Paul
Cranford was for more than 30 years a lighthouse
keeper in Canada, a profession whose periods of
isolation followed by chunks of time off was ideal for
a developing musician, composer, and publisher. The
fruits of his labors have long been evident in the
high-quality publications documenting the best in Cape
Breton fiddling, and in his own excellent Cape
Breton-style compositions, many of which have
deservedly gained currency not only among Cape Breton
fiddlers, but overseas as well.
This two CD-set
contains 113 of his compositions and follows up on the
initial CD offering of another 57 of his tunes,
released at the time of his 1996 publication, The
Lighthouse Collection (itself revised and re-issued in
2010). Together,
the CDs offer a rare opportunity to hear a gifted
contemporary composer play his own
repertoire.
In fact, with the release of More Tunes from the
Lighthouse, over half of the compositions in the book
are documented on sound recording of the composer's
own playing (although Paul's current composition
"count" is some 500 pieces).
It is interesting to
compare the "old" and "new" print editions as well as
the sound recordings, both separated by 14 years, as
one can hear the increased maturity and sophistication
in Paul's own playing and his interpretations of his
own work. It is a rare and valuable in-depth
documentation of one composer's creative process. The
best of Paul's compositions have been, and will
continue to be, interpreted by those artists at the
top of their craft, but here is a chance to hear the
composer present his own body of repertory. I also
appreciate that Paul has put the standard
notation and chords for the pieces on the CD on the
web at
www.cranfordpub.com
&endash; you can't get any more helpful than
that!
- - - --
Andrew Kuntz
