A couple of months ago, I was looking for whistle training sessions or local experienced players I could learn from.
So I joined a band of musicians (mostly accordionists, but also fiddlers, flute players, clarinette and guitar player, etc.) in a local cultural center.
I was first attracted by the description saying therre was traditionnal sessions going on (Irish, Breton, French, and European).
Since most players are accordionists, I happened to play almost anything but Irish music (a lot of breton stuff : an dros, hanter dros).
Although it was unexpected, the whistle found its own place in traditionnal tunes it wasn’t made for, like traditionnal eastern or center french music.
And other players seemed to like this sound, actually so much that they invited me to join for concerts and traditionnal danse sessions.
So my question is (actually it looks more like a poll) : Do you play non ITM with your whistle? If so, I would be interested in knowing what kind of music?
Hyd,
Can’t let you go unanswered. Our band plays a couple of Breton “En Dro’s”, a kind of dance music. We play some Scottish stuff, but that really doesn’t count. And one English piece (learning it now) called “Hole in the wall”. I’d be interested in knowing what those eastern tunes were that you played with the band.
Tom.
I love to do jazz improvisations on my sweethart high D as it crossfingers/halfholes quite easy and with good results. It’s always interesting how much can be done with such a simple instrument.
I also play with a percussionist/didgeridoo player in a “world music” project…hard to describe how that sounds…
Click here for a recording of it. It’s quite overdriven…
I tend to play anything BUT ITM. I have nothing against playing ITM, I just like to play all types of music (also play mountain dulcimer amoung other things).
One of the songs I love playing whistle on is a very slow “Wayfairing Stranger” (on a D, but in the key of Em).
One I like to do at church is “Sing of the Lord’s Goodness” (again in Em - gee, I’m seeing a pattern). I add a lot of runs on that one.
I especially love ancient tunes. So hymns, olde carols, Irish airs, and folk tunes, mainly out of the British Isles Traditions, are what I mainly play. Many “pop” tunes…especially older ones…Beattles, blues, even doo-wop memories are also great fun. My favorite melodies are Irish Airs.
I whistle mainly for my own A-Musement, so feel entirely free to sometimes ad lib, improvise, wander far afield, and thoroughly modify any and all of the above. ( All the while feeling deep appreciation and affection for the “original” material…which I usually “faithfully” render, before enjoying my own “evolutions.”)
I have some High Quality Low Whistles, which happily allow me to traipse through these diverse musical meadows. Cheers.
My background is southern old-time stringband and country blues.
I’ve moved a lot of that repertoire over to flute and whistle. It works so well that it makes me wonder why those instruments are noticeably absent from the folk tradition here, (with a few exceptions such as some fifing, quills (panpipes), etc…). Lately, I’ve been working hard on ITM so as to participate in some good local sessions.
I play mostly only ITM on whistle. Occasionally I play whistle at church, but then, usually during communion and use a slow air, so it’s still ITM.
I do play other instruments and turn to them for other styles.
