ANYTHING WHEN YOU DIE. AKA and see "Anything for John Joe," "Julia Clifford's." Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard. AAB. Source for notated version: Dennis Murphy and Julia Clifford (Sliabh Luachra region of east Kerry) [Sullivan]. Sullivan (Session Tunes), Vol. 3; No. 55, pg. 22.
CHURCH HILL, THE [2] (Cnocán an Teampaill). AKA and see "Kitty the rag, I'm in love with you," "Mhairseail Alasdruim," "Cath Chnoc na nDos." Irish, Double Jig. A Dorian/E Minor. Standard. AABB. A variation of O'Neill's version. Breathnach (1976) reports that Kerry fiddler Dennis Murphy's title for the tune was "Kitty the rag, I'm in love with you." He also says it is the "last part" of "MacAlisdrum's March" or "Máirseáil Alasdruim" (Alasdruim's March) or "Cath Chnoc na nDos" (literally 'the battle of the bushy hill'). Source for notated version: fiddler Mrs. Murphy, 1967 (Glencollins, Co. Cork, Ireland) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRE II), 1976; No. 54. Ceol, iii, pg. 83.
DIN TARRANT'S [1]. Irish, Polka. Ireland, Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border. A Major. Standard. AB. Din Tarrant was a Sliabh Luachra regional fiddler, an exponent of the "house party" style of fiddling (less ornamentation in the left-hand, less slurring with the bow) as contrasted with the more famous Sliabh Luachra style of fiddling typefied by Paddy O'Keeffe, Dennis Murphy and Julie Clifford. Source for notated version: accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region) [Moylan]. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 73, pg. 42. Topic 12T357, Johnny O'Leary - "Music for the Set" (1977).
FAREWELL TO WHISKEY [1] (Slan Le N-Uisge Beata). AKA - "Neil/Niel Gow's Farewell to Whiskey." AKA and see "Go rabh slan leis an ól," "Goodbye Whiskey" (Pa.), "The Ladies Triumph," "Murphy's Favor," "My Love is But a Lassie," "The Rose in the Garden," "Young America Hornpipe." See also related tune "Twin Sisters" (New England). Scottish (originally), Canadian, English, Irish, American; Strathspey (originally), Slow Air, Country Dance, Polka, Reel, or March (2/4 time). Canada; Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, Ontario. USA, New England. B Flat Major (Alburger, Carlin, Dunlay & Greenberg, Dunlay & Reich, Gow, Hunter, MacDonald, Neil): A Major (Begin); slow air, country dance, polka, reel or march version often played in G Major (Athole, Brody, Cranitch, Mallinson, Martin, Miller & Perron, Moylan, O'Neill, Raven, Roche & Williamson, Sweet, Tubridy). Standard. AAB (Dunlay & Greenberg, Neil): AABB (most versions). The original was composed by the famous Scottish fiddler Niel Gow (1727-1807) who identified it as a lament on the occasion of the British government's prohibition of using barley to make whiskey in 1799 due to the failure of the crop in Scotland in that year (see the companion tune "Welcome Whiskey Back Again"); it appears in his First Collection, 2nd edition (1801), and reappears in his Fifth Collection (1809). Gow was known to frequently and heartily imbibe, and his reputation for drinking seemed almost as well known as his skill on the fiddle. Verses were written to Gow's tune (appearing in 1804) illustrating his distress at the event (in fact Niel himself noted in the original composition that it gave voice to "the Highlander's sorrow at being deprived of his favourite beverage"), which begin:
***
You've surely heard o' the famous Niel,
The man that played the fiddle weel;
I wat he was a canty chiel,
And dearly loved the whisky, O.
And aye sin' he wore tartan hose,
He dearly lo'ed the Athole brose;
And wae was he, you may suppose,
To bid 'farewell' to whisky, O.
and end:
Come, a' ye powers of music, come!
I find my heart grows unco glum;
My fiddle-strings will no play bum
To say farewell to whiskey, O.
Yet I'll tak my fiddle in my hand,
And screw the pegs up while they'll stand,
To mak a lamentation grand,
On gude auld highland whiskey, O.
