Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...
For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.
At last -- at lo-o-o-ng last -- the television adaptation of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander premieres on Showcase this weekend.
Sunday at 10:00 pm Toronto time, 11:00 pm here on the east coast, to be exact.
I have only been waiting 22 years to see Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall come to life.
To set the mood for this At Last! At Long Last! weekend, here are five Scottish tunes to tide you over until the series begins.
1 - The Water is Wide -- Orla Fallon
A psalm version of this tune was sung during my wedding ceremony. Just love it.
2 - Skye Boat Song -- Rowena Taheny (Celtic Dreams)
3 - Ye Jacobites by Name -- Moonrakers
4 - Eightsome Reel -- Scottish Fiddle Orchestra
It's not hard to tell what gives Cape Bretoners their characteristic lust for life! Cape Breton is the northeastern part of my home province, Nova Scotia -- or New Scotland. Cape Breton is actually an island that is connected to the mainland by a causeway. Anyone actually from Cape Breton calls himself or herself an Islander, and refers to the rest of us as mainland dwellers.
The spirit of the Scottish highlands is alive and well on the Island, including a vibrant Gaelic-speaking revival, as well as Celtic-based music that embraces its roots as though they were only yesterday.
My grandfather's family came from Cape Breton, and my mom grew up in Sydney until she was a teenager and the family moved to Michigan for work in the 1950s. Though our family is French Acadian, the mixing of cultures on the Island meant that my grandmother played the cording piano for fiddle players. Cording piano means the keyboard turns into a sort of rhythmn accompaniment for the melodies played by the fiddle players.
5 - Medley of Jigs -- Buddy MacMaster
Here in Nova Scotia, the master of fiddler players -- Buddy MacMaster -- has been a revered teacher of several generations of fiddlers, including his famous niece, Natalie MacMaster.
He just passed away Wednesday night at age 89, so in honour of his remarkable legacy, here is a clip of a concert performance he gave at age 80. The music begins at the 1:49 mark.
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