This isn't an argument David but an open conversation
to exchange ideas. I'd like to hear other people's
ideas.

Brían
--- David Ingerson <davidingerson9@...> wrote:

> Oh my heavens! Brian. Not these sorts of arguments.
> I know you honor and participate in the tradition
> in a deep and lively way, but looking at it this way
> is like looking through a telescope
> backwards--looking through a confining, tight little
> academic lens. And I must admit to a bit of an
> intellectual thrill in disecting the tradition in
> this way--I was a philosophy major in another
> lifetime 40 years ago. However...the real thrill is
> in the singing. And in the singing with others.
>
> I will admit that thinking about these sorts of
> definitions and categories (all pretty much academic
> (in the broad sense) constructs) has its value,
> because, for people like us, revivalists all, if I'm
> not mistaken, a self-conscious approach is the only
> one we are capable of. And a thoughtful and
> reasoned self-consciousness is better than an
> arrogant or an ill-informed one, but too much
> self-consciousness is like too bright a sun and can
> lead to dessication and paralysis and perfectionism
> (a cancer of traditional arts, I think. Consider
> highland piping and its perfectly uniform, petrified
> performances.)
>
> Each singer will draw her own definitional lines
> at the end of the day, and these lines will be all
> over the continuum, from very conservative and
> restrictive definitions to more liberal ones to
> iconoclastic ones.
>
> I find myself on the more conservative side when
> singing and on the more liberal side when arguing.
> After all, if the tradition is going to live, it is
> going to change, and as much as we might not like
> it, things like technological innovations
> (recordings, TV) and global commnications ( which
> introduced the bouzuki, of all things, into the
> Irish tradition) are going to move those changes
> along. On the other hand, without recordings, none
> of us, I imagine, would even know what sean nos
> singing was let alone enjoy singing it (and enjoy
> arguing about it!).
>
> And now that I think about it, I am making this
> conversation even more abstract and more removed
> from singing. For I am offering meta-arguments:
> arguing about whether arguing about the subject is
> valueble or not. Yikes!
>
> I knew that once I started in on something like
> this, I couldn't stop, but it is past 2:00 AM and
> I'd better get this tired old body into bed or I'll
> get a sore throat and won't be able to sing!
>
> Cheers to all,
>
> David
>
> Brian Matthew Hart <ohairt@...> wrote:
> Thanks for that. I'm always interested
> with singers'
> first impressions of sean-nós. I'm not proposing
> that
> I know all of the answers so that's why I asked the
> question. I think you've a good understanding of it
> anyhow. So my next question, is it a song tradition
> or a singing tradition?
>
> Anybody else?
>
> Brían
> --- drew <muse_shop@...> wrote:
>
> >
> > Sean-nos as opposed to trad style- hmmm. I could
> > tell you how much of an
> > expert I am on the subject, and wind up making a
> > fool of myself, but
> > instead I'll be honest. I didn't know there was a
> > difference before
> > yesterday! lol- Although what you refer to as
> > sean-nos are the songs
> > I've always said, "if only I could find a couple
> > people to play a
> > hurdy-gurdy, bodhran and bones while I sing that
> > one..." Keep in mind,
> > I'm 35 from North Carolina- since I play neither
> > mellow Jerry Garcia
> > leads nor blazing Eddie Van Halen solos, a lot of
> > people around here
> > don't think I 'really' play guitar, lol. So I'm
> > pretty much self taught,
> > and my own style of music often veers away from
> what
> > a ridgid
> > traditionalist would consider good form.
> >
> > Back to the question, sean-nos seems like a more
> > primitive, almost
> > tribal form of music. Performing alone gives a
> > musician a lot of freedom
> > with the ornamentation s/he can use, also with
> > rhythm, in the sense of
> > missing a beat to take a breath. Actually, some
> > sean-nos kind of reminds
> > me of some of the Krishna chants- not musically in
> > the sense of key and
> > rhythm, but just the general "feeling" of the
> music.
> >
> > That's my take on your question, really just a
> first
> > impression from a
> > beginner to this style of music. Hopefully I'll
> have
> > the chance to hear
> > from some people who know more than I about this
> > music, who have studied
> > it enough to word their answers more proficiently
> > than I can!
> >
> > Drew
> >
> >
> > --- In traditionalirishsinging@yahoogroups.com,
> > Brian Matthew Hart
> > <ohairt@...> wrote:
> > >
> > > I've only used an instrument to find a note if
> I'm
> > > a)singing accompanied or b)know my range is
> > limited
> > > and must sing in that key in order to hit my
> > notes.
> > >
> > > What's your take on what sean-nós singing is as
> > > opposed to irish traditional singing?
> > >
> > > B.
> > > --- drew muse_shop@... wrote:
> > > > And to start up a topic of conversation, let
> > > > me know what you think
> > > > of this: I'll admit I don't have the best ear
> > for
> > > > pitch, so I've found
> > > > that tapping out a melody on the xylophone is
> a
> > > > great tool, I can learn
> > > > to sing it properly by matching the notes,
> then
> > of
> > > > course drop the xy
> > > > when it's time to just sing! I'm pretty much a
> > loner
> > > > musician, that's
> > > > just something I came up with and find
> helpful-
> > I'm
> > > > curious as to
> > > > whether anyone else uses similar resources
> > during
> > > > practice?
> >
> > > > -Drew
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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