I was wondering what playing styles you prefer to listen to and try to emulate.
Most people up here in Seattle that I have heard, including my instructors, prefer the real rhythmic chirpy style of playing utilizing lot’s of chuffing and rhythmic pulses. I on the other hand prefer the playing of Seamus Eagan, Matt Malloy, and John Wynne with a more flowing, smoother style of playing (at least that’s how it sounds to me). I find the more I listen the more I realize how different people play from one another. I really like John Wynne. Do any of you know any other players out there that play this way? Catherine said he plays in a very traditionally Sligo style but when I listen to Josie or Seamus Tansey they sound much more rhythmic than flowing.
I wonder if I having an instructor that prefers the rhythmic style or learning from Conal O’Grada would be detrimental if I am trying to pursue a different style of playing.
Any thoughts?
Craig
[ This Message was edited by: CraigMc on 2002-02-26 16:55 ]
Ha Craig I was about to ask the woodflute list something like that! I realised that the older players and those who try to emulate them tend to do the huffing and puffing a lot, and very obviously. I personally prefer less of that, like Michael McGoldrick’s or Matt Molloy’s playing. Seamus Egan occassionally uses the diagphramatic accents but I think he sounds great doing it.
I think this is a great question too. I actually love what is sometimes called the “Sligo Style.” It seems like a lot of players from Belfast or that part of the country use this diaphramitic, pulsating style and that’s the one I personally like the best (John McKenna, Marcus O’Murchu, Packie Duignan, Harry Bradley etc).
I think the Malloy, Egan style is beutiful, but I think it requires a technical aspect that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do.
My flute teacher definately doesn’t play in my style. I dealt with this by not going to him anymore. I think he’s a great player (probably better than I’ll ever be) but I’m not interested in ornamenting every phrase of a tune. So, I choose to listen to a lot of players in the style I like best.
I’m was waiting for your post on WoodenFlute but I havn’t seen it yet. I will go ahead and post mine if you feel like chiming in. Also does McGoldrick have an album where he plays mainly traditional stuff?
Mike McGoldrick can be heard playing beautifully on the first Lunasa album, which has been recently reissued, and on his own albums - the recent one with piper McSherry called At First Light, and the earlier one called (I think) Morning Rory. The latter two are probably available through KNotted Chord or Mad For Trad.
Hey Craig, do post on Woodflute.. I kind of thought over it and suspected I might get a “its a matter of personal preference” response so I thought I’d just give it a pass this time. I’ll chime in if I think of anything to add though.
Btw, his “at first light” album is not exactly extremely trad, but it is more so than his fused album. He and McSherry does many reels at a very fast pace though. I heard that “Morning Rory” is more trad.
I am not expecting JeffS to answer this so I address this to the ITM flute experts here:
there seems to be a spate of players who vibrato just about every second note (on slow airs).
Does this reflect a regional style or is it a modern aberration (which I find distasteful becuase it comes across IMO as a contrivance rather than a naturally expressive embellishment)?
I love the Sligo/Roscommon style (Catherine McEvoy even has an album out with that title). Rhythmic (but not as exaggerated as they do it in the north) and with a flowing melodic tone.
Players to listen to would be Peter Horan, Catherine McEvoy, Harry McGowan, Colm O’Donnell, Michael & Deirdre Hurley amongst others.
You might want to go back and listen to John Wynne and Matt Molloy with the goal of picking out the ways they use their breath to create rhythm and pulse - I think you might hear a lot more than you expect. I think Catherine is right that he has a very classic Sligo/N Connaught style - the Pride of the West album is a great example. For Matt Molloy, have a listen to the last track on Stony Steps - the Johnny Watt Henry’s set.
In my experience, I really learned a lot from taking some lessons from players who emphasized using the breath, creating rhythm and having a strong pulse. In my opinion, if you don’t have that on the flute, it sounds very flat and uninteresting. I would definitely encourage you to try it. At the very least, it’s just another skill that you can apply to your playing, even if you find that it’s still not your preference.