***
Neil (1991) relates a well-known anecdote about Gow and his quick wit, and which also possibly refers to his consumption of whiskey:
***
It concerns his answer to a friend's query regarding the distance
between Perth and Dunkeld, which Niel had just completed after
an evening of fiddling, namely, that it was not the length of the
road which had bothered him but its breadth.
***
Another anecdote is told by Drummond (Perthsire of Bygone Days) of Neil Gow and this particular composition to the effect that when Niel first heard 'James' (probably Daniel) Dow play "Farewell to Whiskey," "he pulled his bonnet over his eyes, and rushed to the door," overcome with emotion at the rendering. While colorful, the story is false (similar tales have been told of Pagannini and others), for Dow would have had to have performed it eighteen years after he had been in the grave! Gow's slow air quickly became popular, and soon was transformed into dance versions at faster tempos. Cape Breton variations are thought to be by Donald John "the Tailor" Beaton, according to Doug MacPhee (Dunlay & Greenberg); the tune is played as a slow air on Cape Breton, as it was originally written. Paul Cranford reports that some Cape Breton musicians play the tune and variations transposed down a half-step to the key of 'A' Major and tune the fiddle to AEAE. Co. Kerry accordion player Johnny O'Leary played the tune as a polka, pairing it with "The Dark Girl Dressed in Blue." New England fiddlers often play the tune in G Major as a reel for contra dancing; the tune has been a standard there for many years.
**
Sources for notated versions: Mary (Beaton) Macdonald (Cape Breton) [Dunlay & Greenberg, Dunlay & Reich]; Strathspey (New England) [Brody]; accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border), recorded in concert at Na Piobairi Uilleann, February, 1981 [Moylan]; Cosmas Sigsworth (b. 1917, Corrville, Central Kings County, Prince Edward Island; now resident of Cardigan) [Perlman]; fiddler Dawson Girdwood (Perth, Ottawa Valley, Ontario) [Begin]. Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 72, pgs. 109-110. Begin (Fiddle Music from the Ottawa Valley), 1985; No. 73, pg. 83. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 102. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 57. Cranitch (Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; No. 48, pg. 143. Dunlay & Greenberg (Traditional Celtic Violin Music of Cape Breton), 1996; pg. 141. Dunlay & Reich (Traditional Celtic Fiddle Music of Cape Breton), 1986; pg. 68. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 47. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 136. Mallinson (101 Polkas), 1997; No. 11, pg. 5. Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), Vol. 1, 1991; pg. 15 (appears as "Neil Gow's Farewell to Whisky"). Miller & Perron (101 Polkas), 1978; No. 46. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddler's Repertoire), 1983; No. 134. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 55, pg. 32. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 99, pg. 134. O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 103, pg. 57 (march version). O'Neill (1850), 1979; No. 1825, pg. 343 (march version). Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 97. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg 149 (appears under the title "The Ladies Triumph"). Roche Collection, 1982, Vol. 2; No. 350, pg. 62 (march version). Sannella, Balance and Swing (CDSS). Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 153. Sweet (Fifer's Delgiht), 1964/1981; pg. 60. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, Vol. 1), 1999; pg. 11. Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976; pg. 67. Claddagh CC5, Dennis Murphy & Julia Clifford (both from Sliabh Luachra, Co. Kerry) - "The Star Above the Garter." DMP6-27, Doug MacPhee - "Cape Breton Piano II" (1979). F&W Records 3, "The Canterbury Country Orchestra Meets the F&W String Band." Front Hall FHR-023, Michael, McCreesh & Campbell - "The Host of the Air" (1980). Greentrax CDTRAX 9009, Albert Stewart - "Scottish Tradition 9: The Fiddler and his Art" (1993). Kicking Mule 216, Strathspey- "New England Contra Dance Music" (1977). Shanachie 33004, James Morrison- "The Pure Genius of James Morrison." Smithsonian Folkways SFW CD 40126, Rodney Miller - "Choose Your Partners: Contra Dance & Square Dance Music of New Hampshire" (1999).
