Natalie MacMaster - Donnel Leahy Video

[Alex and Suzanne]

Thanks to Joe Dessel for this, I sure enjoyed it too.

I thought there might be some interest in historical and other notes on the
tunes.

Natalie's medley begins with a beautiful "Air" with the title
"Mrs.Crawford's [favourite strathspey], I prefer to call it an "Air" because
of the tune structure and because it is played at a much slower than
typical strathspey tempo. The tune was published and perhaps composed by
John Anderson in 1790. You can also get the music in the Athole collection.
For some unknown reason Natalie did not play the first turn.

Her second tune, "Miss Gordon" is a stepdance strathspey composed by perhaps
one of the two best composers in the genre, William Marshall, [born 1748].
The tune has been a listener's and stepdancer's favourite in Cape Breton for
eons. 

The last two tunes are traditional reels, "Jenny Dang the Weaver" and "The
Fairy Dance" both of which span many fiddle genres. 

Donnell's medley is what one might expect from the Angus Chisholm/Winston
Fitzgerald "parlor listening music" repertoire. The tunes are fascinating
for several reasons. Firstly they are played in the key of E flat major, a
key in which most fiddlers do not play. For me this is unfortunate because
the fiddle in this key has a distinctiveness and poignancy which is not
comparable in the "fiddle keys" A, D, and G. The tunes are; "The Dean Brig
O'Edinburgh", an "Air"; "The Banks"; and "Madame Neruda". "Madam Neruda" was
composed by another of the greatest composers in the genre, Scott Skinner.
It is a virtuoso piece requiring incredible skill. The audio is great, even
with my "ten dollar" speakers. The "video" affords much more. It visually
and aurally demonstrates the incredible physical skills and shades of sound
attendant with "classical" bow and fiddle holds, not only in the "Neruda"
piece, but also apparent in different skills in the "Airs".
"Youtubers" can find more of the same in the playing of Aly Bain and Dwayne
Cote. Cote also played "The "Banks" and "Madame Neruda" in a medley at the
Red Shoe in Mabou last summer. Its also available on youtube. The Pub noise
was/is very annoying but the performance was nevertheless incredible. The
pianist at "The Shoe" was Doug Mac Phee. At last count the Cote/Mac Phee
video is approaching 10,000 hits.  

Alexander


-----Original Message-----
From: cbmusic-bounces at locals.ca [mailto:cbmusic-bounces at locals.ca] On Behalf
Of JDess at aol.com
Sent: April 2, 2009 7:59 PM
To: cbmusic at locals.ca
Subject: Natalie MacMaster - Donnel Leahy Video

Natalie McMaster - Donnel Leahy video 
 
  Hi All,
 
  This isn't new but I just noticed a "heads up" for it given by  a nice
lady 
on a Celtic Music Newsgroup.
 
  I sure enjoyed it.
 
_ 
 
  Joe Dessel
  Endicott, NY