This is another Phil Cunningham tune which I play in a setting by Nigel Gatherer: https://www.nigelgatherer.com/tunes/...rnW/FernWh.pdf 1898 Giuseppe Vinaccia mandolin (x2) Vintage Viaten tenor guitar https://youtu.be/f97XYfwhfms This one seems fairly obscure compared to other tunes by Phil -- there is only one other recording on Youtube that I could see, and that one is on harmonica. The original album version by Aly & Phil has this tune as a set with "Valse des Jouets" (which we had here on SAW previously). Martin
What a great tune, Martin. Thanks for posting this one. Well played too, by the way.
Another great Waltz by Phil Cunningham. The Vinaccia shines great as usual in your recording, Martin.
Lovely tune with a homely feel to it, and these tunes do not come without a countermelody any more, it seems.
A very nice tune with a coutermelody, that enhances the beauty. And the Vinaccia really comes life on your hands, Martin!
Thanks, John, Frithjof, Bertram and Christian. We tried to play this with our group last week as well, but that needs a bit of polishing still, especially the ending where we need to slow down in order to play that little triplet phrase at the finish. One more Phil Cunningham tune to come from my weekend recording session... Martin
I also had some problems to play the triplet phrase at the finish in time, but I didn't slow down the tempo, I left out some notes and played eighth notes.
Beautiful recorded, Christian. Nice interaction of all three instruments. And the ending sounds good.
Well played, Christian. A tune that deserves more folk having a go at it.
Beautiful...What more can be said?
Another Phil Cunningham tune that I have to thank Martin for posting here. I too worked from Nigel's notation but did not use the harmony part he has included, instead using guitar arpeggios then strummed chords when I repeated the A part. I added a second guitar track to the mix on my Lowden guitar,playing just bass notes. My pictures were taken a few days ago in a spell of fine weather. They show the Victorian pier at Dunoon and the Argyll Flyer, one of two passenger-only ferries linking Dunoon with the port of Gourock across the other side of the Firth of Clyde. At one time the ferries operating from this pier were vehicle-carrying, but for the past several years the vehicle ferries are provided by a privately-run company, Western Ferries, which operates from its base at Hunter's Quay, a couple of miles north along the coast. The downgrading of the ferry service from Dunoon has been a source of real anguish for the town, which relies so much on tourism.
A masterpiece, John, both from Phil and from you. Running it yet another time, and then again...
Sounds great, John. I especially like the waltz rhythm guitar at the end. Always interesting to hear the different approaches of the SAWplayers.
Thanks, John, for adding your beautiful version of Fernlea Waltz. It’s every time interesting to learn how you build your fine arrangements.
Very nice recordings, Christian and John. Always good to see the same source material being interpreted so differently. I quite like the triplet phrase as a coda in Nigel's score, but it works just fine without it as I don't think it's an integral part of Phil's composition. Also, hearing "proper" guitars used as accompaniment always makes me wonder whether I'm missing out by not buckling down and learning the 6-string... Martin
Much appreciated from all of you, folks. The triplets were a nice addition in Nigel's notation, whether in Phil's original or not. Getting the timing was a wee challenge too, as has been pointed out. Bertram, your comment re the size of the CalMac ferry is well made. There are smaller ones which are also capable of carrying cars - we have one near us here which links Cowal with the Island of Bute. It is a tiny Roll-on-roll-off ferry and the crossing is so narrow that the boarding ramp is hardly raised before the other ramp is beginning to lower!
I assume you're referring to the Colintraive-Rhubodach ferry, John - there's a few videos of that, and I agree: had they built it a little bit larger, it might stay anchored in the middle, both ramps down Scotland seems to be the place for that - reminds me of the flight from Westray to Papa Westray.
Martin wrote hearing "proper" guitars used as accompaniment always makes me wonder whether I'm missing out - I often wonder what would have become of me had I not been given a violin as a kid but a guitar, and I think that I would have discovered DADGAD tuning sooner or later and found peace of mind because standard tuning never fit in my head. That is what i would do if marooned on an island with nothing but a six-shooter: tune it DADGAD and relearn all the tunes. Luckily, they invented tenors to save us.
That is the very ferry, Bertram. You know your CalMac boats!
Love this to pieces !!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, Ginny. Phil Cunningham still having an impact on our tune choices, I see, and so much notation to find on Nigel's great site.
Very fine offerings of this tune Christian and John K…and with several other Phil Cunningham tunes being posted in the group recently I now have to add his tunes to my to do list!
