Name top 5 whistle CDs for beginners to listen to

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Thu Mar 21, 2002 11:54 am

(Sorry - I ended that subject in a preposition.) I keep reading/hearing that I should listen and listen and listen to "great traditional whistle players," but I don't know where to start - there are so many CDs, artists, etc. I USED to have Song of the Irish Whistle (which got me started on this obsession) but have lost it.

I have some Celtic music CDs, but I want to start getting whistle CDs and don't know where to begin. Name the top five CDs you'd recommend I buy.
Thanks, Susan

Ron Rowe · Post by **Ron Rowe** » Thu Mar 21, 2002 12:22 pm

Totally Traditional TinWhistles- Various Artists is IMHO the best to hear a wide variety of the best whistles players both alive and dead.

Tinwhistles- Paddy Maloney and Sean Potts

Feadog Stain 1&2- Mary Bergin

Two Gentlemen From Clare- Not a whistle cd but essential if you want to hear how Irish music is played in Ireland

StevieJ · Post by **StevieJ** » Thu Mar 21, 2002 9:16 pm

On 2002-03-21 12:54, susnfx wrote:
Sorry - I ended that subject in a preposition.

That, as Churchill once said, is the kind of nonsense up with which we will not put! (He said this to demonstrate the absurdity of the argument that English sentences should not end in prepositions.)

On the subject of CDs for beginners to listen to, I'd recommend "The Branch Line" by Jack and Charlie Coen (on the Green Linnet label). It's a concertina and flute album, but the flute playing is great for absorbing the lilt and feel of Irish music - simple, not over-ornamented, but unable to be improved upon (oops!) Aim to play the whistle like that for starters...

Also anything by Miko Russell is worth listening to (damn! there I go again!). It's idiosyncratic, but again a lovely lilt and feel. Definitely something out for which you should look.

PS Here's my favourite (child complaining to parent that he/she has brought the wrong bedtime story book):
<blockquote>What did you bring that book that I didn't want to be read to out of up for?</blockquote>
[That's five of them in a row: try recasting that to keep the prepositions away from the end...]

[ This Message was edited by: StevieJ on 2002-03-21 22:23 ]

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Thu Mar 21, 2002 9:37 pm

Okay, okay - I know it's supposed to be all right to end a sentence in a preposition these days, but I had an ancient English teacher who was absolutely adamant about not doing it! I diagrammed too many sentences to let that lesson go easily. (Do kids diagram sentences any more???)
Thanks for the suggestions - I've got a list going.

Mark_J · Post by **Mark_J** » Thu Mar 21, 2002 10:05 pm

Stevie, brilliant use of the English Language

Susnfx, I think the core of good whistle playing includes good flute playing. I'm giving you 3 lists of 5. The most essential, in my opinion is listed as a must.

Whistle Only

Mary Bergin - Feadoga Stain (a must)
Gavan Whelan -
Flook - Flatfish
Margaret & Michael Dwyer - na daoine ata imithe
Paddy Moloney & Sean Potts - Tin Whistles

Flute & Whistle

Josie McDermott - Darby's Farewell (a must)
Laurence Nugent - Two for Two
John Skelton - A Few Tunes (from John only)
Seamus Egan - A Week in January
various artist - Gentle Breeze

Flute Only

Catherine McEvoy - Traditional Flute Music in the Sligo Roscommon Style
Paddy Carty - Traditional Irish Music (a must)
Mike & Mary Rafferty - the Dangerous Reel
Eamon Cotter - Traditional Flute Player From County Clare
Vincent Broderick - The Turoe Stone (hard to get, from CCE recordings)

Above all, to learn great Irish music, pay great attention to pipers (Ennis, Willie Clancy), fiddlers (Michael Coleman, James Morrison, Dennis Murphy, Paddy Canny, Paddly Killorn, Bobby Casey, Paddy Cronin), accordian (Joe Burke, Tom Doherty, Joe Derrane) and concertina players (Elizabeth Crotty, Gearoid OhAllmurain). I learn more about the music by listening to other instruments. I learn about flute and whistle playing by listening to flute players and whistle players. Instruments that you don't play reveal more about the music. Because there are mysteries about the instruments, you then focus on the music, not the instrument.

