At the end of the year, 2007, Julie McGonigal hung up her crotchets and quavers after many years providing monthly tunes for the Folk Rag. THANKYOU to Julie for transcribing & arranging most of these tunes & for all her many years of devotion to the Folk Rag.
Happy Playing !
| Enrico | An Mionnán ar an Sliabh
| Tröndelag – Swedish tune
| Mazurka | The Boar's Head Carol
| The Swedish Dance | Snow Waltz
| Prince Charlie's Quickstep | Kemp's Jig
| Carolans Draught | Dotty's Jig
| Whitehaven Volunteers | The Arran Boat
| Road to Boston | Kate Kelly's
| Christmas Eve | Twinkle In The Eye
| March from "Oscar & Malvina" | Coloured Aristocracy
| Wounded Hussar | Morgan Magan | Lindsary
Carr's Lead-Up
| JuneApple | The Cradle song |
Evening Three Step | I Saw Three
Ships | The Five Toed Yowies | Mrs
Keel |
| Drumley's Reel | Drummond
Castle | Mull of
the Cool High Bens
| The Rackety Old Banjo | The Morpeth
Rant |
| Petronella | THE FANØ POLKA | The Hills of Glenorchy |
THE HILLS OF GLENORCHY
a traditional piper's tune
This Dorian mode jig is part of every highland piper's repertoire, but it's also known in Ireland, England, Cape Breton and Canada. It appeared in Alexander Mackay's collection in 1805 under the title Braes of Glenorchy, though it is sometimes referred to as the Hills of Glenurchie (a misspelling). In Northumbria they know it as The Wild Hills of Wannie and in Ireland there is a version called The Rollicking Boys of Tandaragee. Whatever it's called, this is a great jig that can also be played as a march (pipe bands often do). Alan Craig
Thanks to Alan Craig for transcribing & arranging this month’s tune. HAPPY PLAYING! |
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THE FANØ POLKA
a traditional tune from Denmark
The Fanø Polka is traditional tune from Denmark, quite typical of the fiddle music from that land. Fanø is an island just off the southwest coast of Denmark. I learnt this tune from Ian Blake, originally of Pyewackett, who performs regularly in Europe and has a great wealth of these tunes. Ian now lives in Canberra and is an outstanding musician, orchestrator and performer. Alan Craig
Thanks to Alan Craig for transcribing & arranging this month’s tune. HAPPY PLAYING! |
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PETRONELLA
a Scottish country dance tune
The old traditional tune Petronella is a specific type of Scottish tune that the Irish like to call a polka (though it's not, as the polka has a specific rhythm of its own). In fact, these country dance tunes are not phrased like the better known reels and are best thought of as tunes in 2/4 rather than 2/2 or 4/4.
The tune is, of course, for a Scottish country dance
of the same name and can be grouped with tunes like the Dashing
White Sergeant, Rose Tree or Davy, Davy, Knick
Knacks. Thanks to Alan Craig for transcribing & arranging this month’s tune. HAPPY PLAYING! |
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THE MORPETH RANT
Northumbrian rant
Here is an English dance tune suitable for most folk instruments. The Northumbrian rant is very popular in the North East and has a feeling somewhere between a reel and a hornpipe. The Morpeth Rant was originally composed by William Shield in the 1700s and has had a dance of the same name associated with it for over 200 years. The tune is sometimes called the Ivy League Hornpipe or Jim Clark's and is known in Scotland, Ireland and New England (USA). Earlier printed versions are often in Bb with a slightly different B part, but I learnt this version from the Canberra fiddler, Bob McInnes. Thanks to Alan Craig for transcribing & arranging this month’s tune. HAPPY PLAYING! |
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THE RACKETY OLD BANJO
fiddle/tenor banjo tune
I originally wrote this tune as solo break for Rantan's version of Brisbane Ladies, but later included as part of a medley in our Bush Dance! series. A few years later I was chuffed to hear some Melbourne box players ripping into it at a festival. They'd tinkered with a few notes here and there and played it in E minor, which I think suits button box better. Here it is as a fiddle/tenor banjo tune, but I'm afraid it's not a suitable piece for tin whistle in any key!
Thanks to Alan Craig for this month’s tune. HAPPY PLAYING!
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Mull of the Cool High
Bens
Muile nam Fuar-bheann Mor
This traditional waltz is a quintessential Scottish country dance tune and has been recorded by just about everyone. I've known it since I was a child, and it should be in every folk-dance musician's repertoire.
Note the F chord 7 bars from the end. It's not a mistake, but one you wouldn't normally guess. Scottish country dance bands love these little twists and it's what makes their music so special. This is a great traditional Scottish jig that is related to the strathspey Cutting Bracken (Tha Mi Sgith) or Cutting Ferns. It has been recorded by Jimmy Shand and the Cunningham Brothers and is as good a jig as you'll ever find. I learned this version from David South, and the arrangement is from Rantan Bush Band.
Thanks to Alan Craig for transcribing & arranging this month’s tune. HAPPY PLAYING!
