An Irish air called Port na bPucai, that is said to have been learned by a fisherman off the west coast of Ireland when he heard it coming through the bottom of his boat.  You can hear a distinct resemblance between the air and the song of the humpback whale, so I think it's safe to say that's he probably learned it from a whale's song.  The whale song is the one sent out on the Voyager spacecraft (hence the scratchy record sound) - it seems appropriate for a tune that came to us from the whales to be paired with a whale song that we sent out across space in search of other life.

Port Na BPucai

A Middle English song, which has come down to us without music.  I wrote a tune, and this was the result.

My Lief Is Faren In Londe

A 13th century dance from the Chansonnier du Roi, recorded live as part of Marginalia: in Search of the Medieval Bagpipe in May 2015

La Seconde Estampie Royal

A pair of Trecento dances from British Library Ms. Add. 29987, recorded live, October 2015.
Dongmyung Ahn, rebec
Brian Kay, oud
Peter Walker, hümmelchen

Salterello - Trotto

An istanpitta from British Library Ms. Add. 29987, recorded live, October 2015.
Peter Walker, gaita
Brian Kay, dumbek

Ghaetta

Three duets from Mr. O'Farrell's Pocket Companion for the Irish or Union Pipes, published 1804-1810.  Recorded live in concert in March 2016.  Peter Walker and Charlie Rutan, uilleann pipes.

Yellow Haird Laddy - Mill Mill O - Duett X

A lovely Burns song, set to the clarsach tune Failte na Miosg.  This setting was published in the Scots Musical Museum, 1787-1792.
Recorded live in concert, March 2016.  Peter Walker, voice, Christa Patton, harp.  Photo by Jeff Walker.

My Heart's In The Highlands

A pair of traditional tunes (one Irish, one Scottish) from O’Farrell’s “Pocket Companion”, for solo pipes.  Carolan's Receipt is said to have been written when Turlough O'Carolan received a prescription (or receipt) for whiskey, after being told he could never drink again.  Recorded live in concert, March 2016.  Peter Walker and Charlie Rutan, uilleann pipes, and Christa Patton, harp.


Carolan's Receipt For Drinking Whiskey - Catherine Ogie

A set of 18th century Border tunes - Saw Ye Never a Bonny Lass is from Wm. Dixon's manuscript of 1733, and Kiss'd Her Under The Coverlet is from Wm. Vickers' manuscript of 1770-1772.  Both tunes were published in the excellent book "The Master Piper" by Matt Seattle, who also wrote the last part of each tune.

Saw Ye Never A Bonny Lass - Kiss'd Her Under The Coverlet

A tune written while traveling in Iceland - Heydalur is a lovely farm in the Westfjords, and home to an Arctic fox.

Heydalur

Another tune written in Iceland - Patreksfjör∂ur is also in the Westfjords.

Patreksfjör∂ur

An "air a chanter sur la musette" from Borjon de Scelery's "Traite de la Musette", published 1672.  Michele Kennedy-soprano, Peter Walker-musette, Bob Eisenstein-viol, and Christine Gewert-organ.  Recorded live, June 2016.

Text and translation:
J'aimerois mieux mon Berger,
Qu'un Gentil homme,
Ne manger que du pain bis
Avec des pommes.
On trouve plus d'inconstans,
En amourettes,
Que l'on ne voit au printemps
De violettes.
J'e n'ayme des instrumens,
Que la musette,
Et pour les fleurs du printemps
La violette.

I will love my shepherd,
More than I would a gentleman,
I do not eat the brown bread
With apples.
One finds much falsity,
In lovers,
Yet one sees none among violets
In the spring.
I love no instrument,
So much as the musette,
And no springtime flower
So much as the violet.

J'aimerois Mieux Mon Berger

A piece from Pickering's lute book, c.1615, arranged by the late Tom Zajac, with violin part by Bob Eisenstein.  Peter Walker-smallpipes, Bob Eisenstein-violin, Christine Gewert-harpsichord, and Meg Pash-viol.  Recorded live, June 2016.

The Scottish Huntsupe

A song about the decline of the fishing industry, by the great Archie Fisher.  

Final Trawl

Piper, multi-instrumentalist, singer...folk and early music.

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