Irish Fiddle : Frankie Gavin 1

[macker8894]

for anybody who says its too fast or theres so many mistakes...its never too fast for traditional players like Franky here or almost and traditional fiddle player...and those "mistakes" are one of the fantastic features of trad irish music...look up other reels or jigs (even by Franky) before u post stupid comments

[sexycaty666]

I think it is amazing. I would love to play like him someday. I think his bow may be a little to loose though.

[richiem95]

The best...

[malek321]

This is scary good

[morryll]

Am I crazy or is Frankie Gavin's fiddle tuned a half step sharp?

Like G#--D#-B flat-F natural?

It's hard to be sure since I can't really make out what his fingers are doing... camera angle is all wrong. Wish he would do an instructional video.

[Tonefid115]

@morryll Yes the fiddle is tuned up half a tone,this tuning was popular with Donegal fiddle players like Tommy Peoples.

[OfGreatLakes]

I love how he gently climbs down from the tempo with some bounces of the bow, a bunch of double stops, and a choice harmonic after all that excitement at the end. It's like hearing an old train arrive at the station after a white-knuckle ride through the mountains or something!

[suibhnebuile]

Jaysus, Frankie, slow down! lol

[neidiharks]

His house that he grew up in is 3 houses away from my house! he played at our concert for tanzania!!!

we raised 3500! he was unreal and so was Eric and so was Michelle!

[UISTMAN59]

This is not "really bad" If you think it is "really bad" then please post your version for comparison purposes!

[jayrbee60]

WOW!!! I don't think I could even keep rythmn with him... I'd case up my guitar and watch and listen to the master!

[MAdk1p]

too fast, you can hear him mess up, i think he is just seeing how fast we can play it

[UISTMAN59]

The great Yehudi Menuhin didnt think he messed it up so I don't think there can be much wrong with it. If you think he is just seeing how fast we can play it then you should post your version and then we'll see if you can play it at all never mind play it this fast!

[gibsonpaddy]

ha ha fair play

[violayla]

@UISTMAN59 what do you mean, yehudi menuhin? where does he comment frankie?

[UISTMAN59]

@violayla Thanks for the question. The programme featured fiddlers from North Amercia, Scandanavia and Britain e.g. Mark O'Connor, Aly Bain, Vassar Clements, Vincent Campbell, Maighread Ni Mhaonaigh. Yehudi Menuhin talked on the programme about Frankie's playing and improvisational skills. I have it on tape but I have not posted it.

[sjphayes7]

this is actually shockingly good...its frightening to watch its so good. 1.43-1.46....AMAZING

[UISTMAN59]

I agree!

[deslm]

I understand what some of you are saying about the speed but there are some traditions that play that fast most of the time. I'm thinking mostly about Donegal fiddle music and a story I heard once about an ignorant tourist admonishing Ciaran Tourish or playing too fast after hearing him in a pub somewhere. Would you slag off a whole regional style like that simply because it's too fast for your taste? That would be a bit silly, no?

[darolanger]

Hey folks... this is FRANKIE GAVIN...one of the greatest ever... that's the way he plays it! There's a whole tradition of hellacious Irish fiddling at those kind of tempos. Plenty of beautiful slower versions out there too.

[44ebreizh]

you're right !! frankie gavin is a great musician !!

[bobcollier001]

Holy smoke. Slow down!! There's a great tune in there somewhere.

[gibsonpaddy]

The new high chief of irish music

[westvirginiawonder]

OOOOOO That was good good stuff!!!

[RockyRoader]

Great technical playing - lots of triplets and ornamentation in there, at great speed - but it loses a lot of the spirit of the tune at that speed.

[UISTMAN59]

Have a look at my other posting of this tune "Irish Fiddle : Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh" for an excellent version of this Irish Reel, same tune as played by Frankie but sounding somehow different. :-)

[bertwindon]

@UISTMAN59

Did that - made me eyes water. How d'you explain it !? Many thanks for the posts of this Brr-ill - i ant music !

[katvanbus]

You have the touch!

Bravo!!

[richiem95]

1:43 thats soo class

[00JTM]

Love it

[klrietmann]

As the old Dublin/Toronto piper Chris Langan would admonish his students, "Do you have a train to catch?" ;)

Love Frankie and Alec's first LP though, they must have popped some ludes before rolling tape.

[hummingbird272007]

Just brilliant!!!

[martinmcmutrie]

I've heard that Frankie Gavin's been working on this reel since the early days, and can now get through it 3 times in under a minute, so he is the current leader in this area.

[boxplayer2]

speechless

incredible talent

[seamuslynn]

Go Frankie!!

[clarebannerman]

The Foxhunters Reel---see James Kelly's version which he got from the late Patrick Kelly of Cree, County Clare.

[ponkkaa]

Could listen to this all day

[vivaldizz]

Great playing as usual from the maestro

[mongorich]

not bad, but needs to be pepped-up a bit.

[UISTMAN59]

I trust you are jest, mongorich?

[mongorich]

Yep.

[geneosis]

wooo! ye!

