Didn’t someone write about these records, which Leo made in 1937 - the ones with violin and drummer - they knew who the original performers were?
I recall reading something recently but I forget what the details were.
There are a couple of line-ups mentioned in the Introduction part of the Rowsome Collection. This includes mention of a couple of fiddlers: Youghal Ó Cróinín in the 1920s, Frank O’Higgins in the 1930s. If I recall correctly, there were more details on RTÉ’s Ceolnet website, but it seems that one has been taken down, now.
djm
Ah, Leo recorded some duets with O’Higgins, and he had his piping quartet, also a trio pipes/flute/fiddle but these are different, the Topic LPs had one record: The Blackbird and St. Patrick’s Day. These records say “Leo Rowsome and His Irish Pipers’ Band” on the label, first time I saw these I got quite excited to say the least. The liner notes of the Topic LPs say that the musicians were studio types who didn’t know anything about Irish music but simply add-libbed their parts, I thought I’d read someone say otherwise though.
Hi Kevin
I heard some stories about Leo Rowsome’s Irish Pipe quartets and quintets from Leon Rowsome, David Page, Peadar Flynn, Matt Kiernan, and Dan Dowd. In conversation with all these Pipers, I told them that I admired Leo Rowsome’s piping and somehow, that always brought up the subject of Leo’s Radio Shows on Irish Radio (later known as R.T.E., with the addition of television). I understand that some of the first R.E. transmissions started in 1926, and that Leo was engaged to play the Pipes on the radio, solo, practicaly from the very first day of broadcasting, or in any event, near that 1st day.
All of the Pipers mentioned above remembered this show very fondly, and David Page had the most information about it,that I can remember, as he had been playing in the various combinations of 4 or 5 pipers over many years, as a “Resident Dublin Piper”. Dave told me that Leo would never rehearse any of the medleys, he would just tell the band the names of the tunes, just before they went into the studio. Each of the 3 tunes in the medley were played 3 times through, and it could be 3 double jigs, 3 hornpipes, and 3 reels. Sometimes 3 slip jigs would be played, but that type of tune was played less frequently. Slow airs and Marches were arranged by Leo, with the pipes playing in hamony. Because Leo had a fondness for Kerry tunes, Polkas and Slides were featured on the air, as well as Flings, Barn Dances, various National Anthems, popular songs, and all other sorts of “Musical Miscellany”.
This was done to show off the ability of the Irish Pipes to play any type of music. A short list of personel would include Tommy Reck, Jack Wade, Sean Seery, David Page and Leo Purcell (they worked in the same shoe factory in Dublin, as their “day” jobs). Leo Purcell also taught the GHB at the Municipal School of Music, a few doors down from Leo’s room at the school. There are other Pipers Dave told me about, but I can’t remember all the names…I seem to remember that Liam Walsh would play with the band if he was visiting Dublin, and many other visiting pipers were invited to play, if they came to Dublin. Dave told me that the medleys were very demanding, as most of the tunes had never been played in that order before, even by Leo himself, and all the Pipers took great pride in taking on the transitions between each tune, without making any mistakes (or “clinkers”) with a “workman-like” sangfroid, or devil-may-care attitude. I wonder if RTE is sitting on some recordings of this Rowsome band, like the BBC sits on historic recordings of Northumbrian Pipes?
Aba daba daba… That’s all, folks! Sean Folsom
Leo did play on early Irish radio, but I believe that it was well into the 1930s. In fact the first broadcast on RTE was the Cloone Ceili Band, which was influenced by a local priest whom was close to Leo Rowesome (according to my aunt, he regulalry brought Leo over to perform in the church in Cloone, Co. Lietrim), and Leo may have been on that initial program as well. My mother (rip) and aunts were on that program as well as part of a choir from the local Cloone school where my grandmother was a teacher. Brian McNammara and his father have given lectures on this very subject.
Neil
Doesn’t it say in the Topic LPs’ liner notes (written by Sean Reid) that Leo played on the debut of Irish radio, 1926? And Ennis’s father did as well.
