djm, you forgot the camp I belong to, they’re the oafish kind of guys who couldn’t give a rat’s ass about the arguments for or against pure drop. It is what it is. I like it, and that other ‘schmaltzie stuff’ too.
On another note, I wouldn’t be too worried about what you play at an SCA event. These folks may know attire and weapons, but I haven’t met any yet who could describe ‘period’ music. Play your whistle…without any plastic visible…and make the tunes such that they are your own, and you shouldn’t get into trouble…much…
The Pure Drop is also a name applied to a reel (which is more commonly known as Hand Me Down the Tackle), a bit of a favorite among pipers, I think. Someone once told me they heard the Honeymoon Reel also referred to as The Pure Drop, but I wouldn’t know. The Honeymoon Reel, by the way, is a hornpipe and not a reel. All this should tell you a bit about pure drop right there.
What are you smoking djm? (Can I have some?). If someone “disavows anything but Pure Drop,” kick them or tell me and I’ll kick them. It’s never about that, the discussions are always about people wanting to call Riverdance Irish Trad or Sinead O’Connor sean nos and getting offended when someone tells them that, no, that stuff isn’t particularly traditional at all.
I was not ascribing “purist” to anyone in particular, simply listing the many types of comments one receives when daring to use the term “Pure Drop” to describe a piece of music or style of playing. I like lots of different stuff, too, but I do tend towards the older, non-commercial stuff - just my personal tastes, of course.
But this thread started out asking whether what Martin Hayes does is Pure Drop, and I still would say no, what he does is pure Martin Hayes, and that it should not be attempted to identify his style with the older styles or try to legitimize what he does by calling it Pure Drop. I don’t think he does, so why should anyone else?
No no, just kidding, I understand. Thanks for the info, and as for Diamond Wars…if anyone raises an eyebrow over Gallant Forty Twa, I’ll thump 'em in the head with my fipple.
I think you should read interviews, talk to him or sit in on one of his workshops to see what ‘he’ thinks about where his music is rooted and then you should listen to recordings of the people he took his music from, preferably playing the tunes he learned off them. Only then you can decide to what extend his music is pure Martin Hayes and what part was handed down. Other than that, who cares about the pigeonhole.
The Honeymoon Reel, by the way, is a hornpipe and not a reel. All this should tell you a bit about pure drop right there.
Eh… The reel I know by that name (BG~G2 DG~G2|Bded gedc|BG~G2 DGed|BAAG A2 etc) is definitely similar in the first part to the fling/hornpipe (|B2G2 D2G2|BGBd e2d2|gdBd f2e2|c4) but the second parts are nothing like each other. The one may be derived from the other, but they’re two different tunes. (Sorry to hijack.)
If someone “disavows anything but Pure Drop,” kick them or tell me and I’ll kick them. It’s never about that, the discussions are always about people wanting to call Riverdance Irish Trad or Sinead O’Connor sean nos and getting offended when someone tells them that, no, that stuff isn’t particularly traditional at all.
Bloom, getcher boots on!