Rhomylly Posted December 10, 2003 Posted December 10, 2003 Last night Tomaseen Foley's Celtic Christmas show came to town. Event hough I think I have Helen's flu, spousal unit and I went and had a great time! This is the first time since taking up the concertina that I have had a chance to see a uillean piper in action. This kid was the first American to take all-Irish in pipes and flute AND pennywhistle (which he also played during the show). DANG, those pipes are complicated! Both elbows working at a rhythm that has *nothing* to do with the melody, both hands on the chanter and one wrist on the part that does drone/chording. Sheesh! Suddenly one hand on each side of a concertina is no big deal! Anyway, Helen, there was a PA accompanying the jigs and reels. Thought you'd like to know.
Paul Groff Posted December 10, 2003 Posted December 10, 2003 (edited) Rhomylly, That must have been Isaac Alderson, a very talented young man. I got to meet him this spring at the North American CCE* convention, where I taught concertina and he was teaching one or more of the instruments he plays so brilliantly. There were some great late night sessions with an inspiring mix of younger and older musicians from Ireland, Canada, and the U. S. Frank Edgely came with one of his fast and crisp new instruments and played some lovely concertina in the classes and sessions, with a style that reminded me of his friend Chris Droney. Rooms were at a premium, and many musicians on a budget were drawn to the convention. Isaac and I were given a room to share as part of our teacher's fee. With a generosity and respect for the tradition and the community of Irish music that is typical of his generation of fine younger players, Isaac gave his bed to a great, older flute/box player from Sligo via New York who showed up without reservations -- and Isaac crashed on the floor! I don't know if it's still available for downloading, but there was an RTE webcast of Isaac's music recorded by Ciaran Hanrahan and Peter Browne at the convention (ceili house, 6/28/03). Now that he is touring, I encourage anyone who likes Irish traditional dance music to go hear him if possible. Paul *Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, an international organization that fosters Irish traditional music and dance, especially through music classes for the young. Edited December 11, 2003 by Paul Groff
Alan Day Posted December 10, 2003 Posted December 10, 2003 Helen has given her flu to everyone. I had the pleasure (I think)of playing with Hurdy Gurdys, now they are complicated. They have a number of strings,some for playing the tune and some for drones.All of the strings are activated by a big wooden wheel which is turned by handle.The strings run the length of the instrument and are adjusted like a violin with little pegs.The tune ones go through a keyboard and the drones bypass it, all going over the wheel to the base.The most amazing thing about this instrument is the bridge which the strings go over,part of it looks broken and is actually loose.As the player turns the handle and wheel, if it is played smoothly, you get no reaction from the bridge,but if it is played in a jerking action it buzzes.In one turn of the wheel each quarter you get a buzz.So therefore a skilled player can not only play a tune,with drone accompanyment but play percussion as well.I just cannot imagine how this instrument was designed in the first place ,I can only assume that someone playing one day broke a bridge a noticed,the buzzing sound. A truly remarkable instrument.After hearing them being tuned up for hours,I would not swap one for my concertina however. Regards Alan
Helen Posted December 11, 2003 Posted December 11, 2003 Ah yes, well I am a very generous person and wanted to share my all with everyone. See weren't you all happy that I disappeared for a while and incubated this really virulent gunk. Rhomylly, a PA, I am in heaven. Alan, my friend who made my hammered dulcimer (well okay first he made the HD and then I bought it and then... oh well anyway) also made himself a hurdy gurdy (I believe from a kit). It was awesome, but not for me. Although I seem to have tried a large assortment of instruments. Funny how seeing other complicated instruments makes the concertina look good. I still am amazed at how easy it is to transport. I guess I better get cracking and get amazed at how much I can play. Especially with all the effort Alan has put into prodding me along. Rhomylly, I want to hear your awesome player. Paul, where was the convention held? Is held somewhere different each year? Yearly? Helen Coughing away in Cleveland Just so you guys know, I lost 8# with this illness. Hang in there. You too can annoy your friends with nonstop coughing.
David Barnert Posted December 11, 2003 Posted December 11, 2003 I had the pleasure (I think)of playing with Hurdy Gurdys, now they are complicated... -----{snip}----- A truly remarkable instrument.After hearing them being tuned up for hours,I would not swap one for my concertina however. Among the "Early Music" crowd that I hang out with, it is said that the Renaissance would have been over 200 years earlier if the Viola da Gamba players didn't have to spend so much time tuning.
