I am curious, who is working on what tune… right now… right at this very moment. Myself, I am working on 3 diferent settings of ‘Farewell to Erin" in addition to ‘The Lark In The Morning’, ‘The Rainy Day’, "Munster Buttermilk’, ‘Kid On The Mountain’, ‘Na Ceannabhain Bhana’ and…as always, one of my all-time favorites: ‘An Phis Fluich’… a tune I will always try to perfect, but totally understand that the tune will most likely ‘perfect’ me first.
But I am bored with my setting of 'The Old Torn Petticoat"…so I suppose that is the the tune I will be spendiing a bunch of time on for a while.
What about the rest of you “bag squishers”? What are you working on:"?
I just started working on “Out on the Ocean”, been working on “The Cannaughtman’s Rambles” and “My Darling Asleep”. Also trying a couple different versions of “Madame Bonaparte”, Can’t decide if I wanna go the Jatlath Henderson route or the more traditional Rowsome route for that tune. I’m trying not to take on too big of a load just in case the teachers at the SF tionol tell me I have the start over on some technique. Hopefully I’m doing it right, been following the Clarke tutor.
Do it how it sounds best to you. You can’t get everybody to agree with you, and you’re the one who has to please himself when you play. Trust your ear. Trust yourself.
Yup, Marcpipes nails it… whatever the tunes says to you, play it that way…after all, it has just become ‘your tune’! Celebrate it and have a load of fun doing so!
The Curlew, The Cuckoo’s Nest, Tailors’ Twist, but as with learning a language, I’m never done working on a tune. I’ve been working on Tailor’s Twist, Corney is Coming, Tabhair Dom Do Lambh et al for the good part of a decade.
After hearing different pipers play some of these tunes, I just can’t help but be always drawn back to the piping of Willie Clancy and Liam O’FLynn as my influences.
Seán Ó Duibhir an Ghleanna ( Emmet Gill “Late session”)
The drink of water / The humours of Derrykrosane ( Ronan Browne"Late session".)
The west wind/ Sean Reid’s ( Willie Clancy )
One thing is to learn tunes. Another one is to remember the tunes.
At this moment I am learning new tunes mostly by listening , more than using the " small black dots" on the paper.
Sean Bui (still trying to get the feckin’ crans to sound right!)
Tom Crowley’s Jig (helping with my rolls)
and two inspired by Mr. Smith (with a nod to Planxty)
Tabhair Dom Do Lamh
and Cold Blow and the Rainy Night
Plus continuing to work on the others I know to improve them before moving on. My speed has increased significantly in the past month or two, so I’m trying to refine on the ones I know and only half heartedly working on the new ones…just so I don’t get too bored.
Now I am working on “Lark in the Morning”, Buried my wife and danced on her grave", and “Kid on the mountain”. Also I learned a couple of new tunes from Jarlarth Henderson at the CLW “Gander in the Partie Hole”, and " Frieze Britches".
I’m currently working on Sliabh Russell, Gold Ring, and Alexander’s Hornpipe. I’m having most success with Alexander’s, even dreaming up some nice variations for it, which is rare for me on any tune!
Lark in the morning (and for some reason I can’t get the 2nd part-just not burning into my head); Dennis Murphy’s, Wind that shakes the barley, donnybrook fair.
All from recordings using slowdowner software
And it’s about 50-55% humidity right now and things are working well
Just finished off two reels The Tinker’s Stick and Ormond Bay.
Now starting on a tune that Patrick Hutchinson played at a tionol in NY in 1999 or thereabouts.
Patrick, if you’ve read this, please e-mail me at glands@comcast.net so I can capture your e-mail on my computer then write back as I have a Q as to the name of the tune.