X:1
T:Farewell to Whiskey
L:1/8
M:C|
K:G
GE|D2G2B2GB|A2E2 EF GE|D2G2B2AB|d2B2B2d2|
e2g2B2d2|cB AG A2B2|D2G2 BA GA|B2G2G2:|
|:Bc|d2B2g2d2|cB AG A2Bc|d2Bd g2d2|e2g2g2d2|
ef ge d2Bd|cB AG A2B2|D2G2 BA GA|B2G2G2:|
X:2
T:Neil Gow's Farewell to Whiskey
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Country Dances
B:The Athole Collection
K:G
B,/A,/|G,G/A/ B/A/G/B/ AE EF/G/|DG/A/ B/A/G/B/ dBB>d|
e/f/g/f/ e/d/B/d/ c/B/A/G/ A>B|D/E/G/A/ B/A/G/A/ BGG:|
|:B/c/|dB GB/d/ c/B/A/G/ AB/c/|dBgB dgg>d|
e/f/g/f/ e/d/B/d/ c/B/A/G/ A/c/B/A/|D/E/G/A/ B/A/G/A/ BGG:|
FISHER'S HORNPIPE (Crannciuil {Ui} Fishuir). AKA "The Fisher's," "Fisherman's Hornpipe." AKA and see "The Blacksmith's Hornpipe" (Ireland {Joyce}), "China Orange Hornpipe," "Egg Hornpipe," "Fisherman's Lilt," "The First of May," "Kelly's Hornpipe" [3], "Lord Howe's Hornpipe," "O'Dwyer's Hornpipe," "Peckhover Walk Hornpipe," "Roger MacMum" (Irish), "Sailor's Hornpipe," "Wigs on the Green" (Ireland {Roche}). English, Irish, Scottish, Shetlands, Canadian, Old-Time, Texas Style, Bluegrass; Hornpipe, Reel, Breakdown. USA & Canada, widely known. D Major {most modern versions}: G Major {often in the Galax, Va. area, also Bayard's version collected in Prince Edward Island}: A Major (Mississippi fiddler Charles Long): F Major {Burchenal, Cranford, Honeyman, Linscott, Miller & Perron, Miskoe & Paul, Perlman, Raven, Phillips/1995, Welling}. Standard or ADAD. AABB (most versions): AA'BB (Perlman): AA'BB' (Miskoe & Paul). On the subject of the title, several writers have posited various speculations on who the 'Fisher' might have been. Charles Wolfe, among others, believes it was originally a classical composition by German composer Johann Christian Fischer (1733-1800), a friend of Mozart's, which thought Samuel Bayard (1981) concurs, noting the tune goes back to latter 18th century England where it was composed by "J. Fishar" and "published in 1780" (Most of the alternate titles he gives {and which appear above} are "floaters"). Van Cleef and Keller (1980) identify the composer as probably one James A. Fishar, a musical director and ballet master at Covent Garden during the 1770's, and note it is included as "Hornpipe #1" in J. Fishar's (presumably James A. Fishar's) Sixteen Cotillons Sixteen Minuets Twelve Allemands and Twelve Hornpipes (John Rutherford, London, 1778). A few years later the melody appeared in England under the title "Lord Howe's Hornpipe" in Longman and Broderip's 5th Selection of the Most Admired Dances, Reels, Minuets and Cotillions (London, c. 1784). McGlashan printed it about the same time in his Collection of Scots Measures (c. 1780, pg. 34) under the title "Danc'd by Aldridge," a reference to the famous stage dancer and pantomimist Robert Aldridge, a popular performer in the 1760's and 1770's. Although it is known in Europe as a hornpipe, it has also been played as a reel for dancing the Shetland Reel in Scotland's Shetland Islands. Linscott (1939) thinks the melody resembles an "ancient" Irish folk tune known as "Roger MacMum," implying it might have been derived from that source.
