Has anyone ever attempted to transcribe Paul Brady’s whistle playing from The Long Road on Mark Knopfler’s Cal soundtrack. His apparently improvised playing at the end of the track is particularly beautiful and haunting. I would to love to play it.
Link to Grooveshark:
http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=The+Long+Road+Mark+Knopfler
You misunderstood my posting. I have the music. I wondered whether anyone had transcribed it, written it down.
I doubt you were misunderstood. I would think Folk312 was merely giving other people a chance to hear what you are talking about since it is from a soundtrack to a movie going on thirty years old and not exactly a pillar of the standard whistle repertoire. Just trying to help, I would think. Even Helen Mirren has changed a bit since 1984.
It’s an improvisation. Why write anything down? Looses the spontaneity then. Grab your high D whistle and express yourself. My recollection is that it is played in G on a high D. 
But if you’re following John Lynch’s movie career with whistle/flute heavy sound tracks you may also enjoy The Secret of Roan Inish. He plays Tadgh. “Once in a generation the Keneelys spit out a dark one.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHp6QIW--ek
Feadoggie
Understood. Thanks for that. I wasn’t following John Lynch’s career as such. To be honest I had to look up who he was. I’ve never seen Cal and don’t ever wish to given the great contrast between the content of the film and its peaceful music. Mark Knopfler’s soundtrack has long been a favourite of mine. And though the whistle playing appears to be improvised I would still like to be able to play it . . .
I already know of the music for Roan Inish. I have the movie lined up on LoveFilm to see again soon. Maybe there are other whistle music films out there worth seeing.
I didn’t imagine you were. I was pullin’ the chain a bit. I really do like what Mr. Lynch did in that scene I linked to though. I didn’t go the extra measure and point out that Susan Lynch, who plays Nuala the Selkie in Roan Inish, is also in Waking Ned Devine which again has great whistle playing. Susan is, I believe, John Lynch’s sister.
And Yes, I like the sound track from Cal. I like Knopfler in general and his soundtrack work is quite well done. And the juxtaposition of the music to the plot is quite a contrast as you note.
The whistle accompaniment in The Long Road is truely dabbling about. It would be a good exercise to pick out some of Paul Brady’s motifs using some type of “slow down” software and put them together. Have you ever tried that? I would encourage you to give it a go.
Feadoggie
The Lynch connection is interesting! Yes, Waking Ned has some whistle music too. As an avid movie fan, I naturally take an interest in whistle music in films but Knopfler’s Cal soundtrack (and indeed Local Hero too) has been a favourite of mine long before I took an interest in the whistle.
I will resort to Amazing Slow Downer or QuickTime Player 7 to figure out what Paul Brady was playing on The Long Road as you suggest. I have a long list of whistle tunes apparently not transcribed because they are not “traditional” that I want to work out when time permits, including more whistle film music.
I’ll have to do a C & F search but I’m wondering whether anyone has created a list of movies that use the whistle prominently in their music. If not I may start one myself . . . Davy Spillane, Ronan Browne & Tony Hinnegan have a few credits between them.
Here’s a recent one. Michael Eskin on whistle and pipes:
Maybe start that with an ‘h’, Mr Guru sir? 
Thanks. Hadn’t come across Michael Eskin before.