A few days ago, frustrated with the fiddle pieces I was working on, I pulled out some Christmas carols, figuring they would be easy to play. They were. And so satisfying.
Now, I don’t play much Irish Trad on the whistle–or the fiddle for that matter–just a few waltzes. And I’m now working on so much on the fiddle that I know I am NEVER going to be good enough on ANY instrument to be able to sit in on even a slow session. And I so desperately want to play with others. Jigs and reels are so beyond me. But we can all play Christmas carols, right?
My idea: when the holidays approach this year, would people be into a Christmas Music-themed session? I think it would be fun, and a very festive way to celebrate the season. Who knows, we might even feel like carolling in a BART station or two.
I might even be able to be one of those amazing people who can switch from instrument to instrument. That’s a life-long dream of mine! (I just want to be Aldon when I grow up).
I realize it’s silly to ask this in June, but I know that last year, I seriously started working on the Christmas music in August, because I had about 20 tunes I wanted to memorize.
Reminds me of a time when I was at Kenyon College about 24 years ago. They were having a 24 hour piano-playing marathon to raise $ to restore a historic Baldwin. As the organizers were hard pressed to find players for the wee hour shifts, several friends and I volunteered to take 2-3 am. We played Christmas carols. It was April.
Sounds like fun to me! I’ll bring a thermos of warm spiced wine. I’ll work at some tunes on concertina. I’ve always liked birthday music. Some of the songs less usual around here are fun, “The Holly and the Ivy,” “Patapan,” or the Wren song.
I LOVE the Wren song! I never hear anyone play it, though. Great!
And the 24-hour marathon (OT now): I went to a single-sitting reading of Dante’s Inferno in New York once. Didn’t stay for the whole thing but it was nice to know that someone was reading Dante outloud in Italian at 3:00am. That’s NY!
count me in. but only if we always play A Fairytale of New York on the hour every hour with 11 really shrill double-high F whistles, 3 bass accordians plugged into distortion boxes, and a bass marching band bodhran or two. I’ll smoke 2 or 3 boxes of cigarettes along with a liter of Tullamore Dew and cover the vocals, but only if V-bunny and I do it as a duet. oh yeah, and the little-known version of Danny Boy by Madness as an encore. how’s that sound so far?
ok, seriously, I usually play some Christmas music for/with my family on whistles and/or cello, so I might join you all for some buskin’ come December. keep me posted.
Redwolf, last year all my busking money went to the Matt Gonzalez for Mayor campaign. I love the idea of doing charity busking. I can picture us now–a few whistles, a few fiddlers, a banjo, a guitar, a concertina, maybe some pipes…all in a BART station! I know it might be a dream, but it is a GOOD dream (as Arwyn says).
So, I’ll get this ball rolling sometime later and in the fall, we can nail down a date.
Well, I’ll get to practicing. I love playing Christmas music. I wanted to busk for charity here last year, but with all the crackdowns on buskers, decided not to.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the bodhrans; then turned with a smirk,
He sprang to his jet, having left ev’ry whistle,
And away Dale Force flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he soared through the air,
“CHIFFY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND WITH SIX MONTHS TO SPARE!”
If you find yourselves doing well at the Christmas tunes, consider getting a gig at a nursing home or two during “the season”. I’ve done it a number of times. You can’t believe the gratitude and love that will be showered on you by the residents!
Mike
I’m a singer, and don’t mind piping up on a song or two, but Christmas carols really do go well on the whistle too…I have a great big list that I play every year.
I agree…if a bunch of us are going to do this, we should probably avoid political donations. How about an area homeless shelter or food bank?
I have a soon to be teeager that is of the impression that the refrigerator is an endless source of foodstuffs. You could donate to my food bank since I am certainly nonprofit!
If you find yourselves doing well at the Christmas tunes, consider getting a gig at a nursing home or two during “the season”. I’ve done it a number of times. You can’t believe the gratitude and love that will be showered on you by the residents!
Ditto that. I’ve done caroling at the local county hospital in a big city where the poorest of the poor are patients, and the gratitude and appreciation will blow you away. There are always tears on both sides. And you don’t have to share any overt “religious” message, just share the music and your kindness and joy. This year I plan to join the carolers (and fiddle and flute) on whistle.
I’m sure that, IF we actually DO busk and make some money, we can figure out a good charity we all agree on.
I think a lot of carols are already in D or G, but the ones in C or F can be easily transposed to D or G (just change the fingering one hole up, basically), so if you’re going to work on them, try to keep in D-whistle-friendly keys so we can be coordinated.
I’d love to do that too. Our choir always sings at a couple of nursing homes, as well as a rehab center or two, during the holidays, and it’s some of the best, most meaningful singing I do all year.
If we have enough singers to manage four parts, I can bring along some hymnals…ECUSA '80 has pretty much all the (religious) Christmas standards.
