Cranford Publications News
Traditional Music from
Cape Breton, Ireland and Scotland |
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Volume #1, Newsletter #1 |
03-2012 |
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1 888 860 8073 (FAX or messge)
1 902 929 2391 (9AM-6PM AST)
Cranfordpub.com promotes old-style Celtic dance music. Music and information is posted online and still more is found in the books, recordings and links we make available. This email is being sent both to provide easier navigation to material added to our website, and to confirm that you wish to remain on our mailing list. In the past, many of you received the old Silver Apple News as snail mail. If this new-style email newsletter, delivered 1 to 4 times a year, is too much for your inbox, please feel free to opt out using the unsubscribe link found at the top or bottom of this page & accept my apologies for the inconvenience.
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Introductory Note from the Editor |
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Greetings:
Lately I've been busy compiling material for The Cape Breton Scottish Collection a new tunebook, which, when completed, will be the 8th volume of the Cape Breton Musical Heritage Series. In the meantime, as you scroll down, you will see that cranfordpub.com has lots of new (and old) music and information to offer.
Paul Cranford
Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia |
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The Celtic Colours Collection |
During 2011, from January through October, I was occupied putting together The Celtic Colours Collection, a compilation of music composed as a result of the first 15 years of Cape Breton's Celtic Colours International Festival. Forty-four composers, most of them well-known touring musicians, are represented. The book includes bios and stories from those artists as well as musical notation of their songs and tunes and a history of the festival. It has been an exciting collaboration - the diversity of styles is a departure from the focused tunebooks I am known for. Dozens of sample page layouts and mp3s are posted. |
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New book |
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CBC Television Features Fiddle Makers
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Otis Tomas |
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Recently the Cape Breton fiddle culture was featured on the well-known and long running Canadian TV program, Land and Sea. Luthier-fiddlers Otis Tomas and David Papazian, both conributors to past Silver Apple News articles were the focus of the show. As well, interviews and performances by myself and my wife Sarah Beck, were included as we both play their instruments. The show also gives footage of Cape Breton scenery and a local fiddle music session at Rollie's Wharf, North Sydney. This half hour show can be streamed from the CBC website . |
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The Fiddletree Book & CD
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Summer 2011, marked the culmination of a remarkable project by my good friend Otis Tomas. As mentioned he is a well-respected luthier and he has crafted a book and recording as beautiful as any of his work. It is a publication that musicians and non-musicians alike will enjoy. The Fiddletree story tells a 17 year tale - from cutting down the tree to building a set of instruments. A cast of international musicians perform Otis’ tunes on the included CD. The lavishly produced, stitched hardcover book, includes music notation and colour photos. It is also a personal story that provides an intimate look at what happens at a violin maker’s workbench following the making of a fiddle. |
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Angus Chisholm and Bill Lamey
Downloadable Cape Breton 78 reissues
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Paul MacDonald, has his Fiddlestream site up and running. Well-known as a producer of Cape Breton, Irish and Appalachian CDs, Paul is now applying his expertise to archival recordings for sale as high resolution CD quality or mp3 files. His first releases include the 78s of two great Cape Breton fiddlers, Angus Chisholm and Bill Lamey. To encourage everyone to take a look at Paul's work I have posted a few transcriptions and sound clips. |
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Angus Chisholm 78s |
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Octogenarian fiddler releases first CD |
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Lloyd MacDonald |
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In November, Paul's octogenarian father, Lloyd MacDonald, released his first CD. Titled Aires in Bloom. Produced by Paul it features Lloyd's solo playing of slow airs and includes group playing with Paul, three of his brothers and piano accompanists, Doug MacPhee, Sheamus MacNeil and Mildred Leadbeater. Irish pipes & whistles by Ryan MacNeil of the Barra MacNeils. |
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Classic Irish Music
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Sean Ryan Solo fiddle |
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Those of you interested in Irish music will be happy to see that many of classic 78s are once again available on CD including Michael Coleman 78s (1891-1945) and From Ballymote to Brooklyn (78s of James Morrsion & Paddy Killoran ) as well as a new release of archival recordings from fiddler-composer Sean Ryan (2 CDs). Representative transcriptions, interpretive settings, scans and sound-clips, are posted for all of these CDs. |
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New Tunes
Since you last heard from me over 100 tunes have been added to cranfordpub.com.
Most of the 2011 additions include select music notation complementing the descriptions of books and recordings referenced in this newsletter.
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Natalie MacMaster Cape Breton Girl |
Natalie MacMaster's newest CD is titled Cape Breton Girl . It's her first straight-up traditional recording since My Roots are Showing. On most tracks she is accompanied by Mac Morin on piano. Sample sound clips and transcriptions are posted. |
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Natalie's Latest CD |
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Ashley MacIsaac
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I've transcribed a number of tunes from Ashley MacIsaac's early albums. Close to the Floor was made in 1992 when Ashley was still in high-school. It is a very traditional fiddle album with accompaniment by Dave MacIsaac and Joey Beaton. Sound clips and musical notation are posted. We've also brought in a couple of Ashley’s other recordings and posted some music from Fine Thank You Very Much (his 1996 recording). |
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Brenda Stubbert - Different Strokes With Different Folks
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Brenda Stubbert has a new CD, Different Strokes With Different Folks. She is accompanied by Howie MacDonald and Dave MacIsaac with guest appearances by Nuala Kennedy (flute), Kenneth MacKenzie (pipes) and Blanche Sophocleous (vocals). Brenda is a prolific composer of fiddle tunes and this recording includes some great new ones created since her last book. Those newly composed tunes are posted on the site. |
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Brenda's New CD |
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Angus Grant - The Glengarry Collection (book & DVD)
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Angus Grant's book DVD |
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Published in 2010, we now carry The Glengarry Collection (The Music of Highland Fiddler Angus Grant), a 136 pg spiral bound book comprised of 164 tunes with stories, history and photographs. The book comes with a 2 hour DVD making this a great instructional package. I've scanned and posted a few pages to display the quality of the presentation. |
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Ross MacKenzie Stewart - 4 part pipe march |
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4 part pipe tune |
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My great uncle died in the Battle of Vimy Ridge and this was composed in his memory.
Arranged for fidders, pipers will have to add their own gracings. If a reader can add the proper pipe gracings for us please FAX or email your setting to me and I will post it as well. |
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Land and Sea - A new Jig
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To conclude, as a parting offering, here's a new jig composed to honour the film-makers who did the Land and Sea Show mentioned above. Enjoy!! |
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Slainte,
Paul Cranford
Cape Breton Island
March, 2012
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