of course whistle is a great folk instrument, but what else do you like to play on it? here’s the first 3 that came to my mind when i’m not playing ‘trad’
- Brahm’s Waltz #39
- Lost Woods from Zelda
- Norwegian Wood by the Beatles
what are your top 3?
- Stairway to Heaven (or, I will once I get around to recording it into the intro of my cover)
- On The Turning Away (Pink Floyd. I plan on covering this too at some point, and thought of using whistle during the bridge just because part of the tune reminds me of part of one version of Barbara Allen that I’ve heard)
- Last of the Mohicans theme / The Gael (this is like “pseudo-Celtic,” I suppose). I play it with whistle and fiddle… obviously not at the same time.
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Assorted Zelda themes–off the top of my head, the opening cinematic theme from Wind Waker (that goes | Ae/e/e2- ee/c/dB | A6 etc. ) I find that the ocarina tunes, in their original keys, tend to fit best on a low G whistle. My homemade low D flute with the extra hole for F natural works well, too.
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Assorted Jethro Tull flute parts–off the top of my head, Bourrée. That one also benefits from a dedicated Fnat hole, but I half-hole it on the MK sometimes.
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Whatever else I’ve heard recently, or have running through my head. Earlier this evening I was noodling and letting my mind wander, and when I checked in I found I was playing the Indiana Jones theme. Last week it was the theme from Deep Space Nine.
One thing I love about whistle is that it can be very spontaneous and improvisatory. I pick a whistle off my desk and blow, then set it down. No opening a case, no assembly, no tuning strings, no strapping it on, no fiddling with reeds. With a baby in the house I’ve found that to be important!
More often than not when I pick up my MK Low D and noodle on it I’ll play a Bulgarian tune, either a certain Pravo, or Buchimish (one of my favourite tunes of all time, in 15/8).
I’ll also often play an old jazz song such as St James Infirmary or Summertime.
Yes I’ll often play Jethro Tull’s Bourree too, but in E minor.
Things in the works are the Bulgarian uber-dance Sandansko Horo (in 22/8) and old jazz songs such as Take Five, Lazy River, and Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans.
15/8 and 22/8, huh? I like a challenge. Can you give a link to a video/recording?
i’d love to hear a version of ‘take 5’ on whistle! Paul Desmond does a great job on the alto sax, but i’ve always enjoyed jazz flute, or in this case whistle.
No particular non-celtic tunes played (still a newbier) but the patriotic themes and holiday themes have been nice to explore.
After my husband passed away I started playing Titanic’s, My Heart Will Go On’ I also enjoy playing The Rose and Vincent.
Hello to all my old buddies, those living and those on the other side. GM
so non celtic or else then folk? your question isnt clear
anyway, here is my answere; 2 many 2 list
i didnt learn to play the penny whistle just for trad, or folk, or celtic music
i play all i like and can on all instruments i can
first tunes i learned on penny whistle, scarborough fair and oh susanna, both not celtic, but trad (not irish)? or folk?
I play a very non-Janis Joplin version of Mercedez-Benz. I like to preface the song by saying, “This song is a prayer.”
Meditation from Thais
Simple Gifts (great whistle tune)
Ashokan Farewell (wonderful on a D+)
Here’s the best version, in my opinion, of Sandansko Horo, on Kaval, in 22/8 (or 22/16, you see it written either way, doesn’t matter), I have this version on my Ipod and I listen to it all the time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTviFjZ6FWw
Now let’s not forget that it’s a dance, and you’re supposed to dance to it! Here’s a great video showing a full Bitov ensemble (gaida, kaval, etc) but keep watching until they show the roomful of people dancing… many people not familiar with Bulgarian dance can’t find the beat in these tunes, but all these dancers have no trouble at all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hty4V5icXPY
Then there’s Buchimish, in 15/8 (or 15/16)
This is my favourite version, with clarinet… the guy’s a monster on that thing
I just love the opening aria from Bach’s Goldberg Variations. It’s in a nice whistle friendly key, apart from a couple of Fnat that need to be half holed. It sounds terrific on any whistle. The sheet music is available as a free PDF here:
http://www.free-scores.com/download-sheet-music.php?pdf=6066
Ignore the bottom staff unless you can find a friend who is willing to try it on a low whistle. If you’re not familiar with those baroque ornaments, find a YouTube video to help clear it up. If you’re not familiar with the Goldbergs, by all means listen to the whole work.
- Danse de l’ours, which we actually use to dance to as a chapelloise
- Erev shel shoshanim, a lovely little tune that we learned from a visiting musician
- Tourdion. Other Late Middle Ages and Renaissance tunes,too, but this is easily becoming a staple.
Happy Birthday…https://app.box.com/s/ovts2esian8l71u3fxlm
This was one of the first tunes I learned on whistle a long time ago, and I was wondering where it originates. I’ve heard it called “Polka D’ours” at first, and was under the impression that it was french perhaps (?). Then I heard something extremely similar but called Der Bärentanz, or “The Bears’ Dance”, which I believe to be the same tune. Each version of it I hear has slightly different variances to the different parts, but is overall the same tune, or at very least quite closely related.
It seems to be a very widespread tune, and I’ve heard it attributed to quite a few different countries, so I assume it’s an older tune due to the fact that it’s so widespread and has such disputed origins. Do you have any information on it? It’s a very fun tune. I’ve heard it said to be belgian, french , german, etc.
And thanks for sharing that stuff , PanCelticPiper… I’ve been listening to bulgarian music for much of the evening just youtube surfing the recommendations I get from those links you shared. The first tune was very familiar to me, as it is on Sylvain Barou’s album on the track titled simply “Horos”, although he plays it on Irish Flute, rather than Kaval. It’s nice to hear it played on one of the traditional instruments, by a person from the region of that tradition, though. The two versions are very similar, that being said. I don’t think I have ever heard a Kaval before reading this thread.
I like this thread. Irish, Scottish, Breton, Swedish, Asturian/Galician, and Appalacian Old-Time music are my favourite types of music, but for the most part lately I primarily just play Irish and Scottish tunes on whistle, with occasionally a Breton tune thrown in here or there. So, I suppose I don’t play many “non-celtic” musics on whistle, aside from the above mentioned tune and things I’ve made up. Irish Trad is my favourite music, but I do think it would be fun to branch out a bit and learn some other music on high and low whistles, as I do with my other instruments.
So… I look forward to reading more posts on this thread!
Learning to Fly by Tom Petty. The slide guitar breaks and fills, as well as the countermelody work really well on the whistle. Jazz standards like Summertime and Superstition also are fun.
- Greenland Fisheries
- Uncloudy Day
- Will the Circle Be Unbroken
– Al
Simple Gifts, AKA Lord of the Dance
Summertime
I’ll Fly Away