***
The tune became widely popular in a short span of time. It was already known as "Fisher's Hornpipe" in both England and the newly independent United States when it was written out by the American John Greenwood in his copybook for the German flute of c. 1783. Another 18th century American publication, a 1796 collection entitled An Evening Amusement for German Flute and Violin, was printed in Philadelphia by Carr and contains the hornpipe set in 'D' Major. An American country dance was composed to the tune and first appeared in this country in John Griffith's Collection, a Rhode Island publication of 1788. Both dance and tune became American classics and entered traditional repertory throughout the county. A fiddler with the Moses Cleaveland surveying party (the city of Cleveland, Ohio, is named after him) is recorded as having played "Fisher's" during an impromptu dance on the first evening the party camped on the banks of the Cuyahoga river, as recorded in the diary of a surveyor with the party. It was one of the most widely known fiddle tunes and, along with "Rickett's Hornpipe," the most popular hornpipe played in the Southern Appalachians (although as time went on hornpipes were not generally dropped from the repertoire, certainly as an accompaniment for dancing, but "Fishers" remained in the repertoire as a fiddler's tune which was frequently played when a few musicians would get together for their own enjoyment). The tune retained its popularity, and Jim Kimball states that both "Fishers" and "Ricketts" (along with "Devil's Dream" and "Soldier's Joy") were favorite tunes for the last figure of square dances in western New York state into the early 20th century.
***
Around the Galax, Va., region quite a few fiddlers, like Charlie Higgins and John Rector, play 'Fisher's' in the key of 'G' Major. Tommy Jarrell, of nearby Mt. Airy, N.C., plays the tune in 'D' Major, as did his father, Ben Jarrell, though the tune usually appears in 'F' Major in early collections (the earliest American appearance, John Greenwood's flute MS of 1783, has the tune in 'G,' however). 'F' Major renditions are still common (along with 'D' Major versions) among fiddlers in central and north Missouri-- though relatively rare in the Ozarks region of the state--perhaps because of the because of the influence of the old town orchestras or brass bands (with flat-keyd wind instruments), radio broadcasts from Canadian fiddlers, and local classically trained music professors. Despite the seeming prevalence of the hornpipe set in 'F' major in early publications, Jim Kimball finds that the John Carroll manuscript collection, copied before 1804, gives "Fisher's" in the key of D Major, as does the John Studderd manuscript, c. 1808-1815, and the John Seely manuscript, c. 1819-1830 (Carroll was an Irish-American military musician stationed at Fort Niagara at the time he wrote his manuscript who apparently played both fife and fiddle; Studderd was a native of England prior to emigrating to western New York state in the 1820's; Seely, according to family history, was a fiddler who lived in western New York state for whom "Fishers" was a favorite tune).
***
The title "Fisher's Hornpipe" has been mentioned frequently in periodicals and other printed sources in America over the years. For example, it was recorded as having been one of the catagory tunes at the 1899 Gallatin, Tenn., fiddlers contest; each fiddler would play his version of the tune, with the best rendition winning a prize (C. Wolfe, The Devil's Box, Vol. 14, No. 4, 12/1/80). Similarly, it was listed in the Fayette Northwest Alabamian of 8/29/1929 as one of the tunes likely to be played by local fiddlers at an upcoming convention (Cauthen, 1990). Moving north, another citation stated it had commonly been played for country dances in Orange County, New York, in the 1930's (Lettie Osborn, New York Folklore Quarterly), while Burchenal (1918) printed a dance from New England of the same name to the tune. A Report of the Celebration Held in August 1914 for the 150th Anniversary of the Town of Lancaster (N.H.) gives the title as one of the tunes and dances performed at a cotillion that month. The title appears in a list of Maine fiddler Mellie Dunham's repertoire (Dunham was Henry Ford's champion fiddler in the late 1920's) and Gibbons (1982) notes it has been "a traditional dance melody familiar to fiddlers throughout Canada." Perlman (1996) notes it has status as one of the "good old tunes" played by Prince Edward Island fiddlers. In the South and Midwest the tune was recorded for the Library of Congress from the playing of Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, and (by Herbert Halpert) from the playing of Mississippi fiddlers Charles Long and Stephen B. Tucker in 1939. The Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner related that it, in modern times, it was "played often at (the) Weiser (Idaho) annual (fiddle) contest" (Shumway), to which Louie Attebery (1979) concurs, calling it part of the "standard fare" of many fiddlers at that festival and contest.
