I’d like to find out some names of recorded fluters who tackle
tunes that have no business being played on flute. For example,
Paddy Fahey reels, or things in weird keys or that go down below D.
Over to you, flute experts!
😲 ~ ~ ~
Off the top of my head I can’t think of any flute players that I particularly associate with playing ‘non-flute-friendly’ tunes, but there are several tunes that go below bottom D that I hear played a lot on flutes and whistles at sessions, including the Martin Wynne’s 1 and 2, Fergal O’Gara’s reel and Sean Ryan’s jig (AKA The Castle). Usually the approach I’ve heard is to just play the offending notes an octave higher than the fiddlers/banjos etc.
Matt Malloy’s Mason’s Apron in A is a daft thing to play on a flute. Don’t care for it myself.
Though I do think his Contradiction Reel in A is splendiferous.
“no business being played on flute” ~ says who, on what basis, and with what imagined authority? Judgements and rules and the want to control and limit the activities of others? Why? To what end? Sheesh! Who wants music bound up and suffocated in that kind of imposed straight jacket, whatever the instrument… Funny, it often seems that such attemptsat ‘pigeon holing’ are often the fantasies of the least experienced and capable… 😏
Following Pat Mustard’s point ~ and there are plenty of tunes that generally do not drop below that D - but folks take it lower anyway, as an alternative, including octave playing… Such playing, playfulness, is all part of the tradition. Those that like to limit things, well, they are missing something all together, including a clear understanding of it all. IMO
“Usually the approach I’ve heard is to just play the offending notes an octave higher than the fiddlers/banjos etc.” ~ Pat Mustard
Not in the least bit limited to an octave’s difference. Other options include ornaments, drones, and harmonic and enharmonic options So if a tune touches on C - B, - A, - G, ~ the possibilities are pretty much limitless, at least to anyone with a passion and understanding for the tune in question… And key signatures aren’t limiting either, just challenging and offering other interesting choices and variations…
Even instruments not limited to that D enjoy these possibilities and options…
The obvious choice is Paddy Carty: East Galway flute player and friend of Paddy Fahy. He recorded a number of Fahy’s tunes, on a couple of commercial recordings, and a whole heap of home recordings that are knocking around on the internet.
Seán Moloney, another East Galway flute player, also recorded a number of Paddy Fahy tunes, and like Paddy Carty, plays the usual (or unusual) East Galway tunes in G Minor and Mixolydian etc. His stuff is a little harder to track down, but you can get a couple of his albums from Custy’s.
I also think P.J. Crotty plays a few tunes in Bb Major, G Minor etc. on the album he recorded with James Cullinan, which is absolutely brilliant.
The Scottish flute player Calum Stewart really rips up the old strathspeys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvKXuZVzrqM
He has no business playing such amazing snaps on the flute.
I think I remember, at a Celtic Crossroads concert, the “fluter” playing, or at least playing some harmony, on a tune in B major.
There is no such thing as “stuff not meant for flute”. You’re obviously confused. 😉
You might try Niall Keegan. He plays stuff you won’t likely hear on flute at your local session.
Elaine, the “Glasgow Reel” in Dm was clearly engineered as a recruiting tool to convince flute players to take up the button accordion…
Niall probably plays it!
Several recorded fluters also have instruments in different keys, and Matt Molloy has a Bb, but he’s not alone in having one. And most makes will make you an instrument in another key, and also provide you with keys for any and all accidentals if you’re not fond of half and cross fingering, and extensions to take your instrument down a couple of steps from the key it centers around, for example, not rare, a flute that has an extension down to Bb… There are also whistles being made with more than six holes, and even with keys, Misha Somerville has been working on a keyed whistle, on of his current pet projects:
http://mkwhistles.com/mkshop/
http://www.mkwhistles.com/category/mk-design-blog/
Well technically, flute players can cheat and get a different keyed flute, like playing Julia Delaney’s on a C flute.
But Kevin Crawford is a great player for playing those fiddle tunes that go below octave while staying on his D flute.
Frankie Kennedy
Who would buy a C flute to just play Julia. Madness.
Be creative - nobody will notice the ‘below’ notes.
Just because it’s there… C - Bb - A - Eb - the possibilities are endless. Me, I also love flat sets of uilleann pipes, prefer them to the concert pitch ones, especially the ‘rocket ships’… Too bad the Coynes didn’t also make flutes…
Meaning to say - I prefer flat sets to the concert pitch rocket ships, and by ‘rocket ships’ I mean those loutishly loud large-bore honkers…
Thanks everyone. Just wondering if I can say goodbye to the
fiddle without missing out on a lot of great tunes. Not convinced
yet though. I think I’d still need to use an accordion or concertina
on the side.
‘Too bad the Coynes didn’t also make flutes…’
They actually did. I know a man who has one too. Pretty much the baroque style thing of it’s time. In ‘old concert pitch’ = c#.
Very interested still Prof, thanks for that. I’ve no doubt it’s sweet… I’d heard some mention of that before, in the past, but had never seen the proof or managed to chase up evidence. I’d also sought out drawings and measurements of different woodwinds and not managed to find anything by way of flutes by the Coynes at the time. Now if only I could see one too. Thanks Prof, curiously, nice to know my suspicion has an answer.. I’ll have to see if I can chase up anything more now that there’s a vast Internet universe to explore. I love their pipes…
Hup, the fiddle has so much to offer, why would you want to, or need to, say goodbye? Are there reasons? And I see nothing wrong with keeping a free reed option on the side anyway. It’s not like there’s any worry of jealousy. Spread the love! ~ and the strain!
“The obvious choice is Paddy Carty”
…except that he played a Radcliffe system (fully keyed) flute, which was designed to be fully chromatic, so you could argue that tunes ‘not meant for’ a keyless or simple system flute were not necessarily ‘not meant for’ his kind of flute - at least, those tunes in flat keys or with lots of accidentals. Tunes that go below the range of the flute are another matter, but most traditional flute players tackle them on a regular basis.
I’m pretty sure this isn’t meant for flute (Irish or otherwise) 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbgyZ76wR2s&feature=relmfu
“Matt Malloy’s Mason’s Apron in A is a daft thing to play on a flute. Don’t care for it myself.”
Thats why he plays it in G. Though I’m sure Matt could conquer it in A as well as he did with the contradiction.
i play the contradiction in G when playing solo as it sits better on the flute there.
Heres Niall Keegan playing Lucy Campbells in C because he can,
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zRLIvKS1aoM
I think the shift in playing out of the keyless repetiore and using keys is a result of flutes available in better working order and people willing to restore the old ones and make the new ones.
You might hear Malo Carvou and Calum stewart ! Tom Mcelvogue etc, as mentioned playing outside d and g and the related minors often enough as well as many younger players.
Its a lovely challenge to play Black Pats in f on a keyed flute for me but it just rolls off a c flute in g fingering
Hup, I’m pretty much a flute-only gal and there isn’t much I don’t play now that I got a 6-key. Once you get round the keys and are used to folding or harmonizing notes below bottom D you’ll be fine.
Besides, if someone starts Glasgow Reel in Dm (which I’m sure Michael is now working up on B/C box just to make us both laugh next session) it’s time for a trip to the bogs anyway. 😉
I think Matt Molloy talks about this briefly in this interview…
http://www.firescribble.net/flute/molloy.html
Thanks again for all the contributions. That Keegan’s a maniac,
isn’t he?