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Thu Mar 21, 2002 10:15 pm

Mark - I especially liked that last thought. I'm sure it's true. I was listening to a song this afternoon (without whistles) and found myself really just enjoying the tune and the feeling.
Susan

AnnaDMartinez · Post by **AnnaDMartinez** » Thu Mar 21, 2002 10:31 pm

Anything Joanie Madden does! Caramel Gunning...

_________________
Let it shine! Anna "Dances with Weasels" Martinez

[ This Message was edited by: Anna Martinez on 2002-03-21 23:32 ]

kardshark87 · Post by **kardshark87** » Thu Mar 21, 2002 11:59 pm

On 2002-03-21 22:37, susnfx wrote:
Do kids diagram sentences any more???

Uh...What's diagramming a sentence? If that doesn't give you a clue: We don't diagram sentences anymore...At least, we don't at my school. Maybe my school is just different.

Brent

Firefly · Post by **Firefly** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 12:02 am

On 2002-03-22 00:59, kardshark87 wrote:
On 2002-03-21 22:37, susnfx wrote:
Do kids diagram sentences any more???
Uh...What's diagramming a sentence? If that doesn't give you a clue: We don't diagram sentences anymore...At least, we don't at my school. Maybe my school is just different.

Brent

Yurgh. We sure did diagram sentences at all the schools I attended. The teachers would inflict said punishment on us yearly from 3rd grade up until high school. And the sad thing is that it didn't teach me a lick of grammar...that I learned after taking Latin classes.

~Firefly

Glengary · Post by **Glengary** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 12:51 am

It depends what your intent is for listing.
If it's to hear and hopfully emulate good Irish music, the suggestions provided above are good.

If however, you're looking for a CD to listen and practice from, I'd suggest one of the CD's that the Whistle Shop has for learning to play the tin/penny whistle.
The Ireland's Slow Airs CD and music were a help to me as well and can be purchased there as well.

hillfolk22 · Post by **hillfolk22** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 7:04 am

On 2002-03-22 00:59, kardshark87 wrote:
On 2002-03-21 22:37, susnfx wrote:
Do kids diagram sentences any more???
Uh...What's diagramming a sentence? If that doesn't give you a clue: We don't diagram sentences anymore...At least, we don't at my school. Maybe my school is just different.

Brent

I just asked my daughter who is in 5th grade and she asked what's a diagram. I continued to explain it to her and she gave me this blank stair.

Laura

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 7:23 am

The CDs from the Whistle Shop will be next on my list - I want to listen AND practice.
I appreciate all the suggestions.
OT: For the youngsters: You diagram a sentence by writing it out, then drawing straight and diagonal lines out in a lovely, artistic "diagram" naming the parts of the sentence: subject, verb, prepositional phrase, etc., etc. They can become extremely complicated. Glad my diagramming days are over - but I have to admit it taught me a lot (I use it every day in my work. Here's a sentence for you, though, that nearly drives me wild every time I type it [I work for allergists, so I type it a lot]: "There's a dog and a cat in the home." I can't tell you how many ways I've tried to type that sentence to make the subject/verb agree and still sound comfortable.)
Susan

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 8:16 am

OT and in regard to Churchill's mangling of a perfectly good sentence...

The basic, down home, phrase is: That is one rule we will not put up with. But it dangles the 'with' out there in the breeze.

The mangle: That is one rule up with which we will not put. Puh-lease. . .how far does one go to make a point?

The correct sentence: That is one rule with which we will not put up. It sounds formal, but it is correct. The phrase 'put up' stands alone and shouldn't be broken up.

Better: That is one rule we will not tolerate.

Sorry...and no, I'm not an English teacher! Just a writer.

dlambert · Post by **dlambert** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 9:03 am

I think the more traditional the better. Whether it's whistle or not. As Steve said Micho Russell is great for whistle. Also, Lawence Nugent on The Windy Gap plays some "slow reels". These are great for getting the reel rhythm. John Williams on accordian is also great for the beat of the tune.

Don

Kendra · Post by **Kendra** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 6:03 pm

I'm not sure, but I think the new word for "diagramming" a sentence is "parsing" a sentence - probably from computer lingo or something. It sounds more interesting than diagramming but seems to be the same thing.