***
In the repertiore of Uncle Jimmy Thompson (1848-1931) {Texas, Tenn.}, and Buffalo Valley, Pa. dance fiddler Harry Daddario. See also "Miss Thompson's Reel," which particularly resembles the "Fisher's" in it's second section.
***
Sources for notated versions: Edson Cole (Freedom, N.H.) [Linscott]: Frank George (W.Va.) [Krassen]; Frank Lowery (Prince George, British Columbia) [Gibbons]; Lorin Simmonds (Prince Edward Island, 1944) [Bayard, 1981]; transplanted French-Canadian fiddler Omer Marcoux {1898-1982} (Concord, N.H.), who learned the tune when young in Quebec [Miskoe & Paul]; 6 southwestern Pa. fiddlers and fifers [Bayard, 1981]; Ruthie Dornfeld and Major Franklin (Texas) [Phillips/1995 {two different versions}]; accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border), recorded in recital at Na Piobairi Uilleann, February, 1981 [Moylan]; Dennis Pitre (b. 1941, St. Felix, West Prince County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton) [Cranford]; set dance music recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann, in the 1980's [Taylor]. Allan's (Allan's Irish Fiddler), No. 105, pg. 27. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 345, pgs. 332-334 and Appendix No. 3, pg. 573. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 107. Burchenal (American Country Dances, Vol. 1), 1918; pg. 47. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, Vol. 1), 1973; pg. 57. Cranford (Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 45, pg. 17. Ford (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 39. Gibbons (As It Comes: Folk Fiddling From Prince George, British Columbia), 1982; No. 6, pgs. 18-19. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; pg. 40 (two versions, one in Newcastle and Sand Dance style, on in Sailor's style). Jarman, Old Time Fiddlin' Tunes; No. 20, pg. 67. Johnson & Luken (Twenty-Eight Country Dances as Done at the New Boston Fair), Vol. 8, 1988; pg. 4. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 103. Krassen (Appalachian Fiddle), 1973; pg. 79. Kerr (Merry Melodies), Vol. 1; No. 3, pg. 42. Linscott (Folk Music of Old New England), 1939; pg. 77. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddlers Repertoire), 1983; No. 117. Miskoe & Paul (Omer Marcoux), 1994; pg. 31. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 63, pg. 36. O'Neill (1915 ed.), 1987; No. 351, pg. 171. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 168. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; Nos. 1575 & 1576, pg. 292. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 825, pg. 143. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 117. Phillips, 1989 (Fiddlecase Tunebook: Old-Time); pg. 19. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 2, 1995; pgs. 1992-193. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 163. Reiner (Anthology of Fiddle Styles), 1977; pg. 26. Roche Collection, Vol. 3, No. 181. Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 23, pg. 10. Spandaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; pg. 10. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 297. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964/1981; pg. 42. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; pg. 14. Welling (Welling's Hartford Tunebook), 1976; pg. 20. Alcazar Dance Series FR 204, "New England Chestnuts" (1981). Breton Books and Records BOC 1HO, Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald - "Classic Cuts" (reissue of Celtic Records CX 17). Caney Mountain CEP 212 (privately issued extended play album), Lonnie Robertson (Mo.), 1965-66. Claddagh CC5, Denis Murphy & Julia Clifford - "The Star Above the Garter" (appears as "Fisherman's Hornpipe"). County 405, "The Hill-Billies." County 707, Major Franklin- "Texas Fiddle Favorites." County 756, Tommy Jarrell- "Sail Away Ladies" (1986. The only time Tommy's famous fiddling father, Ben Jarrell {who took no active part in his musical education and rarely commented on his son's efforts}, praised his playing in front of him was after hearing the younger fiddler play the tune, remarking "By gawd, that's the best I've ever heard "Fisher's Hornpipe" played"). Elektra EKS 7285, The Dillards with Byron Berline- "Pickin' and Fiddlin.'" F&W Records 4, "The Canterbury Country Orchestra Meets the F&W String Band." Folkways FA 2381, "The Hammered Dulcimer as played by Chet Parker" (1966). Folkways FG 3531, Jean Carignan- "Old Time Fiddle Tunes" (1968). Fretless 101, "The Campbell Family: Champion Fiddlers." Gourd Music 110, Barry Phillips - "The World Turned Upside Down" (1992). North Star NS0038, "The Village Green: Dance Music of Old Sturbridge Village." Rounder 0035, Fuzzy Mountain String Band- "Summer Oaks and Porch" (1973). Rounder 7004, Joe Cormier- "The Dances Down Home" (1977). Smithsonian Folkways SFW CD 40126, Northern Spy - "Choose Your Partners!: Contra Dance & Square Dance Music of New Hampshire" (1999). Topic 12T309, Padraig O'Keeffe, Denis Murphy & Julia Clifford - "Kerry Fiddles" (appears as "Fisherman's Hornpipe").