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Drummond Castle
Scottish jig
This is a great traditional Scottish jig that is related to the strathspey Cutting Bracken (Tha Mi Sgith) or Cutting Ferns. It has been recorded by Jimmy Shand and the Cunningham Brothers and is as good a jig as you'll ever find. I learned this version from David South, and the arrangement is from Rantan Bush Band.
Thanks to Alan Craig for transcribing & arranging this month’s tune. HAPPY PLAYING!
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Drumley’s Reel
Scottish country dance tune
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Drumley's Reel, sometimes called Drumley's Hornpipe or just plain Drumleys, is a favourite Scottish country dance tune. It is perfect for the Circassian Circle or any other country dance requiring that feel. The tune is traditional and the earliest reference I can find is a recording by Jimmy Shand on a Parlophone 7" EP in 1963, though he may well have recorded it earlier.
I simply cannot remember where I collected this tune, but I have a feeling it may have other titles: so folks, let me know if you have an alternative name for it. It doesn't appear by this name in any of the old Scottish dance music collections I have.
Thanks to Alan Craig for transcribing & arranging this month’s tune. HAPPY PLAYING!
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Mrs Keel
Mrs Peel is almost certainly a composition by 17th century blind harpist Turlough Carolan, but is not one commonly heard. I say almost certainly as there is much confusion about many tunes attributed to Carolan. He is often credited as the author of tunes he never wrote (e.g. Twa Bonnie Maidens known erroneously as George Brabazon II). However, this tune seems firmly in the style he was famous for and there are no other contenders for its authorship.
This is a plaintive air that demands a bit of passion when played. I often like to run down to an A note at the end: this evokes a mixolydian Am chord that seems to resolve more satisfactorily than the dorian Dm. But that just taste.
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The Five Toed Yowies
Preamble:
© Peter Dobe 2007
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I Saw Three Ships
This lesser-known Christmas carol is believed to be of English
origin rom the Victorian era.
The author of the verses and composer are
unknown.
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Evening Three-Step
I have adapted this tune from a tape made by Alan Becker of a long ago session hosted by Mark Schuster and Maria Zann and hope it is still recognisable!
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The Cradle Song
This sweet, peaceful air by Scottish composer James Scott Skinner appeared in his collection of pastoral melodies and heroic airs entitled The Harp and Claymore, published late 19th century. A lovely recording of this tune can be found on Australian Scottish-style fiddler Chris Duncan’s CD Fyvie’s Embrace. It is also known as the Highland Cradle Song.
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June Apple
The lead-up is one of the figures for a quadrille. This one was collected by John Meredith during the 50s from a mouth organ and piano player, Lindsay Carr, from the Mudgee area. It bears a more than passing resemblance to an English Morris jig, The Perfect Cure.
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Lindsay Carr’s Lead-Up
The lead-up is one of the figures for a quadrille. This one was collected by John Meredith during the 50s from a mouthorgan and piano player, Lindsay Carr, from the Mudgee area. It bears a more than passing resemblance to an English Morris jig, The Perfect Cure.
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Morgan Magan
This tune was composed by O'Carolan in honour of Morgan Magan of Togherstown, County Westmeath, Ireland, who died in 1738.
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Wounded Hussar
This haunting slow air is common throughout the British Isles. There is a slightly different version in O'Neill's Music of Ireland, where it is published as Captain O'Kane in the O'Carolan compositions section. A rather nice recording can be found on Setting It Right by The Band of the Rising Sun.
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Coloured Aristocracy
An old favourite has finally made it to the Folk Rag pages! Thanks go to Dale Riddle, who many years ago, introduced to Brisbane session players this lively old-timey tune from America. It sounds great played on fiddle, mandolin, banjo, hammered dulcimer………… need I go on!
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March from "Oscar and Malvina"
I have included something different this month -
a march from the ballet "Oscar and Malvina" written by Maria
de Caro around 1793. It is thought that Oscar and Malvina came
from the Ossianic literature created by James MacPherson in
the late eighteenth century. Oscar was one of his characters from
the ‘Tales of Fionn MacCumhail’. Play this
one with lilt and bounce!
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Twinkle in the Eye
Alan Becker introduced me to this jaunty schottische – he heard Mark Schuster play it at a session some years ago and thinks that it was one of the tunes collected from Sally Sloane (by John Meredith?). Any further info would be welcome.
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CHRISTMAS EVE
Traditional Irish reel
This three-part Irish reel, played by Galway-style fiddler Tommy Coen, was broadcast on RTE radio on Christmas Eve 1955. It has been known by that name since that time, but has also been called Tommy Coen's and The Christmas.
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KATE KELLY'S
Collected Australian tune
This Australian waltz has an ‘A’ part remarkably similar to Bill Cooper’s Waltz, collected by Rob Willis from Bill Cooper of Forbes. The ‘B’ part has a lovely melodic line. The 11th of November marks the 126th anniversary of Kate Kelly’s brother Ned’s demise.
