Vi Wickam » Fiddling

Wilson’s Hornipipe – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 38

Vi — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:37:39 +0000

Wilson’s Hornpipe is a fun Old-Timey tune that I learned from Bob Zuellig at the Wednesday Night Avo’s Jam a while back. I really enjoy playing the high harmony to it, which you will hear me play in this recording. It looks like the oldest known recording of this was made by Clark Kessinger, who I have tons of respect for as a fiddler. This recording comes from the Old-Time Jam at Crank-n-stein. I hope you enjoy it.

Wilson’s Hornpipe according to the Fiddler’s Companion

WILSON’S HORNPIPE. Old‑Time, Hornpipe. USA, West Virginia. G Major. Standard tuning. AA’AA’BB’. Source for notated version: Clark Kessinger (1896-1975, Kanawha County, W.Va.) [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional Music in America), vol. 2, 1995; pg. 234. June Appal 007, Tommy Hunter ‑ “Deep in Tradition” (1976. Learned from Clark Kessinger, St. Albans, W.Va.).

As a bonus, here are a couple of recordings of Bobby Taylor fiddling Clark Kessinger style.

Still Waters – with Adam Donmoyer

Vi — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:03:14 +0000

Still Waters is a really sweet song, that Adam wrote about his wife, although he tells me it’s not all true. This is one of the few original songs that I have heard Adam play that wouldn’t have to be censored to play on the radio. Adam says he has a case of lyrical tourette’s syndrome, but I think he’s pretty darn funny. And, I think that if it didn’t have a happy ending, it would make a country HIT!

I wish I had recorded more of our jam. Maybe Adam will start publishing a tune a week, and he will do the dinosaur song.

I would say that Adam’s music is a little bit like Adam Sandler, but a little bit geekier and more musical. I will let you decide for yourself.

More about Adam Donmoyer:
http://www.AdamDonmoyer.com

Maiden’s Prayer – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 37

Vi — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:19:49 +0000

I think Maiden’s Prayer is the prettiest of Bob Wills’ tunes. It’s also a nice one to play as a twin fiddle tune. Unfortunately, tonight I didn’t have any one to play it with me. And, if you like the variation, you can thank Danita (Rast) Gardner, since I borrowed that variation quite liberally from a recording of her playing it with Matt Hartz featuring Royce and Ray Franklin on Guitar. I think it’s out of print now, but it’s an album worth having in your collection.

The history on this one is pretty neat, and was a surprise to me – especially the part at the very end.

History of Maiden’s Prayer according to Wikipedia

“A Maiden’s Prayer” (original Polish title: Modlitwa dziewicy Op. 4, French: La prière d’une vierge) is a composition of Polish composer Tekla Bądarzewska-Baranowska (1834–1861), which was published in 1856 in Warsaw, and then as a supplement to the Revue et gazette musicale de Paris in 1859. The piece is a medium difficulty short piano piece for intermediate pianists. Some have liked it for its charming and romantic melody; others have described it as “sentimental salon tosh.” The pianist and academic Arthur Loesser described it as “this dowdy product of ineptitude.”

John Stowell Adams (d. 1893) wrote the first English language lyrics for the piece.

Maiden’s Prayer in Country Music

The American musician Bob Wills heard “Maiden’s Prayer” played on a fiddle while he was a barber in Roy, New Mexico,^[1] and arranged the piece in the Western swing style. Wills first recorded it as an instrumental in 1935 (Vocalion 03924, released in 1938),^[2]^[3] and it quickly became one of his signature tunes. Later, it became a standard recorded by many country artists, including Buck Owens on his number-one 1965 album I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail.^[4] The tune is still a standard in the repertoire of Western swing bands.[edit]In country music

Maiden’s Prayer Lyrics

Wills wrote lyrics for “Maiden’s Prayer” and recorded it again in 1941 (Okeh 06205) with vocals by Tommy Duncan.^[5] His lyrics reflect the title, and the song, as written by Wills, opens with:

Twilight falls, evening shadows find,

There ‘neath the stars, a maiden so fair divine.

The moon on high seemed to see her there.

In her eyes is a light, shining ever so bright,

She whispered a silent prayer.

