I’m new to this forum, so I want to introduce myself:
My name is Inga and I’m from Austria.
I have been reading in this forum for nearly two years now - this was also the time, when I started to play the tin whistle (it was on an ABS Dixon).
Well, one could ask, is there any sense in an austrian trying to play irish trad music, so far away from any cultural background?!
Hm, I have asked myself the same question over and over again and this would be my answer: there’s probably no sense in that, but I just don’t mind, because it makes me very very happy
Anyway, I’m a tin whistle addict and there’s no way back. There’s hardly a day without playing and practising, I just can’t do without. I even take my whistles on vacation with me, well knowing, that there’s no opportunity to play - it’s crazy, I know, but I would miss them!
I have no opportunity to take lessons or to go to any sessions where I live, which is very sad. So, most of the time, I’m playing all alone. I’m trying to listen to as much irish trad music as possible. I can’t read the music, so I have to learn by listening and watching.
When I started, I stumbled over the youtube tutorials of Ryan Duns and they helped me a lot (and still do). I also like the CD, which is included in Geraldine Cotter’s tutorial book.
AND I really like to read in this forum, which has also already helped me more than once along my way.
I hope, the text is not too long and that you have place for one more tin whistle addict, so…hello and here I am
p.s.: I apologize for the mistakes in my writing, this is not my mother tongue but I do my best!
Hi Inga, you are very welcome!
You’re English is perfect, so no worries!
I like to imagine the Austrian mountains resounding to Irish whistle music!
What got you started on the tin whistle, may I ask?
For me it was listening to the Dubliners while driving a milk van along small North-German country roads… a looooong time ago.
Yes, welcome Inga, there’s plenty of room for another whistle hugger around here!
Enjoy yourself-and yes, you’re doing better in English than many of us here (for those of us that it is their native language)!
Hey Hans, I also drove a milk truck for long enough (12 years) to still have bad dreams about delivering it (and the aches from lifting it), though it was a while ago too! Though I still like drinking it.
Inga,
Welcome to C & F. Your English is fine so as Hans stated, “no worries”. Your addiction to Irish music and whistle is readily understandable by most on here. There are some very good players throughout the world with not one Irish bone in their body.
Enjoy and continue to appreciate the music and whistle if it makes you happy.
@hans: Actually I’m from the northern part of Upper Austria and unfortunately there are no real mountains nearer than one hour drive away. We have a lot of gentle hills here, but at the moment only the kitchen tiles are resounding to my whistle squeaks (and I’m afraid, the hills and their inhabitants will be very thankful for this arrangement ).
What got me started on the tin whistle? I think, I was about 13, when I first listened to an album by the Chieftains, it was called “Ballad of the Irish Horse” and was the soundtrack of a documentary. This was it, I couldn’t get it out of my head again. This was the beginning of my interest in irish music. Nevertheless it lasted 18 years more, untill I had enough courage to start to play myself. I learned to play the recorder, when I was 4 years old and I loved it, so I believe, this is the reason why it had to be the tin whistle for me.
@fearfaoin: Thanks a lot! Don’t worry, no rehab is wanted!
@FascinatedWanderer: Oh, I wish sometimes, I would live in Vienna! But it’s a journey of two hours by car for me. As a mother of two little children, my time is rather short and I can’t make more than two or three visits per year there. But you are right, there ARE sessions in Vienna and I hope that I will be able to see one in this year.
@Mr_Blackwood, greenspiderweb and Cayden: Thank you very much, after two years of silent reading I’m glad that I decided to sign in now ( I’m not very fast at making decisions, I know… )
Inga,
You had a great and lasting introduction to the tine whistle in listening to Paddy Moloney and The Chieftains at an early age. it would be interesting to know how many people Paddy has inspired to take up whistle throughout his lifetime to date?
Good on ya Inga for joining us and for finding it in ye to pick up the whistle and play!
That would be truly interesting! I also have the tin whistle album by Paddy Moloney and Sean Potts, I guess, I have to thank him more than once. I have read, that there is also an album by him which is called “Number 6”, so I already know, what I want for my birthday…
From where I sit, you have two+ octaves closely approximating the range of the human voice. You can play whatever you want. Most here play ITM to a great extent but many of us play that and quite a lot more. Every culture has a whistle-type instrument of some sort well entrenched in it’s musical lexicon.
The tie that binds us all is whistles and flutes along with a handful of other instruments, some of which you beat and some of which actually have keys, buttons or strings. I’ll let you decide which are which
Welcome to C&F. Enjoy the ride. You can drive sometimes too.
Seán’s ‘Number 6’ is a lovely recording. You may also want to check out the ‘Bakerswell’ recording he did with a group of very fine musicians during the eighties.
@MrGumby: Ah, I’ve already put it on my wish list! This is really nice about the forum: getting so many good tips about fine recordings worth listening to! I didn’t know the “Bakerswell” recordings until now and I’m looking forward to listening to it.
).