X:1
T:Fisher's Hornpipe
L:1/8
M:C|
K:F
|:c2|fc Ac Bd cB|Ac Ac Bd cB|Ac Fc Bd Gd|Ac FA G2 (3cde|
fc Ac Bd cB|Ac Fc Bd cB|AB cd ef ge|f2a2f2:|
|:ef|ge ce ge bg|af cf af ba|ge ce ga ba|gf ed c2 Bc|
dB FB dB fd|cA FA cA fc|df ed cB AG|F2A2F2:|
X:2
T:Fishers
L:1/8
M:C|
R:Hornpipe
B:The Athole Colletion
K:D
dc|dAFA GBAG|FAFA GBAG|FDFD GEGE|FDFD E2 dc|dAFA GBAG|
FAFA GBAG|FAdf gedc|d2 d2 d2:||:cd|ecAc ecge|fdAd fdaf|ecAc ecgf|
edcB A3A|BGDG BGdB|AFDF AFdA|BdcB AGFE|D2 D2 D2:|
GLENTAUN. AKA and see "Dennis Murphy's," "Martin Howley's Reel." Irish, Reel. A variant of "Lord MacDonald's Reel." GN1, Joe Thoma - "Up the Track: Traditional Music from Kenmare." Dennis Murphy & Julia Clifford - "The Star Above the Garter."
GOVERNOR TAYLOR'S MARCH. AKA and see "Napoleon/Bonaparte Crossing the Alps," "The Officer on Guard," "I Won't Be a Nun," "Dennis Murphy's Hornpipe." American, March (2/4 time). USA, southwestern Pa. D Major. Standard. AB. Bayard (1981) identifies related tunes, perhaps from a common ancestor, as "Pewter Mug," "The Tin-Ware Lass," and "The Ladies Dressed in Their Garments So Green." It may perhaps be one of the tunes named for or credited to the fiddling Governors of Tennessee, Alf and Bob Taylor (i.e. "Taylor's March," "Taylor's Quickstep"). Source for notated version: Hiram Horner (fifer from Westmoreland and Fayette Counties, Pa., 1944) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 54, pg. 39.
I WON'T BE A NUN (Ni Mait Liom Beid Beanriagalta). AKA and see "The Officer On Guard," "Governor Taylor's March," "Napoleon/Bonaparte Crossing the Alps," "Dennis Murphy's Hornpipe." Irish, March (4/4 time). G Major. Standard. ABC. O'Neill (1850), 1979; No. 1813, pg. 340.
JOHN RYAN'S POLKA. AKA and see "Keadue Polka," "Ryan's Polka." "Sean Ryan's Polka." Irish, Polka. D Major. Standard. AABB. The title appears under the "John" title, but is more popularly known under the "Sean Ryan's" moniker. It is frequently paired with "Dennis Murphy's Polka," after the influential Planxty recording on the album "Cold Blow the Rainy Night" (it should be noted that the tune "The 42 Pound Cheque" was played in the middle of the set, although it has not survived in the popularly played set). Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 150. Polydor 2382 397, Planxty- "Planxty Collection." Shanachie 79011, Planxty- "Cold Blow the Rainy Night." Shanachie 79012, Planxty - "The Planxty Collection" (1974).