Relatively few country singers have covered ”Maiden’s Prayer” with vocals, but they include Ray Price on his tribute album San Antonio Rose (1962)^[6] and Willie Nelson on his album Red Headed Stranger (on the 2000 CD reissue but not the 1975 LP).^[7] Both singers used the lyrics written by Wills with minor variations, e.g. the maiden is an Indian in Price’s version.

Wills recorded the song a third time on the 1963 album Bob Wills Sings and Plays.^[2] When he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970, “Maiden’s Prayer” was one of the works cited.

In popular media

Probably the most memorable use of “Maiden’s Prayer” is in the 1930 opera Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht. The song appears midway through act I; it is played on an out-of-tune piano at a honky-tonk frequented by prostitutes and their clients. Jakob Schmidt, one of the denizens of Mahagonny, refers to the song as “ewige Kunst” (“eternal art”).

“Maiden’s Prayer” appears as an insert piano song in the anime series Strawberry Panic.

“Maiden’s Prayer” is also played by garbage trucks in Taiwan. As residents have to take out their own trash, the garbage truck signals everyone with the melody of this piece.

Polly (Metric) Put the Kettle On

Vi — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:19:52 +0000

This is a video of Fiddler, Sandra Wong, and Tabla player, Ty Burhoe, at a house concert in Fort Collins, CO.

It was a great concert, and it’s always fun to see people doing creative things with traditional music.

More about Sandra Wong:http://sandrawongmusic.com/

More about Ty Burhoe: http://www.tyburhoe.com/

Cincinnati Hornpipe – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 36

Vi — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:22:58 +0000

When I was 15, I had an opportunity to study fiddling with Dale Morris. It was my first time travelling on my own, first time to fly on an airplane, and Texas was a foreign land. Everybody drove Lincolns, Cadillacs, or pickup trucks, and everybody called each other “hun”.

I learned a lot from Dale during that week at his house. In addition to the fiddling lessons I learned, Dale taught me to never eat a sandwich that he gives you without looking inside it first (He fed me a cat food sandwich). On of the tunes I learned from Dale that week was Cincinnati Hornpipe. It has some great bowing patterns in it that are great for practicing string changes in both directions. Today, I teach it to all of my fiddle students. Here is a recording of me playing it along with Ali, one of my fiddle students.

You may notice the similarities of Cincinnati Hornpipe to Harvest Home, another popular celtic fiddle tune.

Cincinnati Hornpipe According to the Fiddler’s Companion

CORK HORNPIPE [1], THE. AKA and see ”Cincinnati Hornpipe [1],” “Dundee Hornpipe,” “Fred Wilson’s Clog,” “Granny Will Your Dog Bite?” (Pa.), “Harvest Home [1],” “Higgin’s Hornpipe,” “Kephart’s Clog” (Pa.), “Kildare Fancy,” “Snyder’s Jig” (Pa.), “Standard Hornpipe,” “Wilson’s Clog [1],” “Zig-Zag Hornpipe/Clog.” Irish, Hornpipe. D Major. Standard. ABB’ (Moylan): AABB (Levey, Roche). The name Cork is derived from the Gaelic word coraigh, a swamp. The tune was known under this title by central New York fiddler Winifred “Murph” Baker (Champion, NY), a regionally significant traditional fiddler in the mid-late 20^th century. Most American versions were learned under a variety of alternate titles (the most popular being “Harvest Home”), with “Cork Hornpipe” appearing exclusively in Irish publications.

Planxty Fanny Powers – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 35

Vi — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:50:10 +0000

What a great trip to Austin. Today, I got to see my good college friends, Earnest Mazique, and Christopher Gandin Le. We had lunch at a hip restaurant in north Austin called Mother’s Cafe. Conveniently enough, there was an Irish harpist playing there by the name of Doc Grauzer. I hummed for him the first tune that came to my mind when I thought of Irish Harp, and he knew the tune. Fancy that. So I grabbed my fiddle, and we recorded Planxty Fanny Powers. Doc also informed me that a Planxty was a commissioned tune, and was often named after the patron. And now I have my fact for the day to go with my fiddle tune for the day.

