Peter Laban

Hornpipes are widely used for certain figures of the sets around here, not just for solo dancing. And as such they're widely and commonly danced.

In the context of the music I play, Irish music, I feel that generally speaking hornpipes are different in structure from reels and they don't loose that structure when you try make them sound like reels. Surely, there are grey areas and there are tunes that have a structure that makes them more malleable, there are quite a few tunes floating about that were initially flings that have transmogrified into both reel and hornpipe for example and the odd one, like the Scholar, has made a widely accepted switch to another form but in general, I don't see tunes working both as a reel and hornpipe by modifying their rhythms and speed a bit.

That quite the statement. I suppose it depends where you look. I see people dance to these tunes in a social context regularly. I never understand people who say that. The two forms are different. Surely you can impose a 'hornpipe rhythm' on a reel or speed up and flatten the rhythmic shape of a hornpipe and ignore the internal rhythms built into the melody but the form of the tune is such that it more often than not sounds forced and just plain wrong.

I have a recording made when the above snap of Cormac Begley was taken. I don't remember the concertina as particularly harsh. I'll dig it out later today.

I have this of Cormac Begley playing one, unfortunately for the whole series the focus is on the player, not particularly the instrument. This one shows the instrument best:

For feck's sake, grow up.

I don't think anyone doubted that for a second (or said/implied they weren't)

Sporting Paddy is the tune that starts at 1.55. Is that what you're looking for? It's a very common tune. Here's one version of it: T: Sporting Paddy R: reel M: 4/4 L: 1/8 K: Gmaj |: EAAB GABG | EAAB G2ED | EAA2 GABd | edge dBAG | EAAB GABG | EAAB G2ED | EAA2 GABd | edge d2 || ef | ge ~e2 gede | ge~e2 a2ba | ge~e2 ged2 | efge d2ef | g2fg edBd| ge~e2 a2ga | bgab gedg | efge dBAG ?

As always it is probably best to try before you buy. But I don't know what was going on in this instance , if she was nervous in front of a camera with an instrument she wasn't used to or anything else. She normally plays a nice concertina. I can imagine anything, even slightly, less responsive can wrongfoot you in those circumstances. I didn't mean to suggest the concertina was poor or otherwise sub-par for it's price range.

Aoife is a lovely player. The clip doesn't do her playing justice, whatever the cause of it.

The first tune Aoife is playing there is Bímid ag ól 'is ag pógadh na mBan, the second one is The Horseshoe, named for her grandfather's shop in Capel street. She doesn't seem to find that concertina very easy to play.

My son started off on an old 20 key we had on loan. It did have a C# albeit in a slightly awkward place (which didn't bother him). I don't remember where the note was located. So yes, it has been done.

FWIW, he EU will remain a single customs area after the UK leaves.

There is a limit on the number of items of hand baggage you can take though, if I remember correctly. So with just the concertina you will most likely be fine but if you carry other stuff, best check the website to be sure.

I really don't see why the politics should be ignored. It's a rather pressing issue. That aside, this has been on a parallel discussion on this thread for several days now.

A bit more than that, in all fairness. It's a 'thing' now. By all accounts the quality can be a bit hit and miss though. And really great sessions, they're still the ones you hear about afterwards. It was sublime in Friel's last sunday, apparently. ?

That too probably but in the case I quoted, referring to George Melly's autobiography.

There was also the book Jackie Daly likes referring to: Rum, Bum and Concertina?

Thanks C. This one is proving to be quite the persistent earworm: Fluffy Arabian Cat Disease Was looking at how you managed to swipe my signature, and it reminded me how true the sentiment of it is too, music does always give me a boost. Yesterday was a good day.

It is a very handy feature, I used it earlier posting a couple of photos and it worked a treat. Your post does leave me with an Instagram cookie, which I don't necessarily want.

Bumping this subject up one more time after an entertaining afternoon in sunny Tulla. The venue was Cnoc na Gaoithe, a fine former convent building recently converted to a cultural centre, the concert taking place in a side room, the small stage in a little alcove that was once (I assume) a small chapel, its ceiling decorated, with some very apppropriate. cherubs. A small audience of around forty, older local people, young East Clare musicians who had just finished their classes (Frankie Gavin was taking a fiddle class in another room, before his concert with Noel Hill tonight), a few musicians keeping a low profile. Nice and relaxed. Good fun. Interesting bit about one of the Bass concertinas, Dipper bass6, that has a set of levers that convert it instantly from bisonoric to unisonoric and adds a facility for some rigorous note bending.

The old forums will still be available through the Wayback machine @ archive.org

Fair enough, I am all ad-blocked so if someone gets intrusive ads I automatically think it must something on their end.

You probably have some malware infection or other.

To an extend yes. But I feel this discussion is ignoring different fingering systems that are open to you.. Mullally played a D/A, Kitty Hayes was used to one and ended up playing in C and F one her C/G.