Page 63 - Johnny Wilmot: Talk and Tunes

ISSUE : Issue 40

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1985/8/1

Although this popular reel is played by most Northside Irish musicians, it's also played in other parts of Cape Breton. This setting is a composite from the playing of Johnny Wilmot, Joe Confiant, and Tommy Basker. Tommy is the harmonica player who played on some of Johnny Wilmot's records. Irish Reel Forest and Glen Pipe Jig BT'f m [rrrrrrri[r.rc:fi[ir[iri''i''i''[??r'i''''''%' "Forest and Glen" is a pipe jig played in different settings around the island. The title came from a Five MacDonald Fiddlers LP recorded in the '60s. They played a simplified setting of the same tune. A similar tune is found in a book from Donegal, Ireland, called The Northern Fiddler. The variations given here are composite from Johnny Wilmot and Joe Confiant. Joe Confiant was one of the few early players to be well-versed in both Scottish and Irish music. These three traditional Cape Breton tunes exemplify some of his Scottish repertoire. The second, the strathspey, is in raised bass tuning. The notation for that tune gives the proper fingering on the third and fourth string • not the actual notes sounded. This system of notation allows a fiddler to read directly from the mu? sic with the fiddle in altered tuning. This means that a musician in standard tuning, or one using another instrument, will have to raise the pitch of the affected notes by one whole tone. The melody line is written in larger notes; the small notes above and below the melody represent drones. March M ''w 236 Townsend St., Sydney, N.S. BIP 5E8 Phone 539-4566 ited Edition Collectors Plates & Fine Giftware Ingrahams United Ltd. 213 Commercial St., North Sydney, N. S. B2A 1B5 Telephone 794-4536 GENERAL DEALERS Clothing for the Whole Family Cape Breton Mental Health Centre Main Location: 1st Floor, Cape Breton Hospital, Sydney River Satellite Clinics Serve These Areas: North" Sydney, Glace Bay, New Waterford, Harbour, Ingonish, Cheticamp, Baddeck, Neil's St. Peter's Services: Psychotherapy, Individual Counselling, Marriage & Family Counselling, Group Therapy, Consultation to Agencies, Schools, etc.. Drug Tfierapy, Forensic Assessment, Psychological Testing, Parenting, Children's Services Referrals accepted from all sources. You can even refer yourself. Please Gall 562-3202 or 562-3110 or 562-3333 (63)

Cape Breton's Magazine