Planxty Fanny Powers according to Fiddler’s Companion

PLANXTY FANNY POWERS (Pleraca Fanni Ni Paor). AKA and see “Fanny Power,” “Mrs. Trench.” AKA – “Planxty Fanny Poer.” Irish, Air or Planxty (6/8 time, “lively,” or 3/4 waltz tempo). A Major (O’Neill): G Major (Johnson, Matthiesen): F Major (Complete Collection, O’Sullivan). Standard tuning. AB (Complete Collection, O’Sullivan): AAB (O’Neill): AABB (Johnson, Matthiesen). Composed by blind Irish harper Turlough O’Carolan (1670-1732) for Fanny (Frances) Power, the daughter and heiress of David and Elizabeth Power of Coorheen, Loughrea, County Galway, who in 1732 married Richard Trench (d. 1768) of Garbally, County Galway. Fanny’s parents were patron’s of O’Carolan (see, for example “Mrs. Power/Poer,” better known as “Carolan’s Concerto” and “David Power”). The tune is sometimes called “Mrs. Trench” after Fanny’s married name, although it appears likely the melody was composed before the nuptials, for in the second verse of his song O’Carolan expresses the hope that he will live to dance at their wedding. The melody appears in Edward Bunting’s (1773-1843) c. 1800 manuscript collection (copies in MS 29, pg. 22, and MS 33, book 3, pg. 15, held at the Library of Queen’s University, Belfast). Bunting, in different publications, names variously harpers Charles Byrne and Arthur O’Neill as his source. There is also a printing in John Mulholland’s Collection of Ancient Irish Airs (Belfast, 1810, pg. 51). Complete Collection of Carolan’s Irish Tunes, 1984; No. 155, pg. 106. S. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician No. 3: Carolan), 1983 (revised 1991, 2001); pg. 10. Matthiesen (The Waltz Book), 1992; pg. 39. O’Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 238. O’Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 673, pg. 122. O’Sullivan (Carolan: The Life, Times and Music of an Irish Harper), 1958; No. 155. Avocet Records, Glasnotes ‑ “Live from Contrafornia.” Fortune Records, Patrick Ball ‑ “Music of Turlough O’Carolan.” Front Hall, Walt Michael ‑ “The Good Old Way.”

See also listings at:Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording IndexJane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

I Know My Baby Loves Me – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 34

Vi — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:53:13 +0000

Growing up in Northern Colorado, Hot Rize was one of my favorite bluegrass bands. I even got to see them play at Centennial Village, in Greeley before they got famous. The best part about Hot Rize was when the intermission would come and they would come back as their Alter Egos – Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers. They dressed up in crazy clothes, with goofy sunglasses, and got to have some unserious time on the stage. Tim O’Brien was Red Knuckles, Charles Sawtell was Slade, Pete Wernick was Waldo Otto, and I don’t remember Nick Forster’s goofy name. They played funny Country and Western tunes like “Long Gone John from Bowlin’ Green, and “I Know My Baby Loves Me.”

Today, I had an AWESOME opportunity to speak at Wizard Academy’s First Friday event. The talk I gave was “Can’t Stop The Music: Why music should be used more effectively in education.” *If you are looking for someone to speak on this topic, drop me a line. After speaking, Adam Donmoyer and I got together for a little informal jamming at the Tower. This song was originally made famous by Ernest Tubb, and is a whole lot of fun to perform. I know it’s a bit of a stretch to call this a fiddle tune, but we were definitely fiddling around with it.

Here is a recording of Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers (The Alter Egos of Hot Rize)

Dewdrop Hornpipe – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 33

Vi — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:50:07 +0000

I learned Dew Drop Hornipe from Lisa Barrett, when I stayed at their house when I was in High School. I remember Dick telling me that it was a tune I could play as a breakdown at any fiddle contest. I haven’t played it in many contests, but I do still enjoy playing it. There is an especially cool fingering on the shift down the second time through the B Part.

I’m playing it at the Hey Cupcake Airstream food trailer on South Congress in Austin, TX. There was a guy busking in front of it when I came by. I asked him if he wanted to join me playing on youtube, and he split. I hope I didn’t scare him off.

