The irish washerwoman

Bothrops · Post by **Bothrops** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:38 pm

Just wondering...
When you play this tune.. do you 'tongue' the notes or do you play it continously using cuts and taps?
I find it almost impossible to play it without tongue the notes, but it's also difficult to me to tongue the notes very quickly (it gets 'tired' soon).

Cheers,
Bothrops

lordofthestrings · Post by **lordofthestrings** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:51 pm

I try NOT to play this tune unless its requested, but when I do (and if I do on the whistle) I use mostly taps/cuts for articulation and such. I will tongue some parts along with (less) finger articulation, but I find I get the most consistant good results relying on finger articulation above all.

But its largly a decision to be made by the individual player and their abilities/tastes. If you found it more pleasing to tongue instead of finger articulate, go for it. Individuality is great!

AlonE · Post by **AlonE** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:04 pm

also always done this question to me .......

Pyroh · Post by **Pyroh** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:20 am

I play it same way as other tunes - i.e. mostly no tonguing, but at places, where it adds intonations, I use it. In my opinion, style without little tonguing is sort of...lacking something mostly.

Pyroh · Post by **Pyroh** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:32 am

I play it same way as other tunes - i.e. mostly no tonguing, but at places, where it adds intonations, I use it. In my opinion, style without little tonguing is sort of...lacking something mostly.

Pyroh · Post by **Pyroh** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:32 am

please delete, accidental multi-post.

JordanII · Post by **JordanII** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:05 am

Usually I tongue it, but sometimes I use taps and cuts.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:21 am

Brother Steve has a great page about tonguing in jigs:
http://www.rogermillington.com/siamsa/b ... jigsI.html

In my opinion, The Irish Washerwoman is a great candidate for
tonguing only the third note in each group of 3. This gives it an
interesting swing: "waddle-doo-waddle-doo-waddle-doo..."
I don't like it as much with the slur-tongue-tongue method
("wa-doo-doowa-doo-doowa..."), but it's better than tonguing
everything.

Tim2723 · Post by **Tim2723** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:27 am

I always lead into it from Danny Boy. I prefer to tongue it more like be-bop-bo-diddly-bop-be-bop-bo-didda-wadda.

scheky · Post by **scheky** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:31 am

Tim2723 wrote:I always lead into it from Danny Boy. I prefer to tongue it more like be-bop-bo-diddly-bop-be-bop-bo-didda-wadda.

Best

Quote

Ever

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:32 am

Tim2723 wrote:I always lead into it from Danny Boy.

That's a great idea. Is there a third tune to make this a trifecta of American Irish requests?

Tim2723 · Post by **Tim2723** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:35 am

End on "I'll Take you Home Again Kathleen". Kills 'em in Peoria.

And a happy Wocka-Wocka to ya'll!

pancelticpiper · Post by **pancelticpiper** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:49 am

That tune has had such a strange arc in the world of Irish traditional music. It was SO popular among Irish players in America in the early 20th century that it became synonymous with Irish music. It entered the pop music world and began to be used in Hollywood soundtracks whenever anything Irish was happening on screen. It then became not only unpopular amongst Irish players, but actually taboo, being in effect banned from Irish sessions. Ironic that current Irish players roll their eyes when anyone plays it, because some of the biggest names in Irish music history played and recorded it in the early 20th century.
I have never actually heard the tune played by any current ITM player.
I had to learn it years ago for a band I was in, and I had to come up with a traditional-sounding way to play it, as the tune as usually heard (in film scores) really doesn't fit the shape of traditional jigs. I came up with a very trad-sounding way to play it using NO tonguing, as I don't tongue on the flute. I altered the shape of the tune, putting in rolls etc and am pretty happy with the result, which passes the "smell test" of an Irish tune.

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:36 am

One thing that strikes me is that a some beginner books like to include it but it's not really a beginner tune IMO. It's a bit tricky in spots and would be frustrating for a beginner to think he can learn it as one his first tunes.

Bothrops · Post by **Bothrops** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:10 am

FJohnSharp wrote:One thing that strikes me is that a some beginner books like to include it but it's not really a beginner tune IMO. It's a bit tricky in spots and would be frustrating for a beginner to think he can learn it as one his first tunes.

Yes, that's true.
Although I can play it, I still can't do it perfectly. It's not THAT easy.