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Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
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  • #161336
    Geri McQuillen
    Participant

    I’m hoping to be at a level within this next year that I can feel comfortable playing in small venues, such as street fairs, art festivals, pubs, etc.

    #161337
    renate-kvalsvik
    Participant

    Hi
    You should maybe look into some music by O’Carolan (1670-1738), a very famous Irish harper and composer. There is a music book by Sylvia Woods: “40 O’Carolan Tunes For All Harps”, which has two arrangements of every song, one easy and one more advanced, and you can play them after each other to make a varied set. I love his tunes, you can do a search on Youtube and see what I mean.

    #161338

    I highly recommend any of Beth Kolle’s books.

    #161339
    Geri McQuillen
    Participant

    Thank you both for the suggestions.

    #161340
    harpglo-jean
    Participant

    Hi Geri,

    If you can play lead sheets, check out O’Neill’s Music of Ireland, 1850 free celtic tunes in lead sheet form, (there might be a few with bass clef also, and a few O’Carolan tunes are included also).

    #161341
    Audrey Nickel
    Participant

    I can tell you one thing…as a traditional Irish musician, I would run screaming in the opposite direction if I heard someone playing “Danny Boy” (aka the so-called “London” Derry Air).

    #161342
    Geri McQuillen
    Participant

    Thank you Gloria and Audrey.

    #161343
    Geri McQuillen
    Participant

    P.S.

    #161344
    Audrey Nickel
    Participant

    The tune that “Danny Boy” is supposed to have been drawn from (“Aislinn an Oigfhear” in Modern Irish…The Young Man’s Dream) bears so little resemblence to it that they’re really not recognizable as being related, unless one is really stretching things.

    #161345

    I agree, Danny Boy is dire…

    However, Geri’s post is asking which traditional songs are most requested – and sadly, that one is top of the list! I’ve got jobs before solely on the basis that I can play it… it’s usually someone’s grandad’s favourite tune 😉

    Other traditional tunes that are much requested for me are :

    Wild Mountain Thyme
    Greensleeves (yawn)
    Linden Lea
    The Ash Grove
    Barbara Allen
    Waly Waly/Water is Wide
    Star of the County Down
    Scarborough Fair
    Lovely Joan
    My Love is Like A Red, Red Rose
    Oh Rowan Tree
    Skye Boat Song
    She Moved Through the Fair

    (These aren’t necessarily ‘Celtic’ – but as Britain is a small place, there isn’t always a distinction in the public mind)

    Much as I love Carolan, the general public don’t request it because they’ve never heard of it.

    #161346
    Audrey Nickel
    Participant

    I’m sorry, but I simply can’t stand the tune.

    #161347

    I like it too, Tess. There are a lot of jigs that make me want to do what Danny Boy makes you want to do, Audrey.

    #161348
    Karen Johns
    Participant

    Some songs in my rep are the following:

    Down by the Salley Gardens (Irish)

    The Gentle Maiden (Irish)

    The Ash Grove (Welsh)

    The Butterfly (Irish)

    Land O’ The Leal (Scottish)

    Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch (Scottish)

    The Water Is Wide- O Waly, Waly (English, Scottish)

    Scarborough Fair (English), paired with The Next Market Day (Irish)

    Greensleeves (English), paired with The Grenadier and The Lady (English)

    Hope this helps! Best of luck to you :-)

    Karen

    #161349
    sherry-lenox
    Participant

    Somewhat OT- there is a lovely set of songs by Vaughn Williams that includes “Linden Lea”. I did them 83 years ago as part of my college graduation recital. Well it feels that way anyhow. Also “Bright Is the Ring of Words”. Unfortunately it was written for baritone but we altos are used to singing all sorts of oddly misplaced lyrics.

    I like “Danny Boy” if it’s done simply with a nice accomp. I make no apologies either. Taste is taste. I promise not to criticize anyone else’s choices and we can all afford to be polite.

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