The low whistle, also called the concert whistle, is a type of tin whistle or pennywhistle that is larger and has a lower sound than the traditional version. It is often played by British and Irish musicians, such as Tommy Makem, Finbar Furey and his son Martin Furey, Old Blind Dogs, Michael McGoldrick, Riverdance, Lunasa, Donie Keyes, Chris Conway, and Davy Spillane. It is now widely used in Celtic music.
The low whistle is frequently played for slow, sad songs called airs because of its soft and delicate sound. However, it is also used more often for lively songs like jigs, reels, and hornpipes from Irish, Scottish, Manx, Welsh, and English traditions. One reason for this is that the larger finger holes on the whistle make it easier to play certain musical decorations.
The most common low whistle is called the "Low D," which is one octave lower than the traditional D whistle. A whistle is usually considered a low whistle if its lowest note is the G above middle C or lower. Whistles with higher notes are called "soprano" or "high" whistles when a distinction is needed. Low whistles work the same way as traditional pennywhistles but may require a special hand position called "piper's grip" because the holes are farther apart. They are part of the same family of woodwind instruments known as end-blown fipple flutes.
Although the sound of low whistles can vary slightly depending on the maker, they are generally known for having a breathy, flute-like tone that is different from traditional tin whistles.
Early history
The exact history of the low whistle is often discussed, but it is known that different types of vertical fipple flutes existed in ancient times. These flutes, which were developed in the 1600s, are the ancestors of today's low whistle. They kept features from earlier transverse flutes, such as having six holes and a cone-shaped body. Originally, these flutes were made of wood, but by the late 1600s, materials like brass and nickel were used more often. The metal parts were usually rolled and joined with solder. Later improvements included adding a tuning slide. These metal flutes were found in many places, including Ireland, Britain, the Scandinavian peninsula, Canada, and Flanders.
The modern low whistle
English flute maker and jazz musician Bernard Overton (1930–2008) is known for creating the first modern low whistle in late 1971. He made it with Finbar Furey after Furey’s special Indian bamboo whistle was broken during a tour. Unable to fix it, Overton tried to make a metal copy. Finbar and Overton worked many hours in a shed behind Bernard’s house in Rugby, designing, testing, and improving the flute. The first few were called the Furey/Overton flute. Later, when Bernard left his job to make them full-time, they renamed them The Overton Flute. The first model was a large tin whistle made of copper pipe with a wooden plug, but it was soon replaced by an aluminum version. Overton was not satisfied with the early model’s sound and later improved it by making it fully of aluminum, creating a whistle in the key of A. Finbar then asked for a version in the key of G for his famous Lonesome Boatman performances.
The term "Irish low whistle" does not mean the instrument originated in Ireland. Instead, it refers to how widely it was used in Ireland and, because of cultural connections, across the British Isles. By the 1990s, the Riverdance tour helped the low whistle gain popularity outside traditional music circles. Davy Spillane, who combined the sound of the low whistle with modern styles like jazz and R&B, helped increase its visibility. Famous low whistle players include Michael McGoldrick, Kevin Crawford, Phil Hardy from England, Davy Spillane, Paddy Keenan, John McSherry from Ireland, Brian Finnegan from Northern Ireland, Fred Morrison, Rory Campbell, Tony Hinnigan, and Ross Ainslie from Scotland. In rock music, Troy Donockley sometimes plays the low whistle with the band Nightwish, and Jeroen Goossens has played it with Arjen Lucassen’s Ayreon project.
Unlike the regular tin whistle, the low whistle is a newer instrument in folk music. Some people criticize it for trying to replace the tin whistle and Irish flute, which already serve similar roles. Others see it as a tool for learning more advanced instruments like the flute or uilleann pipes. While skills learned on the low whistle can help with these instruments, many skilled traditional musicians have used the low whistle, helping it earn respect as a unique and versatile instrument. Like the Irish flat-backed bouzouki, the low whistle reflects a time when musicians experimented with new instruments to find creative ways to express themselves in traditional music.