Song at Fleadh

Irish Flute
1

For when you get to the air section of a Fleadh(Irish Music Competiton) I need your guys suggestions on what airs to play at the Fleadh. Thanks
Cheers
Mini :smiley:

2

Hey, Mini,

I competed at the Fleadh Cheoil last year (in the States and Ireland) in the flute and flute slow airs, and in the latter category the judge is invariably a singer, not an instrumentalist (though occasionally both) - so don’t expect to impress them with beautiful tone and technique. In every case, they’re looking almost exclusively for airs that are adopted from songs - and not only songs, Gaelic songs. As the judge last year put it, “If I can’t follow the Gaelic in my head when you’re playing an air it’s” - and I quote - “no good”. So if you want to do well in the competitions, I’d advise you to play only airs that are adapted from Gaelic songs - forget about anything in English or anything instrumental, eg. Bright Lady, Bold Trainer, Lament for Staker Wallace, O’Raighlaigh’s Grave, Johnny’s Tune, etc. They might fly in the regional comps, but the judges skip right over them when they see them at the Fleadh Cheoil in Ireland.

And if you don’t speak Gaelic - now you know how us poor bastard Yanks feel. :sunglasses:

Of course, I did find it rather funny when the judge looked down the list of airs I submitted for selection, hit “By the River of Gems”, and asked me “Are you sure this is an Irish tune?” I was a biscuit away from suggesting we ask Seamus Ennis.

Regards,
James.

3

“By the River of Gems” (Cois abhainn na SĂ©ad) is one name for this tune, but a sean-nĂłs singer might know it better as “Fort of the Jewels” (DĂșn na SĂ©ad), which was the original name for Baltimore, West Cork, for which the tune is named.

djm

4

Hey Jamie, were there any regional fleadhs out west or did you have to go back east to compete? I’m thinking about competing next year but I don’t want to have to fly to st louis or New York to compete. Thanks!

5

Hey,

No, if you’re here in the States, I’m afraid you’re stuck with one of the two. I’m told there actually used to be four at some indeterminate point in the past, but apparently half of them folded for lack of participation.

As is, there’s just the Midwest Fleadh and the Midatlantic Fleadh. Where are you at exactly? Just as a word of warning, they’re pretty particular about who goes where, and about making sure everyone competes in the right district within the “North American Province” (delusions of grandeur, anybody?). I live in Boston, but was asked to fly down to St. Louis to play melody for a friend from Texas who wanted to go in for the accompaniment category. I figured I’d compete again for the hell of it, seeing as I’d be there anyway; but since that would have been competing out of my district, they handed me my hat. C’est la vie
 Anyway, if you do decide to go, make sure you pick the right one.

Regards,
James.

6

Tu An Bhuitis (played by Brian Duke on Cian’s Three Shouts From A Hill)

Kevin Krell