I’m a huge fan of John Wynne’s as well. I believe he’s a Roscommon player, as stated before, like Molloy and McEvoy. I think McGoldrick can be put somewhere near that camp as well. These are the players I like and emulate the most (as best I can). I also have some Northern influence as well like Harry Bradley. Brian Finnegan is from the North though I don’t think of him as a “Northern” player–he’s more of a modern trad player; I’m drawing from his playing as well lately since I spent a little time with him in session and had a lesson with him.
But he did warn us!
And nobody did answer the specific question he posed!
I wonder what people actually read.
A new topic with the specific question would have been better perhaps.
But then it was Halloween…
Really interesting question, really interesting replies, great reads above!
My tuppence worth…
Matt Molloy is the High King because he has a great ability to know when and where to put and NOT to put ornamentation; Michael McGoldrick has a lovely lovely tone on that Grinter, lovely ornamentation, plus some quirky modern/Eastern European moves - he gets a nicer tone (less blowy/airy) out of his Grinter than Kevin Crawford in my opinion… John Wynne has a gorgeous tune on that Wooden Flute Obsession 1 album, track 3 I think; and Paul McGrattan plays lovely airs on a Hamilton flute.
The flute itself influences the style: Matt Molloy availed a lot of the hard Ds of his Boosey Pratten, and so we associate the hard D with his style - which is post-Bothy band since he played a softer Rudall in the Bothy gigs. And Chris Norman’s Boxwood sounds very Traverso/Baroque.
Whoops. Hehe. Anyway, it’s an ongoing topic, so why not resurrect it.
To answer talasiga’s question: I personally never ever do a classic vibrato on any note. Never. Don’t like it. Only finger vibrato sometimes. I have heard a few players who do use classic vibrato extensively, but couldn’t tie it to a specific regional style so far…may really be a matter of one’s preference.
he gets a nicer tone (less blowy/airy) out of his Grinter than Kevin Crawford in my opinion…
uhm…
The flute itself influences the style: Matt Molloy availed a lot of the hard Ds of his Boosey Pratten, and so we associate the hard D with his style - which is post-Bothy band since he played a softer Rudall in the Bothy gigs. And Chris Norman’s Boxwood sounds very Traverso/Baroque.
Molloy uses extensive low D cranns in the Bothy Band, for instance on Dinny Delaney’s. His overall tone is different due to the Rudall, but his style is still the same. Certain things may be more evident on different flutes, but one’s style is not drastically shaped by the flute one uses; I think Thalatta is putting the “cart before the horse” here.
Hmm… I should have kept quiet! Fair enough, I see your points about Matt Molloy. I was going on my impressions, I did think the Boosey might have shaped his style a little; a new instrument can develop a style and thereby change it a little, no?
As for Michael McGoldrick, he does get a lovely sound, in my opinion nicer than many (watch him/listen to him on the Full Set), and I’ll stick to that one!
As for Michael McGoldrick, he does get a lovely sound, in my opinion nicer than many (watch him/listen to him on the Full Set), and I’ll stick to that one!
Very well then! It’s an opinion. Mike is well able use different tones, and he does on several occasions. His tastes are usually not my favourite (and sometimes I just can’t stand them), but there are examples of his playing that I appreciate very much. And of course technically you can’t get better than him, just different.
Always remember to listen to as many flute players (and musicians in general) you can, there are just so many examples of great styles that most people don’t know about.
I also find that the super famous MMcG, KC and MM (and maybe a couple of others) are potentially dangerous for new generations of flute players. Molloy had a huge influence on me when I started playing the flute, but now I deliberately avoid listening and learning from his recordings, although I still love his playing.
First time I heard it was in a little place that had local people and I thought that the person sounded… …happy. I turned around and saw her grin. Can’t hear it all the time, but I like it.
