Loughcurra’s one hundred and forty comments

Take pleasure in listening. Record and make a note of some tunes they play. Target just one or two at a time. Ask for advice, ask if they could play the tune you’ve been working on. It’s how we all do it, a bit of humility and hard work, enjoy the roa... more…

There has always been music sung and played, it’s more a matter of whether it was collected. There are plenty of tunes in Farrell, Petrie or Goodman etc that would predate 1800. more…

You get the idea from the above. Most people with Eb, C or Bb flutes are only playing the tunes in the same key as they would in D (same fingering, different pitch). There are maybe a few people who occasionally pull out a C whistle to play the same finge... more…

Cicero wasn’t that sure there was any worthwhile music. more…

In Northern European languages (German, Dutch, English), fiddles have been called fiddles for centuries, at least since medieval times, so it’s not surprising it’s the same in Norrh America. Vitula/vidula in Latin. more…

Transcribed from a recent performance. more…

I guess it’s fair to ask who peopld consider to be the longest serving influential trad musicians still playing out in sessions. Not sure I’ve an answer, quite a few in their 70s for sure. Do women count too? ;-) more…

Why? more…

Jim Parker is the only music credit so he probably composed the opening piece too. Don’t think it’s a march or traditional in any recognisable way. I thought it sounded awful but that’s just personal taste I guess :-) more…

not forgetting John McKenna’s polkas Up and Away / The Merry Girl more…