T:John Ryan's Polka
M:2/4
L:1/16
R:polka
K:D
d2d2 BcdB|A2F2 A2F2|d2d2 BcdB|A2F2 E2D2|
d2d2 BcdB|A2F2 A2 de|f2d2 e2c2|d4 d4:|
f2d2 d2 ef|g2f2 e2 de|f2d2 a2d2|fedf abag|
f2d2 d2 ef|g2f2 e2 de|f2d2 e2c2|d4 d4:|
MUNSTER BUTTERMILK [4]. AKA and see "Barr na Feirste," "Behind the Haystack," "Christmas Day in the Morning," "(An) Bhláthach Mhuimhneach," "The Sports of Multyfarnham," "Squeeze Your Thighs," "Take Her or Leave Her." Irish, Jig. D Major. Standard. AABB. "Munster Buttermilk" is the Sliabh Luachra (Cork/Kerry border region) name for "The Sports of Multyfarnham." Sources for notated version: piper Seosamh Breathnach [Breathnach]; fiddler Danny O'Donnell (County Donegal) [Feldman & O'Doherty]. Breathnach (CRE I), 1963; No. 43, pg. 18. Feldman & O'Doherty (The Northern Fiddler), 1978; pg. 186 (appears as second "Untitled Double Jig"). Claddagh CC5, Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford - "The Star Above the Garter." Shanachie 79093, Paddy Glackin & Robbie Hannan - "The Whirlwind" (1995. Learned from the playing of Dennis Murphy).
T:Munster Buttermilk
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:jig
Z:Paul de Grae
K:D
A | def edB | A2 F FEF | AFF DFA | BAF DFA |
def edB | A2 F FEF | BAF DEF | EDC D2 :||
||: B | A2 B d2 e | fgf fed | efe edB | def edB |
A2 B d2 e | faf fed | edB Adf | edc d2 :||
MUNSTER JIG, THE [2]. Irish, Jig. Originally from Sliabh Luachra fiddler Pádraig O'Keeffe (b. 1887), who passed it on to his student, Dennis Murphy (d. 1974). Shanachie 79093, Paddy Galckin & Robbie Hannan - "Whirlwind" (1995. Learned from a recording by Dennis Murphy).
NELLIE MAHONEY'S SLIDE [1] (Slide Neilí Ní Mhathúna). AKA and see "Mad Dancing." Irish, Slide (6/8 time). G Major. Standard. AA'B. Dennis Murphy also called the tune "Mad Dancing." Source for notated version: fiddler Denis Murphy, 1966 (Gneeveguilla, Co. Kerry, Ireland) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRE II), 1976; No. 70, pg. 39.
NOW SHE'S PURRING. AKA and see "Calaghan's," "The Concert Reel," "Denis Murphy's (Reel)," "The Doon." Irish, Reel. Dennis Murphy recorded this as "The Doon" (there are several "Doon" reels) on a 1940's 78 RPM, though later said the title was "Now She's Purring" (Treoir, 1975).
OFFICER ON(OF THE) GUARD, THE. AKA and see "Governor Taylor's March," "I Won't Be a Nun," "Napoleon Crossing the Alps," "Dennis Murphy's Hornpipe." Irish, March (4/4 time). G Major. Standard. AABB. Roche Collection, 1982, Vol. 2; No. 341, pg. 60.
