Just thought I’d try and stir up a little controversy, maybe get some opinionated answers and some heated arguments going, then I can just sit back and take notes. I will be heading down to Border’s and a couple of other places within the next few days to buy CD’s I need some good ideas of what to look for (hence the top 5 gimmick); here’s a complete list of my ITM discography.
Cheiftans “Celtic Harp”
As you can see I need to beef up my collection a little. Since I am lazy by nature I play the whistle (easiest of all instruments,or so they say) and do have a couple of whistle tutor CD’s but those don’t really count, since it’s not a band playing like a band would play for an audience.
Yo, Mo! It might help if you gave some clues as to what you like. I could suggest five great UP CDs, or five great fiddle CDs, or … etc. What type of music are you into?
Well, it would be nice if whistle is featured a lot in some of the bands, you see the problem is I really don’t know enough to say what I’m looking for, (I’ve been hanging out in the poststructural tinwhistle forum for too long). I suppose I’m looking for the Irish equivalent of what “Straight Ahead” means to Jazz, if there is such a thing. I know the Chieftans are big and I know the term “sligo”, but I couldn’t really tell you what it means.
I suppose there are several types of traditional Irish music, but I think I’ve already told about everything I know. I’m just looking to get a grip, if you can catch my drift.
Hi,
Ir-trad L conducted a similar poll on the “All time Favourite” albums, the results can be found here: http://www.irishmusicreview.com/poll1.htm
Quite an interesting list, although they mentioned that less people participated than expected..
Ya want whistle? Look no further than Mary Bergin’s two albums. Another nice whistle album, in tune with your acquaintance with the Chieftains, would be “Tin Whistle” (appropriately enough) with Paddy Moloney and Sean Potts.
There’s stuff that’s interesting at first but wears after a while and there’s stuff that will always sound fresh and exciting no matter how often listened to, these are the classic recordings. Anything by Seamus Ennis and Paddy Canny, Peter O Loughlin and P Joe Hayes’ All Ireland Champions fall in the latter category.
You realize that this is the definition of trolling .
In regards to CDs… well I am rather fond of Patrick Street, and if you can find their CDs Trian. Altan, Solas and Danu are also good but a little more modern in their settings. The Chieftans Box set (Their first 4 CDs) is pretty good but I think the Chieftans are often treated a bit more reverentially than they deserve; they are good, but their are groups that are as good out there or better than them that play in relative obscurity). Last thought, if you can track down the Wooden Flute Obsession CD, it is definitely worth getting. There are a couple of tracks I am not crazy about, but considering how many tracks there are, how many I really like and none I really dislike, I think it is a great CD. I will second the recommendations for Mary Bergin. If push comes to shove, she would be the only essential item in the CD collection of any Whistle player.
As you can see I need to beef up my collection a little. Since I am lazy by nature I play the whistle (easiest of all instruments,or so they say) and do have a couple of whistle tutor CD’s but those don’t really count, since it’s not a band playing like a band would play for an audience.
At the sound of the bell, come out swinging!
Not sure I agree that the whistle is easiest of all instruments, simplest perhaps, but I suspect that truely great whistle players have put as much effort into mastering the whistle as the masters of any other instrument… Perhaps the reason why Mary Bergin all but stands alone (with a few exceptions) in Whistle is that many other whistle players also play flute or pipes (or both) while Mary only plays the Whistle.. but boy can she play it.
[quote="LiamMary Bergin all but stands alone (with a few exceptions) in Whistle is that many other whistle players also play flute or pipes (or both) while Mary only plays the Whistle.[/quote]
Now that is not quite exactly true, she does play the flute or at least used to.
Idon’t know Liam, my dictionary says it means “to sing gaily or heartily”
Alright, so I’m a down and dirty Monster, what can I say? LOL. I did get a lot of good info, which is printed out and ready to go when I head for the stores.
I think the first Cherish the Ladies album “Irish women musicians in america” is a great introduction for ITM. You can’t go wrong with planxty, de dannan (earlier stuff anyway) but they tend to good for listening & light on the tunes. You won’t learn as many as you would from Mary Bergin’s albums which are nothing but tunes. It’s all up to you
A lot of people would say that Irish music that has been stagified is no longer traditional. To a large extent, I agree with them; stage performances are a drastic change in terms of where and why the music is played. The way a stage band plays a tune is going to be very different from the way a solo musician in an informal setting plays a tune. Bands are frequently based in the tradition, but the whole stage format doesn’t really jive with the nature of traditional music. I think it was Brad Maloney who said that the band music is misleading, and I agree; as a solo musician, it’s impossible to sound as flashy and cool as a five piece ensemble.
So my question is, do you want the truely trad stuff, or do you want the band music?
Some here hate compilations, but I really do like Farewell to Lisseycasey for the spectrum of Clare artists represented, though some are maybe too modern to fit the Pure Drop ideal.. If you can’t stand the idea of compilations, tho, there is the “An Historic recording of Irish traditional Music” with the Clare greats. I still don’t care that much for the piano on it, tho.
You hafta include Coleman. The big ol double-disc GaelLinn anthology. But sometimes, perhaps, we worship his accomplishments more than enjoy the actual record, especially with the Stroh’s vln selections. I always think of cartoons when I hear it.
I don’t yet have two more pure trad ones to list. I wouldn’t consider the Mary Bergin record with the above, though its great for whistler’s. not mature enough musically. I bet if she re-did the whole thing, it would be even better today and even better in 10 years or more..
I love Patrick Street, Altan, Planxy, Bothy and all those but that ain’t trad to me. Too much wacky, pronounced harmony. Geetar is a recent addition to this music. I bet there is a great harp record out there that might make the list.
Some people on this board have recommended the CD by Noel Hill & Tony MacMahon, “In Knocknagree.” 1 button accordion, 1 concertina, some dancers, lots of hooting and hollering from the audience. It’s a great album, one of my faves.
But a lesser known fact about this album is that there are actually two of them! There’s a second CD called “Music of Dreams” with more of the same great stuff, plus some beautiful singing by Iarla O Lionaird. I actually like that one better.
I also love Tony MacMahon’s solo album, and consider it a relatively important work in terms of defining the tradition. But then, I’m biased toward free reed instruments.
I am also biased toward free reed instruments, but it is hard to pick one that would be definitiive. Certainly anything by Joe Cooley, Joe Derrane, Joe Burke, Paddy O’Brien (with or without pulse ), Jackie Daley, Billy McComiskey, etc is important enough to warrent serious listening.
Well, you need to remember I’ve only 1 ITM CD, I probably will be buying a little bit of everything at first and then wil be able to find what I like after listening.
Yeah, how did I forget that one? Depending on your exposure though, hearing it for the first time elicits various responses. The more I play the Trad, the more I “get” what he was doing. One the one hand, a true individualist, on the other, a true product of the culture.
That’s a fascinating link, Eld, but not of much use to someone who doesn’t already know a good many of the CDs mentioned. The one thing that comes out clearly is that there seems as little agreement there as here as to what really is trad. I get the impression that there’s a huge divide between those who regard rehearsed stage bands as not really trad at all and those who regard earlier players and styles as now of little more than historical interest.
For my part, I think it would be nice if we could regard the tradition as having fissioned into older and newer styles and judge examples of each according to criteria suited to what their exponents are trying to do. We might then ask people to specify best records in each identifiable style. I think the results would be more helpful and informative than just letting people vote according to their various preconceptions.
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