help with "Farewell to Nova Scotia"

Whistle
1

I would love to play “Farewell to Nova Scotia” aka “Nova Scotia Song” on a whistle. The only versions I have found, however are in the key of G which would be okay, but some bars drop to the ‘B’ below the bell note of a D whistle.

I have tried transcribing the whole song up an octave, but the shrillness is unbearable.

Can anyone think of a combination of whistle-key/transcription that might work?

Thanks,

Stef.

2

Play it in D…it starts on the high D and fits nicely in a bearable range.

If you must play it in the key of G, play it on a G whistle, again, fingered as if in D.

3

I’m not sure I understand? Won’t it sound funny in ‘D’? Do I just bump it up two full steps?

thanks,

Stef.

4

Stef, if you know the tune, PUT THE MUSIC AWAY NOW. I don’t usually say that, being a sheet music person myself, but this is the perfect time for you to get the idea of a tune being independent of key.

Now…you mention ‘bumping it up two steps’. Going from G to D bumps 4 steps, but DON’T think of it like that. Start on the second octave D with the words 'Farewell to Nova Scotia…" The tune goes D D D D E D f g a b a. . . you can make it fancier later with the lead-in.

Good luck…have patience…and don’t look at the written music for this.

T

5

Thanks Tygress,

I’ll give it a try, but I have a devil of a time learning by ear. Even a song I know well. As they say…“he couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket”

Cheers,

Stef.

6

On 2003-02-01 23:13, Stef wrote:
I would love to play “Farewell to Nova Scotia” aka “Nova Scotia Song” on a whistle. The only versions I have found, however are in the key of G which would be okay, but some bars drop to the ‘B’ below the bell note of a D whistle.

Can anyone think of a combination of whistle-key/transcription that might work?

Try playing bottom E instead.

Write it in pencil on yer score sheet. Practice a couple of times to see if it fits.
Works for some tunes, not for others!

HTH

7

Do you have the music for this? Could you post it? (in any key) I’ve heard it a couple times and really like the tune, but I don’t know it well enough to figure it out on my own.

8

http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/music/farewell_nova_scotia.gif