With this being the centenary of the beginning of WW1, I’ve decided I want to learn The Flowers of the Forest for Remembrance Day this year. Not to perform anywhere or anything (I’m not up for that yet ), it’s just something I want to do. The choice of tune is mostly inspired by Eric Bogle’s haunting song No Man’s Land (aka The Green Fields of France, aka Willie McBride). Then I got to wondering what other whistlers might choose as a tune to remember the “war to end wars”. Especially I was wondering about tunes from all the other nations involved in the conflict. I’m not necessarily looking for tunes that might be played at official commemorations, although I guess that would be interesting too, but more what individuals might choose when contemplating the massive tragedy of that war. Which of your whistles would you choose to play the tune?
Oh, and btw, I gather that among pipers it’s common to play The Flowers of the Forest publicly only at funerals or memorials. Perhaps another reason for me to keep my playing of it to myself.
The midi plays it faster than it should be played, as a lament, of course. Is The Session setting the usual one? It seems pretty much like ones I’ve found on youtube.
Here’s a flute version I believe from Jack Campin’s site
X:46
T:Flowers of the Forest, The
T:Flute Version
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=76
K:Dmix
TA2 AB (A/2B/2d) (e/2f/2g)|Tf2 ed Bd (B/2A/2F)|
(E/2F/2A) AB (A/2B/2d) (e/2f/2g)| f2 (Te2{de}) d4
c2 (c/2e/2d/2c/2) TB2 (A/2B/2d)| AfTe>d Bd (B/2A/2F)|
[1 c2 (c/2e/2d/2c/2) TB2 (A/2B/2d)| AfTe>d d4
[2 (E/2F/2A) AB (A/2B/2d) (e/2f/2g)| f2 (Te2{de}) d4 ||
(f/2g/2a) ab Ta2 gf |(e/2f/2g/2f/2) Ted Bd (B/2A/2F)|
[1 (f/2g/2a) ab Ta2 gf |(e/2f/2g/2f/2) Te>d d4
[2 (E/2F/2A) AB (A/2B/2d) (e/2f/2g)| f2 (Te2{de}) d4 |]
W:
W:Can be played on A whistle using D fingerings to go with song or on D whistle as solo
Thanks for that! I’ll be initially working on it on a high D, but I’ve got a Dixon low D on the way, and I’m the one who snaffled the Beazley mezzo G that Rob Sharer posted just recently, so I’m not sure which I’ll use on the day itself… Probably low D. I’ll be very interested to work through the flute setting.
Thanks! I’ll enjoy listening to all those (when I’ve got a chance to sit for a bit!). That’s a fine piece you wrote for the Grimsby Chums doco! I’ll go have to go back to the beginning and watch the whole thing. I’ve read a little about the ‘pal’s regiments’ over the years. Hindsight makes it all seem so sadly poignant…
The best recording of The Flowers o’ the Forest, IMO, is Dick Gaughan’s on the Parallel Lines CD with Andy Irvine. There are several other good trax but this is worth considerably more than the price of the CD. Highly recommended.
Just had another listen to Gaughan’s recording of Flo’oers. God, that’s a gorgeous chune. I’d go to my grave happily if I thought that someone would write a melody 1/2 as beautiful about my life. No wonder its a standard lament for funerals.
), it’s just something I want to do. The choice of tune is mostly inspired by Eric Bogle’s haunting song No Man’s Land (aka The Green Fields of France, aka Willie McBride). Then I got to wondering what other whistlers might choose as a tune to remember the “war to end wars”. Especially I was wondering about tunes from all the other nations involved in the conflict. I’m not necessarily looking for tunes that might be played at official commemorations, although I guess that would be interesting too, but more what individuals might choose when contemplating the massive tragedy of that war. Which of your whistles would you choose to play the tune?
