It's May, Tra La!

 I'd like to see how we all feel about a monthly 'Post'  format - the weeks seem to fly by too fast.   Over the course of a month maybe I can set some loose goals and then comment week by week informally (as in, daily or when I feel like it, within that week) how it is going and then do some kind of summary.

This is the time when I need to start seriously focussing on Carolan for the upcoming Festival.  And then the month after that the Carolan session at Somerset which was my big fat idea, so I feel like I should be psyched and involved.  (You might want to check the Vermont event out, Pam - Just put in Carolan Festival - Vermont  2013 and it should pop up, probably a 2-3 hour drive for you, not too bad) where I've taught a few times.  This year I've been asked to help with the sessions at the festival, which  means it is time to practice Carolan....... they come back quickly, but they fall out quickly too and I'd like to add a couple of new ones if I can.  I really like Hugh O'Donnell, I must say.

Have I told you the story, Andee of my rebellious students at this festival?   I will, I promise!

General goals will be to go over my Carolan list.  It is divided into the tunes that are really very solid but need to be 'brought up', tunes that I've never quite quite quite gotten to where I want them, tunes that are a mess, and one or two I am determined to add to the soup.   Other than that, I will be learning my Clare tunes mostly - this week will be Patsy Geary's and The Battering Ram..... both jigs.

Week One May 1-4 (short week)....  buffed Kean O'Hara which Grainne taught ages ago - Most people seem to just play that first bit once and then move on - for some reason I got into the habit of playing those first four.... or so.... measures  twice.  There is also a place where I don't count quite right.  I'll have to give it a good listen and maybe peek in the book.   I started the O'Donnell, but can't find anyone playing it really nicely on youtube though, too bad.  I'll have to poke around.

Week Two May 5-12 Oh yes, I think this set up is much much better!!!!  Less stressful.   Well you will have a fit Andee, if I remember correctly - last night we went down to Barre VT to see MARTIN HAYES and he was, of course, sublime.  Been awhile since I saw him in concert and Knox hadn't seen him ever and was blown away.  (Have I told you Knox has taken up the Small Pipes??? He is coming along slow but steady - doesn't practice enough).  We're all fired up to tackle The Castle and The Nightingale.
On the harp I'm making steady progress through the Carolan tunes I know and are in the booklet that the Carolan Festival folks use (really just reprints of the tunes that have been taught/played a lot at the event).  Anything I sort of know I'm trying to improve so I can at least play it on the concertina and there are a couple of others, the above mentioned O'Donnell and also the oh so lovely Lord Inchiquin!  I'd like to add those, one way or another, to the repertoire.  Along with Madame Maxwell and and and and

I have no idea what I was going to say there...... but I'll just leave it as is.  Tonight is Clare class - Patsy Geary's (jig) and The Battering Ram which I have finally learned.... so I won't have to sort of fake it as sessions anymore...... or just sit there like a dummy.  I had the middle section but not the 1st and 3rd both with little tricksinesses.  It's the 10th now and I'm working on our next set, reels this week, The Ewe Reel (also known as The Green Blanket) and the Bell Harbour Reel.  The Ewe Reel is a bit of a stinker with a lot of back and forth of f naturals and sharps.  I can't really imagine tackling it on the Harp.  Bell Harbour maybe.

Week Three already!  I'm inching along with Inchiquin and also reviving Festus Burke - I've never really gotten the B section (or is it C - that's another issue) up to speed- most of it is easy, just one little bit, of course.  Otherwise I'm working mostly on the stuff for class, see above.   I meant to go to the Montpelier session yesterday but one thing and another intervened and then it was too late - if I go I like getting there a wee bit early for a good seat.  Thursday already!!!!!   Class was good, survived the two reels credibly, on to the last three tunes of the season - 'the growlers' apparently they are called - Rolling the the Barrel,  something or other, and the Earl's Chair...... I've sort of half learned the last and have certainly heard the other two plenty of times.  I'll plug in the name of tune two after I remember what it is.  I'm on a short writing retreat and I brought the harp as well as the c'tina and since I am by myself I should have some time to keep working on Lord Inchiquin and O'Donnell, which are newer ones.  I'm experimenting in just playing a single note as accompaniment to work on flexibility in playing different chords - single note, then open fifths, then octaves, tenths etc. fit in here and there but trying to loosen up.  I tend to learn a tune JUST ONE WAY and never play it another way comfortably.  Want to see if I can get anywhere by doing something like this.

Week Four  Hm. things are pretty much the same - I'm on a writing retreat and so am alone, and when I need a break I play music or take a walk or do some chore that needs doing.  I sort of have learned the last Clare tunes for the last class on Tuesday  (see above) and for some reason then I got obsessed with a set of tunes that Billy and Grainne taught back to back at one workshop - Johnny Will you Marry Me and The Braes of Mar - the Scottish one is the original tune.  It's fascinating to go from one to the other.
I should post a pic of the wisteria on the porch where I am, it is incredible - the hum of bees is constant all day.
 ...... A few days have gone by..... last Clare class was last night.  No music yet today, but our monthly session is tomorrow night, so I hope (now) to practice a few tunes I'm likely to want to play or that will be played..... and probably a little bit of Carolan.  I keep worrying the same few tunes, so I'm going to try to move on.  One issue I have is with Carolan's Quarrel - Grainne taught it at a workshop and I subsequently have spent wayyyyy too much time playing it exactly as she taught it which has proved impossible to get right.  I've been wanting to take it apart and simplify an accompaniment that won't tangle me up hopelessly..... I love her rendering but ultimately adhering to it rigidly just isn't going to work.
.....Confession - I've become obsessed with putting together a Master List of all the tunes I've learned in the last three years in this class with Hilari and Benedict - it's over 100 tunes!  Incredible.  The idea is to put just enough letter notation by each tune name to help bring it back to mind.  I'm going to organize them a couple of different ways, by class and by type.   I have to test each one, to get the letters right, and I use the harp to do that, so I guess that is a form of playing...... I have learned a few of these on the harp.  When I finish I'll attach it.


Week Five  The Clare class is ended, so now it is time to focus EXCLUSIVELY on Carolan tunes for the festival on the 15th.  The problem is not getting overwhelmed and darting about from one tune to the next.  Oh help!