Since, living in a remote part of Scotland, I have no musician friends within reach, I like to try and play slow low whistle pieces that work well on their own and so am always looking out for recordings that feature an unaccompanied low whistle (though if there’s an unobtrusive and not essential instrument in the background I don’t mind that). Here are some of my current favourites but I would love to hear of similar pieces that work well as solos.
Tangasdale Beach - Rory Campbell
Hollow Hills - Davy Spillane
Lament For The Dead Of The North - Davy Spillane
The Magic Flute - Lorne MacDougall
Nameless - Fred Morrison
An Raibh Tú Ag an Gcarraig - Patrick D’Arcy
Here are a few (but not necessarily strictly solo) on my list, though some of these are on flute rather than low whistle, since they can be played on either instrument (and I play both). You know, there are lots of slow airs that can be played on the low whistle. Do you have ‘Traditional Slow Airs of Ireland’ by Tomás Ó Canainn?
Paistin Fionn, Autumn Child - Lunasa
Glass Polka (aka Glaspolskan) - Flook
The Parting of Friends - Matt Molloy
An Feochan - Altan
Lament for Frankie - Solas
Farewell to Glasgow - Seamus Egan
An Buachaillín Bán - Christy Barry
May Morning Dew, Dreaming of the Bones (instrumental) - Davy Spillane
and of course (for low whistle)…The Lonesome Boatman - Finbar Furey
Thanks for those additions. I’ll check them out. I do have that book but not the CDs and, I confess, have a preference for the less pure traditional music of the likes of Davy Spillane, Fred Morrison etc.