Dec 9 Update

[Leo]

Noel Hill (on the concertina) - Kitty Lie Over (Port)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ3Lt6CaG48

 

Noel Hill (on the concertina) - Two Reels - Geantraí

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llgUjNzsrG4

 

There are 5 pages from this contributer, or 141 total to sort through. I believe they are supplied from TG4 directly.

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user...gaeilge&p=r

_____

Comhaltas Live

Crosskeys Ceilí Band Reels at the 2007 All-Ireland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIH-kfc45wk

 

Gleann Na Coille Céilí Band Hornpipe at the 2007 All-Ireland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgHnsRBDu_I

 

Comhaltas Live #231-1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJd7DCblN7c

 

Here's all 28 from Comhaltas. There might be one or two I missed.

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=comhaltas&p=r

 

Thanks

Leo

[PeterT]

Noel Hill (on the concertina) - Kitty Lie Over (Port)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ3Lt6CaG48

 

Noel Hill (on the concertina) - Two Reels - Geantraí

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llgUjNzsrG4

Given that Noel Hill is playing a Wheatstone on these recordings, and that he also plays a Jeffries, does anyone know whether the "accidentals" have been switched so that both keyboards are the same?

 

My understanding is that the Jeffries layout is more favoured by Irish musicians. When I watched Mandy Murray playing, early last year, I could understand why, due to the position of the C# on the right hand "accidental" row.

 

Peter.

[RP3]

Peter,

 

I can't answer your question about Noel's Jeffries definitively but I can tell you from personal experience that he is able to almost instantly "reprogram" his fingers to deal with changes in the accidental rows on various concertinas. He has played both my 30 button Dipper and my 28 button Jeffries -- both of which have different outside rows -- and he never seemed to miss a lick! I've seen him do the same with other students' concertinas as well at the NHICS classes.

 

Ross Schlabach

[PeterT]

Peter,

 

I can't answer your question about Noel's Jeffries definitively but I can tell you from personal experience that he is able to almost instantly "reprogram" his fingers to deal with changes in the accidental rows on various concertinas. He has played both my 30 button Dipper and my 28 button Jeffries -- both of which have different outside rows -- and he never seemed to miss a lick! I've seen him do the same with other students' concertinas as well at the NHICS classes.

 

Ross Schlabach

Hi Ross,

 

Very interesting, thank you. Of course I've read that Noel has played other concertinas at workshops, etc., but not considered the "problem" until now. I play mainly the Wheatstone (Lachenal) layout. When I switch to Jeffries, I can cope with the off-set top row and C# difference, but really have to think when using the higher pitched "accidentals" on the right hand. Since I don't think these are used much by players of the Irish styles, it may be less of a problem.

 

Regards,

Peter.

[Greg Jowaisas]

Peter,

Another amazing thing about Noel is his ability to play in different and odd keys. Settings in "A" do not slow him down and I've seen him shift keys, look up with an impish grin and declare "Eb". He once got off on a tangent with "The Earl's Chair". He literally worked it out in 4 keys with appropriate settings right on the spot in front of us and was playing it quite well in all 4 keys Noel Hill fashion before deciding where us mere mortals should play it.

 

I cannot say I've seen this happen on different concetinas with significantly different RH accidentals but I, for one, would not bet against him pulling it off! Immersed in his instrument and simply amazing!

 

Greg

[PeterT]

Another amazing thing about Noel is his ability to play in different and odd keys.

I'm not surprised, Greg.

 

I've listened to some of his recordings and had extreme difficulty trying to work out the tuning of his concertina.

 

Regards,

Peter.

[Michael Reid]

Noel's C/G Linota that he used in the workshops I attended had a custom layout of the right-hand accidentals row. I think it had three c sharps and no (none, zero) d sharps. I recall him saying that he was totally missing one note ... also, he seemed to have some minor regrets about the absence of that note.

[Jim Munro]

I believe Noel is playing a C#/G# in those videos, as he often does when for instance playing with Frankie Gavin who normally plays a half tone sharp. Or with some box players. He has also in the past recorded fairly frequently on Bb/F and Ab/Eb concertinas. I have witnessed him, as has probably anyone who has attended his classes, run through a tune in five or six keys without a pause.