This is all that Fiddler’s Companion Had to Say about Dew Drop Hornpipe

DEW DROP HORNPIPE. American, Hornpipe. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The ‘B’ part of this melody appears in the tune “Brilliancy.” There was a variety house called the Dew Drop In in New York in the Civil War years. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 85. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 119.

Saint Anne’s Reel – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 32

Vi — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:43:40 +0000

When I think of Saint Anne’s Reel, the first person I think of is Tony Rothrock. Tony is a great Guitarist, Mandolinist, and instrument repair guy in southwest Indiana. Tony founded the Indiana State Picking and Fiddling Championships, which I had the opportunity to run with for a few years as well. Tony really is one of the most kind-hearted people you will ever meet. Anyway, Tony really likes this tune and does a great job playing it.

I’m playing it here with the clan that hang out at Mulligan’s Pub in Fort Collins for an Irish Session every Wednesday night. Jim is playing the Bohdran. He didn’t make it into my video introduction because he showed up just as we were about to play the tune.

Saint Anne’s Reel According to the Fiddler’s Companion

ST(E). ANNE’S REEL. AKA – “St. Agathe.” AKA and see “La Reel de la Baie Ste. Anne.” Canadian (originally), American, Irish; Reel and Breakdown. Canada; Québec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Reiner & Anick, Silberberg): AABB (Begin, Brody, Cranford/Holland, Jarman, Mallinson, Martin & Hughes, Miller & Perron, O’Neill, Perlman, Sweet, Taylor): AA’BB’ (Phillips). According to Anne Lederman (in her article on “Fiddling” in theEncyclopedia of Music in Canada, 1992), tune was first recorded by Québec fiddler Joseph Allard as “Reel de Ste Anne”—which became popular in English-speaking Canada as “St. Anne’s Reel.” While this is not proof that “St. Anne’s” origins are French-Canadian (as Allard spend much of his youth in upper New England, where he played in fiddle contests, and presumably came into contact with regional musicians), it is suggestive. There are at least two bays by this name in eastern Canada, as the French alternate title above would suggest, though it is not known if those features explain the origin of the tune’s title. There is a French community called Baie Sainte Anne, on St. Anne’s Bay, near the mouth of Mirimichi Bay, New Bruswick. “St. Anne’s” was popularised by Radio and TV fiddler Don Messer (who had the title as “Sainte Agathe” in his 1948 Way Down East collection), and has been assimilated into several North American and British Isles traditions and remains a popular staple of fiddlers’ jam sessions. When asked to play a Canadian tune, for example, American fiddlers generally will play “St. Anne’s” first. It was in the repertoire of Cyril Stinnett, who epitomized the “North Missouri Hornpipe Style” of Mid-West fiddling, though it soon became a popular staple of most Missouri fiddlers. It was perhaps from listening to Canadian radio broadcasts in the hey-day of the big AM band stations, which could be heard clearly in the northern part of the state, or it may have been brought back by contest fiddlers in the 1960’s who attended the renowned contests in Weiser, Idaho, and in Canada. Perlman (1996) similarly states the tune entered Prince Edward Island tradition from radio broadcasts from Québec, but that it has elaborated (especially in western PEI) over the years to suit the rhythms of the local step-dancing. Irish musicians have frequently recorded the melody as well. The earliest printing of “St. Anne’s” appears to be in the Jarman collections of the 1930’s and 1940’s, where arrangement is credited to John Burt with a copyright date of 1937. Mark Wilson says its popularity in the United States dates from the 1950’s after it was recorded by Nashville fiddlers such as Tommy Jackson. The tune has some affinity to older reels, including two printed by O’Neill in his Waifs & Strays of Gaelic Melody, “The Factory Lass” (249) and “The Home Made Reel” (250). There is a similarity in the first part to “The Skylark [1],” composed by James Morrison.

Fort Collins Celtic Music Workshop – March 10, 2012

Vi — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:44:06 +0000

I will be working with the extraordinary dulcimer player Steve Eulberg to put on a Celtic Music workshop on March 10th at Boomer Music in Fort Collins:

Steve Eulberg will provide instruction for playing Celtic Music on both kinds of dulcimers, mandolin and guitar. $20 per workshop in Advance/$25 at the door. See below for all day price.

Vi Wickam will provide Beginning & Intermediate Instruction on Fiddle in the afternoon.