The Patrons page of the Na Píobairí Uilleann site has nifty little profiles, the Leo piece is the Sean Reid liner notes but for the LPs Sean had to trim things down a bit, there are some interesting little bits in there now - talking about the denegration of Leo as merely an open piper; Sean mentions “One of his severest critics, who is also an outstanding authority, remarked to the writer recently, “I think Rowsome will have to be re-evaluated”.” Sounds like maybe he’s talking about Ennis, who really didn’t like Leo’s playing they say. Like for instance he considered George Formby to be a prominent influence on modern piping…
Anyhow I’ll never forget finding a box of 78’s in Wally Charm’s basement - sitting on a filing cabinet, waiting to hit the floor during a temblor - I took them back to Oregon and paid to have them dubbed, I was especially interested in these records that featured “Leo Rowsome and His Irish Pipers’ Band,” Jerry O’Sullivan was the guest at that tionol and was quite excited at my theory that these may have been records of the Leo quartet. Alas! But they are very high-spirited, fun recordings anyway, and you get to hear Leo play things like Miss Monaghan, Bonnie Kate, Rakes of Clonmel, etc.
I do have a recording of what I assume are Leo’s students playing en masse in 1964, they play the Siege of Ennis, and man! about six different high E’s.
Yes Kevin, and I have those Topic Lp-s (out in Illinois), with those Sean Reid notes…which I did remember rightly (thank goodness). Another detail I left out…was the bit that David Page told me about Leo Rowsome having a set of stronger (i.e. louder) Reeds in his pipes, when he played with the 3 or 4 other pipers, and when he was playing solo (at the same venue), he would take out a set of the softer (i.e. easier reeds), out of a glass jar, and bung them in… an operation that took about 5 minutes or so…I don’t think this process involved the DRONE reeds, I can’t remember that detail, so what I’m talking about, is the 1 chanter reed, and the 3 regulator reeds. Leo would quickly adjust the tuning for the difference in pressure, and proceed back to the stage, for his solo.
Leo’s bounce and open flow playing, was to me, AMAZING! When I first met Dennis Brooks (in 1973), Dennis showed me how he had taken those Rowsome H.M.V. 78s apart, and wore some of them completely out…and later, when I met Joe McKenna (1977), I could hear that wonderful Rowsome approach to the music, in a slightly different way (Joe’s faster tempo).
As to the jealosy of other Pipers over Leo’s playing.,…that went on and on for his whole life (and even AFTER his death), and the fact that he recorded RECORDS, played on the RADIO, and did some CONCERT TOURING (Carnegie Hall) didn’t help… with all that petty B.S.
I think we have come along way AWAY from all that business, which was a DRAG on PIPING at anytime…Back then…NOW…and into the FUTURE ???
Thanks for bringing up the subject of the “Band of Pipers” Sean F.
There are a few home recordings of Leo and Leon playing tunes with harmonies all the way throug that may give an impression of what the quartets were up to.
Pat Mitchell once told me how he was in Leo’s company listening to Ennis somewhere. Pat was ofcourse enthralled by Ennis’ playing. At some point totally out of the blue Leo turned to Pat and said: ‘you know, that man has never even won a single competition’.
I contacted Kevin Rowsome recently about my Irish Music on 78 RPMs website (coming soon), he gave the OK to use Leo’s records - the ones that haven’t been re-released, that is. Great music. Some of these disprove various theories about his playing, for instance the Boys of the Lough, where he uses very tight fingering. I mentioned the tapes I’ve received of Leo from the 1960s, and hope to swap some stuff with my fellow Kevin - he seemed quite keen to hear Grampa play Danny Boy, who wouldn’t! Perhaps he’ll have some of this harmonized group playing.
Bill Ochs went to Ireland and was a student of Pat’s, and Bill told me he had the standard-issue low opinion of Leo until he tried to play for dancers - and realized that the more noise you make for them the better the job you do!