6 posts tagged “fiddle”
I have little time anymore to play piano or violin, but today I found a moment in the sun at my desk to do just that. The comfort was too much to pass up some time to just sit play my grandfather's violin. As soon as I picked it up I found myself switching on the mic's to record this lovely David Richardson Composition: Caliope House. It's a short piece, I heard it played first by Alasdair Fraser, and I simply had to have it in my repertoire.
Hint hint nudge nudge! If one of my fine guitarist neighbours would like attempt to strum the accompaniment into this short track, well here's the sheet music with some chord suggestions.
Appended:
Ok, so I'm being daring here and I did the guitar part myself with my limited ability to actually play it or even tune it to the violin. Anyways, I'm still saying anyone is more than welcome to add instruments. Here's Caliope House with Guitar.
This is a strathspey I threw together this afternoon. It is composed by Jerry Holland of Cape Breton. I've played it a little more brisk than a traditional strathspey but I like it this way :-)
This is for Matushka Elizabeth as she has requested it (Thank you Matushka-smooch!).
It's a beautiful Air in 3/4 (Waltz) time. I really don't know if I do it justice but hey, this is a cheap concert! LOL! Anyways, The Skye Boat lyrics (not recorded here) are written by Sir Harold Boulton, Bart (1859 - 1935), while the tune itself is composed by Miss Annie MacLeod (Lady Wilson) in the 1870s.
The song is written about Charles Edward Stuart, claimant to the throne of Scotland, after his defeat at Culloden in 1746. He escaped by boat from Uist, with the aid of Flora MacDonald, to the Isle of Skye disguised as a servant girl! Good one Bonnie Prince Charlie!
Anyways, the Island of Skye is off the West coast of Mainland Scotland. It is the largest and best known of the Inner Hebrides.
Niel Gow's Lament for the Death of His Second Wife as played solo by yours truly
After I arrived home from work this evening I decided to record a better version of that little piece I posted yesterday evening. I wanted a more complete version and I wanted to slow it down to a more appropriate tempo. So, here's a multi-tracked version of Connaughtman's Rambles played in three violin parts and one percussion. The percussion is simply me tapping in a rhythm after the tune was recorded. Again, it's a traditional Irish Jig. Now, there *is* a second piece at the end, but the name of it eludes me at this time. Many fiddle tunes have found their way in and out of my repertoire over the years so it's easy to forget their names.
The lament for John Morris Rankin. I love this composition by Maire Rankin, so I had to learn it. I've had the recording rolling around for quite some time. It only ever made it to a Christmas CD for my family. I hope it doesn't make everyone's ears bleed too badly ;-)
