| Tune | Length | Size | Sample | Add |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Fall: live TISQ95 | ||||
| Drones in all keys | 1:12:00 | 68 mb | ||
| E Minor Medley Live | 4:41 | sample | ||
| Blue Book | 3:05 | sample | ||
| Love On 3 Levels | 5:52 | 8 mb | sample | |
| The Dawn Chorus | 7:01 | |||
| Key Signator | 7:04 | 10 mB | sample | |
| Just Walking live | 6:36 | 9.3mB | sample | |
| AfroCelticGyroStrang | 7:16 | 10.2mB | sample | |
| Keep Sleeping | 4:26 | 6.2mB | sample | |
| Dromedary | 6:51 | 9.7mB | sample | |
| Melt the Teakettle | 7:35 | 10.7mB | sample | |
| Coal Burnin' Grease Fire | 5:52 | 8.3mB | sample | |
| Rubber Dolly | 6:12 | 8.7mB | sample |
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The Fall: live TISQ95
Here is a historical live performance of a Darol composition entitled “The Fall”, played by the Turtle Island String Quartet (Darol, Tracy Silverman, Danny Seidenberg, Mark Summer)in Michigan in 1995. Of interest is that Darol plays a Gilchrist Octave Mandolin on this cut, one of the very few times where the string quartet used a variant instrumentation.
This is a long piece, with many sections. But for a short sample,check out theFall excerpt
-
Drones in all keys
- Length:
- 1:12:00
- Size:
- 68 mb
Return of a hit:
This collection of MP4 tracks sampled at 192k contains drones of 2 tonics an octave apart and a fifth, in just intonation. Each key lasts roughly six minutes and the sequence plays through all the keys in order (the circle of 4ths starting from C).
This kind of technique has been used in Indian classical music for hundreds of years, to perfect and deepen intonation ability. One can play single notes, scales, exercises, double stops, difficult passages, or fiddle tunes to these drones; or you can just play freely and wander among the many-layered intonations of your mind and body.
Makes a great gift for any string musician, especially the no-fret folks.
$10 for the tracks, which includes a printable color pdf file of the cover which can be printed out and stuck in a CD case.
-
E Minor Medley Live
- Length:
- 4:41
- Sample:
- E Minor Medley Live
The E Minor Medley (4:41) is a ripping, burning set of Celtic fiddle tunes played by the great Cathal Hayden with Darol on baritone violin, in a fantastical thrill-ride of a duet at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London in May 2005. This was part of the Fiddles On Fire tour, which featured Cathal along with the Fiddlers 4, Catriona MacDonald, Beata Salomon, and Emma Peel.
If you’re a Celtic fiddle fan, don’t miss this!
A taste of E minor Medley Live.
-
Blue Book
- Length:
- 3:05
- Sample:
- Blue Book
“Blue Book” (3:05) is an original string quartet jazz piece written by Darol, played by 3 Darols overdubbed and Renata Bratt on cello. It’s a note-by note performance of his written arrangement, with written-out solos.
The sheet music for this piece is obtainable from Darol through Fiddlistics Music, and may be specially ordered in musical score and parts. it’s a good jazzy, Miro-esque piece for non-improvising string quartets who want to try something different. You can also check out a Dutch string quartet performing this piece on YouTube!
Check out an mp3 sample: Blue Book excerpt
-
Love On 3 Levels
- Length:
- 5:52
- Size:
- 8 mb
- Sample:
- Love On 3 Levels
A nice performance of a Darol’s original “Love On 3 Levels” (5:52; 8 mb) from the original Psychograss band, with Joe Craven on percussion, Darol, Mike and Todd Phillips. Darol plays the infamous Baritone violin on this one, and Mike contributes another iconic nylon string guitar solo.
A short Mp3 sample of this download: Love On 3 levels excerpt
-
The Dawn Chorus
- Length:
- 7:01
Dawn Chrous (7:01) is a chamber work for multi-cultural string ensemble by Darol. Originally presented on the 1995 out-of print release “Psychograss”, this piece is an extended musical portrait of the Rain Forest at dawn, inspired by the work of naturalist/documentarian Gordon Hempton, who tapes the sounds of dawn in remote places around the world where no man-made sounds yet impinge.
Featuring Mike Marshall, on guitar and mandolin, Joe Craven on hand percussion and Darol on everything else including the dreaded $25 Pan-Asian fiddle, this piece is a journey to a part of the world where humans are simply insect food.
-
Key Signator
- Length:
- 7:04
- Size:
- 10 mB
- Sample:
- Key Signator
A unique version of Darol’s perennial favorite composition (also his first). With 3 jazz virtuosos: brilliant pianist Bevan Manson (Gunther Shuller, Bob Shepard), bassist Derek Jones (Nickle Creek, the Mu-Tet, Cirque De Soleil), drummer Aaron Johnston (Brazilian Girls). This version turns the speedy string samba into an Art Blakey-inspired jazz walk. Everybody gets some solo time, and speak their piece with style and panache. Darol’s famous melody gets a real workout. This session was conducted at Fiddlistics Studios in 2004, shortly after the 4 Generations Of Jazz Violin tour, and yielded 2 other juicy jazz tunes, which will be released in the future.
Check out an mp3 sample: Key Signator excerpt.
