Anthony,
Many of us "older" ones on the list should remember the folk revival of the
60's when every pub had a folk club of some sort.
This discussion very much reminds me of the selectiveness between them.
There was a huge difference between the clubs - some being "pure
traditional" with no instruments of any sort allowed and others with
electric guitars etc.
There was always tension between them as to what constituted "Folk".
We decided to go with a "come along and sing whatever you like and have a
good time".
We got everything from Bob Dylan to Copper Family.
One of our best nights was when a certain Mr Anderson played concertina and
pipes (I still have most of the reel-to-reel recording of that night) and
the reception was fantastic - many never having heard anything but my poor
attempts to play the pipes before that (this was late 70's early 80's, I
think).
We never did solve the problems between the clubs but did agree to differ
whilst (a) accepting that different people had different viewpoints and (b)
agreeing that neither was "right" and accepting that, if one visited a
"traditional" club, one left the guitar at home and also the opposite - that
Tom Paxton fans could sit through several dozen Elizabethan verses without
passing out from lack of beer because they couldn't get up to go to the bar.
The audience decided what they liked.
Lets all agree to differ and enjoy a wonderful instrument without becoming
too pedantic.
We're musicians first and academics second, surely?
Let's not argue over which end of the egg to open :)
Colin Hill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony Robb" <anth...@robbpipes.com>
To: "Dartmouth NPS" <nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 11:25 AM
Subject: [NSP] Not again!
Hello again
The number of people asking me to stay on the list has really touched
me. I did leave but rejoined this morning as Iam convinced there is
much still to be said; in no particular order:
* It wasnat just Barry Sayas contribution that made me question my
presence on the list. It came after some very unpleasant postings,
which, for me, came as quite a shock. This list can be a source of
genuine information and help to pipers everywhere but it will only
succeed if opinions are sensitively voiced and readers take time to
assimilate what has been said.
* Surely it is contradictory to talk about aproper pipinga, amoving
ona, apaths to perditiona and aconversiona and then claim rules are
not being implied?
* Why, when Kathryn Tickell has done more, single-handedly, to raise
the profile of piping than the NPS has ever done, are some people
on the list frightened to even mention her name? Could it be she
doesnat follow the (non-existent) rules? Or perhaps it is her
success? I have watched her inspire extremely talented bairns who
might not have been switched on to Northumbrian piping if the some
of the more vociferous elements on this list had been doing the
teaching. Kathryn is one of the hardest working, talented and
modest (yes modest!!) people I have ever worked with.
* Last year I brought Chris Ormston in to teach some pipes lessons at
The Sage Gateshead. His talent stood out but his single-minded
approach was not what is required in an area of music that is meant
to be fun and all-encompassing. I was hoping to carry on with my
Northumbrian Band workshops. It would have been perfect for me if
Chris had delivered what the people were paying for and been the
popular choice to carry on with the pipes when Paul Knox had moved
on. Caedmon participants are from all walks of life and pay good
money for help in getting what they want from the pipes. Being told
that the sounds that had attracted them to the pipes was not the
way to do it wasnat exactly the best choice of teaching strategy.
So now I am back doing the pipes lessons at TSG. Not my ideal
outcome but it is why his ajobs for the boysa jibe was particularly
nasty nonsense.
* With regards to my teaching philosophy and standards, I invite any
one of you to ask any of the participants of aThe Cool Breath Toura
if they found my approach musical and challenging. We were aiming
for the highest standard of musical enjoyment and there will soon
be a recording available to see if this was achieved and to what
extent. Perhaps Barry can recommend a similar project/recording of
his own so that we can hear for ourselves just how far along this
road he has travelled himself?
* As for the question of gracing; perhaps it is precisely because
such notes intrude and give some form of dynamics that I find them
so musical and appealing. For heavenas sake, the pipes are limited
enough to start with, please do not impose further restrictions on
what they should or shouldnat do. If you want your music clean and
unadulterated then Noteworthy or Sibelius might be the answer. As
for Adrianas conversion, may I suggest that this is the greatest
loss to Northumbrian piping since the death of Joe Hutton?
* The description of conversions to the clean Clough style sound as
inviting as joining some strict religious sect. This contrasts to
what I was told by Bill Hedworth when I first asked for advice
about playing the pipes back in 1969, aAnthony, we each have to
find our own salvation when it comes to this instrumenta.
OK, this is plenty to be going on with. It has always been my position
that the strength of our music is its breadth of appeal. I am doing no
more than offering a description of my own salvation and invite others
to take it or leave it. Unless, of course, you want me to organise
tours/concert groups etc. when youall have no choice but to take it, at
least until I have left the room.
As aye
Anthony
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