Hi all-- just got an e-mail from Adam Keelan of The Positively Testcard, which is my favorite, highly recommended Kwela band. He asked if I would help spread the word of an upcoming BBC Radio 4 program on pennywhistle history. You will be able to hear this live over the net too! Sounds terrific.
Paul - hi. I’ve just posted this on our website. I’ve forgotten my chiff and fipple password. Could you spread the word. This programme would be ideal for US surfing whistle insomniacs…you’d be able to pick it up live on the web..and radio 4 often store their programmes for a week or so allowing downloading… Ta adam…
NEW NEW NEW Check out the Testcards’ contribution to the new BBC Radio 4 documentary
“A Bit of Pipe with Six Holes”.
On Radio 4 FM at 1100 GMT Friday 7th March 2003.
“James Galway tells the story of the penny whistle from its Stone Age days. With the help of some of today’s whistle greats (Mary Bergin, Vin Garbutt and Big Voice Jack) Galway tells how the simple pipe is important historically, socially and politically as well as musically. And he plays a bit, too.”
As, of course, does Dave…
Note: Dave is Dave Woodhead, the whistle virtuoso ( and I don’t bandy that term around loosely) of the Testcard. Check it out.
On 2003-02-27 07:57, Martin Milner wrote:
Thanks for the heads up, Brewerpaul! That’s a definite listen. Sad that I can be sure I’ll be in at 11pm on a Friday night though…
Never mind ‘The History of Whistles’-follow BrewerPaul’s Radio 4 link,and at the bottom of the page,under ‘Recent Highlights’ is the legendary ‘Singing Ringing Tree’!!!Jeez,it’s absolutely TRUE what it says about this East German ‘Fairy Tale’-It DID traumatise a generation of British schoolkids!Everyone around my age(I’m 44) I’ve asked remembers it-How many t.v. shows (let alone East German imports)could do that? The BBC used to show these foreign imports,still in the original language,but with a narrative voice over,so the viewer had some sort of tenuous 'grasp’on what was going on-I say 'grasp’this thing is SO,So WIERD that it is like some exercise in brainwashing-they could have used it on Michael Caine’s ‘Harry Palmer’ character in ‘Funeral in Berlin’!The BBC obviously got them dirt cheap,they must have bought the film by the mile or something! I might download the programme,if I’m BRAVE enough (Mum I’m SCARED!!)
Well, my radio was very crackly, but I hope to have at least one good copy taped when I get home to listen again. I heard Clarke Original, Sindt and O’Riordan whistles mentioned in particular.
Interesting programme, Radio 4 has loads of good stuff, but how annoying they put it on at such an odd time. Here’s to a repeat at more work friendly hours.
Either BBC or AOL pooped out on me when I tried to listen to the show, but they have archived it. Click on “listen again” on the home page, and you can listen to it anytime. Worked fine this time: bit of Mary Bergin showing off some of her collection, some Kwela from Positively Testcard, some prehistoric bone whistles, etc. A nice half hr intro to show your friends who can’t fathom why you are interested in this silly instrument…
I can’t get it to play either. Windows media player doesn’t support .ram files, yet when I click on the BBC site, that’s what it downloads for me. Great help I don’t think. Thanks BeeB.
Glad I got to hear it (crackly) and got it taped. Not much help to the rest of you though.
Definitely worth hearing, and telling your non-believing friends about.
Edit: Works fine on my AOL browser at home, and my recording worked if a but fuzzy. I loved the bone whistle from 40,000 years ago!
