This time around, Olaf Sickmann realized that it wasn’t enough to just record a new tin whistle CD. As well as providing great listening pleasure, New Irish Tin Whistle Tunes is intended to inspire purchasers to creative participation. And so as well as the tunes, this CD also contains Olaf’s original guitar accompaniments in mp3 format (as playalongs without tin whistle), plus a PDF songbook with notation, chords and background information on the 10 titles. “That’s how to keep on selling CDs in the age of streaming services! Congratulations!”, wrote a satisfied Amazon customer.
After “Original Tin Whistle Session Tunes” (2012) and “Whistle Man” (2014), New Irish Tin Whistle Tunes (2020) is Olaf Sickmann’s third tin whistle album and his twelfth solo album overall. It represents a further step in realizing his vision of new Irish tin whistle music. Sickmann plays a single tin whistle in the standard key of D major on all titles, accompanied just by his acoustic guitar. His passion for the instrument can be felt in every note and each tune reflects his deep love of Irish instrumental music and its unique session culture, as well as the depth of his familiarity with the tin whistle tradition and its countless exponents, whether famous or unknown. New Irish Tin Whistle Tunes combines gorgeous melodies and great technique with relaxed authenticity. Almost imperceptibly, Sickmann introduces tasteful embellishments and subtle variations, without ever disturbing the flow of the melody. His playing is like birdsong.
In the course of the last 20 years, the German composer, guitarist and tin whistle player has carved out his own niche with timelessly beautiful instrumental music. His compositions are played regularly on radio and TV (amongst others in WDR, NDR, MDR, SWR, SR, BR & HR) and are also popular as teaching material. Increasingly they are also used by companies for promotional purposes.
01 What I Want / Royal Chair / Chess! Chess! Chess!
02 The New Whistle Hronpipe / The Pretzel Sticks And Water Hornpipe
03 Cathedral Cove
04 The Railway Station Reel / Daily Delights / Distance
05 The Back Room Jig / An Irish Summer Jig / Forward
06 The Spirit Of A Cherry Tree / North Music
07 The Missing Tune
08 Off Day / Weekend Feelings
09 Harry’s Jig / Morning Jig / Route Planning
10 The Cold Is Back / Late Summer Hornpipe
