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Down Longford Way

Beck and Emily from 'As The Crow Fies' and 'The Tasmanian Heritage Fiddle Ensemble' play Kitty Parker's 'Down Longford Way'. The tune, made famous by Percy Grainger's later orchestration, is about Parker's home town of Longford, Tasmania, but would be just at home in Longford Ireland

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Tags: Longford, Tasmania, Van Diemen's Land, fiddle

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Comment by Jill (mandogrl) on February 27, 2011 at 2:32: Awesome!

Comment by Jill (mandogrl) on February 27, 2011 at 2:32: Awesome!

Comment by David Boon on February 4, 2011 at 4:20: Thanks for the comment David. Bec is a friend of my son who plays in the Blue Mosquitoes in some of my other clips. I will have to post some more recent music from the two girls as, being young, they have improved since this was filmed.

Comment by David Boon on December 5, 2010 at 20:53: Gerard, This tune is actually originally more to do with Kitty Parker's happy memories of growing up in Longford, Tasmania. Also the tune was videod some time ago so both girls (who I know but are not related) have grown a great deal in their playing since this was filmed.

Comment by Gerard on December 5, 2010 at 12:43: I don't know the original orchestration, but I love this one and it's harmonization very much!
I think that grainger's orchestration played by big orchestras would be a good sountrack for a western movie but I'd like it to sound more "epic".
Anyway...

The girls play the tune in a nice melancholic way but I think it lacks something.
At hearing it, I really feel the nostalgia, the pain of long gone past, but I think we could hear more of the "fighting spirit" of irish immigrants or deported.
I feel that playing it that way suggests only a heavy load on one's mind and, may be, renouncement. Not the determination of struggling for a better life.
What I would suggest is that the girls attack the strings a bit more strongly so that both nostalgia and strengh of mind would be "read".
But it's only a suggestion. ;-)

Comment by David Boon on December 5, 2010 at 12:01: Always open to feedback.

Comment by Gerard on December 5, 2010 at 11:27: Nice. But... May I suggest a small criticism? ;-)

Comment by David Boon on December 2, 2010 at 1:57: Thanks for the comment Desiree. This song was orchstrated by Percy Grainger and is often played by orchestras. This version is more true to the orginal version by Kitty Parker.

Comment by Desiree White on December 2, 2010 at 1:44: sounds nice.

Comment by David Boon on October 12, 2010 at 11:28: Thanks for the feedback Tristan. I became aware of this tune as Chris and Hannah from the Blue Mosquitoes played it at my niece's wedding. It also has links with my family as the Boon's settled in Longford, Tasmania in the 1840s and were fiddle players.