I’m trying to help a friend locate the notation for an air called, “The Curlew”. The only information I have is that it was featured as a track on a CD by, “422:One”, on Fellside Recordings. This doesn’t mean anything to me, but maybe someone reading this will have an idea about it? I’m not sure if the tune is traditional or not, or if it falls into the “Celtic” category, but my friend thinks that it might be of Irish origin. I hope someone out there knows this tune and can point me in the right direction. Thanks.
Thanks for trying! I’d already checked JC’s and found that particular tune. I honestly don’t know yet if it’s the right tune or not. Like I said, the one I’m looking for is a slow air, but the one at JC’s is a reel. Of course, the “air” might simply be the reel played slowly…I just don’t know.
I don’t think what you are lookign for is there either but who knows.
There is a CD by Marcus and PJ Hernon (I believe, not completely sure) which has a load of own compositions named after birds, could be it comes from that one, just another wild guess.
I’m not sure if this is the one you’re looking for, but Sarah Bauhan does a tune called “The Curlew” on her 1993 album “The Untamed Grasses”. It’s definately NOT an air - it’s one of the most impressive displays of whistle mastery I’ve ever heard, even comparable to M.B. - but it may be one of those tunes that she plays fast just because she can! I know Solas has taken some slow tunes and sped them up, and also slowed down some fast tunes. I know some artists love to change the tempo on trad tunes from time to time; perhaps that is the case with Sarah and “The Curlew”? Who knows. Good luck!
There is a four-part reel called The Curlew that was sometimes played in Scottish bagpipe (piob mhor)competions 30 years or so ago. It was notoriously difficult to execute on a pipe chanter, and therefor only attempted by those who competed at the “professional” level. It is possible that I might have the music around someplace
among the clutter of bagpipe music stored in my attic, the accumulation of 50 years of misspent youth! Chances are I couldn’t find it find it though, so I suggest, if you can’t get it from somebody on this forum let me know and I will send you the E mail address of very old friend of mine whose published anthologies of Irish/Scottish airs and dance music for bagpipe (highland and uillean) and flute are very well known. I am sure he can supply the info you seek.
Acknowledging and regretting my very limited exposure to Irish trad music,I offer the possibility that the Air you seek is not titled “the Curlew”, but that the tune/song is the Air Version of “Ned of the Hill”. I believe that some versions of the song feature the word “Curlew” in the first line or two. The Ned of the Hill Air version (as contrasted to the Pogues excellent but I think different version) reminds me in parts of the beautiful air Bridget O’Malley
Thank you everyone for your interest and suggestions - I appreciate your efforts to help. I’ll pass all your comments and pointers on to the person concerned - and I’ll let you know if the trail leads to the right tune!