[Oakframe73]

Have you all noticed that the soundtrack's not in time with the picture? - really annoying

[UISTMAN59]

Congratulations! Of more than twelve thousand viewsings you were the first to notice!

[Oakframe73]

Great. What do I win?

[murlach1]

well if u listen to his triplets and rolls he is gettting it all in there like....

[RuailleBuaille16]

frankie gavin is amazing but its a pity he wouldn't play a bit slower and show off his skill!!

[UISTMAN59]

Thanks for your note RuailleBuaille16. That he can play all the notes in the right order at that speed is ample demonstration of his skill. He doesn't always play at this speed as you can hear on the other third posting I have of Frankie. For those who like the slower version of the Foxhunter, listen to Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh playing it.

[briangroovy]

this tune sounds really good pyayed in high bass like what James Kelly does. Try it out people!

[cortez2002]

great

[smileyourassoff]

I'm inspired!

:)

[concertina18]

frankie from galway is amazing

[gatjat]

ah-mazing

[clarebannerman]

If you watch my James Kelly video clip you will hear reference to what I said.

[clarebannerman]

The Foxhunters Reel came from the playing of Patrick Kelly of Cree,County Clare.

[UISTMAN59]

Thanks for that note Clarebannerman.

[Churnmilk]

Check out Kevin Burke on youtube

[UISTMAN59]

I have posted a tune by KevinBurke already?

[Mexmando]

one word...wonderful !!

[bluemacdaddy]

i dont play fiddle,but personally i love martin hayes,i think its his bowing or somethin cos his airs are just so soulful,and he can swing too like:)not alot of great videos of him here though,funny one of him as a kid playin with the tulla ceili band though:)

[UISTMAN59]

So you don't think much of Frankie then, Bluemacdaddy?

[bluemacdaddy]

i do a course i think hes absolutely incredible,ha i realise i went off the point there talkin about martin.H-sorry,but hes from clare too so i said id through him in there:):)great video though,hes about to take off,

[rushkil79]

What year was it when this was made?

[UISTMAN59]

Hi rushkil79 I think it must have been late Eighties. It featured Mark O'Connor, Aly Bain & Vincent Campbell, Maighread Ni Mhaonaigh and Yehudi Menuhin. Definitely before 1992.

[professorV]

Wow! Very cool.

[douglowder]

It's hard to define the "best" when you're talking about something like Irish fiddle music. You can definitely say, though, that Frankie is at the very top level of Irish fiddle playing, along with a very few others (John Doherty, Liz Carroll, Kevin Burke, Tommy Peoples, etc.) who all play in very different styles.

[shaskeen1]

Gavin is certainly the most flamboyant fiddle player - doesn't necessarily mean the best. Lots of irish musicians (me included) would prefer a more understated style (like Tony Linnane, Maeve Donnelly or for the younger generation Siobhan Peoples for example).

[UISTMAN59]

Thanks for your comment, and for mentioning names that are new to me. I'll need to listen to these, if I can.

[consairtin]

tony linnane is fantastic. also look into brian rooney, james kelly (and his father john kelly) and definitely caoimhin o raghallaigh (album kitty lie over).

really the only album tony has ever done is "noel hill and tony linnane." noel told me that tony is finally considering making an album of his own. i for one will get it!

[martinmcmutrie]

Brilliant - please post more of Frankie Gavin.

[suezn]

Man I gotta have more of this stuff. Unbeleivable!!

[deslm]

Possibly not...but this guy is genius enough to make that comparison in my books. Frankie slays almost any other players of this instrument as far as I'm concerned.

And yeah, Handel probably would have loved De Dannan's treatment of his piece.

[UISTMAN59]

Thanks for the reply, although I don't think its right to compare fiddlers who play different styles. It's like saying Tony McCoy is a better jockey than Kieren Fallon (or vice versa). Frankie has played in the past with Stephane Grappelli, and with Sir Yehudi Menuhin and was admired by both. His "Arrival of the Quuen of Sheba (in Galway) is superb.

[nigelbaseley]

No myleneford, Frankie is the best fiddle player in any style - period.

[BrainFPatterson]

Fankie's a truly great Iirsh fiddler, but not any better than Cathal Hayden, Liz Carroll or a few others who are equally impressive in different syles. Sean McGuire must have been the most flamboyant ever, better technique than Frankie. As for best in any style check out Casey Driessen, Mark O'Connor's caprice no3 and solo on Blue Men of the Sahara. A country fiddler who can swing like Grappelli and improvise cadenzas on his violin concertos. Wouldn't be able to play like Frankie, though.

[UISTMAN59]

Thanks for your comment BrainFPatterson. I think that echoes my own comments of four months ago.

[BrainFPatterson]

If you want another recommendation for Irish fiddler Ulstman, look out for Oisin McAuley's Far From the Hills of Donegal CD (has some other syles too). You won't regret it. Jersualem Ridge is the Casey Driessen track I really recommend checking on youtube - amazing percussive bowing at the start. I was lucky enough to see that guy play live with the Bela Fleck Trio at the Johhny Keenan Banjo Festival a few years back.

[myleneford]

best fiddle player in Ireland is frankie