Gerdy Commane

[Guest Peter Laban]

I just received an e-mail with the sad news Gerdy Commane has died.

 

I was in Ennis just now and hadn't heard the news, I will post more details when I receive them.

[Henrik Müller]

I just received an e-mail with the sad news Gerdy Commane has died.

 

I was in Ennis just now and hadn't heard the news, I will post more details when I receive them.

So sad to hear, Peter. I have just bought and is enjoying the "Two gentlemen..."-record, and even had hopes of maybe meeting him next year. Such humour in his playing.

 

/Henrik

[Guest Peter Laban]

Listening to the deathnotices on Clare FM t ocatch the funeral details just now there was an additional shock when the death of whistleplayer John Killourhy of Ballyfaudeen was also announced.

[Tom Lawrence]

I am very sad to hear this. Two Gentlemen of Clare Music is one of my favorite dics, perhaps one of my two most treasured. Gerdie was probably my favorite concertina player. He had an honest passion for the music, pure feeling would flow from his fingers. You can hear on that recording how, through the pain of the arthritis, he pushes through more feeling than any of the big names do. He had wonderful settings of tunes (listen to, for example, his versions of the Traveller, the Lads of Laois, Piper on the Hob, the Irish Washerwoman), far lovelier than the commonplace session versions. Gerdie you'll be missed! ...By all those who have met you and all of us who haven't.

[Takayuki YAGI]

I feel very sad to hear. I like his gentle and relaxed playing very much. I remember when I met him 5 years ago, he taught me the importance of play in relaxed pace (not too fast) ...

I miss you so much ,Gerdie..

Edited December 22, 2005 by Takayuki YAGI

[Mark Davies]

I have played in the company of both Geordie Commane and John Kilhourhy on one or two occasions and it is sad to record their passing.Both had a store of interesting and unusual tunes.John Kilhourhy had a many rare tunes which I think he told me they dated back to days when the British army had a garrison at Ennistymon and were played by the army band.These subsequently were played by the flute and fife band in Kilfenora and passed into the repertoire of the Kilfenora Ceilidh Band.Gary Shannon talked about this aspect of the music of the Kilfenora when he gace a talk at the Eigse Mrs Crotty some years back.Concertina player Tom Driscoll of Drinagh,Ennistymon played regularly with JK and thankfully has many of his tunes, as do other musicians in that area.

[Guest Peter Laban]

It's a shame to see that whole generation of musicians nearly gone now, John Killourhy was really the last of the old guard of the wider Doolin area musicians.

John was unusual for his preference for the wooden whistle. Himself and his brother Paddy (who died in 1994) used to play for the housedances in a wide area. Hearing them play was like being transported into a different era. They were quite a sight to watch too.

Tom O'Driscoll is one of few who retain (at least some of) the rhythmic patterns of the old players to this day.

 

Wes Williams in a correspondence a few years ago described Gerdy Commane's style concertina playing a 'anarchic'. Which was as good as any description I ever heard, Gerdy had music and fun mixed inside him in large amounts and he managed to give that mix a voice through his concertina. Lisening to Gerdy you'd never know what to expect, what tune would come out. He had some real gems stored away. After the death of his wife he was not able to get around much and he spent some time in St Joseph's geriatric hospital in Ennis, unable to play. A few months ago there was a big party for his 85 birthday, he was happily playing away then with the host of musicians who came to see him.

 

I attach a photograph below, of Gerdy playing with Joe Ryan and Sonny Murray.

 

 

 

 

[wes williams]

Wes Williams in a correspondence a few years ago described Gerdy Commane's style concertina playing as 'anarchic'. Which was as good as any description I ever heard, Gerdy had music and fun mixed inside him in large amounts and he managed to give that mix a voice through his concertina. Lisening to Gerdy you'd never know what to expect, what tune would come out. He had some real gems stored away.

I looked at this thread yesterday, but couldn't find the right words. Gerdy was a unique player, and even if you knew the tune he was playing, there was no telling quite where he might take it. Tony Crehan once told me that you should learn a tune, and then work on it until you had made it your own. Gerdy was such a wonderful example of how this could be done. We can only walk in the footsteps of such giants.

[Guest]

I too am very sad to hear his passing. Wes put it beautifully in his last line.

[Animaterra]

What a loss. This has been a year for losing the icons!