20 Essential Uilleann Piping Tunes: Volume 1

In this little gem of a book, Dr. Eliot Grasso offers what he (and I am sure most other experienced uilleann pipers and teachers) believe are almost two dozen essential tunes for pipers at all levels. Each of the 20 tunes in the book contain two versions: a stave with a basic, simplified transcription of Grasso's own without ornamentation and in a stave just below that, a version with ornamentation. Each tune also contains chords that accompanying chording instruments (e.g. guitar, piano, bouzouki) can play to harmonize with the pipe tune.In addition to the tunes themselves, Grasso generously includes chapters on how to play dance music, how to use conspicuous and subtle ornamentation on the uilleann pipes, and even material on how to memorize pipe tunes using a method he describes. He then offers notes on each tune that detail his own experience and history with the tune (where and how he learned it and from whom), descriptions of the tune's own provenance and references to some of the great pipers who recorded or played it (e.g., Willie Clancy, Seamus Ennis, Johnny Doran, Liam O'Flynn, etc.) along with the names of their recordings so the reader can find them easily. Then, to top it all off, Dr. Grasso provides a nice bibliography at the end that gives the reader more resources to consult to expand their understanding about the pipes, their music, and their historical context.The book serves as a written text and aide to freely available YouTube recordings Dr. Grasso made of himself playing each tune in the book. Offering this is a huge help as it allows the reader to hear and see the tune being played while s/he has the two versions of the sheet music right in front of them.Taken together, 20 Essential Uilleann Piping Tunes (and the video recordings) is a little goldmine for the uilleann piper or student, and I cannot recommend it highly enough!

C'est vraiment le bouquin de partition que j'attendais et qui permet de développer le travail sur les variations et les régulateurs (indication des accords) sur des grands classiques de la musique irlandaise.

Eliot has made this powerful book user friendly. Its power is that his hands are those of a master piper— he selected these tunes after 100s of hours of learning these tunes in and out. Its power is also in that he clearheadly made this book with many other instruments in mind. But that’s not all! Eliot articulation of the principles of Irish dance music is robust and clear. An incredible example of Eliot’s helpful descriptions: Eliot’s encouragement to learn these tunes by Net Learning instead of Chain Learning: i.e start by learning the essential elements first, flexible elements second and incidental elements third, as opposed from start to finish.What better way than this book to offer the world a deep and grounded instruction and connection to this tradition? Humbly, on behalf of all of Dr. Grassos students and all those who have an itch to dance and play this traditional music, gá raibh míle maith agát! A thousand thanks Dr. Grasso!P.sAs a student of Eliot’s, I know he means every word he mentions in his dedication. We, his students have helped him learn more deeply what music is about. Yes, what would he do without us?!!

This book is a must-buy if you play Irish traditional music. Whether you’re a piper yourself, or just looking to dive deeper into the unique repertoire of this iconic instrument, Grasso’s offering here provides a wealth of information. Clear, organized scores; easy-to-follow arrangements; concise, beautiful writing. This volume (hopefully the first of many from Grasso) will quickly find its way into the heart of any Irish music enthusiast’s collection.

An outstanding book of tunes that includes fascinating insights on each one as well as important advice on how to play and memorize uilleann pipe music. Pulsing and rhythm are described clearly in a way that should help all levels of pipers.