Erin-Go-Bragh

[Wolf Molkentin]

Together with my Scottish 3/4 (6/8) I recorded a new song:

 

Erin-Go-Bragh

 

(as suggested by a SC friend)

 

Hope someone likes it here as well...

[JimLucas]

Together with my Scottish 3/4 (6/8) I recorded a new song:

 

Erin-Go-Bragh

(as suggested by a SC friend)

 

Hope someone likes it here as well...

 

 

Knowing you and what you're aiming for, Wolf, I'd say you've done a good job.

 

Very different, though, from the way I do it, and -- no surprise -- I prefer my way.

• To me, the story is the most important thing. Accompaniment, if any, and melody should primarily be to enhance the telling of the story.
• I learned this song with a different tune, and after listening several times to "yours", I still think "mine" fits better the telling of the story. Well, at least way I like to tell the story.
• In fact, "my" tune as I learned it has a couple of ambiguous notes (neither cleanly "major" nor "minor") in the upward run that ends the first and last phrases. That might fit with chords, but it can't be duplicated on the concertina.
• Your very strong, steady rhythm is, I think, something you like, but I feel it distracts from the lyrics... the story. I try to sing with a more relaxed rhythm, with less frequent stresses than you and (I hope) varying their strength somewhat, depending on the text.
• And I actually prefer to sing this one without any accompaniment at all.

So here for comparison is a quick recording of my version of the first verse:

Erin go Bragh

 

But we both know that our styles and approaches differ, so I'll repeat that I think you've done a good job of getting the result you want.

[Wolf Molkentin]

Jim, thank you very much for listening and commenting, and even recording your version...!

 

I'm very happy with all the variety regarding music in general and this tune in particular. I definitely like your version as well, but as you rightly say, I'm aiming for something different, especially regarding musical telling a story. What I love about ballads and stuff is the repetitive pattern which I try to underline and strengthen through my accompaniment (you might recall "my" Barbara Allen, as adapted from Stuart's, maybe you have heard my recording of "Lord Thomas and Lady Eleanor" too - both are further examples of this approach).

 

OTOH, I love unaccompanied floor singing which I had the luck to do at several occasions in England...., and you're terrific with that!

 

And as to the melody, I guess it's very unlikely that anyone will dig a version that different from what he has come to love... I can just counter the "ambiguity" aspect with pointing at the switching bewteen Aeolian and Dorian in "my" tune...