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Road to Boston
A Tune from America
Also known as On the Road to Boston, this tune was popular with the Colonial troops during the American War of Independence, and is widely used as a dance tune in Australia. Back in the late 70s, Steve Cook introduced to Brisbane tune players the ‘alternative’ version, Road to Istanbul, in G minor. The tune is the same, but with B flats, E flats and F sharps!
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The Arran Boat
A Traditional Scottish Tune
This old traditional tune, named for the Scottish Isle of Arran, is also known as the Arran Boat Song, Highland Boat Song and Queen Mary’s Escape from Loch Leven Castle. Under the title of Highland Boat Song, one Robert Allan (1774-1841) wrote words for the tune, about Mary Queen of Scots’ escape from the castle in May 1568.
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Whitehaven Volunteers
An English tune
This lively martial tune is from the north-west of England.
A version can be found in ‘A Northern Lass – Traditional
Dance Music of North-West England’ by Jamie Knowles.
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Dotty's Jig
Dotty's Jig was field-recorded by June Nichols in 1994 during a session with Stanthorpe button accordion player Sharon Doro, and is regularly played by The Champion Moreton Bay Band. I have recently discovered that this tune was collected about twenty-five years ago from Charlie Batchelor of Bingara, NSW by Chris Sullivan and Mark Rummery, and was recorded as Harry Reeves’ Jig, by Jane Brownlee and David De Santi, on Australian Traditional Dance Tunes Vol. 2 - A Swag of Treasures.
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This is one of Irish harper O’Carolan’s better-known compositions. Born in 1670, he lost his sight due to smallpox at the age of eighteen, and sponsored by Mrs. MacDermott Roe, studied the harp, before venturing around the country by horse, with an attendant. A fondness for whiskey might have been the inspiration for this tune!
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Kemp's Jig
An English tune
William Kemp (or Kempe), colleague of Shakespeare, was a well-known dancer and comic actor of the late 16th/early 17th centuries. His famous solo Morris jig, danced in nine days from London to Norwich, was rewarded by the Mayor of Norwich with a life pension, and is regularly re-enacted today.
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Prince Charlie's Quickstep
An 18th century Scottish tune
This Scottish tune dates from the time of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 which ended with the defeat of the Highland Army of Prince Charles Edward Stuart by the Royal Troops of George II at the battle of Culloden on 16th April 1746 . It appears that the famous 18th century fiddler Niel Gow had this tune in his repertoire as it is included in a comprehensive recording of tunes composed or played by him (A Tribute to Niel Gow by Ron Gonnella). Niel Gow played for Prince Charlie at a social gathering at Dunkeld House, Perthshire, and, impressed by the Jacobite cause, joined the Prince’s forces. He left the army at Stirling , but continued his support for the Jacobites. The source of this tune was Duchess Anne’s Music Book, but her identity is unknown at this stage. I have adapted some of the music to improve playability.
The 260th anniversary of the battle of Culloden will be commemorated at the Cairn, Culloden Battlefield, on Saturday 15th April 2006.
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Snow Waltz
A collected tune of European origin
This lovely traditional waltz (Schneewaltzer) is popular in Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria. Sharon Doro of Stanthorpe collected it from Heinz Krahling and recorded it on her 1992 album Portrait. An internet search reveals many recordings of this waltz as well as a hand-written manuscript.
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Despite the confusing title, this is an English 6/8 tune collected in the early 20th century by Cecil Sharp from Mr. Swallow of Little Guiting, and was used for the dance ‘Three in Advance’. It has been transcribed from the 1981 LP ‘Gamesters Pickpockets and Harlots’ by the Old Swan Band.
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The Boar’s Head Carol
The Boar's Head Carol was first published in 1521 by Wynken de Worde in Christmasse Carolles. Its origins are presumed to date back to the fifteenth century. For over five hundred years it has been continually sung on Christmas Day for the bringing of the boar's head to table at Queen's College, Oxford , in England .
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Enrico
Enrico (other titles Jacob, Waterloo Fair or Henryco) is a tune of unknown origin. It became popular with English fiddlers after its publication in the Thomas Hardy collection. Play this one at a nice steady English reel pace.
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An Mionnán ar an Sliabh
an Irish Slip Jig
This five-part Irish slip jig (An Mionnán ar an Sliabh in Irish) has been played at many a session and has been recorded by countless musicians over the years. A version can be found in O’Neill’s 1001 Gems, but the one here was transcribed about 25 years ago from Brisbane session players
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Traditional Tune from Tröndelag
Swedish tune
Here is another interesting Scandinavian tune (aren't they all!) suggested by Dale Riddle and transcribed from Jigsaw's Cutting Up the Floor. The minor keys give it a mysterious feel. Watch out for the accidentals!
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A Mazurka
a collected Australian Tune
This pretty mazurka was collected from the late Jacko Kevans many years ago by Sharon Doro of Stanthorpe. Neither Jacko nor Sharon could put a name to it. As far as we are aware, this tune is not widely known amongst Brisbane Aussie tune players, and we would like to hear from anyone further afield who knows about this mazurka.
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