I hope that there is not another thread lurking on the SAW group for this tune, other than on the Poll Tune Suggestions where CC has recommended it in the past few days. Here is my version, played on octave and acoustic guitar, with the acoustic guitar having an extra track. One track has the chords (key of G) in open position then the second track adds same chords but capoed at 7th fret to add another layer to the backing. The pictures were taken this morning in The Bishop's Glen above Dunoon near my home.
Wonderful version of this nice tune John! And beautiful pictures...
Very nice, John. Lovely photos to such a lovely tune and masterfully played as well.
Really beautiful John. It’s like the sound track to a film.
Very enjoyable music, John. The pictures make me want to hike this landscape.
Very beautiful. The octave gives it such depth, very nice.
Where are my hankies when I need them - this is so peaceful, tune and pictures, that it instantly makes the world leap to a better level.
Thanks so much, everyone. Mr Cunningham certainly can turn out a great tune, and he has composedd so many too. It is a very enjoyable tune to play. Thanks to crisscross for putting it in my mind with his Poll suggestion.
Very beautiful John. The music and the photos go so well together. The double guitar track with the capo at the 7th gives it a nice depth. Great idea.
Here's my take on Miss Rowan Davies.
Lovely stuff John and David - really enjoyed both of those versions!
As beautiful as John’s version, David. Only the atmosphere of your recording seems to be darker. May be all the fog in some of the chosen pictures makes that. I like to play that too. Found the sheet music in The Session.
Thanks David, It’s nice to see the contrast of the timing/tempo between the two of your versions. Here’s version 1 with TAB, though there are three versions on thesession.org https://www.dropbox.com/s/comdjo4oow...v1%29.pdf?dl=0
What a lovely version, David, and a fine arrangement. I love your choice of photos here - I recognise them as almost entirely Scottish, so extra thanks for this, Phil and I both being proud Scots.
Another fine version of this tune, David! The concertina adds some almost orchestral qualities.
Very impressive David, and I think I recognized many of the photos as well, at least those from Skye (Quiraing, Storr, Dunvegan? John will set me right here, I expect).
Somehow I got it in my head that Miss Rowan Davies was from the Isle of Skye, she may be but it turns out I was thinking of another Phil Cunningham tune, Margaret MacKinnon of Digg. Digg is on Skye. Most of the photos are of Skye or Scotland but only John can know for sure.
This is a truly beautiful tune, and two great recordings. Here is mine. As with the other Phil Cunningham tune I have uploaded today, I have recorded it as a mandolin duet with tenor guitar backing, using a transcription by the Dunedin Scottish Fiddle Orchestra at: http://www.kiwifolk.com/dfc/DSFO%20Violin.pdf This one uses my Vinaccia bowlback, for a quite different tone from the Gibson I've used for The Hut On Staffin Island. The portraits in the video are all portraits of or by Scottish women, although not necessarily all called Rowan... 1898 Giuseppe Vinaccia mandolin (x2) Vintage Viaten tenor guitar Martin
Beautiful mandolin duet, Martin! And thanks for the link to the tunebook.
Beautiful piece of chamber music, Martin. The compilation you linked to is a treasure itself.
I just overlooked Christian’s post. Obviously we thought the same.
All nice versions of a beautiful song. Sorry I missed the boat on this one. By the time I mentioned it to John, he had it done, posted and off to play in his fiddle group.
A lovely chambermusical rendition, Martin, and the bowlback makes it unmistakeably Italian. I'll call this "Pipe Major Cunningham's Farewell to Venice".
3 great renditions of this beautiful tune. I think I might have to put this on the "to learn" pile!
I also put it on my "to learn"pile and today found some time to record my modest version:
That’s a nice one, Christian.
Thanks Frithjof! Listening back to yesterday's recording, I discovered some timing irregularities. The eighth notes after the long note seemed a bit hurried and a bit too late. So I tried to record the mandolin part again. Hope it's better now...
Your playing is very sensitive today, Christian.
Nice one, Christian.
Wow! Standards are high, CC. Well done.
Very nice tone and timing!
Unless it sounds awkward there are no rules saying every note has to be of the written note value. You can make it your own, as long as you like it. This is a very nice one.
Thanks a lot folks! (I'm not talking about changing the note value consciously, Ginny, in my first recording I played a little inexactly.)
Christian said: "I'm not talking about changing the note value consciously, Ginny, in my first recording I played a little inexactly." This is the difference between playing strict tempo, as written, and actually feeling the tune as you play it. Maybe the notes need to be adhered to more strictly when there are several players all playing the same thing, or at least melody and first and second harmonies as in Strathspey and Reel Societies (in Scottish music). I always think a slow air is best played by a solo fiddler rather than by a group, beause this allows the player to give expression to the tune and make the interpretation their own. Ginny's idea of there being no rules is one we can embrace in the tunes we play on the SAW group. Even playing for dancing allows one to vary phrases and notes as long as the tempo remains steady!
Ok thanks guys. Getting my two hours out of bed to write and get 'educated' My point was CC did a good job.