Paul Groff Posted December 11, 2003 Posted December 11, 2003 Hello there, Sorry for the thread drift (again), but to answer Helen's question, last year's North American Comhaltas convention was in Boston. The 2004 convention will be held in New Jersey in April and some information can be found by visiting the CCE North America website at www.comhaltas.org and following the link to the (so far brief) convention page. I don't know who will be teaching next year, but except for last year (!) some notable players have led the concertina classes. You can also find out more about Comhaltas via other links at the home page. Particularly in areas far from Ireland this organization does a lot to support the music and encourage new players. From the gamba to ... how about Jimmy Smith, inventing an incredible approach to jazz on the Hammond organ in the 50s and still playing today -- a jazz bass line on the pedals, "comping" (chords) on one manual (keyboard) and blowing melodies influenced by Charlie Parker with the other hand -- so, with drums, sax, and guitar you have a 6 piece band. And no tuning, ever -- as long as the AC line frequency doesn't fluctuate and the synchronous motor spins the tonewheels....But instead of a tiny box to carry, to gig you need a 200 lb Leslie, a 400 lb organ, 3 friends or roadies, and a van (or a hearse)... Paul
Chris Timson Posted December 11, 2003 Posted December 11, 2003 A truly remarkable instrument.After hearing them being tuned up for hours,I would not swap one for my concertina however. Jonathan Taylor, occasional contributor to the forum and Northumbrian smallpipes player, once said in my hearing that smallpipes players spend half their lives tuning and the other half playing out of tune. Chris
Robert Booth Posted December 11, 2003 Posted December 11, 2003 Regarding Hurdy Gurdys, I tried one belonging to a friend during an outdoor picnic. The chickens in the coop behind the house reacted violently, throwing themselves against the fence in some gallinaceous fit of either agony or ecstasy; no one was quite sure which. We decided that for the health of the hens and the sanity of the partygoers to return to "normal" instruments Rob
Rhomylly Posted December 11, 2003 Author Posted December 11, 2003 Isaac Alderson, yes that was him. Incredible performer! It was hard to tell from where I was sitting, but the guy didn't look a day over 21! I am definitely sticking with the concertina, as opposed to one of the more complicated ways to make music. Every day I become more and more addicted to Irish music and traditions. Anyone ever do a comparison test play of a hurdy gurdy and a nickelharpa (sp?) They look similarly complex...
Alan Day Posted December 11, 2003 Posted December 11, 2003 David, You are right,it is something I have never thought about.The French initially would have said yes, but by the time they have tuned in their Hurdy Gurdys they say no.This trait has made the French what they are today. Nice one Al
Helen Posted December 12, 2003 Posted December 12, 2003 Rhomylly, My friend who made the hurdy gurdy also made a nickelharpa. Actually, he is probably closer to you than to me. He lives in Bloomington Illinois. Well, I am hopeless with geography, so I might be way off. Are you playing concertina or just being sick? Sorry. Everyone is accusing me of making them sick in Cleveland. It is awesome that I am now being credited with this dubious honor around the world. We all have our talents. Just wish mine was musical. Helen
Rhomylly Posted December 12, 2003 Author Posted December 12, 2003 I'm sick, Helen, but may play some today. Tamiflu is my new friend... So what did your friend think were the pros and cons of the hurdy gurdy and the nickelharpa?
Helen Posted December 12, 2003 Posted December 12, 2003 Rhomylly, Sending good thoughts your way. I don't know what Dale thought the advantages are, I'll ask him. I'll email him now, but he is not very techie oriented. He makes hammered dulcimers by hand, not into modern technology. So I'll probably need to use the phone to actually get a response. Breathe and eat chicken soup. Helen
JimLucas Posted December 26, 2003 Posted December 26, 2003 Just so you guys know, I lost 8# with this illness.... Got any left? Sounds like I could use a dose. Breathe and eat chicken soup. Is there a vegetarian substitute for that? (Chicken soup, that is. One can breathe and still be a vegetarian.)
JimLucas Posted December 26, 2003 Posted December 26, 2003 Anyone ever do a comparison test play of a hurdy gurdy and a nickelharpa (sp?) They look similarly complex... I haven't tried to play either one (I don't seem to get along well with stringed instruments), but I've seen and heard some excellent players of both. The basic design is the same, except that the nyckelharpa uses a regular bow, rather than the rosined wheel of the hurdy gurdy, and I haven't seen a nyckelharpa with a vibrating bridge. I believe there are diatonic and chromatic variants of each. The principle which joins these two instruments and sets them apart from others is that instead of changing the effective length of the strings by pressing them against fixed frets, the "frets" are the ends of individual little keys that are pressed up against the strings and which fall back away from the strings under the influence of gravity when the finger pressure is removed. I believe some nyckelharpas may even have separate keys/keyboards for up to three individual strings. I don't believe I've seen any hurdy gurdys with that feature, but it should certainly be possible.
Jay Posted December 26, 2003 Posted December 26, 2003 Hmm, I recall about 25 or more years ago (ripply flashback video effect)... There used to be a shop in Seattle's Pike Place public market called Fiddler's Roundhouse. They had a practise Uilliann pipes set, just the chanter, bellows and bag. They let me try my luck with it and I found that I could either remember to pump the bellows, squeeze the bag or twiddle my fingers around on the chanter but not all three at once. Also I kept trying to pump the bellows in the rythm of the tune I had in mind rather than according to the air needs of the bag. It's a good thing I wasn't chewing gum at that time or else I might not have lived to tell about it. I still have the brass Generation tin whistle I bought there that day. The shop finally closed down because too many folk musicians and buskers just hung out there and none of then had any money to spend. Still it was a most interesting place. -Jay P.S. I had the creeping crud these last few weeks myself.
Helen Posted December 30, 2003 Posted December 30, 2003 Just so everyone knows, I was no where near Jay and therefore COULD NOT POSSIBLY have made him sick. Well sure, Jim, if you want this proven weight loss technique, I can waft some germs your way. Probably some hanging around. Remember Jim, breathe and eat vegetable soup. PS, I got better, regained the weight, and then magically lost it again. I like that kind of magic. Helen
David Barnert Posted December 30, 2003 Posted December 30, 2003 Just so everyone knows, I was no where near Jay and therefore COULD NOT POSSIBLY have made him sick. Maybe it was a computer virus.
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