Music to sooth the savage breast and provide some mood of relaxation, I hope. This is the lovely James Scott Skinner slow air; poignant in that it was written in tribute to a young widow from Forres in Morayshire here in Scotland. It is played here on my JK mandolin and Lowden O32 guitar, recorded on a Behringer pencil microphone using REAPER. The pictures are of my local favourite river, the Echaig, and I have slowed down the flow of the river to create a more peaceful atmosphere. I also removed the camcorder soundtrack, so no rushing water sounds. This enforced home occupation is certainly making me think about what freedom we usually enjoy and take for granted, and how totally unprepared we can be when crisis hits us. We are all in it together and the virus has no favourites!
Indeed a very peaceful tune, John. You both instruments so well. It sounds like a real duet. Interesting idea of slowing down the video so it matches the slow air.
Wonderful, great arrangement and perfect execution. Now it's time for me to find my copy of "The Scottish Violinist" and give it a go.
I love it John, a sweet tune and you're arrangement is awesome. Great mix and great interplay between instruments. The video is a perfect canvas for the musical piece.
Yes - peace. It's full of it, and I need a bit of that. You'd think that life will be more quiet without people around, but not for me. When you work in health care information technology, you find that suddenly everything depends on it and everybody want everything - not now, but yesterday. The other day I saw a helicopter pass overhead with a big white pack suspended on a line, and I thought "is that toilet paper?" Sounds like a child's musical box, again. We need more of that.
Thanks for your encouraging comments, guys. Where I am in rural Scotland the internet is at best rather slow, but today it has been crawling along. Probably so much more bandwidth being taken up with eveyone being at home, working online or browsing sites such as this. Will leave off posting more new tunes at the moment, at least for a day or so. A chance to look out some more of the tunes we don't play so often, and maybe even learn some rather than just reading them from the notation and doing quick recordings!
Your tunes have really been cheering me up these last few days. I haven't had time to play, but listening to this music late in the evening has helped keep the spirits up.
A lovely tune by J. Scott Skinner. My mandolin playing seemed weak when compared with Mr. Kelly's brilliant example so I opted for the concertina with octave mandolin backing and a hint of organ in the background. Bonus points to anyone who can identify my Scottish clan's historic seat in the video photos. Cheers.
One of the nice things about this group is the opportunity to hear all those different ideas and arrangements. It's like the folk process in miniature! Both versions are very pleasant and peaceful. Thank you.
Lovely version, David. You always get such great pictures too, and you have me beaten on the Scottish Castle, and me a Scot too!
To be fair, Castle Tioram is cleverly concealed behind bluebells at around 2:17 in the video. Castle Tioram was the historic seat of the MacDonalds of Clanranald. These days mere mention of the MacDonalds of Clanranald invites comparisons to a famous clown with the MacDonald surname.
David - a beautiful and relaxing tune with lovely pictures. John and David - great from both. I'm having a hard time getting motivated. At least I have a half-snow covered lawn...I feel for people who have no yard or access to outside. I think Simon is one of those - on top of being in a country with a curfew. Stay well...
David - what a small world. My maternal granny (Mary Ann Cameron) was a Cameron from Shielbridge in Acharacle, and grew up in Dorlin House. She would have been born around 1870. I believe her father (Duncan) was the Estate Factor. Dorlin House was demolished away back in the 1960s, I believe.
Two great versions of a beautiful tune!
