Another vote for Chris Norman

Irish Flute
1

Lately I’ve pulled out my old cassette tapes of early Chris Norman, specifically Helicon I (which apparently is not available anywhere anymore) and the other like titles of that trio.

Chris gets a tough rap for not being “traditional.” What, precisely, people dislike about his playing seems to vary across the board.

But in re-listening to his early stuff (1985ish), he’s got several things going for him that not many (and I’d venture as far as to say perhaps one or two) have. Most important and distinct, Chris plays the flute with expression and feeling. From an artist’s perspective, you can teach the brushstrokes (the moves, the ornaments, etc) but not the flair or inventiveness. It’s a soul he possesses and parlays into the music.

When I listen to Chris, while classically trained, I think he is probably one of the closest to what Charles Nicholson probably sounded like when he played the flute. Or R.S. Pratten, even.

Lately I’ve redone my own arrangment of Hugh O’Donnell, the O’Carolan planxty, after relistening to Chris’s version on the “Wooden Flute” recording. It’s clean, it’s simple, it’s elegant. Nothing too fancy, but clear and interesting.

Oh yes…Chris also has likely the best pure tone of any wooden flute player I’ve ever met or heard, in person or on recording. Anyone who ever slams antique flutes as inferior should listen to his work on that old nasty Rudall of his. I know he plays a new-made Cameron copy, but it’s not for a desire to play his Rudall…it just can’t take all that wear anymore.

So here’s a vote for Chris Norman again. If you’re a woodenflute player, you should really take something from his playing, even if not traditional in the specific sense of Irish music.

But some of his moves are pretty nifty.

2

What amazed me when i heard Chris in person for the first time (as opposed to a recording) is the power of his playing. And reading your post, i remember that this is what people talked about Nicholson too. It’s hard to define, it’s not just volume, it’s a sound that has a lot of weight in it. This comes trhu better, IMHO, in the “Caledonian Flute” CD than in the “Man with wooden flute”.

As far as i know (when i saw him last year), he still prefers small-holed Rudalls; he thinks they’re more expressive than the large hole flutes. He was playing a Rod Cameron copy of his famous boxwood flute (but the copy is in blackwood).

I can add he’s a great teacher too. I took a couple of group lessons last year from him (when they had the Boxwood in WI, the one that got cancelled this time), and he’s great. He’ll use stories, gestures, even dance, to communicate what kind of sound he wants to hear.

3

I agree with everything you said, David. I think his rendition of Fairy Queen and Hugh O’Donnell is quite possibly my favorite flute piece ever recorded. In addition to the emotion in his playing, just the way everything flows, the relaxed feeling of it all, I find incredible. And, while his playing is not showy and sounds pretty simple on the surface, you don’t have to scratch deeply at all to realize how intricate it is. Almost every note is ornamented somehow, and in ways I just can’t fathom. I’ve spent hours just trying to reproduce the sound of the second note of Hugh O’Donnell.

I’m quite fond of the sort of early music-meets parlor music-meets traditional music style. I love the Baltimore Consort, Maddy and the Carnival Band, and the Celtic Consort, would love some more suggestions in that vein.

4

Nicely said, David.

Chris is an amazing musician, and if people could just listen to him for the pure enjoyment of it and stop trying to put him in a box, he wouldn’t get such a bad rap. I actually thiink many people secretly admire his playing but are afraid to admit it because it’s popular in some circles to dismiss his playing as too classically influenced or too flowery…not raw enough for traditional music.

I enjoy listening to him for his musicality and his incredible skill, and when I listen I’m willing to set aside my personal preferences and just appreciate him for what he does, regardless of whether it sounds “traditional” or not. It’s just good music. That said, I have to admit I mostly prefer hearing him play Scottish music, not Irish. There’s less of a flute-playing tradition in Scottish music and he can sort of set his own standard there, make his own mark.

5

Well put Dave!

I had bought Chris’s CD The Man with a Wooden Flute, it seems years ago when I was only playing whistle and bodhran. About three years ago I was having some quiet time at home and I put the album on, I ended up playing it three times that night.

I had been fishing around for another instrument to learn, fiddle, concertina etc. but after that night I ordered a flute. I still play that album a lot and get something new out of it almost all the time.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

MarkB

6

I saw Chris Norman play with Helicon at the Memphis Dulcimer festival in "93 or "94. It was his playing of that 100 year old Rudall that started me wanting to take up the woodenflute. (It took me 10 years to actually do anything about it! :laughing: )

7

Second all of the above. I never heard
a flute sound like that before–did a workshop
with him last year. Great artistry,
sensitivity, taste, lovely use of ornamentation.
And I like very well his selection of
things to play.

8

I had the very pleasant experience of attending a workshop in Ottawa with Chris about 3 weeks ago.

