"I think it’s easy to forget too the pipes were not somethng ever to be found in Clare during the 30s, people knew of them without actually ever coming across them. Peter L.
Peter, Happy new year. Do you know if the C family were playing the pipes then in the 30’s or just collecting? Was the collecting done by an earlier generation maybe? Just wondering.
I suppose they have been playing pretty much continuously for generations but I have no details, they are on the other end of the country, far away from Clare.
Tommy who?
Beauford T Rosemondt III
Well, I’d say that those two examples certainly answer my earlier question - “I wonder, too, if any of the people that did hear him play knew how special and how revered his music would become?”
I’m listening to the CD as I write this, listening to track 9, “The Blackbird” set dance. The way he flips the drones on & off, and the tunes absolutely flow from the chanter. Incredible. It’s almost possible to see the people dancing away…
What an artist this man was.
“I used to hate “The Tarbolton Reel” until I head Johnny playing it with John Kelly! And now I want to switch to “The Fermoy Lasses” instead of “The Longford Collector” when playing Coleman tunes most of the time. A fiddler I know and I have had some heated discussions on the matter.” Brian C.
I like the “Tarbolton” but my partner, a fiddler, doesn’t like
the “Longford…”, so Johnny’s set comprised of the “Tarbolton & Fermoy Lasses” suits us. Myself, well I never was keen on Michael Coleman’s fiddling, and I don’t think his sets should be set in stone. The sailor’s bonnet is a nice tune though. Is there any truth in the rumour that Johnny borrowed Leo Rowsome’s pipes to do the recordings? Prehaps not, I don’t see why he wouldn’t have used his own Rowsome set.
I’d listened to “The Bunch of Keys” for years until NPU released the Master Pipers vol.1. Excellent pics. and info in the booklet. As I delve into Leo Rowsome’s playing, I’ve discovered common stylistic threads in the Cash/Rowsome/Doran traditions. Leo played a lot of the same descending legato runs as Johnny. 
Johnny is one of my biggest inspirations. He was a down right magical piper.
As regards the “Coolin,” while visiting Phil Sexton I watched a video he had called the Pipes are Calling. Some footage of Paddy Keenan and Cillian Vallely from North Hero were included. But the most amazing moment on the tape came when Finbar Furey played the Coolin. And man, that was the best, most powerful rendition of the air that I’ve heard from anyone. Made the eyes a little misty. His tuning was absolutely PERFECT! 
The playing, effortless.
Matt
I think one problem many younger players have with the old pipers is the quality of the recordings. It takes some effort to listen to mono recordings when you have been brought up on a diet of surround sound and home theatre.
A turning point for me was listening to a talk Robbie Hannan gave about the old pipers before an evening performance at the Chantry Museum in Morpeth, England. His talk brought the old scratchy recordings to life. I still cherish the video. The only thing that spoils it is Joe Crane’s snoring. 
Mukade
xmas wish list ?
a present to all lovers of music and piping would be a master class video on the styles Johnny and Felix Doran et al.
Mikey Doran Snr, Johnny Rooney, Al Purcell and others that might not be known to me, could share their skill, approach and style with others if they didn’t mind. This could develop the theme of the three NPU teaching videos, encouraging musicians to express themselves in an individual manner. What else is music for? I feel the ‘classic’ style is alive and healthy in good hands. Those of us far from NPU headquarters can learn from the videos currently available. However I believe the NPU has provided teaching in the travelling style at Henrietta Street, what about the rest of us? On a wider scale it would be an invaluable contribution to the record of our musical heritage.
I suggested this to Terry Moylan in a recent phone call to the NPU, he agreed it was a good idea. I know there are many who appreciate the contribution to the musical world that musicians who play in the travelling style have made. If you are of the same mind make yourselves known and heard to the NPU and the other relevant bodies.
All it would take would be for the above mentiond pipere to play a selection of tunes and for the suitable person to explain the approch and techniques involved
your un[/u]
Or the deep freeze, for those who prefer the non-traditional pronunciation.
Mikey Doran Snr, Johnny Rooney, Al Purcell . . .could share their skill, approach and style with others if they didn’t mind.
All it would take would be for the above mentiond pipere to play a selection of tunes
I’m sure Al Purcell wouldn’t have minded, if he hadn’t passed away!