Turlough O'Carolan?-Andante

  1. Christian DP
    Christian DP
    Some years ago, I ordered a sheet music book from Trekel. It's by Bruno Skordikowski and it's a suite in five parts based on the music of O'Carolan. Well, I don't know this particular piece, but I learned to appreciate O'Caroln's music only in participating in the SAW group. So my question: is this an O'Carolan original or just music with an Irish flair?
    I'm sure there is an O'Carolan expert here, who can answer this question.
  2. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    There are certain similarities to Squire Wood's Lamentation on the Refusal of His Halfpence by Turlough O'Carolan.

  3. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Christian, I have no idea whether O'Carolan composed this piece or not, but it certainly has the feel of something he might have written. He was one of the few composers of his time whose work has survived in written form, both songs and tunes, for which we must all be grateful. I believe there are around 220 compositions surviving, so it is likely that Bruno Skordikowski did combine some of his tunes into the suite you mention.

    Whether his or not, your recording and video are really enjoyable and capture the feel of a man who gave us so much great music.
  4. Ginny Aitchison
    Ginny Aitchison
    CC. I love this song and the way you have played it. Was it a difficult one for you to learn? It is very nice.
  5. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    Christian – no answer to your question. I enjoyed listening to your recording. I like the different dynamics within your playing and the very good interplay of both instruments.

    David – one great recording of your considerable collection of O’Carolan tunes.
    But considering the statement of John you did only one third of O’Carolan`s compositions. Hm…!?
  6. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Great stately recordings from you two CC and David. Really nice to hear you at breakfast on this fine spring-like morning.

    Yes these both sound O’C, I believe it’s in E aeolian ie. notes from the key of G major. So harmonically for David’s at least it revolves (to my ears) from Em to C, which is the VIm to the IV. That begins to sound a bit Lydian, emotionally complex and flowery sad, my favourite mode. CC’s at times could even be G major to Bm, I to IIIm which feels sad but more centred and comfortable.
    Then there’s the beautiful sudden rise out of the key to F major ie. the natural seventh.
    -this is O’Carolan’s failed attempt at The Blues, or maybe it was a nod at a foreigner that he met at the port.

    (CC’s rise is to a more melancholic Dm ie. the relative minor of that F major. Are you saying that the foreigner was shipwrecked, stranded, CC?)
  7. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    David, you and I posted simultaneously yesterday,so I could not comment then on your O'Carolan offering. Once again a very polished performance and a lovely video production.
  8. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    My video posted above is from 2013 and was originally posted in the O'Carolan thread. I have completed 73 videos of O'Carolan tunes to date, so I was able to recoginise Christian's tune as one of them. Here is a link to a great resource for O'Carolan tunes:
    http://www.oldmusicproject.com/occ/tunes.html

    There are other tunes attributed to O'Carolan that don't appear there, Martin has done quite a few of those and they are posted here, he can probably tell you where.
  9. Christian DP
    Christian DP
    Thanks folks and especially David for recognizing the tune. I'm sure Squire Wood's Lamentation was the inspiration for the Andante.
    As Simon points out, there are some minor harmonic differences, but the melody is basically the same.
    No Ginny, the mandolin part isn't too difficult, it was the written out guitar accompaniment, that took me some time to learn it.
    http://www.oldmusicproject.com/AAOCC...amentation.gif
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