[NSP] Re: WHW

2010-12-19 Thread Anthony Robb 

   Hello John
   It had exactly the same effect on me despite being besotted by the
   original Tom Clough 78 (which Ron Elliott bought by chance in Harrogate
   market in the late 60s).
   The postman delivered Billy's album as I was leaving for the lab at
   Aston. I put it on the record player and tears were forming by the end
   of track 2 (A side - The Lark in the Clear Air was the culprit). By the
   time B side track 3  (WHW) came on the tears were falling on the floor.
   I played the whole LP 3 times through back to back and went in to the
   lab in the afternoon.
   Re WHW, I listened to it again tonight with Colin's notes in front of
   me. Granted that my album has been played almost to death so I could be
   totally wrong here but the 5 note run (B C C# D D#) between the high G
   and the long E only seems to happen first time round. Unless my ears
   deceive me the equivalent runs as the tune progresses miss out the D#.
   Furthermore, the D# in the original run seems to me to be quite flat.
   Could it be that first time around he squeezes the D up a tad to get a
   D# effect? There is certainly enough gap after it where he could bring
   the pressure back down to get the E in tune. This would be in keeping
   with what Dick Hill (Billy's last formal pupil and player of the
   stunning Jack Armstrong 7 key chanter) told me. That Billy in fact
   played a 6 key chanter as the D# block had broken off.
   If indeed this is the case we can only further marvel at Billy's
   genius!
   Cheers
   Anthony
   --- On Sun, 19/12/10, Gibbons, John  wrote:

 From: Gibbons, John 
     Subject: [NSP] Re: WHW
 To: "NSP group" 
 Date: Sunday, 19 December, 2010, 15:47

   I'd heard NSP before - including Billy's TV appearance.
   But that record was what really got the fire burning - Jack Armstrong's
   LP didn't quite do it for me.
   Also, as you say, the notes - almost a book - were excellent.
   Colin's transcription of The Wild Hills of Wannie really helped me to
   understand what was going on.
   My only regret now is not getting a set sooner.
   Good luck to any intrepid souls attempting the yomp on Boxing Day!
   It might be a chilly one!
   John
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References

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[NSP] Re: WHW

2010-12-19 Thread Francis Wood 

On 19 Dec 2010, at 15:47, Gibbons, John wrote:

> Good luck to any intrepid souls attempting the yomp on Boxing Day!
> It might be a chilly one!

Yes, it will depend on the conditions.

Title for a new march there . . .

'Yomp and Circumstance March' perhaps?

Francis
& with apologies



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[NSP] Re: WHW

2010-12-19 Thread Gibbons, John 
I'd heard NSP before - including Billy's TV appearance.
But that record was what really got the fire burning - Jack Armstrong's LP 
didn't quite do it for me.
Also, as you say, the notes - almost a book - were excellent. 
Colin's transcription of The Wild Hills of Wannie really helped me to 
understand what was going on.
My only regret now is not getting a set sooner.

Good luck to any intrepid souls attempting the yomp on Boxing Day!
It might be a chilly one!

John







From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu [lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of 
Francis Wood [oatenp...@googlemail.com]
Sent: 19 December 2010 14:55
To: Richard York
Cc: NSP group
Subject: [NSP] Re: Doubleday et al

On 19 Dec 2010, at 12:55, Richard York wrote:

> It would be interesting to know how many people, either within the North 
> Eastern fold or out of it, were first inspired by hearing Mr Pigg's playing, 
> though.

Well, me for a start.

Knowing almost nothing about traditional music, and never having heard of 
Northumbrian pipes,  I came across the Billy Pigg LP on Leader Records in a 
record shop in Colchester. I liked the scholarly presentation with excellent 
illustrations and notes by Colin Ross and bought it immediately, thinking I'd 
got something fascinating and totally obscure. On the way home, I met the 
vicar's wife who said " Oh, I see you've got the Billy Pigg LP!"

I immediately played it to my flat-mate who after a couple of minutes, said  
"Do we have to have this on"?

But by then, I was hooked.

Francis




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