Thank you for sharing Nancy.
Thank you for that story Nancy. I wanted to wait until most have commented before repeating my story.
Your story brings back memories of my grandmother’s final days. Briefly, my grandmother was in hospital, at the age of 97, near the end of her long journey. I flew across country to help my parents, and also to visit. Each day I would sit in her hospital room and play my whistles. Grandma’s mind was long gone, but she could still respond to the music. A few days after I flew home, grandma passed away. I wrote a song during my time at the hospital and played it at the memorial.
Music can and does transcend.
Ribbons of Light
Pick up the thread, slowly we weave.
Criss-cross and back, tapestry seams.
Ribbons of life, ribbons of light,
Follow the thread and see where it leads.
To hear it or see the dots post the following ABC into this link:
http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html
X:1
T: Ribbons of Light
R: Slow aire
C: Bill
A: melody
M:5/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=100
K:G
| F F F F2 | E D E F2 |
| F F F G2 | F E/ D/ E D2 |
| A G F E2 | A G F E2 |
| G F/ E/ G2 D | E F D3 |
So nice of you to share that with me Bill, thank you. It feels good to know all you find this connection between music and expression.
Peace, Nancy
Music is food for the soul. It can take you places you never would have gone without it. Nice story to share. Thanks for sharing…
And in a very real sense makes us creators, just as our Creator is.
Looking forward to hearing your rendition of the Aire Nancy.
Close. “Sgarúint na gCompánach”: Literally “the parting of companions”
Oops…sorry! Reading back, I see you found it!
Redwolf
Bill, I remember that time and how you expressed your feelings. That song has a beautiful and wonderful message.Would you consider posting your interpretation of it as the ABC player is so vanillia in its presentation.
Dear Nancy,
I know what you’re talking about. Music was designed by God to be soothing to the spirit. I praise Jesus with my whistle all the time, and often I feel the presence of God when I do. I encourage you to find out more. God said through the prophet Jeremiah, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
I second that Riverman.
I also find the whistle an amazing instrument. It’s portable, easy to pick up and take wherever you go, sounds sweet (even in my hands) and brings people together.
Nancy,
The more I read your original post, the more I can see something at work here. You could have just as easily decided not to go to the camp. Your teacher could have been someone other than Seamus Mac Conaonaigh. You could have just as easily learned a tune other than the aptly-titled Scaruint na gCompanach. You could have not made it back in time to have two more days with your Mom. The curate could have been a non-musician. And most of all, you could have missed out entirely on the whole spiritual experience.
And I could have missed this thread!
I’ll try to learn this tune myself, so one of these days when I make it back up to Bartlesville, we can play it together in your Mom’s memory. I feel privileged to have met her. Take care!
Le gra mor,
Jim
Thanks Jim 
thanks for remembering her and for picking up the oh so human chain of events that allowed the right thing to happen. Come see me when you can.
Nancy
Or perhaps, if it’s not too personal to ask, NancyF could post an MP3 of herself playing the tune ?
Nancy, it sounds like you experienced what the Celts called a “thin place”. A place where the physical and non physical worlds can touch. It’s what Halloween (Samhain) was all about. A certain location, a state of mind, and music, can all be triggers for opening a thin place. I’ve been studying this idea for some time. Music and location played a part in opening a door to my Irish family history that I would not have opened otherwise. There was a chain of human interaction involved in my case too.
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your story. Bless you.
I’m trying to get it recorded. Software issues. Maybe this weekend.
Nancy
The Parting of Friends (Scarúint na gCompanaigh) has been done twice by Matt Molloy of The Chieftains. First on the album “Music at Matt Molloy’s,” and more recently on “The Celtic Harp.”
allen
Thanks so much for sharing that. I know exactly what you are talking about. It is a comfort to make that connection, whether we can explain it or not.
Allan thank you for letting me know that. I don’t happen to have come across either of those recordings. I think I better record my version quick, before I am contaminated with either of theirs. Grin.
{Ed for spelling}
Quote form earlier:
Scaruint na gCompanach (the parting of friends)
here are the abcs with slurred phrases set off by parentheses. Primes are second octave, all F and C are #.
BD’E’—D’(E’F’G’)—G’F’—F’E’—D’(E’F’G’)B’A’F’—E’D’BE’----E’D’BE’----
E’BD’F’—E’E’----BE’----(E’D’BA)BF’----E’D’BE----EFG—(AGF)(GABCD’)—
CD’BAF—F—EDE(FED)EF----F----EDE(FED)E
Newbie question: I’m not sure how to read this. I figured out that the letters are the notes and the dashes are probably rests, but what does the ’ indicate? And…what is meant by ‘Primes are second octave,’?
(I’m told that the only stupid question is the one not asked…)
Howdy,
abc is a way to convey music via text. You can brush up on the basics here: http://www.lesession.co.uk/abc/abc_notation.htm .
But the prime marks simply mean to play the note one octave up. c’ is one octave higher that c, for instance.
Best,
Dave
Thanx, dDave!