Patrick King Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Hi All! Hope you had a great Christmas and a happy new year. First of all, I was wanting some ideas for some nice Airs for me to learn to play. There's not many airs going around at the local folk music group... mainly reels, jigs, polkas, a majority of them I already know and was wondering if any of you could suggest me a few Airs? From the ones I've heard every now and then on a concertina, they sound real good, as well as the fact they can bring out the player's emotion. Besides, there's a man named Simon who plays concertina and flute and he's actually one who first introduced me to the 'conc.' Seeing he keeps teaching me tunes every now and then, I'll teach him a few Airs and that. Only problem is I can't find many Airs on the internet. Anyone able to help? Ah yes, and secondly, perhaps most of you have heard 'The Mountains of Pomeroy' played by Noel Hill on one of his albums 'The Irish Concertina Two'. Would anyone be able to give me a link to the closest version of that tune to how Noel Hill plays it? I have one version from a book written nearly 32 years ago... Begged, Borrowed and Stolen (if anyone here in Oz has heard of it or has a copy of it,) but it sounds so much different to the way Hill plays it. Be good to get some suggestions. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnC Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 There's Tom Anderson's 'Da Slockit Light' played here on a duet concertina and Pat Shaw's 'Margaret's Waltz', played on this clip by Aly Bain Both sound really well on the concertina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewish Leprechaun Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 One of my favorites is Archibald Macdonald of Keppoch. Other people always seem to enjoy it so it must sound pretty good on the concertina. You can find sheet music for it in Paul Hardy's Session Tunebook. -Lep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 (edited) Hi Patrick Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too. There are a few listed in "O'NEILL'S MUSIC OF IRELAND" mixed in with some songs. On this page: http://www.oldmusicproject.com/oneils1.html There is a version of Mountains of Pomeroy in O'Neill's also, but I don't know if it's the version you need. It's dated from 1850 and a 1903 edition: http://www.oldmusicproject.com/subpage/OneilsAirsSongs04.html This page from Fiddlers Companion has "Mountains of Pomeroy" listed with Noel Hill's name attached from 1994. It might be the version you need. http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/MOU_MOY.htm Thanks Leo Edited January 4, 2011 by Leo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael sam wild Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 (edited) Hi Patrick My friend Mike Lydiat is a guitarist who has a long term project on the tunes of Carolan, lots of lovely airs. The videos are also linked to the book by O'Sullivan from Ossian publications which has all the known Carolan tunes and their history. http://www.docsworks...arolanindex.htm I like The Mountains of Pomeroy, it is most commonly played in Northern Ireland as a march and a song about a rebel outlaw You can take all sorts of jigs, marches and horpipes and play them as airs, just take a freer approach to the timing, think more like a singer. In fact a lot of songs make nice airs to play Cheers Mike Edited January 4, 2011 by michael sam wild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Hi Patrick My friend Mike Lydiat is a guitarist who has a long term project on the tunes of Carolan, lots of lovely airs. The videos are also linked to the book by O'Sullivan from Ossian publications which has all the known Carolan tunes and their history. http://www.docsworks...arolanindex.htm I like The Mountains of Pomeroy, it is most commonly played in Northern Ireland as a march and a song about a rebel outlaw You can take all sorts of jigs, marches and horpipes and play them as airs, just take a freer approach to the timing, think more like a singer. In fact a lot of songs make nice airs to play Cheers Mike Mike. What is your favoured definition of an 'Air' ? A couple of reference books before me imply that an 'Air' is merely 'a simple tune or melody for voice or instrument'. (So is lots of other music). All a bit vague I reckon. I thought they might have come up with something a little more specific than that. Perhaps it's better to live without too many specifics ! Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelly0312 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Well, that is the first I stumble across the site of "O'Neill's Music of Ireland". Mind you I am not dedicated to ITM--but I have developed a real fondness for those 6/8 time runs of the reels/jigs etc. This site is a treasure trove! I have not explored it in any depth, but did come across the front page notes of the expenses of maintaining this site. It would be a shame to lose this gem--hope all the C.Net-ters will support in some form or other! Seems there is a ton of music to be had here! Take a look. I also joined ICA for a winter treat to myself--with the same idea in mind--there seemed to be a ton of music available on their site. Now I found out that it is not digitally accessible; you have to request tunes through the secretary. bum. Still finding my way around as a newer 'tina player. Michelle SE WIS USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick King Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Thanks Jewish Leprechaun, Leo & Michael! All great collections; will have much fun learning them! Thanks again, Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Libris Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I also joined ICA for a winter treat to myself--with the same idea in mind--there seemed to be a ton of music available on their site. Now I found out that it is not digitally accessible; you have to request tunes through the secretary. bum. No, it's a pity that we don't yet have the music library in an electronic format. With many thousands of pieces of music (a lot more than is currently listed) it would probably take several months full-time work and we are all part-time volunteers. However, we do offer a bespoke and very friendly service Recently, I discovered an incomplete copy of Fesca's 42 Airs arranged for one or two concertinas by George Case. Fortunately, my dad had the missing part in his library, so we now have a complete version. You (and any other ICA members) are very welcome to a copy. A picture of the front cover is attached. Jeremy (ICA Librarian) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael sam wild Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 (edited) Mike. What is your favoured definition of an 'Air' ? A couple of reference books before me imply that an 'Air' is merely 'a simple tune or melody for voice or instrument'. (So is lots of other music). All a bit vague I reckon. I thought they might have come up with something a little more specific than that. Perhaps it's better to live without too many specifics ! Rod In my books an air is variously described. A melody line in an arrangemet. A freely moving tune , the term derived from gentle wind. In the guise of an aria or arietta it gets very complicated so I prefer the simple description and an approach that is not too bound to a time signature and that uses some ornamentation.. Think Danny Boy - The (London) Derry Air. Edited January 6, 2011 by michael sam wild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Martin Gibson Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 (edited) Cape Clear, Valencia, O'Rahillys Grave, Her Mantle So Green Edited January 7, 2011 by Martin Gibson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael sam wild Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 I play faster jigs and reels mainly single note but with airs I am working on introducing sparing chords , influenced by harp, guitar, fiddle and pipes. some old musicians used to tell me 'some people are better at playing airs and others at playing tunes'! I also listen to a lot of unaccompanied old style ( sean nos) singers for inspiration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Martin Gibson Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 IMO, it is a good idea just to use octaves and fifths, or sometimes inverted fifths. I use thirds less often. But undoubtedly there are people who would totally disagree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 IMO, it is a good idea just to use octaves and fifths, or sometimes inverted fifths.I use thirds less often. But undoubtedly there are people who would totally disagree. How about partially disagree? Actually, I find that sixths ("inverted thirds", if you like) can be very nice. And I like variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Martin Gibson Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 I like variety too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Drinkwater Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 And why all this talk about "inverted thirds" and "inverted fifths"? Why not call them plainly "sixths" and "tenths"? Or is it a case of inverted snobbery? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 And why all this talk about "inverted thirds" and "inverted fifths"? Why not call them plainly "sixths" and "tenths"? Because they're the terms that some folks use. And they get those names from the fact that moving by a fourth (or a sixth) is the same as moving by a fifth (or a third, respectively) in the opposite direction, plus shifting by an octave back across the starting note. Or a related perspective: if a difference in octaves is ignored, a fifth and a fourth are identical, and so are a third and a sixth. Or is it a case of inverted snobbery? Not at all. It's an example of fine, upright peasantry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angloplayer Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Just discovered a nice collection of airs etc. at this page Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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