood out for it's relaxed pace and expressiveness

Only Human · Post by **Only Human** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 4:18 pm

Thanks pipers, what a great response!

I came back from the music shop with 3 CDs. They didn't have Paddy Keenan's Port an Piobaire which would have been very nostagic, I heard it and liked it years ago, not knowing who he was, but anyway today I got his Na Keen Affair, which I could see was not exactly what I was looking for, but is interesting.

And I got "Leitrim's Hidden Treasure" with loads of McNamaras instead of just the one, so that wasn't really exactly what I was looking for either, but it is interesting too, and finally I got The Drones and Chanters Volume 2, which I see from some of your later responses was a good idea, a sampler with several names people mention, and at a first listen there is some great stuff.

I see what you mean Bill H, about the solo pipe playing being less obliging to the fiddler than duets. Still, I like to make practice a bit difficult for myself sometimes, to make it seem easier when I am playing "for real". I might get some duets to listen to though. And thanks for the observation about tuning down 3 semitones, I wasn't sure what to do about that. I like the sound of the fiddle tuned down, but three semitones is a long way!

onlyhuman

piperdoc · Post by **piperdoc** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 6:03 am

vol 2 was a good idea. its "slightly" more modern than volume 1 and contains tunes that are accessible to the beginner within the first months to a year.

you can get brian macnamara'a "a piper's dream" on the internet. indeed i am surprised you found anything at all in the local shop.

you can get David Power's cd directly from him. C set.

although most good recordings are of flat sets, you should be able to tune down.

but if its play along you want, give "leitrem's hidden treasure" another go. you might decide it is exactly what you need.

PJ · Post by PJ » Sat Jul 23, 2005 7:13 am

A Piper's Dream is great. In fact, I can no longer listen to it while driving as it causes me to go into a trance-like state...

Chiff and Fipple Forums

Newcomer wants listening suggestions.

Newcomer wants listening suggestions.

Thanks!