Pirate music instrumentation

[DrewT86]

Some of you may remember me. I've been trying to get as much information together about pirate music as I can so I can do justice to this music score.

I have a question about instrumentation. I need to know either what kind of instruments the pirates played their sea shanties on or what kind of instruments just scream PIRATES! right now I'm taking a sea shantie and want to orchestrate it for small ensemble but I need to know what instruments I should assign to everyone. Either information would be helpful. Or if you have any advice I'd love that too!

~Drew

[lady snow]

lessee - there's always the recorder (wood flute), tin whistle, concertina, spoons, lute, guitar type thingie. just my thoughts.

[Lady Seahawke]

IMHO, you might consider what the sea shantie is for. For instance, if it is to haul an anchor, you might consider how the capstan sounds when it is being rotated. Think the the dozen or so men straining putting their backs to the wheel. The sea shantie to keep their movements in time, their words and exhaustion in rhythm, perhaps drums might accompany it

Then if it is to raise the sheets, well then the sounds of the ropes being pulled through the pulleys the crossarm being raised, and the sails unfurling.

Is it just for a good time to release the tensions of the day...perhaps the stomping of feet to relax the kinks in the muscles.

You see getting the instruments is one thing, getting the essence is something else. Remember that on a ship many a shantie was sung in time with ship itself being the instrument. so, think of having the instruments become the men and equipment. Blend the ancient with the modern... Match them that way and you shouldn't have a problem. Again that is my humble opinion.

[Trapper]

Normally, instrumentation wouldn't have been used at all on shanties. No one would've had a free hand, since the songs were used to keep people in rhythm while performing tasks (raising sails, anchors, etc.). Didn't even have to have a good voice to lead. The nightingale was picked by how loud they were.

That being said, according to everything I've read and been taught on the subject, the instruments on board were things not too damaged by moisture, like whistles, concertinas. fiddles. Guitars and the like weren't used on ships, since they were too fragile (not to mention that they're a later invention). Though I have read about a banjo-like instrument, as well as mandolins. Think small instruments, since there wasn't a lot of space.

Fair winds,

Trapper

[Sjöröveren]

If you're trying to be strictly historically accurate, concertinas & accordians didn't come along until the 1840s, well past the Golden Age of piracy. Even then, they were considered to be an orchestral instument for the first decade or so.

[Cire]

Actually, Charles Wheatson invented the concertina around 1829 and it was marketed from 1836 as an instrument, before which it was considered a curiousity. At this time melodeons were being developed in Germany.... but yes, the point is that they weren't around during the golden age.

[Fox]

Also, if you're trying to be historically accurate guitars would be fine. They didn't have their modern design and tuning but they have existed in various forms since the 16th century. Also, older guitars tended to be smaller than modern guitars so space is less of an issue.

Nobody has yet mentioned the various droned instruments which were incredibly popular for centuries. Bagpipes, hurdy-gurdies, symphonies etc were widely used from medieval times until well into the 19th century. I can't imagine that hurdy-gurdies would cope well with the moisture at sea but bagpipes would be fine if looked after.

Other smaller instruments have been mentioned like whistles and flutes, but what about Jew Harps? They were also widely used for centuries, wouldn't affected at all by the wet and could fit into a sailor's pocket.

[blackjohn]

I can't imagine that hurdy-gurdies would cope well with the moisture at sea but bagpipes would be fine if looked after.

I've wondered about this too, and decided the next time I see a hurdy-gurdy player, I'm going to ask their opinion. It might just complicate things, while not making it unplayable.

Lets not forget hautboys!!!

And on my ship, someone will be playing the serpent, or there'll be hell to pay.

[Sjöröveren]

Actually, Charles Wheatson invented the concertina around 1829 and it was marketed from 1836 as an instrument, before which it was considered a curiousity. At this time melodeons were being developed in Germany.... but yes, the point is that they weren't around during the golden age.

...should have known better than to rely on my memory! I knew I was close.

Speaking of Jew's Harps, here's an excelllent source for buying some. They sound really incredible in the right hands.

[DrewT86]

You've all been more than helpful steering me in the right direction. However, I see I haven't fully explained what my purpose is. I'll try to be more specific with what I need.

First, this is a quote straight from the director. Here he talks about what the first theme should evoke from the listener...

"So, I want the first piece to be "the valiant crew" and it is to embody the spirit of the fearless crew that always works together and never loses a battle."