I was very impressed with his technique and the care and patience that he demonstrated to a very mixed group of flautists. He seemed to be able to talk to each of us as individuals. His demos showed great talent and insight into the music, especially with regards to phrasing, tuning, speed, ornaments, and articulation.

I would love to attend another session and feel very badly that I was not able to attend his concerts.

Each person is entitled to his own opinion. I think he is an great player

Chuck

9

Good Man David!

Chris Norman rocks! He’s absolutely brilliant and refreshing in a world that can get too myopic about the old woodenflute. I imagine the (wooden)flute gods are smiling down on him.

10

Wow! I can’t believe you posted this today, David. Yesterday I put four Norman CDs in my van player and was totally enthralled again. This morning I called my wife into the livingroom and said, “You’ve just got to hear this.” It was THE FAIRY QUEEN. He does stuff with PRINCE CHARLES’ too that boggles my mind. Triplets like bursting bubbles!

Norman and Healy are my two absolute favorites. Neither is accepted as “traditional” but both are superb. Right now I’m listening to Healy’s FAREWELL NEW ENGLAND’S SHORES/AS THE SUN WAS SETTING. Absolutely breathtaking!

I’ve taken lessons from Healy (another in March) and planned to attend this winter’s Norman seminar but . . . oh, well! That’s history.

BillG

11

All y’all’s talk about his workshops makes me jealous. I live less than an hour’s drive from his (some of the year) residence, and I never hear about workshops around here.

OTOH, I’m having my first lesson this weekend, from someone who quite likely has had some contact with Chris. :slight_smile:

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So call the guy and get some private tuition! :roll: But don’t come hear gloating later!

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Just wanted to throw my 2 cents in about Chris–I have seen him perform locally many times over the last 13 years or so, and he is an incredible live performer, lots of energy, especially with his Helicon buddies.

Also, it is not exactly Irish traditional, but he plays with the Baltimore Consort on a great CD called “The Mad Buckgoat: Ancient Music of Ireland”…some really great songs and great playing by Chris on that CD!

John

14

I regrettably missed a performance of the Baltimore Consort at my college. I couldn’t find anybody to cover my shift at the Language Lab.

I recently checked out “Man With The Wooden Flute” from my local library. I had mixed feelings. He is no doubt a master of the flute. He’s probably one of the best fl(a)utists actively performing (Boehm or simple-system). But his playing just isn’t what I’m interested in right now. I’m more interested in ITM.

That being said I hope I am able to attend Mr. Norman’s next performance in my area. Whether or not I appreciate the tunes he plays I can always learn from his playing.

Cheers,
Aaron

15

[quote=“AaronMalcomb”
I recently checked out “Man With The Wooden Flute” from my local library. I had mixed feelings. He is no doubt a master of the flute. He’s probably one of the best fl(a)utists actively performing (Boehm or simple-system). But his playing just isn’t what I’m interested in right now. I’m more interested in ITM.
[/quote]
Chris is a great player (and person) and well worth seeing. I saw him in Pasadena and he is quite capable of some wonderful live playing of reels and such with a feel that will satisfy the ITM fanatic.

Kevin Krell

16

His more current stuff with the Chris Norman band or whatever it is that they’re called, is a lot heavier and more assertive than Man with the Wooden Flute. That was a great album, but i think you’ll like his current stuff better. See my post above. :slight_smile: Powerful stuff.

17

I’m just curious: Does anyone know if Chris’s Rudall flute (and the Cameron copy) has a lined head, or partially lined? It’s a fairly early Rudall, isn’t it? Seems like I read somewhere that Catherine McEvoy’s early Rudall is unlined.

Whatever he plays, it sounds fantastic, especially on “The Caledonian Flute” CD.

Jeanie

18

Darnit, i saw it from very close, but i don’t remember. I think i just assumed lined, but i’m not sure. You could email him. David Migoya and Terry McGee both should know too.

Does C.McE’s flute have a slide? I know R.R. did unlined heads, but i think they were slideless.

g

19

while I can’t definitively say they don’t exist (as I’ve not seen all of them!), I’ve not come across a R&R simple system concert flute without a full tube lining in the head.

McEvoy’s flute (and a couple others listed in the catalogue) have no barrel…but use the French type of slide, where the tenon of the body fits into a slot created by the body and the tube of the head. In that manner it can be worked back and forth as a slide would.

I believe her flute head is at the least part lined, but likely fully lined.

Norman’s original RR boxwood is indeed fully lined head with barrel and slide.
My own RR boxwood of higher number is a lined head.

hope this helps!

dm

20

Have you seen Catherine McEvoy’s flute, David? I have, and I don’t think it has a lined headjoint, although I could be wrong on that. Perhaps Mr. Levine could weigh in here. He’s seen Catherine (and her flute) more recently than I have.