i am trying to learn this song, it is one of my favorites. my problem is that it goes very high, and on the d whistle i cant get that high. is there some sheet music i can get where it doesnt go that high, or a different key to play in? what would be the best suggestion to use to play this tune? i have heard it done before on the whistle.
If you’re comfortable with high G#, theres a version at http://www.oldmusicproject.com/AA3Sheet/0625-0700/700-OCarolansFarewelToMusic.gif . It goes up to B. I haven’t tried it myself (just did a quick search) but it might be alright. Unless you’re looking for O’Carolan’s Farewell, which does go to high C, so you might want to transpose down one whole step. That one is at http://www.oldmusicproject.com/AA3Sheet/0625-0700/699-OCarolansFarewell.gif .
cool, thanks
Part of the sting can be taken out of the tune if you play it on a lower whistle–Jerry O’Sullivan’s version on Volume I of the 2-CD Narada O’Carolan compilation (Celtic Treasure is the name of the compilation) is a particularly tractable version to have as a frame of reference. You are ‘out there’ on this tune with some considerable sustained high notes, regardless of how deep the whistle you use. I sort of hold off working on this one until my wife is out of the house.
Jerry O’Sullivan plays on a C whistle. There are 2 places you can start on the whistle. He start on the higher one. If you use the lower place, you have to substitute a few low notes. His is the most enjoyable version I’ve heard. Get a C and learn to play along with his recording. The track is also on Green Linnet’s Gentle Breeze cd, which is a really nice compilation of whistle and flute tracks. (Have they straightened out their differences with the artists?)
Tony