Review: Music played on the Combolins

Subject: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: Charcloth
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 06:16 PM

For all you Corries fans out there, David Stinton has released a recording called "Caledonian Sunset."
He inherited the combolins invented by Roy Williamson under the promise he make a recording featuring them. I just got my copy from WWW.Corries.com

It is everything I had hoped it would be. All instrumentals. It is a worthy tribute to Roy's vision. Some of the tunes are:
Come by the Hills, LochTay Boat song, Castle of Dromore, Carrickfergus,
Those who are familer with the Corries will recognize almost every tune as having been peformed by them. But these instrumentals really demonstrate the haunting sound of the combolins. They have a droning yet peaceful sound unique to themselves
I highly recomend it.
Charcloth

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: DonMeixner
Date: 18 Dec 02 - 11:34 PM

Grand. I will visit the site and buy it.

Thanks Char

Don

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: Charcloth
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 12:32 AM

You are welcome

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 03:28 AM

Interesting, I'd thought from Gavin Browne's earlier comments on the Corries site (haven't looked at it recently) that they had become unplayable, obviously got some tlc. I know Ronnie & Roy always said the idea of them was to replace having to carry so many instruments but they ended up just adding them to the rest!
RtS

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: open mike
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 05:05 AM

what is a combolin?

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: open mike
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 05:33 AM

ooh they do sound beautifully angelic....
i was thinking of an instrument i heard played once in san francisco
I think it was called the cymboline...
as i recall it looked like a hammered dulcimer
but was played not with hammers but little
miniature bow hair stringed things that were fitted onto the
musicians' finger tips...quite odd--his own invention
i do believe...very unusual-wish i could draw you a picture...
hard to describe in words...

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: Charcloth
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 10:02 AM

David Stinton, the fellow who inherited the combolins from Roy & did the recording had often done repair work on them when the Corries were performing. For those who seriously want to know what combolins are;
these instruments were designed as a pair. As stated earlier the intent Originally was to cut down on the # of instruments Corries had to tote.

The one Ronnie performed with was basically a guitar with added base strings & a mandolin added as well. Roys had a guitar using an open tuning, had sympathetic resonating strings & also a banduria finger board. ( I don't know what a banduria is but that's what the liner notes say.)
In my opinion these instruments really shine while pefroming airs.
Hope this helps, Charcloth

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: Nerd
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 06:56 PM

Open Mike,

The Cimbalom is the Eastern European Hammered Dulcimer; that's the instrument you were thinking of. It's common in Hungary and adjacent countries, and is a great favorite of Romany Gypsies.

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: DonMeixner
Date: 19 Dec 02 - 10:36 PM

Just type "Combolin" into Google and you should be able to see them. The are also on the back of the CD "Strings and Things" and they can be heard and seen in both Corries Videos. Videos which are well worth the purchase there of.

Don

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: Charcloth
Date: 22 Dec 02 - 10:28 PM

You are so right about the Videos. They are well worth their price. I do hope someday they can make more available. Charcloth

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 22 Dec 02 - 11:59 PM

I've always thought that they'd probably sound quite thin in person and be devils to tune....but oh......THAT recorded sound! And just the LOOK of them. A couple of years ago I got to spend about half an hour staring at Leadbelly's last Stella (I do that kind of thing)....and boy would I love to see the combolins up close.

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: nickp
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 11:33 AM

Some time in the early 80's I got a chance to see the Corries. They had been big influences in my early folky days and even though my musical tastes had move on a long way by then it was great to see them. They played the Combolins on several numbers. BTW, the bandurria looks like a short scale 12 string mandolin - although I think it was 6 pairs - and no doubt someone can come up with an obscure tuning. From Spanish/Portuguese (or related) roots I seem to recall.

Nick

Subject: RE: Review: Music played on the Combolins
From: Scabby Douglas
Date: 23 Dec 02 - 11:56 AM

The Corries didn't over-use the combolins onstage, but when they used them on instrumentals, they were very effective.
I suspect that tuning may well have played a part in restricting their usage.. I don't ever remember them spending hours tuning them up - this would have been before electronic tuners, remember...


Cheers