This has been one of my favourite tunes ever since I found it on Nigel Gatherer's site a few years ago. Thanks, Nigel! I've just recorded two quick clips of it, one on my 1921 Ajr and the other one on resonator tenor. For some reason I can't remember, I played it twice through on the reso but only once on the mandolin, which explains the different lengths of the clips: <Old videos removed -- see below for newer one> Here's Nigel's ABC: X:110 T:Dermott Grogan's Hornpipe D:Bumblebees, 'Buzzin'' (1999) Z:Nigel Gatherer M:4/4 L:1/8 K:D A>F|D2 f>a f>dA>d|B2 (3BBB A>BA>F|D2 f>a f>dA>d|(3BBB e>d e>fA>F| D2 f>a f>dA>d|B2 (3BBB A>Bd>e|f>Ad>f e>Ac>e|d2 d>c d2:|] e2|f2 (3dcB B>cd>f|e2 (3cBA A>Bc>e|d2 d>B G>Bd>B|A>FA>d f>ed>e| f2 (3dcB B>cd>f|e2 (3cBA A>Bc>e|d2 d>B G>Bd>B|A>ce>c d2:|] Martin
That sounds great Martin. I love hornpipes--so happy and bouncy. Do you think your mandolin will make it to its centennial birthday? It sounds wonderful.
Thanks, Marcelyn! Yes, I am very fond both of this tune and of the mandolin. It's a bit beat-up but plays and sounds great -- no reason to suspect it will pack up in the next decade or so. Martin
Great stuff Martin - nice to hear the contrast between the resonator tenor version and the Ajr version. They both sound the business by the way, I'm particularly admiring that Ajr!
Thanks, Jill. The Ajr really comes into its own on this sort of material. Incidentally, it's the same instrument as the mandolin used by Aidan Crossey on the MP3s he recorded for his "Pay The Reckoning" mandolin site here -- I bought it from him. For classical or Italian tunes I normally use my Embergher bowlback -- I have to record a few clips of that over Easter, as the tone is completely different but at least as good as the Ajr. After some trial and error, I think I have a decent stable together now. Martin
Now that's what I call a good tune.
As this is my favourite tune, I had to give it a run-through while I had the waldzither out yesterday: I find it fascinating how the character of a tune changes through using a different instrument even if it's played by the same player with much the same speed and phrasing. <Old video removed -- see below for newer one> Martin
This tune was originally written as a 4-part hornpipe called "The Echoing Strings" by banjo player Owen Hackett. See https://thesession.org/tunes/5414
Thanks, Aidan. Yes, I saw that original title at Nigel Gatherer's site and included it in the description for my own video. My old 2010 videos in this thread aren't up anymore -- I took them down when I recorded the tune again in 2013, this time on OM and mandolin as a set with James Scott Skinner's reel "The Spey In Spate". That's one of Nigel's sets, with both tunes from his website. This was one of my very first recordings with the Mid-Missouri OM, just after I bought it. I should probably revisit this set as I absolutely love both tunes. So much fun to play! https://youtu.be/1OHRrwo9v-E?si=hZFx9nwDbyzqo0O7 Martin
This is a grand pairing, Martin. Nigel has some very good ideas for combining tunes into interesting sets, and this hornpipe and reel are just such a combination. The Spey in Spate is also one of my own great favourites and I combine three Skinner compositions, a March, Strathspey and Reel (The Lovat Scouts, The Laird of Drumblair and The Spey in Spate) into what would be a standard competition set here in Scotland. Here is a link to the set I posted a few months back. I just really like Skinner's compositions! https://youtu.be/HT9K5iEsg8w
@Martin... Funny how some tunes speak to some people and not to others. I've come across The Echoing Strings at various points and thought I'd give it a crack and have always been disappointed. The 3rd and 4th parts, which you - probably wisely! - don't play, seem to jar a bit. Although I'm quite prepared to admit that this may well be because, compared to Mr Hackett - who is a premier league player, I'm in a Sunday kickabout game! To hear the man himself play a couple of sets of jigs which he has composed, check out https://www.banjohangout.org/myhango...c.asp?id=51091
Here's a lovely little tune with paintings by Joan Eardley - icing on the cake!! (There is actually one painting that Im not sure about, it's the multicoloured houses in the middle of vid, looks very similar style though). https://youtu.be/3Vr96e3xdHs?feature=shared
Perfect playing of that lovely hornpipe, Simon, the triplets fit like a glove.
Thanks Christian, I’m on the road to triplet heaven.
I love hornpipes and this one was played perfectly, Simon - a nice visual treat too.
An enjoyable pairing of mandolin and paintings!
Lovely, Simon -- one of my favourite tunes! Martin
You have got those triplets really well here, Simon. The tunes flows beautifully and the artwork is most enjoyable.
