Bean Ag Baint Duilisc

Danny O’Donnell (fiddler & more) ~ October 10th, 1910 - May 13th, 2001
Cartlann Cheol Thir Chonaill, CCTC-001, 2012

Lovely job done on the notes, much appreciated.

Accompanists:
Sean Byrne - guitar
Janet Harbison - harp

This would be what some will find to be the weak and unnecessary addition to the fiddling, but, some folks prefer to have that accompaniment, as many of the older musicians preferred to have dancers dancing to their music, welcoming that ‘company’, that ‘community’ of music and dance. I have no problem listening past the weak points and appreciating the history and heart in this. Yes, if it was about giving stars and five were the max, as on Amazon, I would have to remove one for the accompaniment, which I’d prefer wasn’t there, but then I wasn’t the fiddler and I’ve no doubt he welcomed them as friends in this… 😉

I’ve been enjoying this as therapy after too much ‘cerebral’ listening. I haven’t a problem at all in focusing in on Danny’s fiddle and boy, and with great pleasure. I’ve given over something like two weeks to listening to a certain piper that is a favourite of a friend, and I’d promised I’d chase up that recording, and did. When I first played it I knew it wasn’t really for me, no involuntary movement in the feet or humming/singing/lilting. There are a few such recordings and players that others rave about that when I first hear them I’ll initially sit up and take notice and there’s a "WOW!, and then it gets tiring, the same ol‘, same ol’, piling it on thick and drawing my attention to what they’re doing to the music, away from the music. After more than two weeks of repeats this ‘cerebral’ recording never let me just sit back, relax, and just enjoy. The player was ALWAYS in the way, whether it was a dance tune or an air, and, my opinion, they were in the way of that too, the ‘dance’ in the dance tunes and the ‘song’ in the airs. But I persisted, as I have respect for my friend and this is a favourite of theirs. Well, it’s the first piper I’ve added on to my list of recordings only worth taking a track at a time, and then not often.

Back to Danny’s way with all this, it has heart and I smiled a lot, and it helped purge me of the dreaded OTT cerebral listening I’d been subjecting myself to. I will return often to this, and I’ve done a few transcriptions too. It reminded me right away of others I’ve had the pleasure of sharing music and dance and chat with in Donegal, it smells of peat, it goes in and fills me with warmth like a fine whiskey. Thanks Danny. I wish we’d had the pleasure of spending some time together, but, you’re here in your music, with heart and humour in your playing.

Someone else had complained about the accompaniment, but it doesn’t really interfere. Danny preferred to share his music and have backing, and the two here, harp and guitar, are quiet, gentle, and haven’t managed to distract me from this pleasure… I highly recommend this lovely CD, and am grateful of the booklet that comes with it, my blessings on those who gave time and effort to make this available to us all, to inspire all this smiling I find myself doing as I listen and play along.

Thanks, much appreciated! ~ ‘c’

“I haven’t a problem at all in focusing in on Danny’s fiddle and ‘bow’ ~” ~ not ‘boy’… Z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z! 😏