PIPER'S DESPAIR, THE (Eadotcas na Piobairaca/bPiobairi). AKA and see "Curly Mike." Irish, Hornpipe or Reel. E Minor (O'Neill): E Dorian (Cranitch, Flaherty). Standard. AB (O'Neill/1001): AABB (Cranitch, Flaherty, O'Neill/Krassen, Taylor): AA'BB' (Alewine). O'Neill prints the tune as "Curly Mike" and, in another version as "The Lucky Number," in his Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody. Both of these were reproduced from the Rice-Walsh manuscripts, a collection of transcriptions of the repertoire of Jeremiah Breen, a 19th-century blind fiddle player from North Kerry. Sliabh Luachra fiddler Denis Murphy recorded the tune on a 78 RPM record for Gael-Linn around 1960. I Sources for notated versions: Michael Hartnett, a dancer and musician from County Cork [O'Neill]; fiddler Andrew Davey (b. 1928, Cloonagh, Mullaghroe, Keash) [Flaherty]; set dance music at Na Píobairí Uilleann, recorded in the 1980's [Taylor]. Alewine (Maid that Cut Off the Chicken's Lips), 1987; pg. 28. Cranitch (Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; pg. 93. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; pg. 112. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 187. O'Neill (1850), 1903/1979; No. 1657, pg. 308. O'Neill (1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 769, pg. 134. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; pg. 3. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Blue Book), 1995; pg. 5. Green Linnet Records SIF 1058, Matt Molloy & Sean Keane - "Contentment is Wealth" (1985). Rounder 1123, Dennis Murphy - "Milestone at the Garden" (reissue of the Gael-Linn 78). Piper Padraig Mac Mathúna recorded it with Edel McWeeney (fiddle) and Conal Ó Gráda (flute) - "Mind the Dresser."
T:Piper's Despair
R:Hornpipe
L:1/8
M:4/4
K:Em
EFGA {d}BAFA | {d}BdAd {e}dBAD |1 D2FD ADFA | BdAd {e}dBAF :|2 DEFA dfag\{a}gfed Bcde :: e2ge begf | efga bfaf |1 de~f2 af~f2 | df~f2 {a}fedf\:|2 ~d3e fg{a}gf | gfed Bcde :|
RATHAWAUN. AKA and see "The Hare in the Corn." Irish, Double Jig. D Major. Standard. AABB. Sources for notated version: Planxty, Dennis Murphy and Julia Clifford (Co. Kerry) [Sullivan]. Sullivan (Session Tunes), Vol. 3; No. 5, pg. 3.
SEAN RYAN'S POLKA. AKA and see "Keadue Polka," "John Ryan's Polka," "Ryan's Polka." Irish, Polka. D Major. Standard. AABB. The tune, popularized by the band Planxty, is frequently paired with "Dennis Murphy's Polka." Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 150. Carlin (Master Collection), 1984; No. 278, pg. 156 (appears as "Ryan's Polka"). Polydor 2382 397, Planxty- "Planxty Collection" (appears as "John Ryan's Polka"). Shanachie 79011, Planxty- "Cold Blow the Rainy Night." Shanachie 79012, Planxty - "The Planxty Collection" (1974).
STAR ABOVE THE GARTER, THE. Irish, Slide (12/8 time). Ireland, Kerry. G Major/D Mixolydian ('A' part) & D Mixolydian ('B' part). Standard. AABB. No relation to Mac Amhlaoibh's "The Star Above." Sources for notated versions: fiddler Dennis Murphy and Julia Clifford (Sliabh Luachra region, Co. Kerry) [Mulvihill]; Paddy Ryan [Bulmer & Sharpley]. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 264. Bulmer & Sharpley, Vol. 2, No. 59. Mallinson (Enduring), 1995; No. 67, pg. 28. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 7, pg. 116. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 190. Sullivan (Session Tunes), Vol. 3; No. 22, pg. 8. Claddagh CC14, Chieftains- "Chieftains 4." Shanachie 79024, "Chieftains 4" (1972/1983).
T:The Star Above the Garter
M:12/8
L:1/8
R:slide
D:Denis Murphy, Music from Sliabh Luachra, track 4(a)
K:G
d2 B BAG A3 ABA|G2 E c2 B BAG ABc|
d2 B BAG ABA ABA|G2 E c2 E EDD D3:|
|:d2 e f2 a g2 e d2 B|G2 B c2 B BAG ABc|
d2 e f2 a g2 e d2 B|G2 B c2 E EDD D3:|
TOM BILLY'S REEL [2]. Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard. AABB. The title honors Tom Billy Murphy of Kingwilliamstown (1879-1944), an influential fiddler in the Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork/Kerry border. Source for notated version: accordion player Eoghan O'Sullivan and fiddler Gerry Harrington (County Cork) [Songer]. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 195. Shanachie 34002, Dennis Murphy & Julia Clifford - "The Star Above the Garter" (196?).