-
Just Walking live
- Length:
- 6:36
- Size:
- 9.3mB
- Sample:
- Just Walking live
“Just Walking” was one of Darol’s compositions for the Montreux Band, which featured Mike Marshall, Barbara Higbie, Michael Manring, and Darol. 3 recordings for Windham Hill and almost 200 live shows all over the world later, the members went off to pursue their various fates, but here is an intense live 1985 performance recorded by the group’s sound technician, Brian Walker.
Sample a short piece of this: Darol’s Just Walking
-
AfroCelticGyroStrang
- Length:
- 7:16
- Size:
- 10.2mB
- Sample:
- AfroCelticGyroStrang
An entirely new piece written by Darol for the Republic of Strings, constructed in the studio and never performed live (yet!). This composition complements Darol’s new Compass Records release Generation Nation. It was meant for that project, but never made it to disk. Features surging African patterns in triple time. Performed by Brittany Haas, Darol, and Rushad Eggleston, with an octave mandlin overdub by Darol. An unexpected surprise awaits in the middle.
Listen to a few seconds: near the ending.
-
Keep Sleeping
- Length:
- 4:26
- Size:
- 6.2mB
- Sample:
- Keep Sleeping
From Darol’s first Windham Hill release, with the magically talented pianist Barbara Higbie, this gentle and melodic original shows why the 1982 recording Tideline was so successful. Also out of print. An octave violin and piano duet.
Here is a sample of Keep Sleeping.
-
Dromedary
- Length:
- 6:51
- Size:
- 9.7mB
- Sample:
- Dromedary
“Dromedary” is an original piece written by Darol, played by the Turtle Island String Quartet on their “Who Do We Think We Are” CD, now out of print. Featuring innovative rhythm techniques and complicated ensemble work as well as the usual hip soloing, Dromedary was another example of how far ahead of their time the TISQ’s concept was. This version of the group features violinist Tracy Silverman who replaced David Balakrishnan for 5 years, violist Danny Seidenberg, Darol, and the phenomenal work of cellist Mark Summer.
Check out an mp3 sample: Dromedary excerpt
-
Melt the Teakettle
- Length:
- 7:35
- Size:
- 10.7mB
- Sample:
- Melt the Teakettle
A live Republic Of Strings performance of Darol’s original tune “Melt the Teakettle” from Berkeley, California on 2/21/2004. This supercharged performance features the incredible Brittany Haas tearing it up on fiddle, and special guest Mike Marshall on mandolin, with Scott Nygaard on guitar and Rushad Eggleston on cello.
Listen to a sample: Melt the Teakettle
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Coal Burnin' Grease Fire
- Length:
- 5:52
- Size:
- 8.3mB
- Sample:
- Coal Burnin' Grease Fire
A live Psychograss performance of Darol’s original Coal Burnin’ Grease Fire (5:52; 8 mb) from the Vergennes Opera House in Vermont on 5/4/2002.
A short Mp3 sample of this download: Coal Burnin’ excerpt
-
Rubber Dolly
- Length:
- 6:12
- Size:
- 8.7mB
- Sample:
- Rubber Dolly
A live Republic of Strings performance of the first tune Vassar ever learned: “Rubber Dolly” from the Waitsfield Theatre in Waitsfield, Vermont on Halloween night, 10/31/2004. This tune is generally considered over-simple but in these hands, it is a sweet ballad which gradually escalates into a jazzy, almost symphonic performance. This was the last concert that Darol played with Vassar before his death in August 2005.
The concert also featured the phenomenal guitarist Bryan Sutton. Darol and Brittany Haas played fiddles, and Rushad Eggleston played cello. The concert was recorded to CD off the board. The cello is a bit low in the mix, but Vassar is right up front and in classic form.
Listen to a sample: Rubber Dolly
How it works
Click an Add to Cart button for each item (Shopping Cart opens in a new window), then pay by credit card or Paypal at checkout.
About the Tune of the Month
We’re swinging into the 21st century and iPod mania with a monthly download, a high-quality MP3 postcard of the last day of Darol’s musical life up ‘til now (as opposed to the first day of the rest of his life), using the very convenient PayPal system.
Each month, Darol will make available either:
- An archival live performance
- An archival studio recording from his 30-year career
- A brand new composition from Fiddlistics Studio
…for download, with a letter describing what was going on around the making of the cut… sort of like a musical blog, we guess. But hopefully with more solid musical content — which you can take away to your MP3 player or computer and enjoy as a complement to your life or lifestyle or just your regular style, or whatever.
This technology is still relatively new and not exactly cheap yet for small businesses, so we are starting out with a charge of $1.50 per download. As interest and volume increase, maybe we can drop the price to what the big giant companies are charging, but for now we guarantee that what you can get here will not be available there! Think of it as a very personal music club that we’re all involved in. And please give us feedback on what you’d like to see up here… don’t be a stranger.
As we settle in and get comfortable with this new technology, we’re hoping to make available larger files, maybe even whole projects; one of the beauties of this delivery system is that we won’t be limited to any standard length (as with a CD) but each musical project will find its own length, whether it’s a single tune, a live concert, a Christmas tune, a (requested?) selection from some out-of-print recording, a song cycle or suite, a dramatic reading with musical background, a concerto… the possibilities are endless!
Thank you,
Darol
