I seemed to have learned a rather obscure version of rambling pitchfork, except that I’ve forgotten the tune. I’ve found plenty of music for the common version, but I really like the one I learned, so if you know a not-so-common version of the tune, please write it out or tell me where I can find it. Thanks!
The most obscure version I’ve heard is that of Tommy Potts. I learned it as a four-part tune called “Tommy Potts’ Rambling Pitchfork” from a friend who got it from a Jimmy Power record. I turns out that even Jimmy’s version is a little straight compared with the throwaway version Tommy Potts plays just once through on his album, The Liffey Banks.
Personally I wouldn’t attempt this on the whistle - even if you can handle the copious F-naturals and the occasional Bb, you’ll miss the wonderful effect Potts gains by dipping down beneath the D string at the end of every phrase.
If you really want to try, though, I could transcribe the version I have for you. Let me know and give me a week or two.
You will love The Liffey Banks, BTW, if you like unusual settings of tunes, together with the occasional radical departure into flights of improvisational fancy. You’ll also realize that Potts was a massive influence of a number of today’s prominent fiddle players.
Steve, you obviously didn’t hear Seamus Ennis go through it with all f naturals and bflats, possibly picked up from Potts [a version I have seen and heard Ronan Browne play on a keyless chanter]. Ennis had a different version too, more in the usual keys, in which he gave a nice twist to the second part.
[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2003-01-22 10:56 ]
It wasn’t THAT obscure, but thanks. This version was in D, I think, with occasional c naturals.
On 2003-01-22 10:47, Peter Laban wrote:
Steve, you obviously didn’t hear Seamus Ennis go through it with all f naturals and bflats, possibly picked up from Potts [a version I have seen and heard Ronan Browne play on a keyless chanter]. Ennis had a different version too, more in the usual keys, in which he gave a nice twist to the second part.[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2003-01-22 10:56 ]
That’s so cool that Ronan can do that without keys. He’s quite a piper.