Good Whistle Recordings--help

Okay, I tried the search feature but I finally gave up. It gave me like 13 kazillion responses, and after a LONG search, I did not find what I was looking for, yet I am sure on a board like this, this question has been explored before. So, PLEASE be kind to this newbie. Now on to the question…

I need to listen to some excellent whistle players, but have no idea where to even begin. Please recommend (in your preferential order) some artists and their CD’s that would be “required” listening for the whistle player.

Thanks for being patient with me, as I am not wearing my flame retardant suit today.

http://www.bridodonohue.com/

Absolutely one of the best. (Mary Bergin may be “flashier” but Brid is hands-down my favorite and this recording is easy to listen to, giving you the hope that you might actually be able to play the whistle!)

Susan

I agree wholeheartedly with Susan. You can also hear first-class whistling here.

Carol

Steve has a nice list here.

I have to say though that some of the most productive listening for me has been flute recordings, so you might not want to listen strictly to whistle. A lot of the folks on Steve’s list (e.g., Bríd O’Donoghue, Micho Russell) play both, though.

If you’re not familliar with Mary Bergin (a name that sadly seems mentioned less and less frequently here) she recorded what were and likely still continue to be the definative whistle CDs. Feadóga Stáin 1 & 2.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/artist/glance/-/40408/ref=pd_ap_sr/104-8405615-2800728

I love Joanie Madden’s 'Song of the Irish Whistle" and “Songs of the Irish Whistle II”
In fact, it’s been too long since I had a listen. Think it’s time.

Mike

Do not–I warn you–do NOT listen to Laurence Nugent. You will smash your whistles in despair.

Now thats a good idea. Think I will put her on again also. :slight_smile:

Potts and Moloney - Tin Whistles
I love this recording!

Seconded.

My “smash-your-whistle” top ten is currently fixed on Kevin Crawford of Lunasa as #1 - for an mp3 have a look in Kerrywhistles movies page - pro-files - Susato high-d.

http://www.kerrywhistles.com/dl.php?group=19

I’ve been viewing this file at least once a day for the last week to remind myself to not be lazy :slight_smile:

Of course there are many good whistlers and I’m sure my #1 will change as I discover them - for now I like the way Kevin enjoys what he is doing.

I don’t know about required listening, but I found the Clips & Snips website helpful:

http://www.tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/index.htm

While not all the tunes are well played, still, it should get you started in the right direction. I highly recommend anything played by Tony Higgins (the site proprietor)

If you feel that you could use a little tutoring, you might try the following sites:

http://www.whistletutor.com/ - this site has alot of good whistle lessons. Best of all, its free!

http://www.fullbodyburn.com/ - the home of the famous “Tinwhistle Fingering Research Center” where you can pick up alternate fingerings.

Hope this helps - good luck!:smiley:

this fullbodyburn site looks very very familiar…don’t you think… :astonished:

I highly recommend Michael (Mick) Woodruff’s posted tunes at
http://www.fingertrip.net/whistle/ . I down loaded all of his posted tunes and made a CD from them that I play more frequently than Mary Bergin or Joanie Madden, whom I also love. He also lists the whistle and Key in which each tune is played. If he recorded some CDs, I would buy them in an instant. I’m actually surprised he doesn’t get the recognition I feel he deserves. Just my two cents!

I’d also take a look here:

http://kerrywhistles.com/music.php

Phil’s listed some great CD’s and made recomendations for “required” listening that I have to agree with.

Dale asked for a top ten whistle cd’s a few weeks ago and I copied and pasted a few of the posts into Word. This’ll look a little messy



The player is Colm O’Donnell and the CD is “Farewell to Evening Dances”

The Irish Low Whistle- Joe McKenna
Gentle Breeze- Green Linnett Compilation
tin whistles- P Moloney, S Potts
Cold Blow and the Rainy Night- Planxty
Chieftains5
Windy Gap- L Nugent
Two for Two- L Nugent
Traditional Irish Music on Flute & Tin
Whistle- L Nugent
Sea of Dreams- Davy Spillane (go ahead and
hate me)


Boys of the Lough - Midwinter Night’s Dream (some REALLY cool whistling by Christy O’Leary, and of course Cathal McConnell)


Brian Hughes, “Whistle Stop”.
Flook, “Flatfish”.

Flook - Flatfish
Lunasa - Otherworld + Merry Sisters of Fate
Solas - all of 'em!
Seamus Egan - When Juniper sleeps
Eamonn Dillon - Storm The Kettle
Cormac Breatnach - Musical Journey
Afro Celt Soundsystem - Vols. 2 & 3
James McNally - Everybreath
Eoin Duignan - Ancient Rite + Coumineol
Hevia - Tierra De Nadie
Brian Finnegan - When the party’s over
Laurence Nugent - Two for two + Windy gap, but mostly for the flute on those CD’s

Donncha O’Briain

Joanie I
Joanie Whis.onWind
Cormac Breatnach musical journey
Cormac Breatnach et al. Whistle & Guitar
Mary Bergin I
Flook: Flatfish
Seamus Egan Trad Music of Ireland
Larry Nugent Trad Irish Music
Larry Nugent 2for2
L.E. McCullough: St. Patrick Was a Cajun
“Cal”: Soundtrack to the Film

  1. Songs of the Irish Whistle - Joannie Madden
  2. Planxty
  3. Rawlins Cross - Reel 'n Roll
  4. James Galway and the Chieftains (both Skye and Ireland)
  5. The Best of the Bothy Band
  6. James McNally - Every Breath
  7. Micho Russell - Ireland’s Whistling Ambassador
  8. Cathal McConnel - Long Expectant Comes at Last


    Micho Russel - Traditional Irish Music From County Clare
    Cathal McConnell - Long Expectant Comes At Last
    Lunasa - Otherworld + Merry Sister Of Fate
    Solas - First
    Sarah Bauhan - Untamed Grasses
    Irish Pipes Whistles and Flutes
    Sean Potts & Paddy Maloney - Tin Whistles
    Joanie Madden - Songs of… 1 + 2, Whistle In The Wind
    Mel Bay’s Complete Irish Tin Whistle


    Brid O’Donohue, called Tobar an Dúchais (“the well of the tradition”).*********


    ‘Tobar an Duchais’- Brid O’Donohue
    ‘Ireland’s Whistling Ambassador’- Micho Russell+
    ‘Tin Whistles’-Sean Potts,Paddy Maloney
    ‘The Minstrel from Clare’- Willie Clancy*
    ‘Feadog Stain’ & ‘Feadog Stain 2’ Mary Bergin
    'Musical Journey, & ‘Music for Whistle and Guitar’-Cormac Breatnach#
    ‘Take the air’- Sean Ryan