Tune Titles?

[Aaron Rider]

I just wanted to see if anyone had stories about how they name their tunes. Obviously, some are named for people, some for places, and some happenings.

Here's the question: How many tune titles actually have to do with the tune?

[Rick James]

Originally posted by MacMelvino:
Here's the question: How many tune titles actually have to do with the tune?

Interesting question. It's easy to name a "song" - that is a tune with words - because it actually tells about something. But a tune is generally just a (sometimes) clever series of notes linked together into phrases, etc. Are there any or many "tone poems" out there that actually evoke a mental image when heard?

We have two original tunes in our band that try to do that. One is "The 7th Floor Bombadier" written by a former pipe major Dave Brown. It's about an event regarding one of our pipers, a wastepaper basket full of water, and a singing wino seven floors down on the sidewalk. The music attempts to capture the effect of the water falling as a large ball, then as it reaches terminal velocity opening up into a large misty donut around the wino. A very funny story that helps the audience appreciate the tune.

The second is a jig I wrote called "The Broken Stick". A few years back our medley set opened with "The Sorcerer". The first beat was played in the drum corp with a rim shot. We never had a problem until we marched into the circle on competition day. On the first beat the lead drummer broke his stick - and he didn't have any back up sticks in his hose (there's a lesson to be learned here). What was probably only a few beats seemed like ages. The drummers did a mad shuffle of exchanging sticks trying to get the best players playing. The pipe corps never missed a beat, but we kept thinking "well this is it - we're hosed now". But we kept going and actually finished the set. (By the way, we took first.) Anyway the tune has several pauses that try to give the feeling of "hanging out there" wondering what is going to happen next. There are also some quarter note triplets (mathematical duplets) in the fourth part that give something of a disjointed feeling that easily resolve.

Sorry for the long stories, but we generally tell these stories before performing them so the audience can fully appreciate it. There is really no way they could figure out the story just by listening to the music.

Other tunes I have written are just to commemerate important events or to honor certain people.

[Dave Brown]

Greetings to you all
Responding to Rick James on the 6/8 march: "The 7th Floor Bombadier". The tune was dedicated to piper John Fisher who dropped the water bomb from a hotel window in downtown San Francisco. I imagine the unfortunate target down in the alley, the "wino" as Rick put it, probably thought it was a sudden rain. In any case, it seemed an appropriate event for a pipe tune. I am honored that my old friend Ron James chose this tune for his solo performance at the SHPB 40th Anniversary celebration in Virginia City, NV.
Now, on a new tune, also a 6/8 march. On the evening of September 11, 2001, out of frustration, anger and a sense of helplessness, I grabbed my weapon (read as practice chanter) and began work on a tune that evolved into six parts. It is not yet a finished work, needs a bit of polish and editing, and might be best reduced to four parts. The title "The Dogs of War" is taken from Shakespeare: "Cry havoc, and unleash the dogs of war." Henry the V, I believe. In any case, when I am satisfied with it, I'd like very much to send it to someone for a serious evaluation. Who and where would I find that piper?
That's all for now. And Neil, "The Clumsy Lover" is an outstanding HP. The title says it all.
Slainte!
Dave Brown

[Stormy]

On a personal basis I come up with the tune first and then look for a name.
I began by naming tunes after areas of Paisley where I live. Now when I have a tune finished I take some time to look at the tune and ask myself if it reminds me of anyone or anything in particular. On my website I have given a brief explanation of the naming of the tune.

One tune in particular comes to mind when asking "does the name have a bearing on the tune"?
"Wee Crabbit Features" reminds me of some wee housewife incessantly nagging at her poor long suffering husband. (The identity of the wee crabbit woman will forever remain unkown!)

[Mitch Man]

The "Rant" describes a good tune!

I used to hate the names like "Mrs Macpherson's Favourite"!

"Favourite what?" I'de ask! :confused:

JM

[Chris Eyre]

Originally posted by MacMelvino:
I just wanted to see if anyone had stories about how they name their tunes. Obviously, some are named for people, some for places, and some happenings.

Here's the question: How many tune titles actually have to do with the tune?

Funny you should say that.. I am just in the process of putting together a book of tunes written by myself and a few friends over the last few years. One of them has just today given me a a new tune written for a great friend of his. He has called the tune "Twilight" because he can rarely string together more than five sentences without using the phrase "At the end of the day..."

:)

Chris Eyre

[AWPIPER]

For those interested in the origin of tunes.I found this with the words for a frequently played tuneTAPSLink is below.

http://www.west-point.org/taps/Taps.html

Cheers, :D
Mark