Tune Req: Hamish Hendersons Refusal

Subject: Tune Req: key for 'Hamish Henderson's Refusal'
From: friskett
Date: 30 May 04 - 12:30 PM

Hi,

Does anyone know the correct key for Brian MacNeil's strathspey, "Hamish Henderson's Refusal?" On my recording it sounds like it's in Eb minor, and I'm wondering if it should really be D minor, which seems a lot more likely.

thanks!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: key for 'Hamish Henderson's Refusal'
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 May 04 - 07:21 PM

By slowing down (or occassionally speeding up) a tune by altering the playback speed of the recording device (which also thus changes the perceived key) record producers can alter the length of the product slightly. Record Producers and Disk Jockeys have a fetish about what is the 'proper length' of a piece for arcane reasons. It may also have been 'slowed down' because these people thought it was 'too fast for the market'.

If the piece is played on a 'standard D tuning' instrument, the 'proper key' may be E Minor. The E Minor key is perhaps the most easily obtained Minor key on a D Major instrument. For your guess that D minor is the proper key, then I guess that the instrument would be really playing in C Major...

But do not forget that if the musical instrument is very old, it may be pitched lower than 'standard pitch' - anywhere lower, not even full tones or semitones lower at modern 'standard pitch'.

Robin

Subject: RE: Tune Req: key for 'Hamish Henderson's Refusal'
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 31 May 04 - 03:25 AM

Surely B minor is more natural to a D major instrument.
eric

Subject: RE: Tune Req: key for 'Hamish Henderson's Refusal'
From: friskett
Date: 31 May 04 - 08:39 PM

Hi--

Thanks for the help. The tune is played on the fiddle, so the instrument is not limited to specific keys. It's just that most traditional fiddlers don't like keys with lots of accidentals (namely Eb minor), as opposed to D minor (one flat). The guess about the slightly sped up recording is an interesting idea!

tx,
k.

Subject: Tune Req: Hamish Hendersons Refusal
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 08:09 AM

Looking for the dots for this tune composed by Brian McNeill, in honour of Hamish Henderson refusing an ' honour ' from the Thatcher government.

eric

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Hamish Hendersons Refusal
From: Anglogeezer
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 12:50 PM

Is this the one??

The Session

regards
Jake

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Hamish Hendersons Refusal
From: Jack Campin
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 03:01 PM

I don't believe the person who put that on the web ever asked Brian for permission.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Hamish Hendersons Refusal
From: Anglogeezer
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 05:38 PM

You may be right there Jack, I'm just posting what I find available to help out.
I don't honestly know if the "SESSION" site requires their posters to have permission from copyright holders or not as I have never contributed any tunes.

regards
Jake

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Hamish Hendersons Refusal
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 04:40 AM

Thats the one Jake, many thanks.

eric