My first task is to pick a sea shanty from which to create a basis. Something to inspire the melody. I've gotten a book from the library called "Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman," which was the ONLY book I could find on the subject. It contains 100 or so sea shanties which I can work with but I haven't found any that really grab my attention.

There is one I really like that I found on this site but it's only an MP3 and I don't have the name of it and unfortunately (or fortunately if you're one for tradition) it's sung by some very out of tune singers and I'm having intonation problems and can't transcribe it clearly onto paper. But I do have the words and I'm sure there is someone out there who will recognize them and perhaps even have sheet music?! That would be a huge help!

Here are some of the words (Forgive me if I butcher them. I can't make out every word for some of them are nonsense syllables or words I've never heard before and I'm really only looking for the melody anyway)

when the whores in purple drawers come waltzing down the alleys

(chorus)

away haul away-y, we'll haul away for rosie-o

away haul away-y, we'll haul away for rosie

away haul away-y, we'll haul away for rosie-o

and then I had an Irish girl her name was peppy Flanagan

way haul away-y, we'll haul away for rosie-o

she stole me boots she stole me clothes she stole me plate and packet

away haul away-y, we'll haul away for rosie-o

away haul away-y, we'll haul away for rosie

away haul away-y, we'll haul away for rosie-o

Ya, sorry. I probably really wrecked the song but to be honest I've never heard a sea shanty sung before: )... moving on

If anyway knows any sea shanty tunes that will serve my purpose better and you have the sheet music, that would be wonderful too! email them to me (mixman132@yahoo.com)

Some other concerns of mine are the instrumentation, as discussed earlier. You've all been very helpful and now I have a few more questions. Now I'm not too concerned about being precisely historically accurate because that would take a lot more research and work than I have time for plus that’s not what the director wants and according to most of my research thus far, they were more often sung than played.

This is going to be played by small ensemble which I've yet to assemble mostly because I don't know what instruments would make a good ensemble. That's part of my job to find out anyway.

Second some of you have mentioned instruments I've never heard of before or how they sound but I'm intrigued none the less. I've never heard of nor have I heard the sound of a hurdy-gurdy and I didn't know a symphony or a concertina were instruments.

Also, I'm in the Syracuse, New York area and I don't know of anyone who plays the recorder, wood flute, tin whistle, concertina, spoons, lute, hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes, Jew harps, or for that matter, any of the instruments you all mentioned so it would be awesome if anyone who does play such an instruments were close to me so that I could either have you perform in the ensemble or I could just talk with you a little bit about how to write for that instrument.

Alright folks, that’s what I need this far. Do your stuff. : )

~Drew

[Trapper]

Go to http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/savethewawona

One of the cuts is Haul Away for Rosie-o, and you can hear it done by singers who are not out of tune.

Fair winds,

Trapper

[blackjohn]

My first task is to pick a sea shanty from which to create a basis. Something to inspire the melody. I've gotten a book from the library called "Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman," which was the ONLY book I could find on the subject. It contains 100 or so sea shanties which I can work with but I haven't found any that really grab my attention.

Fwiw... I'd be willing to bet that most, if not all, of the songs in that book date to (at the earliest) the beginning of the 19th century.

[Captain Tito]

Also, I'm in the Syracuse, New York area and I don't know of anyone who plays the recorder, wood flute, tin whistle, concertina, spoons, lute, hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes, Jew harps, or for that matter, any of the instruments you all mentioned so it would be awesome if anyone who does play such an instruments were close to me so that I could either have you perform in the ensemble or I could just talk with you a little bit about how to write for that instrument.

Aye lass, we be "kinda close" to Syracuse, but not quite (Boonville)

Me lady grew up in Clay, NY, but we don't get out that way too often.

She does play recorder though, both Alto and Tenor.

What do ye needeth to know about writing for it? If'n ye ask me (ye can send a personal message if ye wants) I can ask her if she would know, and then I'll answer back.

[Lady Seahawke]

You might check this web site out.

http://www.contemplator.com/sea/

it has lyrics, information on the music for more then a few sea shanties...

[Hawkyns]

Check out Bells and Motley

http://www.geocities.com/bromka/

They are out of the Syracuse area (Marcellus) and play just about all of the instruments mentioned so far. They do all sorts of things, from formal concerts to Ren Faires, so they could probably help you.

Hawkyns