THE "FEADOG" OR TIN WHISTLE - IN BRIEF- PART 2

THE "FEADOG" OR TIN WHISTLE - IN BRIEF- PART 2 - by Eliseo Mauas Pinto


The old gaelics owned an instrument called " cuisle" but it is probable that it was a cane instrument, very similar in sound to the medieval bombarde,or to the shawn of celtic bretons, or to the Navarrese dulzaina।

The gaelic for whistle was in its primitive form " Feadan" (modern " Feadóg") and " feadanaigh" , or executants of the same, are mentioned in legend like nomadic musicians, shanachies or filí (poets and relatores of mythological cycles), and juglarsand bards. The Whistle basically consists of six orifices of the front and a mouth, being the breathing the one in charge of octavar notes.
Usually is confused it with " Flageolet" French (" Flageol": wind instrument) very popular in the XVIII Century. These had four orifices in front and two underneath. Nowadays whistle is known like " tin whistle" or " penny whistle" from the Folc revival of the 50, being its immutable form to the passage of the centuries, as if the same sonorous landlord that emitted long ago between the fairs and flocks was the same of the festivales and recordings of today.
Perennial as the green grass, light like the pen of goose, and transportable in any pocket. At present they cost more of a penny, but some do not exceed the four dollars, being varied refining as Re, E flat, B flat, F and G. In the decade of the ९०'s began to spread octaved models known as "Low Whistle" Bflat and D keys.
It is common to find "D" whistlers because it is of easy support with violin or cittern, or in soloist mode like in " they are-nos" of the Connachtacht. The renewed interest by this traditional instrument really assures its continuity like integral of Ireland's folklore .