Boys of Blue Hill, Harvest Home

[dustys1banjo]

I have one of these critters, mine has the same scale length as a bouzouki, I have it tuned in 5ths, D_A_E_B_F# bought mine at Lark in The Morning, larkinam.com I use mine for country and bluegrass, everywhere I go people ask what is it? I especially like the huge tonal range it has.

[bydabay107]

I really like the sound and the playing, great job, thanks for posting

[sinjin480]

Does Harvest Home have a different name? I remember hearing a tune here in Newfoundland that sounds quite similar, but the name was different.

[finbarmaginn]

so what would be the difference between a citern and say a bouzouki / mandola? it looks like its exactly the same shape, build and amount of strings.

is it tuned GDAE like mandolin/fiddle?

[forbesbell]

@finbarmaginn

The cittern has 10 strings and a shorter scale length than the bouzouki and usually a larger body than both mandola and bouzouki. It can be tuned many ways but this one is tuned GDGDG.

[chirpy36]

Top playing dude! I love the sound of the cittern - never even heard of it before I'd seen your videos... is it a Northumbrian instrument do you know?

[JimBell1984]

@chirpy36 The Cittern, if I am correct evolved from a three stringed instrument from the region which is now Iran, and came to England during the middle ages and became very popular. A common insult of the time was to call someone a cittern head :)

[forbesbell]

@chirpy36

The modern cittern was developed by a man called Stefan Sobel, who lives in Northumberland. He is credited with making the first 10 string and naming it Cittern. The medieval cittern is a different beast all together.

[damodrummer1]

Jayzus and I thought that was an Irish tune!!

[Holm182]

Sounds really great! :) Your instrument has a lovely tone and I really like your playing! I love to play along with my tenor banjo!

[LiaSarah91]

My dad used to play this to me on the banjo all the time when I was a baby, it's one of those things that hits deep any time i hear it, lovely

[forbesbell]

@synthpathetic Not really, I can play it:)

[Datvires]

Great stuff Wally

[forbesbell]

@Datvires Thanks for your comment.

[cormackjames]

Excellent, I love the instrument, id it different form the bazouki or the same thing?

[forbesbell]

@cormackjames

It has a shorter scale length and an extra course of strings. Apart from that, much the same

[al1robson]

Love this, fine playing. I can relate well to it very well. Hexham born and married to a dublin girl. I've heard great stuff but this is the best yet. Just skill and passion making quality music, live. Thanks for this very much

[forbesbell]

@al1robson

hexham eh? great part of the world. Thanks for your kind words

[KingMilesTagoyet]

Really nice, you play exceptionally well, thanks for posting. I drove through Northumberland in the summer...beautiful. I'm from border reiver stock and this music is in my blood i think! Thanks again.

[forbesbell]

@KingMilesTagoyet

I bet you had a lump in your throat. Thanks for your comments.

[Alexxpb]

do any of you fine lads know where i can get a good Mandochello its likes?

[forbesbell]

@Irish858Dancer

I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the comments.

[ricwoz]

Very nice! You have a nice feel for the music and this is one of the nicer large mandolin vids on you tube. Well done!!

[wolfman19892]

by the gods , you're a bard sung of by bards !!!

[chrisaldi]

Very nice indeed!

[msenin]

Bravo

[Morris4beer]

smokin

[PintDrinker60]

LOVE the crosspicking!! Two great session tunes that you do very well indeed. It's now in my favorites list. Thanks for posting it.

[JPcares]

Love it! Made my day! Thanks!

[Mariosmash]

Exellent

[Mandolin1944]

Mighty mighty fine! Five stars I need to work this out on the mandocello asap. Very fine indeed! 5 STARS!!!

[forbesbell]

Thank you very much.

[DRIVEGURU]

It's been a long time since music made me smile like this does. What a beautiful sound. I play along on mandolin. You are a great leader! Thanks for the music.

[forbesbell]

You are so kind, Thank you

[DomFinn]

This is amazing.

[forbesbell]

Much appreciated. Thanks for the kind comment

[mando45454545]

nice cross picking version of boys of blue hill.

[forbesbell]

Thanks for the kind comment

[ormoluinhen]

This is lovely, is a cittern different to a mandola? :)

[forbesbell]

The Cittern has one extra course of strings and is generally larger in body and scale length (but not always)

Thanks for your kind comments

Wally

[V081WLBlue]

Very well played.

Always thought these were Irish tunes, leant them back in school, you learn something everyday.

[BmoreBusker]

As I was listening to this, and trying to learn it with my cittern, I wondered why this melody came so easy to me. ...

On my Cajun accordion, I taught myself Soldier's Joy, and I just now am noticing the similarities to Boys of Blue Hill

[slimpickensrx]

Great Job! I just starting learning this medley on the mandolin. I love the sound of the cittern!

[ramron333]

very impressive liked the alternative back up notes if thats what you call them

[BmoreBusker]

is this the Fyled?

[forbesbell]

Yup, This is the signature Fylde

[pantsmatants]

There's some nice cittern playing on a few tracks of the 'Celtic Roots' CD by box player John Williams... they do Tar Road to Sligo, the whole first run through the tune is solo cittern, then the box comes in for the rest of the set. Nice playing yourself, and thanks for the tunes.

[forbesbell]

I'll check that out. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Regards

Wally

[SillyWizard]

Great Job!

[forbesbell]

Thanks for the compliment, I've just been on your site and listened to your music. It makes me want to come over and see you live. Thanks

Wally

[markendall007]

great playing,

what tuning do you use for

your bouzouki?

GADE?

[forbesbell]

Hi Mark, Thanks for the comment. I tune it to GDGDG

[besk1]

beautiful playing! do you have any idea where I could find recording of these tunes? I live in Hexham but am studying in Penrith, where would you say is the best place to buy Northumbrian folk music? thanks, keep up the good work!

[forbesbell]

The internet is probably the best place. Look for bands and artists such as Kathryn Tickell, The Border Directors, The High Level Ranters etc. Regards

Wally

[hamrzlawnlake]

Beauty. I heard harvest home as a schottische, but this works well. Thanks for the post.

[doco1doco]

Lovely playing on all these videos Wally - not that I'd have expected anything less!

Michael (Docherty)

[forbesbell]

Hi Michael, We missed you.

[Stumblestrum]

Really like your playing and your instrument's sounds great. Interesting that you say they are tunes from Northumberland, I always assumed they were Irish ( not that I have any knowledge of folk music history). Anyway thanks for posting this , it is an inspiration to me.

[forbesbell]

Thanks for your comments.

Many tunes migrated from the borders of England and Scotland to Northern Ireland with the wholesale clearing of many families in the 18th century and have now returned with irish migrations back again and also to the USA in the 19th and early 20th centuries. You'll find many tunes with 2 or three different names.

Regards

Wally