There is a lovely CD of instrumental Celtic Songs called Celtic Secrets, and another called Celtic Secrets 2. They are put together by Greg Joy (who plays the guitar) and have a beautiful sounding pennywhistle on them. Is anyone familiar with this enough to know the type?
Having two whistles now has led me to appreciate the tone of my Dixon but also the sound quality and playability of the Sweetone. I also find myself poring over whistles online, especially on Chiff and Fipple. I feel the urge to try them out, then try each make in different keys, and then different materials over and over to see how each is different. It feels like the onset of WHOA.
Ach…I can see into the depths of your whistle-future… If and when your WHOA goes into remission, you will find you have collected whistles in the keys that you need, for the music you play most often. The whistles will probably not all be made by one whistle smith. You will find that you like whistles in different keys, made by different individuals, and that you have more whistles in the key of D - and maybe C - than any others. And…that you will have probably found the need to contact Annie of Sassafrass Grove, to make you a custom case, in which to transport and protect your herd. Along the way you will have purchased and played probably 2-3 times as many instruments as those you finally have in your possession.
I remember those times, so well.
Bon Voyage…
Byll
I knew Greg when we both played at a Folk Music Club in Victoria, BC in the 70s. Then, a couple of years ago, I met him again at his CD booth at a ferry terminal on Vancouver Island. I traded a whistle for one of his CDs.
It’s probably not the whistle on his new CDs, but I felt like adding my 2 cents worth.
There’s a fair bit of recorder on the II album…
Thanks, Byll, I’m looking forward to it, WHOA or not.
Yes, there is quite a bit of recorder in that album.
O’Brien it’s so neat that you got to meet Greg. I’m no musical expert, but I think anyone can tell he is one heck of a Celtic guitar player.