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Chris Ormston "Time Out Of Mind"
I am always amazed to find there are people with a genuine interest
in British traditional music, who are blithely unaware of the Northumbrian
Smallpipes*. This small, sweet-toned, bellows-powered bagpipe has been
played for the last two centuries and more in the North-East of England
(and more recently elsewhere). Rumours of the demise of this tradition
have always been exaggerated, but they have been of assistance in attracting
devotees with local connections, who maintained the tradition. I suspect
that this has contributed significantly to the remarkable growth in
interest in the tradition in the last quarter century.
This latter period coincides with Chris Ormston's playing career,
and from " young-star" beginnings in competitions (a recurrent
phenomenon), he has become widely admired within the world of Northumbrian
piping as an exemplar of classic piping style which many recognise,
but few have sufficient drive to
emulate. We have been waiting eagerly for a recording of Chris to be
issued, and now that it has, we are certainly not disappointed. As a
stunning combination of piping technique, and a demonstration of well-honed
musical taste, it is unsurpassed in the history of recorded Northumbrian
piping. The late 1920s saw an earlier upsurge of interest in piping
in Northumberland. In this period, the Northumbrian Pipers' Society
was formed, but, perhaps more importantly, Northumbrian smallpipes were
recorded for commercial
distribution. Of these recordings, Tom Clough's classic recording of
'Holey Ha'penny' has come down to these latter days as a touchstone
of technique, demonstrating a control of the instrument beyond that
which many pipers seek to achieve. Chris, failing to appreciate that
such playing was considered by many to be beyond the ability of ordinary
mortals, sought with unwavering focus to emulate, understand and revive
the techniques which Tom had taught to many of his pupils in the first
half of the twentieth century.
This CD is in no way an academic reconstruction of a long gone art form,
rather it brings the smallpipes to life in a way which emphasises the
unique attributes of this indigenous instrument. As an exposition of
the Clough style of playing, it is without equal. It contains some of
the old tunes and sets of variations, which are indelibly associated
with the instrument, as well as tunes associated with Billy Pigg, and
some of Chris's own compositions. This is not mile-a-minute playing
but rather a sparkling, measured approach which allows
enough space for the grace notes and runs which are an inherent part
of this style. In contrast, for playing slow airs, he uses a very simple
style, coaxing from his chanter a sweetness of tone, which makes for
compelling listening. As with many other pipers, Chris is not unaware
of other traditions, but when
he takes tunes from the Irish tradition, he avoids any pseudo-celtic
styles, playing them in a manner which is recognisably "Northumbrian",
without hiding their origins. I know that Chris is perfectly able to
accomplish any of the techniques which might be presented as modern
(freestyle) piping, but his avoidance of such effectively demonstrates
the power of classic technique as a means of presenting the inherent
capabilities of the instrument. If cornered, I could criticise some
technical aspects of the recording/production on one or two tracks,
but these are not sufficient to detract from an overall stunning performance.
Whether you are a Northumbrian piper seeking inspiration, a lover of
Northumbrian music seeking entertainment, or a musician
seeking a definitive and masterly exposition of the instrument's capabilities,
this is definitely a must have CD.
Barry Say
Living Tradition
Available for performances, projects, talks and workshops in 2004
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