I really like to play airs..lovely, mournful, haunting tunes…so if anyone can suggest a few mournful, haunting airs, I would love to hear from you. I have just learned
“For Ireland I’ll Not Say her Name”…that is the sort of thing I want more of…
also…any suggestions for getting beautiful, clear, long notes…haunting ones actually!
or any advice on playing airs generally…
liz
Which ones do you already know? One of my favorites is Amhran a Leabhair, available most everywhere. If you want one off the beaten track that is really awesome, you’ll have to get a CD by Eoin Duignan and listen to Dance of the Gypsy Queen. It’s not traditional, but sounds trad nonetheless. You can find it at http://www.duigo.com.
You should get 110 Ireland’s Best Slow Airs, published by Mel Bay. There are 2 cd’s that have all the tunes on them. There are quite a few really nice tunes in this book. I think The Whistle Shop carries it.
Tony
I second Tony’s suggestion of 110 Ireland’s Slow Airs. I got mine from the whistle shop not to long ago, and I would really recommend the cd as well. My only complaint is that the cd’s have too many of the airs played on the fiddle and not enough on the whistle. But it still gives you an idea of what the tune is suppost to sound like.
And as for advice on playing nice beautiful slow airs(IMHO), make sure you can control your air flow in both octaves very well, and keep your ornements simple and uncluttered. You want the tune to speak for itself. Vibrato is a technique that if used properly really can make a tune very haunting. And you could also “tip” or lower single cut a few notes to make the tune feel a little more lonely. That’s my opinion and I hope this it’s helpful
Jack Murphy
The Coulin
The Wild Geese
I am Sleeping, Do Not Wake Me
Aisling Gheal
…just some of my favorite tunes. I cut my teeth on the slow airs too, and still find them a wonderful release for emotions.
The best thing you can put into your music is heart. Sounds cheesy I know, but if you are playing from inside, rather than a sheet of music, you’ll hear it, and so will anyone listening to you.
So anyway…hope that’s of some help. Don’t worry overly much about trying to sound like a particular player, or go buy tons of expensive whistles because so and so plays them, and they sound great. 
Just worry about what you feel when you play. And remember, if you’re not having fun when you play - why play?
B~
Try the Celtic Fake Book by Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation ISBN: 0634017276
It has a variety of lovely airs, as well as jigs, reels and whatnot. One of my favourites is “Carrickfergus”.
For a listing of songs in the book check out http://www.encoremusic.com/recorder/1702233.htm
Ian
My favorites include “The Water Is Wide,” “The Ash Grove” and (if you don’t mind an American tune) “Wayfaring Stranger” (which is definitely haunting!). Simple tunes, but absolutely lovely on the whistle.
Speaking of airs, does anyone know the name of the tune played in the '70s movie “The Day of the Dolphin”? It’s another hauntingly beautiful tune on the whistle…one of the first I taught myself…but I never know what to call it!
As far as those clear, long notes go, the best advice I can give you is to support the tone well with your diaphragm, just as you would if you were singing. Get a good lung full of air, breathing from the belly, set your diaphragm nice and tight and just let the note ring.
Redwolf
[ This Message was edited by: Redwolf on 2002-07-30 02:20 ]
I like She Moved Through the Fair and Cath Chém an Fhia (just the beginning part). They can be found on James Galway’s Celtic Minstrel album if you can’t find them elsewhere. That album has several such airs. Also, I like to play Leaving Glasgow. I played a lot when I was dealing with secondary infertility and I played it all alone with a special meaning to it a few weeks after 9-11… I didn’t know anyone involved personally but felt it tremendously all the same, naturally, and just needed to pour that into a melody that seemed sorrowful enough to express it. It’s got a great high spot in the middle that just seems like a great wail of agony. Very satisfying when you want that sort of thing. Uh, anyway, that Ressikan flute song is also very, well… all those things that it is that make us keep wanting to learn it.
Oooh yeah…two more faves: “Give Me Your Hand” and “Bonny Portmore.”
Redwolf
Mo Ghile Mear definitely. That’s one I can’t do without…still brings tears to my eyes 
(but i’m sure it’s to do with my playing)
“I really like to play airs..lovely, mournful, haunting tunes…”
From Greenwoodside by Lothlorien
‘An Cat Dubh’ and ‘The Black Cat’.
Learn ‘An Cat Dubh’ first because it’ll give you a flying start on ‘The Black Cat’, which
is a sort of extended version.
Play on a Low D for best effect
Search Lothlorien or Greenwood Side on mp3.com and d/load them for listening/practice etc.
Einach Dhuin.
There’s several spellings, but it’s in the 110 Slow Airs book, which I will third or fourth! Can’t ask for a better or more comprehensive collection of favourite slow airs.
For an air that can bring tears (real ones!) to my eyes, find a recording of “The Parting of Friends,” which is attributed to Turlough O’Carolan.
Matt Molloy does a particularly fine interpretation on his album “Stoney Steps” on flute, but it also works very well on whistle.
Another great air is “Cailin na Gruage Baine” (my apologies–I probably butchered the spelling). It is particularly lovely on low whistle.
Best,
–James
http://www.flutesite.com
[ This Message was edited by: peeplj on 2002-07-30 09:30 ]
Ah, yes…’ Women of Ireland’…definitely…
Cheers.
Byll
For Slow Aires, I’d always say:
Down by the Salley Gardens
Hector the Hero
Carrickfergus
The Foggy Dew (slow air, not the reel)
A Breton Carol (from the Chieftains ‘Celtic Wedding’ CD)
The South Wind
The Mermaids Croon (found in a Celtic FakeBook; it’s of Hebrides origin)
Baidin Fleidhlimi
Fiddler’s Green (often played more Moderato)
And then of course, everyone knows about Danny Boy, even though no one really knows for sure it’s origin, and it’s overplayed at St. Patrick’s Day…
One of my favorites is “Crested Hens” or “The Crested Hen” which can be heard on Solas’ album (I think the first one) that has them sitting around the table drikink coffee at the Pub.
Somewhere it lists this as a ‘slow jig’ but to me it sounds like an air.
Oh I love that one. I heard it at a session in NY and learned (and forgot…) it but they told me I can’t play it in public because it’s copyrighted.
Don’t you just hate it when that happens??!?
I agree with a lot of the previous suggestions, especially Mo Ghuile Mear and Wayfaring Stranger.
I would like to add one: Eamon a Chnoic (Ned of the Hill). I learned it by ear from Liam Clancy’s singing of it on The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem’s “The Rising of the Moon” album.
Although “Wayfaring Stranger” is American, it may well have Celtic roots, since it is an old Appalachian folk hymn.
Another song that is haunting and lovely, even though not Irish, is “If I Had Words to Make a Day for You” from the movie Babe. It was the first song I could play on the low whistle.
As we were passing through Londonderry a week or so ago…our coach driver pointed out a sign that claims Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) was written there, I foget the date but think it was in the 1700’s. And Carrickfergus has definitely become a favorite. Gm
PS ~ another is The Ruby.
Make a joyful noise!
[ This Message was edited by: Grannymouse on 2002-07-30 23:36 ]