Americana Highways brings you this video premiere of Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy’s song “Colour Theory” from their recently released album Canvas. The song was composed by Hanneke Cassel and Mary Frances Leahy.
Musicians on the tack are Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy on fiddles with Brian Finnegan on flute and tin whistle. Listen for a spiraling whirling dervish of fiddles and flute sounds, following each other up and down and back up again over hill and dale. The video sets up a short story film, with the sketches of the dueling fiddlers’ set-up edited in interplay with them actually playing. Mesmerizing to experience.
Colour Theory is a track consisting of two reels; one (“Leila’s Birthday”) from friend and fellow fiddler Hanneke Cassel, and the other (“Colour Theory”) from our daughter, Mary Frances. It did take us some sorting through many reels, new and old, to come up with this combination. It also went through many treatments, all of which were quite good, but didn’t have what we knew these melodies deserved. With a little more thinking, the mention of another instrument, winds perhaps…pipes? Whistle? Flute?
I have been a huge fan of Brian Finnegan and his various ensembles for many years. He is just the coolest! Although we’ve never met, Brian was enthusiastic and trusting of our big picture! So with a bare scratch track, he sent us some absolutely beautiful flute and whistle performances. The combination was magic! — Natalie MacMaster
Find more information here: https://natalieanddonnell.com/
Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy “Canvas”